Horn Button Problem
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Joined: Apr 2004
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Horn Button Problem
Hi All,
I just recently purchased a '79 and am still sorting out some issues with it. Right now I'm trying to get the horn to operate properly and I'm "stuck". The horn button needs travel room in order to operate. When the assembly under the horn button is tightened down, the horn will sound continuously. So, how do you create that travel room for the button assembly to move. If you don't tighten the three screws, the whole assembly is loose and the horn is ultra sensitive and will sound at the slightest bump. What's the secret here? I know it's something simple, but the service manual just shows the same assembly and no notations about the screws or the travel need for the horn assembly. What am I doing wrong? Thanks for the help!
I just recently purchased a '79 and am still sorting out some issues with it. Right now I'm trying to get the horn to operate properly and I'm "stuck". The horn button needs travel room in order to operate. When the assembly under the horn button is tightened down, the horn will sound continuously. So, how do you create that travel room for the button assembly to move. If you don't tighten the three screws, the whole assembly is loose and the horn is ultra sensitive and will sound at the slightest bump. What's the secret here? I know it's something simple, but the service manual just shows the same assembly and no notations about the screws or the travel need for the horn assembly. What am I doing wrong? Thanks for the help!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 2,675
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From: Sudbury MA
I'm not familiar with the 79 model but on my 68 there is a small spring under the horn button which prevents contact until you physically push the horn button.
Is it possible you are missing such a spring?
Is it possible you are missing such a spring?
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
wait a minute.....I don't the name to the parts buts lets talk about this anyway
there is a spring that contacts the bottom outter ring of the horn, that spring should be in a plactic sleeve so it doesn't ground out.......and an inner ring of the horn that attaches to the horn button piece you push in....i don't think the bottom outer ring is suppose to make an electrical contact with the steering wheel hub....the contact comes when the inner ring is pushed into the outter ring....let me golook at a parts catalog i have taken my horn stuff out a bunch of times let me refresh my memory
there is a spring that contacts the bottom outter ring of the horn, that spring should be in a plactic sleeve so it doesn't ground out.......and an inner ring of the horn that attaches to the horn button piece you push in....i don't think the bottom outer ring is suppose to make an electrical contact with the steering wheel hub....the contact comes when the inner ring is pushed into the outter ring....let me golook at a parts catalog i have taken my horn stuff out a bunch of times let me refresh my memory
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From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
ok i went out and looked at the catalogs that didn't help any....anyway , obviously the horn is shorting out, look at pictures of the parts in a catalog and make sure you have all the same parts, good luck, bob
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Bob,
That's what I did. I seem to have all the parts, and I understand how the horn works, but don't understand how it assembles. I have the spring loaded contact in the plastic sleeve. That piece has constant contact with the "L" shaped piece that pushes the contact through the sleeve which activates the horn. What I don't understand is after tightening down the three screws (the last three screws before pushing on the horn button) what keeps the "L" shaped piece from pushing down on the horn contact. The alternative is not tightening down these three screws so that the spring load will push back. The problem with this is the horn button is loose as is the horn assembly and causes the horn to by hyper sensitive. Does any of this make sense? Thanks for any help.
That's what I did. I seem to have all the parts, and I understand how the horn works, but don't understand how it assembles. I have the spring loaded contact in the plastic sleeve. That piece has constant contact with the "L" shaped piece that pushes the contact through the sleeve which activates the horn. What I don't understand is after tightening down the three screws (the last three screws before pushing on the horn button) what keeps the "L" shaped piece from pushing down on the horn contact. The alternative is not tightening down these three screws so that the spring load will push back. The problem with this is the horn button is loose as is the horn assembly and causes the horn to by hyper sensitive. Does any of this make sense? Thanks for any help.
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Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
what do your three screws look like? I seem to recall that if they are the wrong size they ground out.....I seem to remember having to file or cut some screw down in there to make everything work....not sure what screws they were though
Last edited by bobs77vet; Jun 6, 2005 at 01:41 PM.
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I put as many as 4 shims in. 3 were with the car and I received one with the new parts. The three screws are correct as they are the same as the new ones. I know this must be simple, but I'm not too bright. Even with the shims, the screws tighten down and then the entire assembly can't move and the horn sounds. With the shims in and the screws loosened it makes the whole problem with "looseness" of the entire assembly worse. What am I missing? There are no springs in the upper assembly. The only spring is in the spring loaded contact which presses against the upper part. Does this make sense?
Race Director
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From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
don't know if this is our issue ...but can you put your shims on both side of the metal piece to stop it from grounding out? i think your issue is that its grounding out prematurely...
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Metro Detroit -- Farmington Hills MI
Cruise-In VII & IX Veteran
Originally Posted by rihwoods
My 78 is very sensitive and will go off almost on a sneeze,but I know it is spring loaded as it returns....
Pro
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 603
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From: Illinois, USA
I just replaced the contacts in the horn switch and I had the same problem with it sounding constantly
I resolved the issue by installing the shims (which, by themselves made only a marginal difference). Then I bent back the tabs slightly (the expansion to hold the cover was bending the pieces in a way they touched). When I was done, I had a horn that was a bit sensitive, but doesn't always go off.
This one freaked me out a bit, too when I encountered it. Of course, the original stuff was held together with wire ties -- so the fact that the horn works at all is an improvement
Brian.
I resolved the issue by installing the shims (which, by themselves made only a marginal difference). Then I bent back the tabs slightly (the expansion to hold the cover was bending the pieces in a way they touched). When I was done, I had a horn that was a bit sensitive, but doesn't always go off.
This one freaked me out a bit, too when I encountered it. Of course, the original stuff was held together with wire ties -- so the fact that the horn works at all is an improvement
Brian.
