Thread: How do I wire this horn?

Tweet

I am trying to figure out how to wire the horn button. Pictured below I have the horn button with the wire provided and my column (GM). To the left of the spline there is a button that pushes in on the column, but I do not know that this is even for the horn..I'm stumped

that stem part gets hook in to the brass post sticking up by the splins were the for you new steering wheel adapter bolts on for the new wheel give that old parts should come out ?? push in give it a 1/4 turn if the contack is out then put the new wire /stem set up in the hole and give it turn that holds it in be EZ on it.. it can brake

Your pictures are about too small to see any detail, but here's a link to an Ididit page that has video instructions for how to install the horn contact:
http://www.ididitinc.com/ididit_vide...actpinassembly

My parts came from a mix of the Ididit column plus the Grant steering wheel which was complete with horn button.

sorry about the picture size guys. They were a little big and I resized them a bit too small

If I am understanding you guys right and after watching the video it looks like the thing that pushes in on the column needs to come out and be replaced by the wire on the new horn button. It might be next weekend before I can look at it again, but I'll see if I can get the old part out. Thanks

I looked a little closer the other day and it does come right out. There is a little plastic collar that keeps the spring and pin in. I don't see how I use the wire that came with my horn though. Maybe it would help to know how a second generation F body was wired originally, but I can't come up with any pictures of that. Does the horn button contact this pin directly with no wire? http://www.rickscamaros.com/camaro-h...roduct_Related

I'm a little confused Louey..the part you are saying I need looks to be exactly what I have?

I got the horn to work by mistake by touching the steering wheel adaptor to the pin that was already in the column, but I can't figure out how to connect it to the horn button.

35ford,
You have not told us what wheel and horn assembly you are trying to use. Comparing your pictures to my Grant installation, the assembly in your top picture is the "retainer contactor ring" and the wire with the spring and brass piece at the bottom feeds down through the wheel and plugs into the horn contact housting which is adjacent to the splined shaft that holds the wheel. The parts that come with a Grant wheel are 1) Horn wire, 2) hub that fits over the splined steering shaft, 3) post cover to fill the gap between the top of the column and the wheel, 4) wheel, 5) retaining nut, 6) retainer/contactor ring, 7) three shoulder bolts, 8) horn button spring, and 9) horn button. It goes together like this:
1. with negative battery cable unhooked, plug the horn wire into the plastic horn contact housing, beside the splined steering shaft, and secure it with the plastic sleeve that has a 1/4 turn lock; 2. wheels pointed straight and steering box centered, thread the horn wire through the hub, align the hub with "TOP" notation up and install hub on the splined shaft; 3) feed horn wire through the post cover, align the three bolt holes with the threaded holes in the hub; 4) feed horn wire through hole in wheel, and install wheel on splined shaft, threading the retaining nut on loose and aligning the three small holes with those in the post cover and hub; 5) feed the horn wire through the phenolic retainer/contactor ring, connect it to the male terminal on the ring, and using three shoulder bolts, align the phenolic retainer/contactor ring with the three holes in wheel, cover and hub and thread the shoulder bolts into place; 6) torque wheel retainer nut; 7) torque shoulder bolts; using a piece of masking tape to hold the spring centered around the wheel retainer nut, install the horn button over the outside of the phenolic retainer/contactor ring, and rotate it to lock in position. Hook up your battery. When you press the horn button the retainer/contactor ring grounds against the wheel, completing the ground circuit and sounding your horn. If your wheel is coated or non-conductive, then there will be a mylar "washer" with a copper/brass ring on top, and it provides the circuit to the steering shaft via the retainer nut. Here's a link to the info on the Grant site which includes a diagram. http://www.grantproducts.com/files/i...7508-00-01.pdf

Sorry if this is more than you want to know.

The wheel is from Southern Rods. The only pieces I got are pictured in my first post plus the wheel adaptor (that fits over the splined shaft and sits on top of the column). then the wheel and bolts that attach the wheel to the adaptor. you say the brass piece feeds down into the horn contact housing, but that is what I am confused about. The parts that came with the wheel do not allow me to lock that brass piece into the contact housing with the stock little plastic collar that requires the 1/4 turn to remove. Your Grant instructions on page two is what I need, but those pictures are a little hard to figure out and I dont' get why they say to tape the wire/spring/brass plunger in . I think I will give Southern Rods a call tomorrow. Thanks for the help so far!

Originally Posted by 35fordcoupe

... and I dont' get why they say to tape the wire/spring/brass plunger in. I think I will give Southern Rods a call tomorrow. Thanks for the help so far!

What they are telling you is that with that type of connector there is no quarter turn retaining collar, so you have to put a little piece of tape across the corner to hold the spring compressed while you put the other pieces on top of it, which will then hold the whole mess together. The spring makes contact at the bottom of the hole, the brass plunger rides the spring, and your plastic collar allows the wire to feed out of the tube. Once you put the other pieces on the tape is no longer important, it is just an assembly trick.

I just don't feel like they gave me enough parts to keep the spring in. Once I put the spring in the only thing I have left to put on to keep it in is the horn button. That just doesn't seem right. I didn't get a hub in this kit, but I have the stock one. I think I'll see if that will still work in this application. Maybe that will help keep it in.

Originally Posted by 35fordcoupe

I just don't feel like they gave me enough parts to keep the spring in. Once I put the spring in the only thing I have left to put on to keep it in is the horn button. That just doesn't seem right. I didn't get a hub in this kit, but I have the stock one. I think I'll see if that will still work in this application. Maybe that will help keep it in.

Southern lists a GM steering wheel adapter. Did you buy that with the wheel? Sounds like a call to Southern is the right thing to do, and have them walk you through the installation of their parts.

Thanks guys. Roger I do have the GM steering wheel adaptor. Cutting up what they gave me would be an option, but I think I was over thinking some things. the brass plunger fits in with the spring and plastic tube on the wire following it and the horn button seals tight with an o ring. The horn will work. I'm not thrilled with leaving it this way because it pinches the wire at 90* and sandwhiches it b/w the horn button and the plastic tube on the wire. I might just cut a slit in the tube to take the pressure off the wire or like you said Louey just cut up what they gave me and make it work more like the stock application. For now I am just going to leave it working as it is and move on. Thanks again guys!

The correct answer... sorry its kinda late.
There are two different horn connections and two different retaining methods. You can have a wire or a pin. In your case a wire is desired.
Your column has the ring style retainer. That metal pin can be removed with a quick tug with a pair of pliers. there is a lip on the retainer holding it in. The other style has a little tit that locks down in a j slot.
The solution for your project is to cut the spade connector off the wire and remove the tit retainer and replace it with the lip retainer. Bingo problem solved.
also note.... that horn button needs a ground wire as the O ring prevents ground. Otherwise you will have intermitten function of the button.