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Wiring a new horn

TX-ZACH

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Newbie
Joined
Sep 27, 2021
Messages
287
Loc.
Chappell Hill Texas
Old horn worked but was very muffled and I removed it and bought a new one a year or so ago. This was before I knew nothing is easy on an EB and everything will require "customization". Can someone share a pick of wiring on the back of a working horn? Rain here the next 5 or 6 days and plan on working on it in the shop.
 

Oldtimer

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Jr. Member with Sr. moments
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Feb 4, 2005
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937
Loc.
Sunnyvale, CA
What year Bronco?

Out at the horn there is typically a wire with 12v when horn button is pushed, and ground is to body with attachment bolt.

Early Bronco had 12v going thru 2 contacts in turn signal switch, later had ground circuit going thru 1 contact in turn signal switch with a horn relay.
 
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TX-ZACH

TX-ZACH

Contributor
Newbie
Joined
Sep 27, 2021
Messages
287
Loc.
Chappell Hill Texas
What year Bronco?

Out at the horn there is typically a wire with 12v when horn button is pushed, and ground is to body with attachment bolt.

Early Bronco had 12v going thru 2 contacts in turn signal switch, later had ground circuit going thru 1 contact in turn signal switch with a horn relay.
Its a 77. I just put a ohm meter on the new horn and tested voltage mounted and unmounted and grounded and cant pull anything. Maybe I got a bad horn out of the box. I will also test the relay. I will go take a pic of the wires that were used.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,737
Easy enough to test all functions.
To make sure you don’t have a defective horn, connect a ground wire to the case, and a power wire to the connector, and put both to the battery.
If the horn doesn’t honk, then there is something wrong with the horn because you just ran it direct.
Of course make sure that the ground is on a good point, but the test should be fairly certain.

Disconnect the plug from the relay, and with your voltmeter, check the yellow wire for power.
It should have virtually the same power reading as your battery.
With an ohm meter setting, check the wire to the steering wheel and have someone push the horn button. You should see, the needle or numbers, react and resistance should go to zero when the horn button is pushed.
And finally, if the horn is tested good, bolt the horn down to the body, connect the wire, and apply 12 V directly to the horn wire at the relay connector.
If the horn does not honk, then the wire is suspect. But make sure that everything grounds to the body properly.
I see paint everywhere unless you’re Bronco was originally black. With the battery disconnected remove the regulator and clean a grounding point, remove the horn relay and clean the grounding point, and any other grounds that ground to the body.
Or at the very least, unscrew the attaching screws and screw them back in. That should serve to clean the threads at least.
 
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TX-ZACH

TX-ZACH

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Sep 27, 2021
Messages
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Loc.
Chappell Hill Texas
Thanks guys. National Bronco treasures. Oldtimer thats downright professional. Paul original color was red. Previous owner rino-lined underneath and rattle canned a ton of paint. Brake lines, wires its all over. All points duly noted and sounds straight forward.
 
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TX-ZACH

TX-ZACH

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Newbie
Joined
Sep 27, 2021
Messages
287
Loc.
Chappell Hill Texas
Success with the new horn. Pulled the steering wheel off and found a tiktac shaped pin and spring assembly that was dirty and corroded. Cleaned it up and voila . For future searches this is what it looks like.
 

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DirtDonk

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Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,737
Thanks for the pics, and the update. Glad you got it figured out.
Good detective work!
 
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