wowed777

I have read the trouble shoot guides and all the postings and diagrams but I'm not understanding how the horn actually works. When I press the horn button is they suppose to push the contacts behind it together to complete the circuit or is that ore of a mechanical spring that pushed the contact switch (button) coming out of the steering column? I see on the trouble shooting guilds that you need to test continuity on the metal plate with the tabs but it's not clear to me what the operation is or what the circuit looks like. Hopefully this request is not as confusing as the horn operation.

Thanks for your help

MelWff

the contacts on this plate which are separated by plastic come together grounding the circuit causing the horn to sound
http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corve...1967-1982.html

DUB

As MelWff posted. This upper horn contact is just one part of many that is a part of the horn circuit. This part can get dirty and not complete the circuit when pressed.

When it is removed ...which should be done WITH CAUTION and CARE due to the spring loaded plunger under it.

Then...you have another spring loaded plunger made into your turn signal switch...which can be bad due to if the horn was ON for a long time...it heats up the spring and the spring looses its strength....thus that plunger looses contact and thus NO HORN.

There is a difference between a tele-tilt column and a standard column.

DUB

Alwyn678

I fixed mine yesterday. Was just a short. Heard it for the first time in the 11 years I have owned her!

wowed777

thanks for the reply's. Just so I understand - the horn button pushes the contact (ring with tabs) behind it together. one side of the contact is always touching the "Brush" (rod on spring). and the other side is ground. this completes the circuit. So if use a volt meter I should get 12 volts at the Brush button and one side of the contact?

DUB

CORRECT....WHEN you PRESS on yoru horn button...this action is GROUNDING THE CIRCUIT!

CORRECT

WRONG!!!!! The 'other side' is still the same circuit that is going to your horn relay...WAITING FOR A GROUND signal WHEN YOU PRESS THE HORN BUTTON.

NO. The wire from your horn relay all the way up to the plunger rod and spring...just UNDER the horn contact that your horn button clips onto is a DEAD wire. It has no power (12 volts) going to it...and it is not a GROUND either. The ONLY time that this wire( circuit) has an electrical value is when you press the horn button...and that action sends a ground signal to the horn relay..because pressing on the horn button grounds the contact under the horn button...which this ground signal then closes the relay...and then the relay applies 12 volts to the dark green wire that goes to your horns and makes them sound off.

SO..I remove the relay from the connector and using an OHMMETER is what I use to verify that the wire from the relay to the plunger under the contact is good. IF NOT...then it can be in the column....but that is when I ALSO verify that I am getting an ohm reading from the relay wire to the turn signal switch connector when it has been disconnected. Then I check the turn signal switch connector at the column and go to the plunger. Then I VERIFY that this wire is NOT grounded.

DUB

wowed777

DUB - This was extremely helpful. Thank you!!!

DUB

Do you understand the circuit now??? If not...do not be shy. I WANT you to know it.

Let me know.

DUB

wowed777

I think so, but ill let you know once I jump in to test and make a repair. I have ordered a new contact as mine was in bad shape. I appreciate all the assistance. I am just getting started on this project and I am very much a newbie.

Thanks again!

DUB

If you are referring to the upper contact....that the horn button clips onto...just be AWARE...that the aftermarket ones...for some odd reason can be hard to get the horn button to clip onto and work. It seems like the spring steel that is made in these contacts is NOT like the factory spring steel. I have encountered this NUMEROUS times. So just be aware. Not writing that you will have a problem...just that one can show up when you go out put the horn button on and then press the horn button and NO HORN...but yet it worked when the horn button was off.

DUB

hotrodnick

Just a sidebar to this post. If you are one of the few who do not have a tilt/tele column look for parts in Camaro, Nova, Chevelle. It seems very few were built with the standard column and the Corvette vendors don't address this non option.

Jim Shea

Let me add a few more thoughts to the above.
All GM locking tilt & telescoping steering columns shared a number of common parts. So the Corvette T&T column shared a lot of common parts with Buick, Oldsmobile, and Cadillac T&T steering columns of that same vintage. Keep in mind that in 1977 the Corvette T&T column went from a completely round head to one that had a large rectangular bulge on the left side of the head (where the turn signal lever attached to the dimmer pivot.) Even the tilt (only) steering columns shared a number of common parts with the T&T column. So round head columns in the 1969 to 1976 era had all the same guts. T&T columns with the dimmer bulge also shared a number of the same internal parts.

All GM standard (non-adjustable) locking, steering columns manufactured in 1969 and later used a lot of the same parts in the steering column head. Same lock cylinders, bearings, turn signal switches, locking plate, etc. Whether the standard column was used in a Buick, Olds, Chevrolet, etc they still used a lot of the same parts. Since the instrument cluster(s) were unique for each car line, the plastic shroud that matched the column to the cluster was different in length, angle, shape etc. but the "guts" of the standard columns were all the same.

Jim

hotrodnick

:iagree

wowed777

Based on these responses, I though I had the answer and was done. I got a new contact (see pic) and started to install. DUB - Your right. everything is good until I attach the horn button. Once I push the button on, its right up against the column and doesn't work. any thoughts on how to address this? I have attached some pics. So close!!! ARG..






This shows the original contact on the left and the new one on the right and the horn button





This shows the horn button attached to the Contact. what am I doing wrong?

'75

The horn works except when you put the button on? You may need to add shims under the contact mounting point. It will raise the horn button up away from the steering wheel.

wowed777

It feels like there is no "spring" under the horn button now. Not sure what makes the spring feel of the horn, when the horn button is pushed onto the contact. What pushes the horn button back to the "off" or no contact position?

'75

There are usually shims that are mounted under the 3 screws for the contact to raise it up. It sounds like you need some, then you can push the button down enough for contact and it will spring back up.

http://www.zip-corvette.com/catalog/...-contact-shim/

wowed777

I have three shims, but its not clear what pushes the button back up. once I have the contact attached to the bottom, its solid and the contact is bolted to the wheel. what part is supposed to move? is there supposed to be movement between the button and the contact?

'75

The movement is a function of the contact assembly, it warps enough to make contact and then straightens back out. The plastic rivets insulate the two pieces as well as hold them together. When you push on one side of the horn button the two parts of the contact will touch internally.

wowed777

OK - Finally understand the whole horn operation and just 5 mins ago I was able to get it working correctly. Yea!! - but I just broke the screw that holds the sun visor on (don't mess with things that aren't broken). Sucks!

Thank you all for all your assistance!!