Steering Coupler Ground
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 186
Likes: 6
From: Lebanon Junction KY
Steering Coupler Ground
I am preparing to reinstall the body on my 73. I was looking at the old steering coupler which is almost shot and see there is one bolt that seems to be copper. Also been looking around and some couplers seem to have a strap or something like that to provide what I assume is a ground. What is the purpose of this ground, and will a replacement coupler provide this same thing through the mounting bolts or that center metal strap through the steering column?
Thanks
Mark
Thanks
Mark
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
That ground 'system' is there to complete the circuit for your horn. The original Chevy rubber coupling washer had metal mesh imbedded in it so that the metal parts in the coupler were electrically grounded...but the unit still was flexible.
Other models had a ground wire run from under one of the attaching nuts to the next quadrant's metal parts (90*, so that it connected to both halves of the coupling). You can make your own with 14 ga stranded wire or light-duty copper braid.
Other models had a ground wire run from under one of the attaching nuts to the next quadrant's metal parts (90*, so that it connected to both halves of the coupling). You can make your own with 14 ga stranded wire or light-duty copper braid.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 186
Likes: 6
From: Lebanon Junction KY
That ground 'system' is there to complete the circuit for your horn. The original Chevy rubber coupling washer had metal mesh imbedded in it so that the metal parts in the coupler were electrically grounded...but the unit still was flexible.
Other models had a ground wire run from under one of the attaching nuts to the next quadrant's metal parts (90*, so that it connected to both halves of the coupling). You can make your own with 14 ga stranded wire or light-duty copper braid.
Other models had a ground wire run from under one of the attaching nuts to the next quadrant's metal parts (90*, so that it connected to both halves of the coupling). You can make your own with 14 ga stranded wire or light-duty copper braid.
I didn't think about the horn but it makes perfect sense. I'll make sure I have a ground path through the coupler.
