Horn Modification Question

[casadejohnson]

I have a new junkyard steering wheel in my 74 and I really like it. Its a leather wrapped unit from a late 80's F250. Anyway, this wheel uses a two contact setup for the horn and my column is set up for a single contact wheel that grounds through the steering shaft ( I think ). So my solution was to find a turn signal / horn switch that had the two contact setup. I found one that looked like new in another truck and put it it in my column this evening. Because it has two contacts, it has one more wire than my old one. So, I'm thinking all I have to do to make the horn work will be to ground the extra wire. It seems pretty straight forward but I thought I would ask before i accidently start an electrical fire.

 

[pemnel]

It should work. The worst that it could do is blow a fuse.
I got a wheel from an 83 pickup and it worked in my '77 with the stock turn signal/horn switch. I can't remember now, but I think that I had to hook up a ground wire from the second contact to the steering wheel nut.

 

[Viperwolf1]

That will work. Actually you probably didn't even need the other turn switch. All you had to do was ground the unused contact to the wheel/shaft.

 

[Madgyver]

i tried to make mine work with an aftermarket wheel and after a few years of working flawless the horn would go off every time i would turn right.
i figure the madgyvered contacts got worn..
it still needs fixing..

 

[Viperwolf1]

Ha. I had a similar situation for the first few years I had my Bronco except it would only do it a few times a week. Other people get pissy sometimes when your horn blows for no apparent reason. Turned out to be a single loose strand of horn wire in the turn signal switch.

 

[casadejohnson]

That will work. Actually you probably didn't even need the other turn switch. All you had to do was ground the unused contact to the wheel/shaft.

It was actually a little bit of luck that I got the switch. My old one would not cancel because my old Grant wheel ate the switch up. I was lucky because I'm pretty sure that the switch I got was newly installed.

 

[Steve83]

You can ignore the extra wire - it's for cruise control. The horn or relay still grounds thru the column.