47-55.1 Steering Column wire?

[J48chevy]

Getting all my wiring completed and have a silly question. Steering column is off brand not an ididit and have no idea what this black wire is for. I would think horn but the main wire system has a black horn wire already. Using the American Autowire kit for all wiring as well.

[J48chevy]

Also another question is there is no wire for horn button at steering wheel? Am I missing something here? Wouldn’t think it would be that hard. Haha

[J48chevy]

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1559013127

Think I am missing this piece for my horn?

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by J48chevy

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1559013127

Think I am missing this piece for my horn?

thats the piece you are missing for the top. a truck usually has 3-4 turns of the steering wheel lock to lock so the horn button is connected to a brass contact ring and not directly wired, which directly wiring would need some complicated clockspring to keep the wire from bunching up in your 3-4 turns of the wheel. airbags have a clockspring, but horns dont.

the black wire at the bottom is likely the horn output from that contact ring. they do a good job of color coding columns like GM did, and black is often the horn wire color on older GM (sometimes white though) so get your missing piece and test continuity from that spade connector to the black wire, bet it rings.

[cmayna]

Did the steering column come with a wire already? What steering wheel are you using? I'm sure this will have an impact on how the wire connects to the steering wheel.

[J48chevy]

Thanks guys. Found my missing horn contact also. As for the bottom black wire, the main harness with like 6 wires has a black one that is labeled horn with it. This other black wire is an additional one and that is what is throwing me off.

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by J48chevy

Thanks guys. Found my missing horn contact also. As for the bottom black wire, the main harness with like 6 wires has a black one that is labeled horn with it. This other black wire is an additional one and that is what is throwing me off.

its probably the input ground. GM steering columns usually have a good path to ground through the steering shaft or the mount to the dash/firewall, but for an aftermarket column that could be used in a fiberglass body they may need to add a ground. the ground is what is closing the horn circuit, it goes from ground through the metal of the column through horn contacts then through that extra piece you need, then out the black wire labeled horn.

take a VOM (volt ohm meter), set it to continuity (looks like a line with an arrow on it, touch the contacts together and it should beep) put one probe on the steering shaft and the other on that black wire you dont know what it is (not labeled horn). if it beeps, its a ground input. whether you need it or not depends on how you mount the column.

[J48chevy]

Originally Posted by joedoh

its probably the input ground. GM steering columns usually have a good path to ground through the steering shaft or the mount to the dash/firewall, but for an aftermarket column that could be used in a fiberglass body they may need to add a ground.

take a VOM (volt ohm meter), set it to continuity (looks like a line with an arrow on it, touch the contacts together and it should beep) put one probe on the steering shaft and the other on that black wire you dont know what it is. if it beeps, its a ground input. whether you need it or not depends on how you mount the column.

Ok will give that a try.

[DransportGarage]

I have a knockoff steering column also, and I'm using American Auto Wire's (AAW) Highway 22 wiring kit. Here is the part of my dash schematic that shows the wiring for my knock-off steering column. (The fusebox is actually on another sheet. If it's needed, I can add it.)

Dash.pdf

The black wire IN THE HARNESS is the horn ground that you tie back to the 19th fuse in the AAW fusebox (or to some other fuse in other AAW products). When that sucker gets grounded by the horn button it fires the horn relay on the Highway 22 fusebox.

As you can see in the picture, my knockoff steering column does NOT have that extra black wire that yours has. I suspect that extra black wire on your column grounds your column. Using an ohmmeter, see if it goes to your column housing. If so, tie it to ground on your truck. (If it's meant to go to ground, and you tie it to the "Horn Relay GND" on your fusebox, your horn will blow when you hook up the battery.)

(I just read joedoh's near-identical comment, so he gets all the credit!)

[J48chevy]

Originally Posted by DransportGarage

I have a knockoff steering column also, and I'm using American Auto Wire's (AAW) Highway 22 wiring kit. Here is the part of my dash schematic that shows the wiring for my knock-off steering column. (The fusebox is actually on another sheet. If it's needed, I can add it.)

Attachment 1907949

The black wire IN THE HARNESS is the horn ground that you tie back to the 19th fuse in the AAW fusebox (or to some other fuse in other AAW products). When that sucker gets grounded by the horn button it fires the horn relay on the Highway 22 fusebox.

As you can see in the picture, my knockoff steering column does NOT have that extra black wire that yours has. I suspect that extra black wire on your column grounds your column. Using an ohmmeter, see if it goes to your column housing. If so, tie it to ground on your truck. (If it's meant to go to ground, and you tie it to the "Horn Relay GND" on your fusebox, your horn will blow when you hook up the battery.)

(I just read joedoh's near-identical comment, so he gets all the credit!)

Thank you. I will definitely do this. Appreciate it. That is why this site is awesome. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼