dumb steering wheel install question

[4x4man514]

hey guys, acouple of quick questions, my bronco is a 72 and i just bought a vsw steering wheel and kit for it with no instructions

just looking at the parts i can figure most out . but there is one small screw in the pack with a threaded hole in the hub that i dont see the purpose of. it looks like something you would attach a ground wire to but i dont have any wires that look like they need to go there.

and the other thing , the horn has the two contacts in it. if i simply ground these two together the horn should blow right? i can here a click in the column but the horn does not go off. am i missing something?

thanks a bunch guys!

 

[DirtDonk]

Have you had the steering column out before?
Have you changed the turn signal switch for a new one?
The two contacts are standard for a 72, where there is no horn relay in use. You’re not actually “grounding“ the two contacts to each other. You’re connecting them so that 12 V passes through from one wire, through the contacts, and out the other wire to the horn directly.
The horn itself grounds to the body.

If you have 12 V coming in on the correct wire, then touching the two contacts to each other should have honked the horn. You could also test to make sure that the horn itself is working.

 

[4x4man514]

so my bronco has been apart for prolly 15 years. the guys that did the paint and body work took the column apart then so none of this is fresh in my mind. i havent done anything with the switch but i have installed a new painless wiring harness. im pretty sure i remember testing the horn so im thinking there may be an issue in the column plug. ive "connected " the 2 contacts with a wrench and no horn but i do hear something click in the harness.

 

[DC_Gearhead]

Check to make sure your horn actually works. I chased a horn issue a few years ago and figured out my horn was seized up after I spent hours chasing the issue “up stream”.


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[EPB72]

so my bronco has been apart for prolly 15 years. the guys that did the paint and body work took the column apart then so none of this is fresh in my mind. i havent done anything with the switch but i have installed a new painless wiring harness. im pretty sure i remember testing the horn so im thinking there may be an issue in the column plug. ive "connected " the 2 contacts with a wrench and no horn but i do hear something click in the harness.

does the painless harness use a relay, thinking it does,,,,, the AAW harness does,,,, if so your original turn switch at the connector will have two wires for the horn as Paul described in and out,, the new harness will have only one wire the ground trigger for the relay .. so one of the wires goes to the relay the othorwire goes to a ground so now the horn switch is used as a ground signal to operate the relay,, the relay sends power to the horns , horns still grounded to body ,,,,, the click you hear is probable the relay test for voltage at horn connecors ,, As DC said you can also jump battery to horn connection to see if horn actually works . if not make shure horn is actually grounded

 

[DirtDonk]

Yes, because it has a painless harness it has a relay. So you have to connect the steering column in just the right manner.
I believe the painless harness is capable of working either way (or maybe that’s the Centech I’m thinking of). But it sounds like you have some reversed wires in the column.
Or a missing one. Find out which one is the relay ground, or whatever painless calls theirs (I remember strange wording about coils and such) and see if you can use the steering column switch to ground the relay.

 

[4x4man514]

Check to make sure your horn actually works. I chased a horn issue a few years ago and figured out my horn was seized up after I spent hours chasing the issue “up stream”.


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i checked it once b4 installation but i guess it could be a ground issue si ill check it again

does the painless harness use a relay, thinking it does,,,,, the AAW harness does,,,, if so your original turn switch at the connector will have two wires for the horn as Paul described in and out,, the new harness will have only one wire the ground trigger for the relay .. so one of the wires goes to the relay the othorwire goes to a ground so now the horn switch is used as a ground signal to operate the relay,, the relay sends power to the horns , horns still grounded to body ,,,,, the click you hear is probable the relay test for voltage at horn connecors ,, As DC said you can also jump battery to horn connection to see if horn actually works . if not make shure horn is actually grounded

i think youre right. i remember there being something in the instructions about a discrepency with the horn ill have to go back and check that out. and as you said it may be the horn isnt grounded to the body. i know i checked it before i installed it

Yes, because it has a painless harness it has a relay. So you have to connect the steering column in just the right manner.
I believe the painless harness is capable of working either way (or maybe that’s the Centech I’m thinking of). But it sounds like you have some reversed wires in the column.
Or a missing one. Find out which one is the relay ground, or whatever painless calls theirs (I remember strange wording about coils and such) and see if you can use the steering column switch to ground the relay.

yea i remember when i installed it it was worded strangely. i thought i had it set up right but im gonna double check that as well




thanks for the help guys!