'74 horn button issue
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,731
Likes: 15
'74 horn button issue
The PO spliced onto the horn wire under the dash and mounted a button by the emergency brake. I want to fix the button. I pulled the cap off to see how it looked. not sure I see how the horn works. It looks like most everything is there but I see no wires. Anyone have any pointers or pics of horn wiring? Thanks.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,731
Likes: 15
I have all those parts except the pin and spring. Unless that is the pin below the leg sticking down from the ring. I don't see anywhere that the wire going up the column connects. Is it below the wheel and telescopic column?
Cruising
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Toronto ON
How it works:
The cover clips onto the largest of the parts shown above. That part is actually a few parts, particularly it is two pieces of metal with a cardboard isolator all tied with three white plastic rivets. One of those pieces is against the spring pin with a leg, the other is chassis bolted to the column. If those parts touch, the horn goes off.
My original, the plastic pieces were mushed as if Dwayne Johnson was the previous owner. The replacement was a little bent up too and took me ages to get it to stop shorting out. I've also heard that people sometimes need to take them apart and polish them to get steady contact?
I found lots of guides but nothing that actually explained how the horn switch worked, took playing with the replacement to figure it out!
The cover clips onto the largest of the parts shown above. That part is actually a few parts, particularly it is two pieces of metal with a cardboard isolator all tied with three white plastic rivets. One of those pieces is against the spring pin with a leg, the other is chassis bolted to the column. If those parts touch, the horn goes off.
My original, the plastic pieces were mushed as if Dwayne Johnson was the previous owner. The replacement was a little bent up too and took me ages to get it to stop shorting out. I've also heard that people sometimes need to take them apart and polish them to get steady contact?
I found lots of guides but nothing that actually explained how the horn switch worked, took playing with the replacement to figure it out!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,419
Likes: 1,554
From: mount holly NC
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
A to B
You can not see the black wire from the top of the steering column because it is inside the column with the rest of the turn signal wires.
At the bottom of the steering there is a 'harmonica' connection.
Open the connection. On the half that goes to the car apply a ground to the black wire at "G".
If the horn blows then everything from there forward is good. If not go back to Willcox's 'how to'.
Next check the other half of the harmonica connection, (the part going up the column) check for continuity from 'G' to the horn contact (Willcox 'A').
If no continuity then the wire inside the column is bad.
At the bottom of the steering there is a 'harmonica' connection.
Open the connection. On the half that goes to the car apply a ground to the black wire at "G".
If the horn blows then everything from there forward is good. If not go back to Willcox's 'how to'.
Next check the other half of the harmonica connection, (the part going up the column) check for continuity from 'G' to the horn contact (Willcox 'A').
If no continuity then the wire inside the column is bad.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,731
Likes: 15
Got distracted with life but finally checked this. No continuity from A to the bottom of column. Next question any tips on pulling the wheel to check wiring in column? Assuming using the two threaded holes on either side of the post to pull the wheel? (lower right corner of Wilcox pic by A)
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