Horn button/steering wheel problems

[elwood]

I just bought this truck,, the horn doesn't work. It's not the fuse, wiring or horns, they all check out. I go to take the horn pad off and there is a metal ring held down by three torx head screws. Aren't there supposed to be wires and contacts behind the pad? How do I get the steering wheel off? Where do I stick the puller bolts?

I'm thinking about going with a grant wheel to simplify this crap.

Also, can I use a newer GM truck steering wheel (like up to '94?)

[Russell]

You need to take off those torx bolts and suddenly you'll see a large bolt that holds the steering wheel on, take it off, then you'll see how the puller attaches... Just make sure that you remember how everything goes back together. The horn works by pushing a metal plate down that is attached to the other pole of the horn circuit, making contact with the ground which is the steering wheel.

[elwood]

Mine doesn't have a plate, just a ring thats is held down by the torx screws.

[Russell]

Thats probally why your horn doesn't work then

Wanna take some pictures for me?

[elwood]

let me fire up the digital...

[elwood]

Here's the steering wheel


Here's the truck

Now you see what I'm dealing with... a pieced together truck!

[Russell]

Ah yeah, everything is there When you take those three torx bolts, that big round bowl comes out, as well as a little metal plate that is at a slight angle, you'll notice that the little plate doesn't lay totally flat as such, you'll want to make sure that you stick that plate back in the same way... Find a crayon or something and put an X on that side of it before you take it out. As soon as you take that out you'll see a little metal rod sticking out, when you stick that plate in, it should make constant contact with that rod. The rod comes out by turning the little plastic peice that holds it in with a small screwdriver, just be careful, everything plastic in there is fragile. To get the steering wheel off, you need to get that large bolt out, a breaker bar would be your friend for this, it can be pretty tough. Just make sure that you push in the opposite direction of the breaker bar to at least some extent so you don't break the locking mechanism inside. After you've gotten the bolt off, put it in a cup along with everything else to prevent yourself from loosing anything. To get the wheel puller on, you'll see two threaded holes just to the right and the left of the shaft that you just took the bolts off of, typically the wheel puller bolts into those. Make sure that you have a puller tool, you'll hurt yourself if you try to pull it off yourself, and probally damage something too....

[elwood]

I'll give it a try after work.

Thanks a bunch..I appreciate it!

[elwood]

I think I'm going to buy another column, this one I have is messed up anyways. The yard down the street wants $75 for a non-tilt, including steering wheel. I might have to go look at it.

[Russell]

If you ask me, it is actually easier to fix the one you have than it is to install a new one... You'll learn a whole lot more this way Trust me, it isn't nearly as daunting as a task as everyone seems to make it out to be I can help you with anything you need to know about your tilt...

[elwood]

well...I went out, unscrewed the three torx screws and took that cup thingy out. There is a copper spring sticking out of a plastic lined hole in the upper left. I touched it with my needle nose, mistakingly grounded it out and the horn honked. Now I know how it works. There is a little plastic ring on the cup part, that looks very brittle. It looks like the cup moves in and grounds out the spring. I cleaned off all the rust and it still wont work right. Do I have to get a new cup thingy? If I push extremely hard it works, but thats not cool.

I think the column is out of a car (buick or olds) the shifter looks different. Also the truck won't start if you have the wheel tilted.

You got me thinking about rebuilding the whole thing.

[ElGracho]

$75 for a non tilt column is plenty. I bought a tilt column at a swap meet for $5 and they go for $125 at the high priced walk in and buy stuff junk yards. At a u pull it place a non tilt column is probably around $25 and they are plentiful.

[Russell]

Ok, it seems that your problem is that the spring that pushes that plastic lined rod out is loose and isn't making contact with the metal plate and the cup, take that little plastic lined peice out, and stick a stiffer spring in and try again...

The very first thing I did on my truck was rebuild the column, it worked pretty well for me, minus one or two things I did wrong... My friend came over one day and wrenched on the column which I had to weld to fix and broke it, so I just bought a new column for 2$ at the wreckers, and traded the best parts from both into one good solid column... If you need more help with how that there plate is suppost to go in, I can make a short video for you to explain it.

[elwood]

There is just a spring, no plastic rod on mine.

[Russell]

Should be a steel rod in there.... Thats your problem right there... If you want, I can send you one in an envelope, shouldn't cost anything more than two stamps for shipping.

[elwood]

Where can I find one? What can I use? I don't want to put you through all that trouble man.

I'm thinking about putting a wheel in from a newer model C/K pickup.

[Russell]

All it'll take for me to do it to walk to my shop, grab the peice off the counter, throw it in an envelope and send it to you

If you know of any junkyards nearby, just head over to one and pull a similar column down to the same place where you are at with yours (most use a phillips drive rather than a torx, so take both drivers with you) Also take a paper clip or something, you'll see the peice right away after you move the plate, just turn the little plastic bracket that holds the rod in with the paper clip until the rod, and the little pastic peice are both shot out at you by the spring, take the spring as well, and just install them into your truck the same way. When you stick the metal plate back on, be sure that it is put in so that the outside edge touches the plastic of the steering column instead of touching the metal in the center, you'll know if you have it the wrong way if your horn never shuts off, lol After you have that metal plate in the right way, put the cup peice back on with the notch facing upwards, then put the little cover back on. Then you'll have a good horn on the truck As far as the only starting with the column up part -- that tells me that the little rod that connects to the switch for the starter and stuff on the column has slipped outta position... You have to dissassemble the whole column to get at it... Not nearly as daunting a task as it may sound, just set yourself at least a day in which to work on it. I could do it in two hours tops, but know what I am doing with it...

[elwood]

yeah, I'm headed off the the junkyard in the next couple of days, I'll grab a rod then. I have lots to learn about column work!

Thanks a bunch, I sure do appreciate all your help!

[Russell]

Anytime

If you need any help at all, I have a mostly dissassembled column sitting out back, I can show you how things go together using it...