How to remove/repair 72 gmc horn button

[Jobe72]

New to the board, picked up a 72 gmc sierra on Friday.

The horn button doesn't seen to do anything, possibly stuck down. The horns are disconnected. In order to get the truck inspected here in Texas I will need a working horn. So my question, how do I remove the button without breaking it? I had a 72 chevy many years ago but it allready had an aftermarket steering wheel on it.

Thanks for your help

Bryan

oh yeah, pic of the truck and the 95 SWB it's replacing!

[71blksuper4x4]

what does your horn button look like? Is it a factory 69-72 wheel? If so, just grab your fingers around the horn button and wiggle and pry. Trevor

[Monte Carlo Man]

How to diagnose and fix the horn.

As '71 blksuper said, to take the horn button out, all you have to do is pry out on it. But that is not going to fix it.

The steering wheel is designed to have a non integral horn button, which means that it is not a part of the horn.

When you take the horn button cover off, you will see a steel disc inside with 3 screws holding it on. Make sure to disconnect the battery when you work on this set up. Take the 3 screws out and you will see a spring type set up and a wire that goes through the steering column that has either a white or black plastic piece around the wire. If you push down on the plastic piece and turn counter clock wise the whole assembly will come out of the column.

There might be a snap ring around the top of the column shaft and when you take the snap ring off it exposes the nut that holds the wheel onto the shaft.
You take that nut off and use a steering wheel puller to pull the steering wheel and underneath that there should be a white plastic ring with a bonded copper band that goes 360* around the plastic, that is what transfers the connection between the horn assembly - to the wiring harness when the steering wheel turns.

Thats pretty much it on that end.

You will have a relay someone under the dash or under the hood that activates the horns and a wiring harness that goes to each horn.

It might sound like a sick goose if only one horn works because each horn has it's own tone and the combination of the two makes the sound you hear when you push the button.

If the truck was a automatic and you wanted to upgrade it, you could use a column out of a '76 - 77 Monte Carlo that had tilt wheel. The only difference is that the newer column had a key cylinder in the column and a locking column.

The part that goes up through the dash is bigger around, but with the right tools and a little bit of time, it's not hard to change.

[culp7]

The steering wheel is designed to have a non integral horn button, which means that it is not a part of the horn.

When you take the horn button cover off, you will see a steel disc inside with 3 screws holding it on. Make sure to disconnect the battery when you work on this set up. Take the 3 screws out and you will see a spring type set up and a wire that goes through the steering column that has either a white or black plastic piece around the wire. If you push down on the plastic piece and turn counter clock wise the whole assembly will come out of the column.

.

is this only true for69-72's because i took the metal cup of the inside of my 67-68 wheel and there was no such spring inside and the horn cap is flopping around. would that be the fix?

[toddtheodd]

To pass state inspection here in TX, I mounted a horn button on the bottom of the dash with a wire running from a keyed on tab on the fuse box to the horn button to the horns under the hood.
I half to honk it for the inspection guy, but it passes.

[Monte Carlo Man]

I would suggest that you find a auto grave yard that has a vintage Chevy pick up with the steering wheel and buy the parts off the steering wheel that you need.

If you tell the person that you need the horn parts, they might charge you just as much as what they would charge for the whole wheel. So be careful not to say too much right off the bat - wink wink....

Me personally, I liked the 71 - 72 Horn on the CST that had a Chevy or GMC emblem in the middle and a grain plastic that looked like the seats.

I would say that there is something missing - and that is why your horn does not work.

[Jobe72]

Thanks for the tips, I will go see what I can do here shortly.
Here is a pic of my horn/steering wheel.

Thanks!

[Monte Carlo Man]

Ya Baby - that is the one I like.

You ought to either buy a service and repair manual for that year of truck or by a cheaper version of the Haynes or Chilton's Repair Manual.

All I have is the service and repair manuals for cars. Although I believe that there would be a section on horns in the Motor Auto Repair Manuals I have.

Just that you are there and I am here.

My brother could fix it faster then I could type it.

By the way, that is a really nice truck you have.

[Jobe72]

I"m diggin it, havn't stopped driving it since I got it Friday night...my 62 caddy is going to get jealous! Pulled the horn cap...it used to be brown!

I'll get into it later, it's definately stuck as I plugged in the horn relay and it started clicking

thanks for the info all...

bryan

[Jobe72]

OK, finally got to working on this last night and I'm still unsure of how it's supposed to work...seems like there is a spring missing!

remove the plastic horn button, no biggie.
Remove the 3 screws, the plastic ring, the metal cup.
I see a little plunger at about 9 o'clock.
remove the metal disc that is slightly cupped...is this the 'spring'?
If I put it all together loosely it seems to want to work, but if I tighten down the screws no more workie!

Is there something I'm missing? Seems there should be a spring between the cup and the metal plate?

Thanks

Bryan

[67chevemall]

Looking for a diagram for you with no luck

Pretty sure there is spring in there.

I put a 67 Wheel on a 80 Camero Column so anything is possible...lol

[hayhauler71]

the metal cupped disc is the spring and to me it sounds like all the parts are there. Also make sure you have power on the button at your 9 oclock position. If this is good the problem is in the parts you just took out.

[rooster11]

I'm in to the same problem. But, I am replacing a Grant steering wheel with a reproduction. The stuff I bought from classic parts . com doesn't tell which way to place that metal plate with the horn kit. It is concave. Does the curve face toward the driver, or the engine ? Also, mine wiggles as well, no workie.

[darren509]

I am having problems with this assembly myself. I have a 69 colomn with gmc button, just bought the kit from LMC and the horn does work but I cant seem to put it back together to make it work by pressing it ? I cant seem to figure out how the horn button dosent just pop out ? Can somebody take a step by step pics of removal so I can reassemble mine ?????? Please help....