So, I need to rant a little about a new GM steering coupler I bought. I needed to replace the upper flange as the pinch bolt was broken off. So this became a "while I'm there" situation and decided to replace the entire coupler. I bought a genuine GM coupler and thought all was good. Midway through the replacement process, I read up on them (Jim Shea) and discovered they have provisions for electrical connectivity from one side to the other for the horn. To my surprise, the new coupler did not have either the wire strap nor the wire mesh embedded in the rubber. My original one has the wire mesh. Not wanting to deal with horn issues or bubba some kind of wiring, I decided to not use the new coupler. Luckily the original coupler was still good enough to reuse. But I was really surprised the new GM couplers are missing this component.

OK /rant.

 

Did you put an ohm meter on it ?

 

I just went to the garage and checked, there's no connectivity. There's definitely no mesh in the rubber. I even poked and scraped to make sure it wasn't embedded down further. You can see and feel the mesh on the original one.

 

I agree you can see the mesh. I'm wondering from the design of the new ones if the piece of metal that goes around the outside and crosses the one splined piece,if it when bolted together rubs the splined piece making continuity ??? Hmmm
edit-In this thread is a pic of the mesh if anyone is curious.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...g-coupler.html

 

I've seen some aftermarkets that have a brass finger down the center.

 

I would suggest writing, phoning, eMailing, etc to GM Service Parts complaining that the recent parts being supplied under the correct Corvette flange and coupling assembly part number do not function as the original. There is no electrical continuity from metal parts in one adjacent quadrant to the other. It would seem that since electrical conductivity is required in order to ground the horn circuit, this is one of the important functions for the flange and coupling assembly.

I am trying to find a contact name or number to complain about this part. Possibly the dealer who supplied the part to you might have a contact regarding service parts.

Jim

 

I don't see any "mesh" in that new GM coupling. I see the fiber cords built into the rubber for strengthening it...but no metal mesh. Typical of the 'modern' GM--they want to get big profit$ from the use of their reputation(??), but they don't have a clue about vehicle function of the parts. He!!, there aren't any folks left at GM who know anything about cars. All they have are Marketing folks and Financal "bozos". The last real car guy they had at the helm was Ed Cole, and that was 40 years ago. For those of you who are "Trekkers", GM is now populated by Ferengi.

 

Thanks Jim. I will send something if you can find a contact. Might be a trip down red tape road, but what the heck.

I feel sorry for the folks that are using this coupler and then wondering why their horns don't work.

 

Here is the correct procedure for making a complaint as to a problem with a GM service part.

"Per your Voice mail, I contacted a manager at GMSPO and explained the situation.

He informed me that the correct procedure is to go to a GM Dealer - Parts Department - and they will generate a Case#. This is then forwarded to the "Partech Group". Issues like this is what Partech specifically Manage."

Please let us know if the dealer parts department knows about generating a Case #. (And does it for you.)

Jim

 

I have this same coupler...didn't use it either...

 

I had heard that the supplier of the coupling disc could no longer find a source for the thin wire screening. So that explains why no more wire in the face of the coupling disc. However there are two things that I don't understand. One is why they haven't added a grounding strip or wire into the flange & coupling assembly (the same as was used before 1972). An the other thing that I don't understand is why they are supplying a four ply laminated disc in place of the 7 ply disc that was always used on C2/C3 Corvette production flange and coupling assemblies. There were always both 4 and 7 ply discs (with and without screening) in production for many, many different vehicles for 40 some years at Saginaw.

The one good thing that seems to be surfacing from all this; I have not heard of anyone complaining that their horn doesn't blow. The grounding current must be finding alternate paths through the steering column mounting to reach the vehicle chassis. However, a lot of people may not even associate their horn not operating with servicing the flange and coupling assembly. Very possibly however, many people may not have even needed (or tried) to blow their horn since replacing the flange & coupling assembly.

Jim

 

Three years ago I purchased a new GM steering box from my local Chevy dealer. It came with a new rag joint. I have never had an issure with the horn not grounding. My horn works fine. Before you contact GM with a complaint you need to make sure it's not grounding the horn. You may end up with egg on your face.

 

Hey Jim, how you doing man....

Got a funny for you, and don't ask me how this happened....

I got BIT with a inductive kick from the horn button on my '72, years ago....shocking development....only ONCE....

but being a old ET for 50 years I recognized it for what it was....

so I just a bit less horney these daze....

 

I don't know where u can buy copper bolts but that's what mine has (just one). Yes all u need to do is very conductivity with an ohm meter. If u want to substitute by connecting a ground wire - just loop over the joint but verify no snags.
My original had some copper flash thing too on one (both?) side of coupling.

BTW those coupling posts/stops (in your pix) should not touch any metal on the other side of the coulping once connected and the car is flat on the floor.

Good luck C6,
cardo0

 

You can still find the old part at some dealers under the same part number,

it's painted red instead of purple.

I called around about a month ago and had the parts guy pull the part and check the color, I eventually found an NOS original, and old stock is what you need.

Frank

 

I think Jim S. is right in that sometimes the system is finding an alternate source of grounding. This is not necessarily a good thing. I had a 1974 Porsche 911S. A ground strap from the transaxle to the frame was broken, and the ground it found was through the clutch cable. Needless to say the cable life went from years to months, even weeks... Your horn could still work, but at what price??
A couple of sta-cons and some 18 ga. wire will fix it...

 

Some will ground through the bearings. Adding a ground over or through the rubber rag is easy and is less than 1/2" away.

 

I suppose it's possible GM determined that it doesn't need to be grounded and changed the design. Or they're just cheap bastards. I feel better about using my original one that is grounded.

 

I have the same oem replacement from gm. will see if my horn works after the car is together.

 

I seriously doubt that GM made an exhaustive engineering study to determine if the flange and coupling assembly needed to conduct grounding current on the C2 and C3 Corvettes.

Here is Jim Shea's study:

All horn mechanisms for C2 and C3 Corvettes operated in the same manner. When you pressed on the steering wheel horn cap, you closed the upper horn contact which completed a ground path through the steering column steering shaft to the chassis. This closed the horn relay and sounded the horn(s). Saginaw provided a flange and coupling assembly that connected the end of the steering column shaft directly to the steering gear input shaft. The flange and coupling assembly always had a ground strap, a ground wire, or wire mesh molded into the coupling disc. This always provided an electrical ground path from the steering column steering shaft into the steering gear and ultimately to the vehicle chassis.

Now Saginaw always considered the flange and coupling assembly to be the primary means of horn grounding current reaching the vehicle chassis (through the steering gear.) Since Saginaw did not control any of the rest of the vehicle architecture, (i.e. providing a positive ground through the dash structure, metal versus fiberglass floor and lower dash panels, etc), it was decided that Saginaw would provide a positive ground path to the steering gear and vehicle chassis.

1963-1966 All C2 standard (non-adjustable) steering columns and
1965-1966 telescoping columns. The lower bearing was pressed into the steering column jacket. So there was a ground path from the steering shaft, through the lower bearing, into the jacket, and into the dash structure. (This assumes that the dash structure was grounded to the chassis.) The upper bearing was mounted in a die cast housing so there was most likely a ground path into the jacket from the upper bearing as well.

1967-68 All columns - standard non-adjustable and telescoping. All columns were manufactured by Saginaw Steering Gear. Same type bearing mounting construction as 63-66. Ground path through the column jacket into the dash structure was a bit more complicated with break away mounting capsules and a painted jacket. Again this assumes that the dash structure provided a ground path to the chassis.

1969-1976 All columns - standard and tilt & telescoping. The lower bearing was mounted in a plastic adapter - so there was no chance of a ground path. The upper bearing was mounted in a die cast housing. Most likely there was a ground path into the jacket through the upper bearing. The ground path through the jacket was complicated by paint, aluminum mounting capsules etc. Also, this assumes that the dash structure provided a ground to the chassis.

1977-79 Standard non-adjustable column. The lower bearing was mounted in a plastic adapter with no ground path possible. The upper bearing housing was redesigned in plastic. Unless the bearing was retained by a metal strap that connected somehow to the jacket, the steering shaft would be electrically isolated with no chance of grounding.

1977-82 Tilt & telescoping column. The upper bearing housing was a die casting. There should be a ground path from the housing, into the support, into the jacket. Same situation with the painted jacket and mounting bracket, break away capsules, and the dash structure not being grounded that could interfere with grounding the horn relay.

So from my analysis, the only horn ground problem might be with the 1977 through 1979 standard steering columns. By 1977-79 most Corvettes (89%) came with T&T steering columns (which should provide a ground path except for possible paint and/or dash grounding problems).

Jim