Ground strap on steering coupler?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 148
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From: Budapest, Hungary
Ground strap on steering coupler?
Just installed a steering coupler repair set on my 71 BB, no ground strap came with it. I noticed that ZIP includes a ground strap with their set. Is there a ground strap there originally???
Thanks, Matt
Thanks, Matt
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 112
From: Saginaw Michigan
All GM flexible couplings had some sort of grounding means (i.e. you had continuity from the steering column flange to the steering gear flange.) They either did it with a wire that had terminals on each end or they had a stamped brass strap. Around 1971 the wire or strap was eliminated and a fine wire screen was molded into one face of the rubber disc. That wire screen provided the electrical ground path from one side to the other.
Without a flex coupling that provides a ground path down to the steering gear (and frame) it is possible that your horn will not work.
Jim
Without a flex coupling that provides a ground path down to the steering gear (and frame) it is possible that your horn will not work.
Jim
Last edited by Jim Shea; Jan 8, 2011 at 01:46 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
From: Budapest, Hungary
Thank you folks for the help and photos. My repair set has no grounding solution, I threw the old mesh out...as I remeber it had some kind of a ground strap like thing...I tough it was a reinforcement. It was teared so I discarded that too. Horn was working with the old coupler...interior is out, so I don't know what it does with new one. But making connection between the two sides isn't a problem, I'll get a ground strap somewhere and mount it on. Do you know a good source for them? (I don't want to use a reguler cable...looks poor...)
I was wondering how "scienctific" is that GM used a mesh coupler containg metal grid to get ground for the horn...imagine the mechanic who tires to get the horn working...
Thank you all, Matt
I was wondering how "scienctific" is that GM used a mesh coupler containg metal grid to get ground for the horn...imagine the mechanic who tires to get the horn working...
Thank you all, Matt
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 112
From: Saginaw Michigan
You will note that the original ground wire/ground strap was actually installed inside the circular cutout in the rubber disc. It was completely hidden when the flex coupling assembly was installed in the car. The one end was very easily installed under one of the attaching shoulder bolts. However, the other end was sandwiched under the top part of one of the stop pins that was hot riveted to the bow-tie flange that attached to the gear.
The repair kits normally use a threaded stop pin with a shoulder to replace the rivet. That makes it possible to install the ground wire/strap on the "take apart" service assembly. Just remember to use the shoulder bolts from your original coupling assembly if the parts that were supplied with your repair kit were just ordinary bolts.
Jim
The repair kits normally use a threaded stop pin with a shoulder to replace the rivet. That makes it possible to install the ground wire/strap on the "take apart" service assembly. Just remember to use the shoulder bolts from your original coupling assembly if the parts that were supplied with your repair kit were just ordinary bolts.
Jim
Last edited by Jim Shea; Jan 9, 2011 at 07:51 AM.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 112
From: Saginaw Michigan
At a time when your horn does not work, just jumper from the steering column shaft under the hood to a metal part on the engine, frame, etc. If your horn starts to work you now know the reason.
However, there are hundreds of small screen wires in the face of the flexible coupling disc. You only need one wire (or a couple of crossed wires) to complete the circuit from one quadrant of the disc to the adjacent one. I saw some awfully beat up screen ground coupling discs (similar to the above or worse) that still showed continuity.
Jim
However, there are hundreds of small screen wires in the face of the flexible coupling disc. You only need one wire (or a couple of crossed wires) to complete the circuit from one quadrant of the disc to the adjacent one. I saw some awfully beat up screen ground coupling discs (similar to the above or worse) that still showed continuity.
Jim
