What piece am I missing? (w/ pics)

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Apr 14, 2008 | 08:30 PM

damlie

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From: Honolulu HI

What piece am I missing? (w/ pics)

I'm trying to make my horn work. I was missing the spring/plunger, so I put those in, but the horn still will not work unless I push the plunger in w/ a screw driver and touch the metal star bolt. I started by taking these off (from left to right starting with the steering wheel cap).....

Which left me with this.....

Or, for a closer look (the metallic shiny piece in left/center is the plunger and the spring that houses it......

Now here's a picture of what's left after I took off the star bolt and the telescoping adjustor.....

Another possibly pertinent fact is that my telescoping adjustor does not work (it's loose and can be easily thrown from side to side), but when the star bolt is loose, the telescoping works fine with the exception of the fact that I can't stop it from telescoping. Also, when I press on the steering wheel cap to activate the horn there is no give whatsoever, which leads me to believe that I'm missing a large, possibly flexible piece in there somewhere.

Any ideas?

Apr 14, 2008 | 08:59 PM

damlie

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From: Honolulu HI

Update: I took a look at my buddy's '77 and it appears that I am missing a screw on either side of the star bolt. That should explain why my telescoping is not working. He also had an extra copper piece next to the star bolt that I did not have and I think that's my problem. Anyone know what the name of that piece is or where I can order it?

Apr 14, 2008 | 09:00 PM

wombvette

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From: New Hill NC

Looks like the contact was in several pieces in one picture. You will need that.

Apr 14, 2008 | 09:04 PM

mikep3

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From: Baldwinsville, NY

Get a manual or look at vendor Pictures

Try this link to Zip which shows a cut-a-way of the steering columm.
http://www.zip-products.com/Zip/dept.asp?dept_id=2378

Apr 14, 2008 | 09:12 PM

damlie

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From: Honolulu HI

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikep3

Try this link to Zip which shows a cut-a-way of the steering columm.
http://www.zip-products.com/Zip/dept.asp?dept_id=2378

I saw a pic just like that and still wasn't really sure (not good quality photo). But I'm looking in the mid-america catalog and they have it in color -- it appears to be the Upper Horn Contact Assembly.

Apr 14, 2008 | 09:14 PM

damlie

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From: Honolulu HI

Quote:

Originally Posted by wombvette

Looks like the contact was in several pieces in one picture. You will need that.

I think I'm completely missing part of it (the bottom part that has the lead running out the back down to the metal plunger, which I see Mid-America is calling the Lower Contact Assembly).

Apr 14, 2008 | 09:25 PM

72LS1Vette

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From: North Easton Mass

There is also a rod that goes into the hole underneath the star screw that may be missing. When the ring is turned to the right the star screw presses down on the rod and that is what locks the wheel in position. The rod doesn't show up in the AIM illustration. It fell out of my column when I turned it over with the star screw out and Jim Shea told me where it was supposed to go.

Rick B.

Apr 14, 2008 | 09:33 PM

damlie

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From: Honolulu HI

Quote:

Originally Posted by 72LS1Vette

Rick B.

Thanks. I think I read your thread earlier. I didn't specifically look for the rod, but I think it must be in there b/c I can get the telescoping to work manually if I simply use a screw driver to screw and unscrew the star bolt.