horn

[m-mman]

The smaller spring wrapped around the steering shaft below the steering wheel is necessary but it has nothing to do with the horn.
It is a spring that presses on the upper bearing in the steering column. When the steering wheel is tightened down the spring presses on a brass cone which presses on the bearing and puts the bearing under a small amount of stress (called PRELOAD) to remove all the looseness in the bearing.

I dont know who sells these. Like Fordman has described they generally come out of a parts vehicle. They are the same in Ford cars & trucks from 1957(?) to 75-9(?) so finding one at a wrecking yard should not be difficult.

If you are missing the horn brush and the preload spring it means that somebody, somewhere took your column appart and did not put it together correctly. That is always bad.

How the Horn Circuit Functions:
The electricty to operate the horn comes from the horn relay under the hood then makes its way to the steering column wires then up to the first brush mounted on the turn signal switch. This brush rubs against a metal ring the bottom of the steering wheel. The electricty then passes to the other ring mounted on the back of the steering wheel (there are two)which touches the removable brush. (the one Fordman said is hard to find).

The removable brush touches the back of the horn ring and brings the electricty to the front of the wheel. The electricty is looking for a ground but cant get to it because the plastic part on the back of the horn ring doesnt conduct electricty. The only thing that keeps the horn from making contact all the time is the larg spring under the horn ring. When you push the horn ring down there is a connection between the metal of the horn ring and the metal on the front of the steering wheel.

The metal on the steering wheel is touching the metal steering shaft and nut which it bolted to the frame which is connected to the negative side of the battery. As soon as the electricty touches ground the horn relay is activated and the horn makes noise.

It sounds confusing but it is really a very simple circuit. you can test it as you assemble it. with the steering wheel off jump between the fixed brush on the turn signal switch and the steering shaft. (a screwdriver will do it) As soon as you touch it the horn should sound. After the steeering wheel in on and the removable brush is in place (in its hole in the steering wheel) touch between it and the steering shaft. (you might even have the steering wheel nut tightened at this point) again the horn should sound. Put the horn ring back on and it should all work.

But as you work on it make sure ALL the metal to metal connections are clean & shiny. Use a rag, a little sand paper or wire brush to clean up the metal till it shines.

The horn did not work on my truck because the back of the horn ring and the front of the steerign wheel had a litle corrosion. Once it was all cleaned it has worked fine.

Good luck and let us know how your project is going.

[ezernut9mm]

The smaller spring wrapped around the steering shaft below the steering wheel is necessary but it has nothing to do with the horn.
It is a spring that presses on the upper bearing in the steering column. When the steering wheel is tightened down the spring presses on a brass cone which presses on the bearing and puts the bearing under a small amount of stress (called PRELOAD) to remove all the looseness in the bearing.

I dont know who sells these. Like Fordman has described they generally come out of a parts vehicle. They are the same in Ford cars & trucks from 1957(?) to 75-9(?) so finding one at a wrecking yard should not be difficult.

If you are missing the horn brush and the preload spring it means that somebody, somewhere took your column appart and did not put it together correctly. That is always bad.

How the Horn Circuit Functions:
The electricty to operate the horn comes from the horn relay under the hood then makes its way to the steering column wires then up to the first brush mounted on the turn signal switch. This brush rubs against a metal ring the bottom of the steering wheel. The electricty then passes to the other ring mounted on the back of the steering wheel (there are two)which touches the removable brush. (the one Fordman said is hard to find).

The removable brush touches the back of the horn ring and brings the electricty to the front of the wheel. The electricty is looking for a ground but cant get to it because the plastic part on the back of the horn ring doesnt conduct electricty. The only thing that keeps the horn from making contact all the time is the larg spring under the horn ring. When you push the horn ring down there is a connection between the metal of the horn ring and the metal on the front of the steering wheel.

The metal on the steering wheel is touching the metal steering shaft and nut which it bolted to the frame which is connected to the negative side of the battery. As soon as the electricty touches ground the horn relay is activated and the horn makes noise.

It sounds confusing but it is really a very simple circuit. you can test it as you assemble it. with the steering wheel off jump between the fixed brush on the turn signal switch and the steering shaft. (a screwdriver will do it) As soon as you touch it the horn should sound. After the steeering wheel in on and the removable brush is in place (in its hole in the steering wheel) touch between it and the steering shaft. (you might even have the steering wheel nut tightened at this point) again the horn should sound. Put the horn ring back on and it should all work.

But as you work on it make sure ALL the metal to metal connections are clean & shiny. Use a rag, a little sand paper or wire brush to clean up the metal till it shines.

The horn did not work on my truck because the back of the horn ring and the front of the steerign wheel had a litle corrosion. Once it was all cleaned it has worked fine.

Good luck and let us know how your project is going.

d'oh! i knew that. i have been drinking. disregard my post above.

[fordman]

very excellent post. everybody with a horn problem please book mark this.

[1970f100x]

The smaller spring wrapped around the steering shaft below the steering wheel is necessary but it has nothing to do with the horn.
It is a spring that presses on the upper bearing in the steering column. When the steering wheel is tightened down the spring presses on a brass cone which presses on the bearing and puts the bearing under a small amount of stress (called PRELOAD) to remove all the looseness in the bearing.

I dont know who sells these. Like Fordman has described they generally come out of a parts vehicle. They are the same in Ford cars & trucks from 1957(?) to 75-9(?) so finding one at a wrecking yard should not be difficult.

If you are missing the horn brush and the preload spring it means that somebody, somewhere took your column appart and did not put it together correctly. That is always bad.

How the Horn Circuit Functions:
The electricty to operate the horn comes from the horn relay under the hood then makes its way to the steering column wires then up to the first brush mounted on the turn signal switch. This brush rubs against a metal ring the bottom of the steering wheel. The electricty then passes to the other ring mounted on the back of the steering wheel (there are two)which touches the removable brush. (the one Fordman said is hard to find).

The removable brush touches the back of the horn ring and brings the electricty to the front of the wheel. The electricty is looking for a ground but cant get to it because the plastic part on the back of the horn ring doesnt conduct electricty. The only thing that keeps the horn from making contact all the time is the larg spring under the horn ring. When you push the horn ring down there is a connection between the metal of the horn ring and the metal on the front of the steering wheel.

The metal on the steering wheel is touching the metal steering shaft and nut which it bolted to the frame which is connected to the negative side of the battery. As soon as the electricty touches ground the horn relay is activated and the horn makes noise.

It sounds confusing but it is really a very simple circuit. you can test it as you assemble it. with the steering wheel off jump between the fixed brush on the turn signal switch and the steering shaft. (a screwdriver will do it) As soon as you touch it the horn should sound. After the steeering wheel in on and the removable brush is in place (in its hole in the steering wheel) touch between it and the steering shaft. (you might even have the steering wheel nut tightened at this point) again the horn should sound. Put the horn ring back on and it should all work.

But as you work on it make sure ALL the metal to metal connections are clean & shiny. Use a rag, a little sand paper or wire brush to clean up the metal till it shines.

The horn did not work on my truck because the back of the horn ring and the front of the steerign wheel had a litle corrosion. Once it was all cleaned it has worked fine.

Good luck and let us know how your project is going.

couldn't i just put 2 brushes in, one in steering column, one in the steering wheel?

[fordman]

it only takes one brush. that brush is long enough to go from the plastic thing up into the steering wheel. the other spring. the column spring is to do with keeping your steering column shaft from flopping around inside the column along with the bearings. if you dont have that column spring then the wheel will flop up down or sideways when you turn the wheel. and it will eventually wear out the bearign and race and then you column will get eaten up. then you will need to repair your column.

[george worley]

I replaced mine about 6 months ago and bought at a Ford truck dealer.Partsman told me they try to keep them in stock because they have a lot of calls for them.

[1970f100x]

Ford rocks!

[1970f100x]

horn is working.

[robroy]

M-mman, thank you for your truly excellent explanation of how these horns work! I read and re-read it a few times today to drill it in to my brain and it really helped me a lot. I wish the Ford Truck Shop Manual had your paragraph pasted in there!

One point that may not be fully in agreement between members is whether the horn and steering area has one spring loaded, copper brush or two. From what I've gathered from M-mman's explanation, I should find two there--one on the turn signal, and a separate one in the steering wheel itself. While putting my setup together this seemed to most closely match reality, at least for me.

Yet it looks like Fordman's saying that a single bushing is used, and that it's long enough to reach all the way from the turn signal switch through the steering wheel.

Fordman, is it possible that both designs existed? And if it were indeed the case that a single bushing were used, wouldn't that mean that the bushing would snap off when the steering wheel was rotated? After all, a single bushing would need to be fixed in place at the turn signal and reach through the wheel, and as you know, the turn signal doesn't rotate with the wheel.

Or perhaps I've misunderstood what you were getting at?

Thanks very much!
Robroy

[stephen44]

You might post a request in the parts wanted section, towards the bottom of the forums page. Or they are available from several vendors, listed in the Links tab at the top of the page.
16, huh? Oh, to be that young again! Enjoy it while it lasts! Soon you'll be to the age where your back goes out more often than you do.

[rjewkes]

I didn't know about the spring, i don't think i have had a wheel/column with one in it yet. is there a part number on the colum spring?

[fordman]

the horn brush goes into the steering wheel. the steering wheels only have one hole for a horn brush.. there is a spring under the chrome outer horn button or ring. there is also a spring under the steering wheel that goes around the steering shaft. the horn brush sits inside fo the steerign wheel on the 3 spoke wheels. it contacts the plate under the steering wheel. that plte rides on a contact or another horn brush i think i dont have one to look at right now. and i forget. but that contact or brush sits in the tss housing. this is a pic of the horn brush that goes inside the steering wheel. the second pic shows how the horn button #1 will contact the horn brush position #2 when the button is pushed. in this third and final picture you will see a dentside til column. it has two contacts in it. but in our trucks there is only one in the tss. the horn contact in the tss always rides on the bottom plate of the steering wheel.







to complete the story. the big spring holds the horn button/ring away from the horn brush contact. until the button or ring is activated by hand. once the horn is activated/ pushed. the #1 comes in contact with the horn brush which ride inside of the steering wheel and touches the plate on the bottmo of the steering wheel. which is also riding on another contact under the wheel. anyway once the horn is pushed it make everythign contact each other sending or grounding the horn and completing the circut.

[67MercM100]

Don't suppose anyone has a picture of this this horn contact out of the plastic tube.
Better yet...where can I get one?

Too add more to what Fordman has... Here is a picture of where that goes under the wheel... Also look at the wire diagram for the horn here. http://www.fordification.com/images/sch ... 67horn.jpg if you take wire (1) and Ground it and the horn should work, if it doesn't then there is a problem with the horn or the horn relay. to check the horn put 12V to the (6) wire and the horn should work. If it doesn't then there is a problem with the horn... If grounding wire (1) made the horn work then you have a problem in the steering wheel with the contact or the ground strap for the steering wheel.

[ Image ]

[fordman]

here is what the original looks like. all you need is a piece of wire to go around the rubber joint and complete the circut from one side of the rubber to the other side. http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... 64&t=49864

[67MercM100]

I was talking about this: