The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Horn

My horn on the 48 doesn't work. I believe it is at the steering wheel button. I also think it is the ground.

Is there a large washer in the mix for grounding?
Thanks

Maybe the wire on the horn ring wire came broke off

http://www.oldchevytrucks.com/cart/product.asp?prodid=EL109&i=9774|||||

I put a screw driver from the ring to the center and get a beep but nothing when I put it back together. I have the shop and assembled manuals, and have looked at all the sales books. Still no sound.

So, I thought that I am missing something

Did you paint anything in area of the upper column bearing? A lot of these problems are caused by the paint not allowing the ring to ground to the bearing (it has the ground wire attached to it).
Carl

No paint. Don't look like a rust problem either. Could I be missing a washer for the ground?

Is the washer behind the plate a special one?

...washer...

Washer , nut

Plunger

This thing

Spring. Other washer

DADS50: Do you have a horn relay? Usually mounted to the voltage regulator. That might be the problem. You should have volts on the horn. The button on the wheel is the ground. So volts on the horn? Volts at the relay (if you have one) and volts at the plunger. One step at a time. And if the relay works again if you have one and the horn button makes a good ground then all that is left is the horn. And it made noise so it could be adjusted. There is an adjustment inside that can be made if it just gives a "bark" and quits you can try that.
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1948_51truck/51ctsm1233.htm

On DADS50 post above, the photo (this thing) you notice it is two pieces. On mine, I had to run some folded sandpaper between the two pieces. Then it worked fine. It was not making connection due to a light coat of rust.

Thanks for the pictures. I will go through the whole thing and make sure it is put together right. And use some fine sand paper.

Thank you

Thank you Steve. I will look into the voltage. I do have a relay. Maybe wired wrong.

Sounds like its wired correctly if it works when you ground it.
Pop the Plunger out. There is a little spring inside that keeps contact with the bearing.

Are any of the parts new or reproduction?

Nice catch from DADS50. I forgot about that little bit of braid between the button, inside the spring to the contact. I soldered mine back together. and it worked just fine. I hope it is as easy for the OP.

I got the horn button working. Now all there is is a click under the hood. I don't have a horn relay.

If the horn is clicking it may be adjusted and come to life. It may have some corrosion on the contacts and they can be cleaned. If you have a single horn it will work without a relay, it will work better with one but it is not mandatory. Take the horn apart and see what you have and how it is adjusted. Not too hard and if you fix it you will feel good.

It comes down to the plunger at the horn button. This is a new one. Are these buttons different between 6 and 12 volt.

Thanks to all for your help

This one shows 6v only.

Will this fit the hole?

I ordered that plunger last night.

What I found is the other plunger (enclosed in plastic) contains a thin spring, was only passing a smaller voltage (small/thin spring), and heated up. I guess this is why the horn would only click when it was in place but would beep when I grounded the ring with a screw driver.

Thanks again.

I put the 6 volt plunger in and the horn works

I don't believe the spring should be getting hot, as the current is carried by the wire running in the center of that plunger assembly. I'm guessing that your problematic plunger assembly has a bad center wire, forcing the current to flow through the spring. I don't know why Classicparts lists it as 6 volt only. Jim Carter doesn't make that distinction on the very same part. If there were a difference between a 6 volt and 12 volt plunger, I would think that a 6 volt plunger would have a heavier gauge center wire and work just fine on 12 volts. My assumption is based on the difference in 6 volt vs 12 volt wiring harnesses and battery cables. 6 volt wires are larger in diameter.
Carl