For some reason everyone that sells the replacement rag joints do not include the ground strap?

Is it really necessary?
Can you buy it separately? I already have the new joint.

 

You need continuity from one side of the rag joint to the other or your horn might not work.
Does your horn work?
The original ones had a metal mesh, the bad replacements are just rubber.

 

I made one up out of some copper alloy sheeting when I rebuilt the coupler for my 68. I believe that the strap provides electrical continuity on the column for the horn to work. If you have your orginal you can trace it out and cut it out to duplicate the original. I saw someone that restores rag joints for Vettes on the net somewhere a while back, you may be able to google him up, I believe he redoes the copper straps also.

 

Try Tom at Corvette Steering.

He rebuilt my original with the ground strap.


Bill

 

There could be multiple ground paths to close the horn circuit. However, as more and more plastic parts were incorporated into the steering column (and into the actual Corvette body and dash structure) the most reliable ground path was to incorporate some type of metal wire, strap, or screen into the flexible coupling to allow a electrical ground path down throught the steering column shaft, down through the flex coupling, into the steering gear, and into the frame.

So it is possible that your horn may operate correctly without a ground path through the flexible coupling assembly. The best way for a quick check would be to bolt the steering column into the car without the flexible coupling and try it.

Unfortunately, I do believe that flexible coupling assemblies with a screen ground rubber discs are no longer available through GM dealers. Or at least supplies of the old screen ground parts are drying up! And all of the flexible coupling rebuild kits that I have seen do not make a ground path available.

So there are a lot of old car owners that may be finding that their horns no longer work after replacing the flexible coupling. Of course by the time they try, (or need to try) to blow their horns they will have forgotten that the flex coupling was replaced and possibly understand the cause and effect of the new part in the system.
Jim