Horn Issues

[curvedglass]

Howdy All,

The horn in my 63 standard wheel is giving me fits. Sometimes it hits and others it doesn't. Usually when I am trying to get someone to pay attention and not hit me or to get them to stop texting when the light turns green. I had everything apart when I replaced the turn signal switch and upper column bearing. The wheel has to be in the correct position and I have to press dead center on the bowtie. Other times it just doesn't connect. The plastic retainer for the three screws under the button is cracked but staying together. Does this ring have any bearing on the situation? Any other connections than the spring loaded button that rides on the back of the wheel?

How hard is it to by the wheel and mount a button on the dash? My weber is electric choke and I can use the hole from the manual choke cable as a mounting point. If I am not mistaken I need a single pole momentary switch.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Minesinger]

Mine was doing the same thing. Really have to be careful to get the screws/plastic retainer in the right position - centered up on the metal button. If your retainer is broke it might be causing misalignment.

[jtrichard]

The 3 plastic screw insulators DO NOT have to be connected make sure the spring plate is very clean where the horn brush hits it and the bottom side in the center is also clean ( sand if necessary) and also inside the wheel where the inside of the spring hit when pushed ... NOT the outside area(in the center hub) of the wheel that has plastic there to insulate the spring

[curvedglass]

Bringing this thread back to life. Still do not have a proper functioning horn. I have cleaned aligned, lubed, etc. and still hit or miss. Does anyone have a wiring solution / diagram for a dash mounted button?

Thanks!

[Afirehawk1]

i would that info as well.
Need the horns since mine are missing. any out there?

[Tazimafied]

Did you take the wheel off and clean up the contact ring underneath? That has always been the main issue in almost all vehicles. It needs to be sanded on a flat surface to get rid of any grooves cut by wear from the old contact. Also make sure the contact is clean and flat before reinstalling. Any bumps, grooves or other anomalies that could cause only a small portion of the contact to hit the ring will cause an arc between the two pieces and will end up making the horn work even less than it is now.

[curvedglass]

No I haven't gone through those steps.

[Tazimafied]

Forgot to add...

Use an extremely flat surface like a glass table top. Lay the paper on the table and rub the ring on the paper. Start with 400 move to 600 then to 800. Once you are done don't touch the surface of the ring. Acids and oils from your fingers will cause tarnish and the horn will stop working again.

I had to do this to my '64 and the horn still worked great when I traded it about 5 years later.

[curvedglass]

After all this I still have issues - again looking for a push button on the dash solution. Do I just need to cut the brown horn wire and splice in the momentary switch and ground it to the dash?

[jtrichard]

YES you can but this may not help .....You could have a bad connection at the bulkhead plug OR if your relay could be bad or the horn its self is ...... Find the wire under the dash ground it and see what happens ... should hear horn working OR relay clicking IF NOT then a dash button WONT help

[curvedglass]

I think I fixed it. the barrel that housed the spring and brass contacts was so gooed up with old grease that is was partially compressed all the time. I cleaned it up and it makes better contact. I just have to hit the center of the button.

[curvedglass]

I didn't fix $h!t

I bypassed the issue - here is my fix. Pep Boys push button $10.99. Ace hardware washer 40 cents.