Can't blow... my horn

[tim]

Okay. I'm having horn issues. I am swapping a stock steering wheel back into my bronco and believe I have all the correct parts.

The steering wheel parts/horn cap are installed just like below, but when I press on the horn button nothing happens.

If I remove the horn cap and jumper either of the two contacts on the steering wheel and the steering shaft/nut (figured it's a good ground), the horn blows fine.

What the HORN is up? Seems like there is no path to ground in the circuit. It also seems like the spring that sits at the center of the steering wheel and horn button should be the path to ground, but the spring sits on the outside of the plastic insulator used to connect the button to the wheel.

Oh, the column is a 74 or 76, the turn signal switch is for a 74-77.

Anyone have any ideas?

"A careful driver is one who honks his horn when he goes through a red light"

[slow poke]

Re: Can't blow... my horn

Tim, I am going from memory here but of the two pins under the steering wheel, one should have 12V the other should go to the horn and eventually to ground. With a VOM you will some resistance but also a connection to ground. Seem strange that either one will honk the horn. If you short the two pins together the horn should sound.

Common problems are the two spring loaded pins actually never touch the copper traces under the steering wheel, and a second one is the 8 pin connector from the steering wheel to harness is not making good contact on one or more pins.

Often the horn itself is poorly grounded but since your sounds....it is grounded.

Dirtdonk will suggest you add a relay, which is good advice...after you get it working.

[DirtDonk]

Re: Can't blow... my horn

Right-e-oh you are! Relays rule...

But first, let's check a couple of things. For one, if you have two contacts in the switch, that's strange right there. Thought there was only one for your later year switch?
If you do have two, what happens when you touch one to the other? That's how the horn works with the 2-contact switches.

Does your switch include the pull-knob for the emergency flashers or not?
With a volt-meter, can you detect 12v at one contact only?

Paul

[tim]

Re: Can't blow... my horn

Thanks Paul.

1) Already have a relay

2) There is only one contact in the turn signal switch, it has 12 volts; also has the pull knob for the hazards.

The problem lies in the horn button mechanism. It's' not grounding out like it should. the wheel and horn button contacts are all aftermarket. Do you know i the metal tang at the top of the steering wheel is supposed to be in contact with the metal disc with 2 contacts attached to the horn button?

Thanks for your guy's help on this!

[DirtDonk]

Re: Can't blow... my horn

Yes, it should. Maybe.
I'm more familiar with the earlier style, but have a full newer one in the garage I can check out later to re-familiarize myself with it. It's all factory though, but should mimic the aftermarket as long as the stuff you have is correct for the Ford.
Any brand name and part numbers on the aftermarket stuff by any chance?

The large tab is the contact between the power ring and the horn button on the stock one I'm pretty sure. On the early, it's actually connected to the inner ring, and uses the button to complete the circuit to the outer ring and on out to the horn.
On the later one like yours with a relay, it's only supposed to ground out on the steering column like you're thinking.

Since you've tested to make sure it works by jumping to the center shaft, have you tried grounding the brass tip to different parts of the wheel? Just to see if something is isolated that should not be.

Maybe even try some temporary jumper wires to ground different parts of the column to see if maybe you just have a ground issue.
Hard to say without knowing more about the horn button though. Seems like so many aftermarket steering wheels and their horn buttons are never working on Broncos.
You ever notice that? Seems like practically every other time I see an EB with an aftermarket wheel, the horn doesn't work!

Good luck. I'll see what I can find when I dig out my stuff too.

Paul

[tim]

Re: Can't blow... my horn

Thanks Paul. All the stuff (besides the horn spring) came from WH. I think it may be a QC/tolerance issue with the aftermarket stuff. I believe they're all Dennis Carpenter items. It was kinda frustrating that the horn button kit did not come with an assembly diagram.

I'll try the jumper test too.

Interestingly, when playing around with it this morning, i got the horn to sound by actually pulling on the button, so i think the solution lies within the grounding "tang" or the contact plate.

I've reviewed the horn button part installation sequence from several online sources and my set-up jives with all of them.

[DirtDonk]

Re: Can't blow... my horn

Are you using the billet aluminum version from Lecarra then?
Sure you got the right one, and that the contact is actually in contact with the copper trace under the adapter?

I'm not aware of any issues with the single trace (later version) that you should have, but we definitely had an issue for awhile with the dual-trace (pre-74 version) not aligning with the spring loaded contact.

If that's what you have, just make sure there's enough contact between the contact and the adapter's contact "ring" under the adapter.

I figure you did already, but since we had that issue before with the other part, it's worth bringing up.

Paul

[tim]

Re: Can't blow... my horn

No billet stuff. I'm using the repop 2-spoke #2928

http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product...ng_Wheel_66-74

And the horn button kit #2919

http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product/HornButtonKit66-74

(BTW, WH should mention that a horn spring #2611 is also needed as part of the kit)

And the replacement turn signal switch #2987:

http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product..._Switch_7477yr

[DirtDonk]

Re: Can't blow... my horn

I think I see the problem.

Because you're mixing and matching parts from the two completely different designs is likely the root of your issue. True, they are right at the changeover (early wheel and button, with late switch), but the changeover doesn't mean that all parts are compatible because they have the '74 model year in common. Late is late, early is early, and they're not compatible. The '74 thing just means that some are one way while others lean the other way.
You might just be fighting a mis-matched parts issue.

The '74 model year was a changeover, but EB's are not always precisely on schedule. In a perfect world, there would be the '66 to '73 parts, and the completely different '74 to '77 stuff. But there is not that luxury with Broncos.
You're assuming that all the early stuff is compatible with all the late stuff, and we're obviously guilty of assuming everyone will verify what they have first. Even though not everybody knows what to look for.
I guess it should be spelled out on the website, so that everyone knows to look first, or ask questions if they're not sure. Since many items are listed for '74 because the individual '74 columns could have gone either way.
We run into that a couple of times a year, where the year of the Bronco is '74, but the column parts match the earlier descriptions. While most '74 columns match the later designs.
Causes a lot of confusion, but luckily doesn't happen that often.

So your issue sounds like the 1-pole switch is expecting a steering wheel and horn button from a later year (with only one ring), while your steering wheel (with two rings) is expecting a 2-pole switch from an earlier model with.

I'm not 100 percent sure of course, but it's worth pursuing that train of thought.
Give the shop a call today while there's still someone there, and if one of the sales people don't have the answer for sure, have them check with Jim if he's in.
Any chance you could bring the parts in to the shop today before 5pm?

Long shot I know, but I had to ask.

Paul

[DirtDonk]

Re: Can't blow... my horn

I just looked at my late steering wheel (to go with my later column I'm putting in) and it does indeed have only one contact ring.
I'm "assuming" your steering wheel has the two distinct contact rings on the bottom side?

If so, call in to make sure that I'm telling you the straight scoop.
It may just be that Ford had an intermediate steering wheel, where it looked like the earlier models, but had only one ring like the later one.
Just like they did on other things. Like in '76 when the parking brake cables were an intermediate design. Ours fit early or late, but some have the in-between one and have to customize it to make it work.

Same crap, different year...

Paul

[tim]

Re: Can't blow... my horn

Thanks Paul. Appreciate the info.