Deep Fried Grant Steering Wheel Ring

[pipeline010]

So I installed an aftermarket Grant steering wheel (963) last spring using the install kit 3294 as appropriate for our Fords. I've got the two wire horn on my 1969.

Well, if I bumped the steering wheel roughly getting in/out or when doing work the wheel would get a bit loose. Not often, but once in a rare while. It happened yesterday so I stuck some locktite on it when I re-tightened it.

Felt a little loose still on the way to work, so I REALLY tightened it, then tried to pull back to re-align the steering wheel.....well, the wheel turned WITH the shaft and ripped through both my horn wires going into the kit.

Brought it into the shop and had them pull the nut and mount. Lo and behold, the back of the brass mount was totally fried...it must have been firing/grounding behind that plate for months...but the horn still operated normally?

Any ideas on how I screwed up this install? I'm going to re-order the install kit and don't want to do whatever I did over again..

 

[73azbronco]

Well the horn button on steering wheel should ground relay which then turns on power to horn. Maybe you had hot wire going through steering wheel horn button then back to horn with no relay??

 

[DirtDonk]

If he's got the two contacts he didn't have a relay from the factory. What year is your Bronco pipeline?

Even if you don't now though, I would still put a relay in the system to take the load off of the copper contacts.
That said, I don't think you had a dead short or it would not have still worked the horn, and would not have lasted for months. It would have melted down quickly and the horn would either not have worked at all, or honked every time it was having issues.
Unless the wrong adapter was being used on your column after all?

Is yours a '74 by any chance?
Or is there any chance it's a non-original column?
Got pics?

Good luck.

Paul

 

[BigB]

Do yourself a favor and buy this kit instead. I just used it to install a grant wheel after recommendations from a member here.

Their horn buttons hold on really firmly with an o ring.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/gtx-20-6004

 

[BigB]

Here is my thread with using this kit.

https://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=292772

 

[pipeline010]

Thanks for responses guys.

I have the 69, same as BigB. I believe the power being delivered to the back of the plate was through those dual springs (shown in his post) which are part of the horn system.

I guess I'm just not clear on where all the power is being delivered for the horn. I did have two wires coming through the wheel (same as BigB) that connected to two plates which, when pushed together, attaches the ground and sounds the horn.

...so how are those spring loaded attachments delivering the power that scorched the plate?

 

[BigB]

...so how are those spring loaded attachments delivering the power that scorched the plate?[/QUOTE]

I never looked at that closely but by my photos it looks as if the blue and yellow wires cross over and look to go under to those 2 spring loaded post's.

If there are not wires going directly to those post's there must be some sort printed circuit board style copper lines on the switch.

You could disconnect your steering column wiring plug and using a multi meter on the continuity setting trace which wires go where to separate the circuits to help with your trouble shooting.