Got me a 'Hawk

Dec 17, 2018
85
TX, USA
Well, finally found one. It's not the All-light model I prefer, but I'm still more than happy to have a 'Hawk again. Plenty dirty, and some damage here and there, but seems complete and should clean up nicely.

Please forgive the "table" - the wife took over my project desk with her crafts/projects.*

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Empty speaker compartment. Shame.

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I'm assuming this was on a vehicle with rear work lights, as those lights to the front put the wiring block on the passenger side. If I'm not mistaken, that should be on the drivers side, correct?

That being said, here's the drivers side. dirty, of course. Two of the screw hols look like they were tightened two much and are missing half of it, so the dome can't be tightened down properly. It's secure, just not with all four screws - though it is missing two screws anyway. The bearing below the bulb seems to have a gap in it, like as in you can move the reflector up and down.

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And passenger side. Nothing wrong as far as I know.
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this guy looks brand new. No dirt or anything on it.
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Rear flashers both look good, just needs cleaning like the rest.
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Same for the alley lights. Also the bar came with the straps and feet on both sides!
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Looks like I'll need to replace both take down lenses. The driver side is by far the worst one on the bar.
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And the bulb inside. I found some of the glass sliding around inside the dome. Not a good sign. But hopefully no real damage, just a blown bulb...
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the other Take down. The bulb is fine in here, looks to be in perfect shape. Just melted/overheated effect on the inside. I'm thinking someone put the wrong bulbs and got way too hot bulbs in there.
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And the bane of my electrical skills. Super short wire.

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*Dear Wife: please forgive me.
 

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May 21, 2010
2,201
Elmira, ny
If ya need assistance with the hawk, shoot me a message.

Streethawks are my style bar, and it isn't actually to hard to make it as an all light hawk, just need a flat metal plate for center (I have one) and lower dome, upper dome, rotator and center mirrors.......and correct wiring for center :)
 
Dec 17, 2018
85
TX, USA
Thanks man. I'll probably be looking for a second on to build up how I really want after this one. I'm treating this as a "jumping back into the deep-end" kind of thing. I do know I'm gonna have to post up looking for some domes and lenses, but that's after this gets up and going smooth. In the mean time, I need to fully take it apart and clean it out.

Probably something I'll start with tomorrow, and use some dawn to clean the domes up. While I'm at it, is it 16 gauge wire for these lights? I'm gonna go pick up a couple spools to test on the car batter to see what works and doesn't.
 
May 21, 2010
2,201
Elmira, ny
Negative and power wire are I believe 10 gauge and the rest of the wire are 16 gauge.

I have a couple streethawks in my collection, so I'll confirm when out of work at 1pm
 
Dec 17, 2018
85
TX, USA
OK, much appreciated. I'll be heading up to Walmart around 3pm here, so I can grab a spool or two and try splicing the wires coming out the bottom.
 
Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
OK, much appreciated. I'll be heading up to Walmart around 3pm here, so I can grab a spool or two and try splicing the wires coming out the bottom.

With a power lead that short, it might be easier just to rewire to the block.

StreetHawks are pretty easy to work on, parts were and hopefully are still readily available.
 
Dec 17, 2018
85
TX, USA
OK, so after some running around, I got the bar apart again and pulled the wiring back through the hole. That way I had plenty to work with. Applied power to the main pos/neg, and the rotors came right on and spinning. the passenger side inner light is barely working, spins a bit, then stops, can start again. Probably a bearing issue or something. It's pretty dirty on that entire side (the outer rotator is a bit rough too, but has no issues with just going and going), so once I start clean-up, we'll know more. The reflectors/assembly have some play in them. Like, not a tiny amount, but what I would say is significant. Maybe a half-inch.

After that, I ran though the other wires. Both alley lights work fine, and the rear flashers work perfectly fine. The take downs did not come on, even with swapping the bulbs. It's all wired in, so probably something to find once we take it apart for cleaning.

Unfortunately, I found 3 cracks in the base. One in the middle of each take down, and on on the driver side rear flasher. Just need to get a bonding substance to it, and clean it up so that water can't enter it (in case it goes on a vehicle), and also do something about those two screw holes for the dome - they are broken in half.

All-in-all, not a bad day.
 

Nolines

Member
Apr 5, 2018
1,678
Margate, FL
I have a place that has a bunch of fire related all light streethawks but they won't sell them whole cause of the red lenses... I'll see what I can do.
 
Dec 17, 2018
85
TX, USA
I'd appreciate that, thanks! Is there some kind of law where you are regarding the lenses and bars being sold? I can't see there being much of a problem, but I wouldn't be surprised, either, seeing some kind of ordinance or what not regarding it.
 

coop359

Member
Apr 16, 2012
495
USA Tennessee
We ran SH like yours in the 90s. Some of the rotators has an issue with to soft washers in the bottom of the socket. Our repair guy would take apart and flatten the washer out which would help the light. I think there was a redesign of this part. These were the old metal reflectors.
 
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Nolines

Member
Apr 5, 2018
1,678
Margate, FL
I'd appreciate that, thanks! Is there some kind of law where you are regarding the lenses and bars being sold? I can't see there being much of a problem, but I wouldn't be surprised, either, seeing some kind of ordinance or what not regarding it.
Yes because they were bought with government funding they can't sell them to non government people without being stripped down and no blue or red lenses, and then they want a ton of money for them
 
Dec 17, 2018
85
TX, USA
@coop359:
Thanks for the heads-up. I'll look at it this upcoming week, on my day off when I'll be able to start taking it apart, degreasing and degriming all the insides and cleaning up the domes.

@Nolines:
Ah, i see. I guess that makes sense.
 

CatBacker88

Member
Jun 13, 2013
57
Kansas
I've resurrected several Streethawks and they are indeed simple designs. Circuit boards are to scary for me! From what I can see in your pictures yours is all there, but will sure benefit from a 100% complete disassembly, diligent cleaning (hot soapy water) and reassembly. Note how the rotators are oriented before you take them off for detailing, and be ready to spend some time on each of them if you want them to work smoothly and quietly. You will probably find a bunch of that weird pink grease in their innards. Get rid of the old grease, clean everything up, apply new white lithium grease and reassemble. You'll want polish all the reflectors with a good metal polish like Flitz. Don't be surprised if many of the electrical connections are both brittle and hard to pull off the their spades. Doesn't look like you are missing anything but of course that power cord is a problem. The lights you mentioned not working or not working well are likely from poor grounding. With good bulbs and reflectors and lenses StreetHawks put out a lot of light. Good clear wiring diagrams are readily available if you want to put it all back together the way it's supposed to be, which makes it easier to use it with a Federal Signal switch box.
 
Dec 17, 2018
85
TX, USA
Thanks. Yeah, I plan to tear it apart, and document everything as I go, to make sure I can get ti all back together again. I assumes almost everything, sans electrical connectors and motors could be wiped down and cleaned with some dawn, and then the other stuff I've got some electrical clean up stuff for. a bit of bulb grease from autozone should help, too.

Hopefully, the takedowns are just some simple fix.
 
Dec 17, 2018
85
TX, USA
OK, so I had a few minutes today, and took the domes off to wash them. They look way better, though still pretty clouded, and far more scratches than I'd seen. Hopefully nothing that can't be sanded out and polished up.

Looked at the rotators, and took the reflectors off the inner ones. the side that has play, looks like it's the plastic cog that's the cause. I swapped the reflectors on the two inner ones, and the wiggler still wiggled, while the other did not, and then swapped them back properly to keep them where they are now.
 

ryan

Member
May 20, 2010
2,996
Massillon, Ohio
I have about a dozen all light streethawks available. $125 plus ship. These are in very nice shape. 330-353-3472. Your choice of color combos.
 

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