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81 Horn Button Install Question

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Old Jun 28, 2008 | 12:16 PM
  #1  
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From: Huntsville AL
Default 81 Horn Button Install Question

Was curious if anyone has any pictures of how the horn button installs in the column? There is a spring, pin with a head on one end and an insulator that goes on the pin. My particular question is, does the head on the pin go up or down? My assembly manual show a picture with the head down (towards the front of the car) but I can swear that when I took it off the head was up (towards the rear of the car). Maybe that is why my horn didn't work. If anyone could confirm this I sure would appreciate it.

YBnormal...drive a vette
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Old Jun 28, 2008 | 02:17 PM
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From: aurora
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Originally Posted by Ybnormal
Was curious if anyone has any pictures of how the horn button installs in the column? There is a spring, pin with a head on one end and an insulator that goes on the pin. My particular question is, does the head on the pin go up or down? My assembly manual show a picture with the head down (towards the front of the car) but I can swear that when I took it off the head was up (towards the rear of the car). Maybe that is why my horn didn't work. If anyone could confirm this I sure would appreciate it.

YBnormal...drive a vette
Hey
I just changed my horn set up and the head of the pin was up on mine as well
Put the head up. this whole setup is a PITA with the spacers and all,take a good look at the drawing take your time with it.
Good luck
todd





http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...g+horn+drawing
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Old Jun 28, 2008 | 04:18 PM
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Head goes down.
Spring goes in the hole first then the head end of pin held in by the plastic retainer.
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Old Jun 29, 2008 | 04:32 AM
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Thanks for the replies, now I'm not sure at all...one vote head up...one vote head down... Although it does look like the head is down in the assembly manual, maybe I installed it incorrectly when I changed out the steering wheel and put the head up last time.

Maybe someone will chime in to break the tie

YBnormal...drive a vette
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Old Jun 29, 2008 | 08:33 AM
  #5  
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Originally Posted by Ybnormal
Thanks for the replies, now I'm not sure at all...one vote head up...one vote head down... Although it does look like the head is down in the assembly manual, maybe I installed it incorrectly when I changed out the steering wheel and put the head up last time.

Maybe someone will chime in to break the tie

YBnormal...drive a vette
So your saying the head goes up against the bottom of the tang on the horn switch?What holds it up? The other non headed end would slide right through the spring thus losing contact with the horn switch tang.
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Old Jun 29, 2008 | 08:55 AM
  #6  
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You want the Eyelet to act as a plunger. The spring goes into the cancelling cam horn tower first. Then the upset head of the eyelet goes into the tower on top of the spring. Then the plastic insulator snaps into the tower and holds everything together.

If the upset end of the eyelet was above the horn tower (and insulator) the spring would not react against the eyelet and the eyelet would have no spring pressure to force it up against the upper horn contact.

Jim
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Old Jun 29, 2008 | 11:19 AM
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From: Huntsville AL
Default Thanks Jim

Thanks Jim,
I was hoping you would chime in. Are you saying the insulator on the eyelet (with the head installed first against the spring) is suppose to snap into the tower? Mine is free flowting on the eyelet and in the tower and only has a tang on the side to guide it up and down in the groove in the tower. The insulator does not snap into the tower (free flowting). Is this correct or do I need a new insulator or tower?

When I install it as you describe I see nothing to hold the insulator in the tower as it is freeflowting on the eyelet and also in the tower.

Am I missing something or do I need a new tower or insulator?

Thanks,
YBnormal...drive a vette
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Old Jun 29, 2008 | 12:19 PM
  #8  
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From: Huntsville AL
Default Ok figured it out

What I finally figured out was this. The head on the eyelet goes down against the spring, while compressing the spring the guide on the insulator will twist into the slot to retain the eyelet in the guide allowing assemble of the rest of the components. Thanks so much everyone for the input I think I have finally figured it out.

YBnormal...drive a vette
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Old Jun 29, 2008 | 05:21 PM
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I think that there were a couple of simple tower and insulator designs. One had just a lip on the tower and the insulator just pressed passed the lip and was secured. Another design had a L-slot in the tower and a peg on the insulator. You pushed the insulator peg down the slot and twisted the insulator to retain it.

You could also just push the insulator down the tower and use a soldering iron to melt the end of the tower to deform it and hold the insulator in place.

Jim
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