Where does the horn ground?

[66clow]

My horn only works if I take a wire to it to ground it. I touch the bolt and the silver cup with a ground wire. Be kinda hard to drive like this . I don't have a wire at the rag joint, not sure if that is the problem.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by 66clow

My horn only works if I take a wire to it to ground it. I touch the bolt and the silver cup with a ground wire. Be kinda hard to drive like this . I don't have a wire at the rag joint, not sure if that is the problem.

It grounds through the metal disk under the cup. If everything is put together correctly, when you push on the metal cup it pushes the center of the metal disk down against the metal steering wheel hub and that completes the ground circuit. That energizes the contacts in the horn relay which provides the 12 volts to honk the horn.....


LockDoc

[66clow]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

It grounds through the metal disk under the cup. If everything is put together correctly, when you push on the metal cup it pushes the center of the metal disk down against the metal steering wheel hub and that completes the ground circuit. That energizes the contacts in the horn relay which provides the 12 volts to honk the horn.....


LockDoc

This is what I have, then the disk and the cup. Does the spring go on the pin?

[dmjlambert]

I just went through this on my truck. I have a cracked steering wheel like yours. Here's the deal with mine, maybe with yours: Below the plastic ring and metal cup is a convex spring that is held about 1/16 inch from the metal steering wheel hub. When you press on any part of the metal cup, the convex spring contacts the steering wheel hub near the spline and nut (that you are touching with the wire). You'll notice just under that nut and washer is a raised lip of metal about 1/16 inch high. That is the part the convex spring touches when you press down on it. Yours is quite rusty. That needs to be cleaned to bare metal because that is what the convex spring disc touches to ground it.

What was wrong with mine:
1. Due to cracking and warping, the outer edge of the convex spring was not held evenly all the way around any more, it was held quite a bit higher in most places. I took a dremel tool (actually a $5 knock-off from Harbor Freight) and with a grinder wheel, I cut the steering wheel warped plastic down to give it a lip about 1/16 inch higher than the metal steering wheel hub. I then made sure the convex spring fit on the lip and was suspended above the metal hub. You will notice the plastic ring with the 3 screws will hold the convex spring in place and centered.
2. I used a wire brush wheel on the dremel tool to clean up the raised lip of metal under the nut.

When I held the spring perfectly centered on the newly cut even shelf of plastic, and I pressed down on it at any place on the spring, it made a snapping sound as it came down on the center hub. I put it all back together and it now activates the horn relay quite well. Now all that remains is for me to buy a new horn.

[dmjlambert]

Another picture showing the parts. I wanted to point out what the spring looks like. Install it with the outer edge on the steering wheel plastic, and the inner circle of it surrounds but does not touch the lip of metal near the nut. Until you press down on it, then it should touch the metal lip.

[66clow]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

Another picture showing the parts. I wanted to point out what the spring looks like. Install it with the outer edge on the steering wheel plastic, and the inner circle of it surrounds but does not touch the lip of metal near the nut. Until you press down on it, then it should touch the metal lip.

My kit came with a plastic ring to go around the convex spring, maybe I should not be using that and it is keeping it to far from touching that center?

[dmjlambert]

You can see if you need it by installing the convex spring and see if it is suspended about 1/16 inch above the metal hub. When you then press on the spring does it make a nice satisfying snap and contact the center hub near the large nut? Try it with and without the plastic ring. If you don't use the ring you need to make sure the plastic of the steering wheel keeps the convex spring suspended above the metal hub and will only contact the metal hub when you press on the spring.

[dmjlambert]

That little pin you are holding in your fingers makes constant contact with the convex spring disc. You are using the convex spring disc to short that pin to the ground of the metal steering wheel hub to make the horn relay activate.

[66clow]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

You can see if you need it by installing the convex spring and see if it is suspended about 1/16 inch above the metal hub. When you then press on the spring does it make a nice satisfying snap and contact the center hub near the large nut? Try it with and without the plastic ring. If you don't use the ring you need to make sure the plastic of the steering wheel keeps the convex spring suspended above the metal hub and will only contact the metal hub when you press on the spring.

Cool I'll try it tomorrow. Thanks

[dmjlambert]

You may be close to getting it going by cleaning the rust off that steering wheel hub. If you short the pin to the steering wheel nut, does it activate the horn?

[66clow]

Dmjlambert what is holding you're steering wheel together

[66clow]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

You may be close to getting it going by cleaning the rust off that steering wheel hub. If you short the pin to the steering wheel nut, does it activate the horn?

Not sure I tried that. If I take my wire to the pin to an outside ground it blows.

[dmjlambert]

Originally Posted by 66clow

Dmjlambert what is holding you're steering wheel together

Ok, when I said "I have a cracked steering wheel like yours" perhaps that was not accurate. It is cracked more than yours by quite a bit. My steering wheel appears to be directly affected by the wisecracks I make when I'm in the driver's seat. I guess it thinks we are in some sort of competition. :-) I call them cracks of distinction and character.

[66clow]

So I got the horn working but not necessarily factory hookup but better than no horn. It looks like my washer is too small or ring hole is too big. Before when you would push down on the convex spring it wouldn't touch the hub. So I put the little washer in there so it will make contact. Which one is wrong the washer or the spring? Bought a $8 harbour freight horn. Love that place.

[dmjlambert]

Hey, that's a pretty good idea. To make it more permanent and to prevent the washer from slipping out some day, you could probably just get a giant washer at a hardware store to replace or add to the large washer under the nut. I'm kind of surprised it works, as it seems your hub is too rusty.

The spring may not have the right size center hole. On mine the center hole does not come down on the washer, it comes down on that raised metal lip that is part of the steering wheel hub. But I suppose there is nothing wrong with putting a large washer on there for it to contact, or wedge in that little washer (or perhaps 3 or 4 washers spaced evenly around the nut.

I see you have dual horns. Is that 2 different tones, one high note and one low note?

[66clow]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

Hey, that's a pretty good idea. To make it more permanent and to prevent the washer from slipping out some day, you could probably just get a giant washer at a hardware store to replace or add to the large washer under the nut. I'm kind of surprised it works, as it seems your hub is too rusty.

The spring may not have the right size center hole. On mine the center hole does not come down on the washer, it comes down on that raised metal lip that is part of the steering wheel hub. But I suppose there is nothing wrong with putting a large washer on there for it to contact, or wedge in that little washer (or perhaps 3 or 4 washers spaced evenly around the nut.

I see you have dual horns. Is that 2 different tones, one high note and one low note?

Yes they came as duals from harbor freight. Hi and low. Pretty loud too. I'm happy with the sound. I tried a few different things before the washer but this works. It's amazing what you can think up when you don't have the right stiff. Lol