The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Horn Issue

Hello all,

I need some help, please!

Ok, so I bought a new steering wheel for my truck, because my factory wheel looked a bit rough, considering the rest of the inside of the cab looks pretty nice. The new wheel arrived and right off, I noticed that the hole where the horn contact and bushing would install, this new wheel already had a black plastic sleeve so, I removed the horn contact and spring from the factory bushing and installed it into the sleeve in the new wheel.

Just to point out, I did not replace my original horn button retainer, so I reused it. There was some flash in the sleeve so I made sure the horn contact and spring was moving freely within the sleeve and installed the horn button retainer, reattached my positive cable on the battery, and the horn honks continously.

I know this set up is pretty simple, but apparently the horn button retainer is making contact and activating the horn. UPDATE: My horn button retainer is definitely worn out.

TIA!

Kevin

I think the retainer has the 3 rivets and the insulation between them look like a gasket paper material

Yeah, the horn button retainer is shot. Two of the three rivets had worn through and allowing the bottom plate to make contact with the center of the steering wheel. New horn button retainer has been ordered!

Well, the horn issue continues.

So just to be clear, I never had an issue with my horn until I decided to buy a new steering wheel, and the set up in the new wheel for the horn contact / bushing is different than the factory wheel as pointed out when I first posted this. The horn button retainer rivets were metal to metal, so I figured that was my problem, and I ordered one, which is on it's way.

I decided to pull the horn contact spring back out of the steering wheel but it would not come out, so I pulled the wheel off and removed the contact, thinking I would be able to drive the truck (without the horn continually honking), while waiting for my new horn button retainer.

While I had the steering wheel off, I decided to reconnect the positive cable on the battery thinking I might start the truck and let it run for a few minutes, and so I re-connected the positive battery cable, that I had off, and the horn started blowing with no steering wheel attached. At this point, I went up under the dash, and cut the wire that runs into the colum to the colum bearing, so it wouldn't honk.

I am not sure what is going on, and why the horn would honk with no steering wheel attached, but I am wondering if the wire inside the colum has some bare spots and making contact with the colum jacket.

As this point, I am thinking about just getting a horn button from the local auto parts store, and attaching it to the steering colum but, I am wondering how to wire since there is only one wire going to the colum.

I have seen these on old trucks and cars years abo that had a aftermarket horn button, but I believe they have two contact screws.

Anyone done this before?

TIA

The horn is actuated when the horn button (or something else) provides a ground to complete the circuit so only one wire is required. If cutting the wire leading into the column stopped the horn the wire between the cut and the steering wheel is grounding to something (probably inside the column. You will need to replace the wire inside the column (not as hard as it sounds) or add a horn button as you mentioned. The horn button basically has two wires, one from the horn relay that originally went into the column and a second from the button to ground.

Thank you!

I was thinking the second contact would most likely be a ground but wanted to make sure.

And a stuck relay has been ruled out?
And like Mr cruiser stated, the wire in the column could have worn bare with the turning of the wheel, and is grounding out permanently.

The ground path travels up the center steering rod to the wheel. Pressing the horn button connects down the column wire to under the dash and to the relay. A short to ground completes the circuit, but a short on any of the positive side of the circuit to ground will blow fuses. Unplugging the column wire under the dash and fixing it will say it’s not the relay.

I installed a horn button on the colum, and the horn works great. I believe the wire in the column most likely has bare spots and is grounding, causing the horn to blow continoulsy. I will eventually replace the mast bearing / wire but for now, my horn works great again.