1979 Corvette Steering Column and Speedometer: HELP NEEDED
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 24
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1979 Corvette Steering Column and Speedometer: HELP NEEDED
Hey Everyone,
This will be my first post in the forums. I recently bought a 1979 Corvette. The car runs and is in really great shape aside from some minor things. I'm really looking forward to restoring this beauty to it's full potential. I am currently working on some minor things before I really bunker down under the hood. I seem to have run into some problems though that I need some advice on. I was replacing some fuses and it came to my attention that the horn is stuck in the on position. The horn definitely works but I'm not sure what I need to do to fix it from being on. It's a very loud problem. My other issue is that the speedometer does not work at all. I really don't know where to begin with it to troubleshoot the problem. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Aaron (I proud new member of the Corvette Family)
This will be my first post in the forums. I recently bought a 1979 Corvette. The car runs and is in really great shape aside from some minor things. I'm really looking forward to restoring this beauty to it's full potential. I am currently working on some minor things before I really bunker down under the hood. I seem to have run into some problems though that I need some advice on. I was replacing some fuses and it came to my attention that the horn is stuck in the on position. The horn definitely works but I'm not sure what I need to do to fix it from being on. It's a very loud problem. My other issue is that the speedometer does not work at all. I really don't know where to begin with it to troubleshoot the problem. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Aaron (I proud new member of the Corvette Family)
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 112
From: Saginaw Michigan
Your horn cap assembmly #9, 10, & 11 snaps into a part called the upper horn contact #7 (which is really a normally open switch). The contact should be held together with plastic rivets. The "leg" in your first picture should always be in contact with the small plunger #3 that extends out from the steering wheel hub. When you depress your horn cap, it should close the contacts in the upper horn contact blowing the horn.
I suggest not screwing around with your present contact and just purchase a new one that is correctly assembled. They are readily available from most Corvette suppliers.
One other tip: On the horn cap assembly (#9, 10, & 11) there are three posts on #11 that extend through the other two parts. The posts are spun over and hold all three together. Prying directly on the cap can break the posts. You always want to use a screwdriver with a small blade so that you can pry directly between the retainer (9) and the upper horn contact (7) and not the cap (11).
Jim
I suggest not screwing around with your present contact and just purchase a new one that is correctly assembled. They are readily available from most Corvette suppliers.
One other tip: On the horn cap assembly (#9, 10, & 11) there are three posts on #11 that extend through the other two parts. The posts are spun over and hold all three together. Prying directly on the cap can break the posts. You always want to use a screwdriver with a small blade so that you can pry directly between the retainer (9) and the upper horn contact (7) and not the cap (11).
Jim
Last edited by Jim Shea; Jul 31, 2012 at 07:33 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 12,399
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From: San Jose CA
Here's a picture thread that should give you an idea how the upper contact works.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...-vs-repop.html
Two pieces of metal with a non-conductive gasket in between.
The lower piece, with the L bracket, should always have continuity with the horn ground circuit. The upper only has continuity when you put pressure on the cap. (it causes the fingers on the upper to bend down and touch the lower.)
This then grounds the horn circuit to the column shaft.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...-vs-repop.html
Two pieces of metal with a non-conductive gasket in between.
The lower piece, with the L bracket, should always have continuity with the horn ground circuit. The upper only has continuity when you put pressure on the cap. (it causes the fingers on the upper to bend down and touch the lower.)
This then grounds the horn circuit to the column shaft.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 12,399
Likes: 247
From: San Jose CA
Is the looseness between the cap and fingers or the cap and retaining ring? Try to figure out where the looseness is.
Also, the leg on the upper contact should be under pressure from the horn pin.
Also, the leg on the upper contact should be under pressure from the horn pin.
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Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2012
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Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 12,399
Likes: 247
From: San Jose CA
Take a look at the photos I posted. You're missing the plastic rivets that keep the pieces together. Be sure there is also a piece of gasket between those bits of contact.
Rivets: http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...oducts_id=8145
Be sure to use plastic rivets. If you use steel you'll ground the circuit out.
Rivets: http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...oducts_id=8145
Be sure to use plastic rivets. If you use steel you'll ground the circuit out.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2012
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Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 12,399
Likes: 247
From: San Jose CA
This goes down further in the column, below the hub (it covers the lock plate retainer).
You can probably buy a sheet of gasket material, maybe about 0.020" and cut it to fit if the gasket material is gone between the two pieces of horn contact.
You can probably buy a sheet of gasket material, maybe about 0.020" and cut it to fit if the gasket material is gone between the two pieces of horn contact.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 112
From: Saginaw Michigan
http://www.zip-corvette.com/ProductDetails/ProductDetails.aspx?pid={633e351f-ee59-445a-b63e-78f8864dac6b}&gid={9db8b68f-9281-43b5-a1c0-182a847f5565}&GroupName=Horn+Button&pnam e=67-82+w%2fTele+Horn+Button+Stand%2fContact& Referer=&Alias=&ptct=SGR-SR&CTitle=&
Here is the upper horn contact at the Zip website. It is also available at all of the other major Corvette suppliers.
The plastic retainer, shown previously, (which is also available at all of the other major Corvette suppliers) is necessary to isolate the toothed metal locking plate. Without this part, the large telescope spring will ground to the locking plate and your horn will blow continuously.
Jim
Here is the upper horn contact at the Zip website. It is also available at all of the other major Corvette suppliers.
The plastic retainer, shown previously, (which is also available at all of the other major Corvette suppliers) is necessary to isolate the toothed metal locking plate. Without this part, the large telescope spring will ground to the locking plate and your horn will blow continuously.
Jim
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 12,399
Likes: 247
From: San Jose CA
http://www.zip-corvette.com/ProductDetails/ProductDetails.aspx?pid={633e351f-ee59-445a-b63e-78f8864dac6b}&gid={9db8b68f-9281-43b5-a1c0-182a847f5565}&GroupName=Horn+Button&pnam e=67-82+w%2fTele+Horn+Button+Stand%2fContact& Referer=&Alias=&ptct=SGR-SR&CTitle=&
Here is the upper horn contact at the Zip website. It is also available at all of the other major Corvette suppliers.
The plastic retainer, shown previously, (which is also available at all of the other major Corvette suppliers) is necessary to isolate the toothed metal locking plate. Without this part, the large telescope spring will ground to the locking plate and your horn will blow continuously.
Jim
Here is the upper horn contact at the Zip website. It is also available at all of the other major Corvette suppliers.
The plastic retainer, shown previously, (which is also available at all of the other major Corvette suppliers) is necessary to isolate the toothed metal locking plate. Without this part, the large telescope spring will ground to the locking plate and your horn will blow continuously.
Jim
(If so - the OP should try this test)
