The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Horn wiring and setup in steering column

Hi, wondering what I'm doing wrong, When I bought my 57-3100 the horn was not functional. The owner had hooked up a different horn by passing the original wiring by putting in a button. The horn is in place but not wired, My concern is the horn button assembly.. I recently replaced the contact and spring assembly,the horn button contact assembly and the horn button. The horn cap doesn't sit into the contact and falls out. There is a large gap between the button and the steering wheel maybe 1/2" inch or so. Does any of this make sense. Is there another part that is missing? Thanks

the contact and spring goes through the steering wheel and makes contact with the top of the steering column bushing. Is this the piece you replaced?
http://www.americanclassic.com/images/SMBC6.jpg

Once the steering wheel is on, you install the contact plate http://www.americanclassic.com/images/HCP5.jpg The horn button "snaps" into this piece. If this is all rusted or corroded inside, it will not make good connection and will not activate your horn relay.

Have you verified your wire that goes down through the steering column is not broken?

on my 53 i replaced the "mast bearing" which the horn wire connects with and exits the steering wheel shaft. With help from this forum it was pretty easily done.

Thanks Cuda,yes I replace both of those items but I also replaced the hub assembly as the directional switches were shot. I will start investigating again, I guess the first is to make sure the horn button fits into the contact assembly, it always seems to slide off the contact or fins. Thanks for your help, I thought there might be another part that was missing. I will report back once I figure it out

Kevin, Have you verified that the horn relay works? Also, follow the horn wire coming out of the steering column all the way yo the horn relay. You should be able to ground that contact and trip the horn relay and sound the horn. If not, your relay is bad. You should also be able to put an ohm meter across that wire and ground (when disconnected from the horn relay) and it should have continuity when you depress the horn button.

brakes are more important then the horn, some folks dont like to be honked at.......but.. I did installed an after market button type on mine. never used it the 9 yrs i had the truck