Lower horn spring on steering column...something missing
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,628
Likes: 293
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Lower horn spring on steering column...something missing
When I bought my vette the previous said the horn was stuck "on" so he pulled the fuse. well put the new fuse in and traced part of the problem back the to relay. Now the other part is the lower horn spring (the large 3-4 spring that tapers to a small diameter) keeps grounding out on the column. Is there some kind of retainer piece that should go around the metal column here? Or is there a certain way the spring should be set in there by the horn contacts?
thanks for any help you guys can provide. Diagnosing what's wrong with something when parts are usually missing can be frustrating.
Ryan
thanks for any help you guys can provide. Diagnosing what's wrong with something when parts are usually missing can be frustrating.
Ryan
Last edited by bluegtp; Feb 11, 2011 at 09:22 PM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Mine was the same way. First it wouldn't blow. I replaced the relay. Then it blew all the time. That piece was gone on mine. Bubby had put electrical tape on the spring to fix it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 112
From: Saginaw Michigan
It is common to all older T&T columns. It is available through GM dealers at a very high cost. It is available through most Corvette suppliers. I do not know if you can find it hanging on the rack in your local auto parts store.
That part (if it is/was original) will break into several pieces when you try and remove it as part of servicing your T&T column. It is best to purchase one before hand when working on a most likely original T&T column.
I was working on my T&T column one Friday night when I broke this part. I did a Bubba repair by covering the locking plate with duct tape and carefully cutting out the brass horn contact areas with a razor blade. This worked until the following week when I could purchase a new plastic retainer/insulator part.
BTW, that part is called a retainer because it covers the c-clip that retaines the upper steering shaft. The c-clip is truly a critical safety part. Without that c-clip the entire steering wheel and upper steering shaft can come out of the steering column right into your hands!
Jim
That part (if it is/was original) will break into several pieces when you try and remove it as part of servicing your T&T column. It is best to purchase one before hand when working on a most likely original T&T column.
I was working on my T&T column one Friday night when I broke this part. I did a Bubba repair by covering the locking plate with duct tape and carefully cutting out the brass horn contact areas with a razor blade. This worked until the following week when I could purchase a new plastic retainer/insulator part.
BTW, that part is called a retainer because it covers the c-clip that retaines the upper steering shaft. The c-clip is truly a critical safety part. Without that c-clip the entire steering wheel and upper steering shaft can come out of the steering column right into your hands!
Jim
