Mark E Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Hi all,After some wisdom please Ever since I bought the car the horn has been on a bodged switch that you can see fixed under the right hand side of the dash on the pic below. I want to get it back to the centre of the wheel but I can't get it to earth.There is power to the switch and it should earth through boss into the centre of the steering column but this isn't earthed. Any ideas why it isn't earthed and what I can do to get a complete circuit?[/URL] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobPearce Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 First, make sure it's the column earth that's faulty, not the horn wire. Check for continuity between the contact ring and the relay, which might be easiest done by : - remove the horn push from the wheel - push a bare wire end through the hole so it touches the ring - connect the other end of that wire to a good earthIf that doesn't make the horn sound, it's not an earth problem.While you've got it apart, have a good look at the plunger that was in that hole. It should be a clear plastic tube with a brass insert at each end, one of which is spring-loaded. These ends need to be electrically connected together, and the thin bit of flexible wire that does so can fail.Also check that the horn push makes an electrical contact when pressed (between the contact that rests on that plunger and the one on the side that rubs on the steering wheel hub).If the problem really is that the steering wheel hub isn't earthed, the most likely cause is that one of the two earthing straps on the steering rack end is missing. There should be a strap across the flexible joint at the bottom of the column, otherwise it's non-conductive. There should also be one from the rack (under the grease nipple, usually) to the chassis and/or engine.Hopefully that should give you some pointers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark E Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share Posted February 18, 2015 That's brilliant, thank you Rob, it's definitely not earthed so I'll have a dig round and see if the earth straps are present. Will report back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Moore Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 If the earth strap at the base of the steering column has disappeared, consider replacing the joint between the column and steering rack with a UJ. They're all steel, so no need for an earthing strap. But better is that a UJ eliminates the eight small rubber cup washers in the existing linkage. They're why the column isn't earthed, but they also go soft and squishy with age, making the steering less direct. There are a couple of models of UJ on the market. Bill from Rarebits sells the best variety.So, better steering and the ability to toot at anything you can't steer round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byakk0 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 +1 on the steering coupling joint. I just rebuilt mine. It had the earth wire internal but had broken. The horn brush was also missing. Someone cut the head of a nail and wrapped it in duct tape. Didn't work. It would sound randomly so I had to install a remote switch. I'll fix it, of course, as part of the restoration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark E Posted February 19, 2015 Author Share Posted February 19, 2015 Thanks guys, I've dropped Bill an email, I always seem far too keen to spend more money than I have too 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieGT Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Quoted from Spitfire6 I think it would be wise to still run an earth strap across the UJ. I couldn't consider a bearing as a conductor.Cheers,Iain. Yes, and quite simple to DIY. I soldered two eyelets to a piece of thick wire and bolted them using existing bolts at the coupling. Total cost 2£ or so?Example. http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-130581 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark E Posted February 21, 2015 Author Share Posted February 21, 2015 Quoted from RobPearce If the problem really is that the steering wheel hub isn't earthed, the most likely cause is that one of the two earthing straps on the steering rack end is missing. There should be a strap across the flexible joint at the bottom of the column, otherwise it's non-conductive. There should also be one from the rack (under the grease nipple, usually) to the chassis and/or engine. Hi guys, back again, got the chance to have good look at the car today and poke around with a meter. The earth strap across the flexible joint (19 on the parts diagram)is completely missing so that's one thing to sort, which is fine. The rack isn't earthed either but I couldn't see any obvious point where the second earth strap should go. Can't see this second one on the parts diagram either?Any one know where it should go?Thanks again for the help so far, almost there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieGT Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Hi,Before fitting alu rack mounts and thus earthing to the steering box, i placed a wire with eyelet on the filler bolt, nr 36. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heraldcoupe Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Quoted from EddieGT Before fitting alu rack mounts and thus earthing to the steering box, i placed a wire with eyelet on the filler bolt, nr 36. This is how it was done at the factory, eyelet under the bolt, braid to another eyelet under the rack to the closest rack mounting nut.Quoted from Mark E The earth strap across the flexible joint (19 on the parts diagram)is completely missing so that's one thing to sort, which is fine. The external strap is common on later cars, but most had an internal wire as part of the coupling. It's no less likely to be broken, which is presumably why the external link was introduced.Cheers,Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark E Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share Posted February 22, 2015 Brilliant, thanks all. Will get the bits ordered which should do the trick as the horn works if I earth the lower column straight to the chassis. Fingers crossed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byakk0 Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 Helps me too. I've been wondering what the wire eyelet attached to #36 on my steering rack was for, as it is broken off and leads nowhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark E Posted December 7, 2015 Author Share Posted December 7, 2015 I had a pm asking whether this solved the problem and it did so I thought I'd add an update in case anyone else ever has the same problem. Two straps, one across the joint and one from rack to block. I managed to find an old pic of where the rack earth should connect to the block. Two pictures below, apologies for the poor quality, iPhone in a dark garage 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byakk0 Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Thanks for the pics! I see your block is grounded to the shock tower across the motor mount.1 problem though, your steering column is on the wrong side of the block! 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markcro Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Great, thanks for posting those photos, that should solve my issues as well! Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky63 Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 Just dug through the forum looking for help with my horn earth and found this post....cheers all, I've fixed mine with a new UJ earth wire and as I have a MotaLita wheel I bought one of their bespoke horn contacts...Fixed...toot toothttps://www.moto-lita.co.uk/accessories/pencil-contact/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark E Posted May 20, 2016 Author Share Posted May 20, 2016 Glad it was of assistance. The times I've trawled through here and found the answers, it's an invaluable resource that's for sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Devil Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 I hope you don't mind me asking this but having spent the night trying to get the horn to work my neighbour and I traced and constructed something which looks identical to the pictures above (should have searched I'm here!) Connecting the grease point to the earth strap on the engine block. What we couldn't figure out at all though is without this connection the horn worked if I moved the steering wheel to turn right but once back at centre or left it wouldn't. Why would that be? There is clearly some reason why the earth was good one way and not the other but I can't find anything which would suggest why!CheersSteve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky63 Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Quoted from Old Smithy I hope you don't mind me asking this but having spent the night trying to get the horn to work my neighbour and I traced and constructed something which looks identical to the pictures above (should have searched I'm here!) Connecting the grease point to the earth strap on the engine block. What we couldn't figure out at all though is without this connection the horn worked if I moved the steering wheel to turn right but once back at centre or left it wouldn't. Why would that be? There is clearly some reason why the earth was good one way and not the other but I can't find anything which would suggest why!CheersSteve It might have something to do with the rubber mounts on the UJ. Are they worn and when the steering wheel is on lock they are allowing the clamp bolt to earth? Just a guess on my part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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