Horn doesn't work!

[OUbesto]

Horn has never worked and I'm finally getting around to fix it. Here are the facts:

1) replaced horn relay - still doesn't work

2) read this previous thread and it appears the assembly is correct as installed-http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=706524

3) Photos below show my steering wheel cavity with horn parts removed (pin installed) and my parts.

4) Observation - My assumption is that when you press the horn button, it pushes down the pin inside the spring which then makes contact with the metal plate at the bottom of the small cylinder tube. This seems to me this is the way that it works. Assuming correct, I measured the length of the pin and it is 3/4", however, the depth of the cylinder measured from the bottom plate up to the edge of the base plate is at least 1 1/8". So there is no way the 3/4" pin could ever be depressed deep enough to reach bottom plate . Maybe I'm not analyzing correctly?

5) can anyone suggest a way I can test to see if horn works? I read in the above mentioned thread that some guy connected a test wire from the fully depressed pin to the steering column center bolt and the horn sounded. I tried hooking up a lead pushed down into the cylinder to make contact with the bottom metal plate (did not use pin) while touching other end to the center bolt and it did not work. ARGH!

Any thoughts, suggestions are welcomed!