The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1940 column rebuild Q

I put new bushings in the steering box. Now I need to replace the horn wire.I have the steering wheel off and loosened the bolt at the end of the column jacket.Does the jacket just slide off the shaft now and I will be able to pull the horn wire and bushing out?? The only parts diagram with no info I can find is from chev of the 40's.Tom

i ordered a mast bearing and the horn wire is attached to it. before you remove the old one measure from the end of the steering column to the top of the bearing and write it down. i colapsed the old one and removed it in pieces, i think it was bakelite. on my column there is also a tab on the inside of the column to prevent the bearing from being pushed too far down which contact wouldnt be made with the bearing contact ring and the horn button wire. the directions said that if the bearing is too tight to sand off what needs to be to get it to fit and do not sand off too much. i first tried it the way it was and it was super tight so i took some off but worried about taking too much off. i got it started and drove it in with a deep socket until it was where it was supposed to be. i guess i didnt take enough off becasue my wheel is now tighter than it was and i think it is binding on the steering shaft. i dont like it but its in undamaged and i figure in time it might wear in. the new bearing is a teflon bushing covered in some type of wrapper covering where the wire is attached to the copper contact ring. i dont think you can get an old bearing out without destroying it. i dont think you can get a new one back out without destroying it either so its a one shot deal imho.

Typically, most classic car and truck horn wires can be replaced by splicing the new wire onto the old and pulling it through. However, the mechanical strength and bulk of the splice are critical. Follow this link for a detaled how-to guide on a "Lineman's" splice AKA the Western Union splice:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=281500

Note: Don't add the heatshrink tubing when you are replacing a wire with the pull thru method. It just adds bulk and might catch on a corner. Also run the completed splice through your fingers and smooth out any rough spots. On a long steering column or in any situation that has twists and turns, silcone lubricant helps.

So the jacket slides off past the shaft and then I should be able to reach in and hook the old bushing and pull it out hopfully in one piece?Thanks for the replys Tom

thats a good detailed link on how to splice a wire. that procedure will not work with the steering column on a 40. the wire attaches to the bottom of the bearing and there is zero clearence between the bearing and the column itself.

if the wire coming out of the hole at the bottom of my column wouldnt have been all frayed away down to the wire i wouldnt have mess with it and would have just added the wire coming from the new wiring harness and been done with it.

tom, examine your wire if its ok and no play in the steering wheel i would leave it alone.

Thanks for the help,going to work on it this morning

Heres a good tip, pull the column up off the shaft enough to clear the bushing, then using the shaft end as a large punch, ram the column tube down against the end of the shaft forcing the bushing up and out.

If the bearing lives through this, simply solder a new wire to the brass horn ring and reinstall.

If your '40 is like my '37, the column tube will not come clear off with out lowering the steering box. Mine is about 2" to long and hits the headliner before clearing the shaft.

I have used hard wood, plastic (bakelite) and needle bearings for upper bushings. All worked pretty good. I have a teflon bushing now thats holding up really nice.

Joe

I have a 40 panel I pulled the column gear box with steering wheel still attached out thru the cab.The column is all back together,the fiber bushig survived and is in great shape.After I slid the jacket off I slid a socket down the tube and pushed the bushing out with a broom handle.the horn wire was broke off just inside where it exits the shaft.I soldered a new wire from there out.Thanks for all the great help.Tom