Horn contact help

[Srick76]

Can anyone tell me if this all looks correct? I’m trying to fix my horn. Horn works if I jump the cooper spring leads. I just can’t figure out how the contacts in the steering wheel work or if I’m missing a piece. When we install the assembly without the actual steering wheel, we can see the tabs are not making contact with the chrome ring which would complete the circuit and sound the horn.

 

[thegreatjustino]

Where are the copper contacts on the steering wheel? I don't see them.

 

[Srick76]

Where are the copper contacts on the steering wheel? I don't see them.

They are on the turn signal switch.

 

[Rustytruck]

do you have the rubber piece between the steel contact piece and the horn button? that is what pushed the steel plate down to make horn contact.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMHXgp7NgYc

 

[Srick76]

Here is everything I have..the piece described in the youtube link is the black piece that locks down holding the spring into the wheel

 

[Srick76]

Here is piece that locks into place holding down the spring that adds tension to the horn.

 

[Rustytruck]

Does the back of your steering wheel have 2 tracks?

on your horn button, there is a rubber piece, then the steel piece in photo 1. then the plastic hub lock piece.

you do not have the 2 horn contacts on your steering wheel.

 

[Rustytruck]

steering wheel pictures.

 

[Srick76]

steering wheel pictures.

So it looks like I’m missing those little “tabs” or “contacts next to the screws right? I circled them in yellow on your pics?

 

[DirtDonk]

Is that a '74 steering wheel by any chance? What year is the vehicle, and have you changed any of this stuff?

Paul

 

[Rustytruck]

my pictures were from a 74 wheel before the change over to the later style. the horn switch guts are the same as a 67 mustang.

 

[Rustytruck]

from what I see the yellow circled parts are missing to work properly with your contact plate.

 

[Srick76]

Mine is a 69. Horn was not working and turn signals would not click off automatically.. when we took the steering wheel off, it’s was mangled in there like someone just jammed it on and left it. I got a new turn signal switch. And we have figured out how it works, but the contacts on the horn contact plate will not make contact with the ring when you push the horn to make the horn blow.

 

[Srick76]

Is that a '74 steering wheel by any chance? What year is the vehicle, and have you changed any of this stuff?

Paul

Paul do the new ones have the contacts on them?

 

[Rustytruck]

Slick does your steering column have the flasher pull knob on the column? If it does you have a mish mash of parts.

 

[thegreatjustino]

Where are the copper contacts on the steering wheel? I don't see them.

So it looks like I’m missing those little “tabs” or “contacts next to the screws right? I circled them in yellow on your pics?

from what I see the yellow circled parts are missing to work properly with your contact plate.

These are the contacts I was referring to in my initial post. Missing from your steering wheel.

 

[Srick76]

Slick does your steering column have the flasher pull knob on the column? If it does you have a mish mash of parts.

No, no flash knob on column.

Do you guys know if a new “horn ring cam” as I see it’s called on WH website, have the contacts built into it? I don’t want to order a new one and they are not there.

 

[DirtDonk]

The contact traces are on the wheel itself. Early wheels ('66 to '73) had two traces, and later wheels ('74-'77) had a single trace.
Yours needs the two traces to mate up with the two spring-loaded copper pin contacts visible there on your turn signal switch.

The '74 wheel we were talking about in Rustytruck's pic is a hybrid, where it is the early style wheel, but with only a single trace like the later wheels. The actual later wheels from '75-on had only the single trace still, but changed overall style too.

Can you post up a pic of the backside of your wheel? Maybe it's all fine and dandy back there but we might as well see it.
I don't remember all the orientation of horn button parts, but it sounds like the others have you covered there.

When I saw Rusty's pic at first I didn't notice who'd posted it and thought it was of your wheel. Sorry for the confusion.

Paul

 

[Srick76]

The contact traces are on the wheel itself. Early wheels ('66 to '73) had two traces, and later wheels ('74-'77) had a single trace.
Yours needs the two traces to mate up with the two spring-loaded copper pin contacts visible there on your turn signal switch.

The '74 wheel we were talking about in Rustytruck's pic is a hybrid, where it is the early style wheel, but with only a single trace like the later wheels. The actual later wheels from '75-on had only the single trace still, but changed overall style too.

Can you post up a pic of the backside of your wheel? Maybe it's all fine and dandy back there but we might as well see it.
I don't remember all the orientation of horn button parts, but it sounds like the others have you covered there.

When I saw Rusty's pic at first I didn't notice who'd posted it and thought it was of your wheel. Sorry for the confusion.

Paul

Here’s the back of the steering wheel and the front with the retainer removed.

 

[DirtDonk]

Cool, thanks. So you've got the correct wheel at least. Other than being dry and dirty (and magnetized right now too it looks like!) it should work once the button is sorted out.
If you continue to use this wheel I would apply some sort of lubricant to the metal circle contacts. Dielectric grease comes to mind, but see what others say first.

The reason I say "if you continue to use it" is because that's one heck of a crack in the hub. Is it all the way through like it appears? If so I would be skeptical of keeping that wheel in service unless you think it's safe for other reasons.
I know cracks in the rim are nothing to worry about usually because under the resin is a big steel ring. Not sure how the hubs are manufactured, so look at that crack very closely.

I'll let the others describe again what they see with the button mechanicals. Seems like there were already a few comments about missing bits and pieces.

Paul