The elusive Horn

[nightwolf0829]

Well, I'm going to finnaly fix that dam horn in my truck today.. I checked the fuses before, but i didnt see anything out of the ordinary.. I also read about a clockspring going bad and not making any connection with the main button.. There are two horns correct? One left, one right? I'm going to rip out the front grills and lights to see if they are there or blown.. What do you guys think?

Thanks, Justin

Cheers

[old_man]

Horns on older XJ's have a real habit of taking a nose dive. Run 12v directly to the horn to test it out.

[nightwolf0829]

Thanks, I would if i had one... I took off the front right guard/light assembly. I thought that was where i had read it was... I didn't see any horn underneath there.. I went out and bought a new one anyways (figure make it simple).. How would i go about getting the cable for the horn button the steering column to use it funtionaly? Any guesses are appreciated..


Cheers, Justin

[muduck18]

Thanks, I would if i had one... I took off the front right guard/light assembly. I thought that was where i had read it was... I didn't see any horn underneath there.. I went out and bought a new one anyways (figure make it simple).. How would i go about getting the cable for the horn button the steering column to use it funtionaly? Any guesses are appreciated..


Cheers, Justin
keep looking for the horn... and use the wire that is attached to it
left side below the airbox pointed at the ground... is where my stock one is.
...

[nightwolf0829]

I used the wire trick, and it worked.. Sigh, now im thinking that the clockspring is bad, We tried to get it out, and test it in school, but could not get past the *cover* behind the steering wheel. MY teach. says it will be a *special* tool to get it off, since it needs to be compressedto release the piece underneath. Any ideas, he said the tool is about $100, i cannot afford that.. Any ideas, Wisemen?


Thanks Alot, Justin

[BIGSLVRXJ]

I used the wire trick, and it worked.. Sigh, now im thinking that the clockspring is bad, We tried to get it out, and test it in school, but could not get past the *cover* behind the steering wheel. MY teach. says it will be a *special* tool to get it off, since it needs to be compressedto release the piece underneath. Any ideas, he said the tool is about $100, i cannot afford that.. Any ideas, Wisemen?


Thanks Alot, Justin

You can rent the tool from most auto parts stores for like 70 dollars and then when you take it back you get refunded. The tool is called a lockplate compressor.
HTH,
Collin

[8Mud]

You can rent the tool from most auto parts stores for like 70 dollars and then when you take it back you get refunded. The tool is called a lockplate compressor.
HTH,
Collin

A *Chevy* lock plate compressor, I welded and drilled a few pieces of flat steel and made my own, in about half an hour.
You can often get the horn to work again by cleaning the grease off of the slip ring and from the end of the brush.
Don't loose the spring from behind the brush, take the brush and spring out right away and stick them in a safe spot. If you loose the spring, one out of a ball point pen works well. :laugh3:

[nightwolf0829]

lol, allrighty that sounds good to me, how does the one you made look mud? Can you upload a pic, or paint one? I assume it just is a piece, with two parts that push against the plate, and the steering wheel shaft.

Thanks again guys, Justin

[8Mud]

It's just a "U" or actually a " [ ", I used 3/16" thick flat steel by 1 1/2" wide.
The inside measurement between the legs (base of the "U") is 2 7/8" (inside). The hole in the middle (base of the "U") is 15 MM (or 11/32"). The two legs are 1 3/16" long (inside), but could probably be a bit shorter, I just have to push a little to get the center nut caught on the threads of the steering shaft. The center hole could also probably be a little smaller.
http://tinypic.com/i57o9h.jpg

[nightwolf0829]

So basically you use the existing shaft end so it can push onto the cap? Im going to use you're idea, if you don't mind.

Thanks a bunch, And more for sacing me $$$
Thanks again, Justin

[8Mud]

So basically you use the existing shaft end so it can push onto the cap? Im going to use you're idea, if you don't mind.

Thanks a bunch, And more for sacing me $$$
Thanks again, Justin

Low tech. :laugh3:

[BIGSLVRXJ]

Hey there is a little plastic cover that is over the lockplate make sure to pop that off before ya go tightening the compressor down. That was my mistake my first time doing it.

[nightwolf0829]

Allrighty, I will give it a shot tommorow...

Thanks Guys!
-J

[dizzymac]

Ahhh...the good old days when you just wired the horn up to a doorbell button.......lol

[nightwolf0829]

Ahhh...the good old days when you just wired the horn up to a doorbell button.......lol


Lol, i was going to do that, but i didn't know if crappy NJ would pass me for Inp. I might give that a shot first...

CHeers, J

[nightwolf0829]

Does anyone know if this will work with NJ Inspection laws?

Thanks!, Justin

[8Mud]

Clean the grease off of the slip ring and make sure the brush/contact isn't worn down all the way to the spring (and the brush is also free of grease), make sure there is a spring behind the brush.
Every time I've had horn problems it's most always been the slip ring. Once a corroded connector at the horn. One other time I drowned my XJ, the horn still worked, but sounded kind of like a cow MOOOOOing.

[Sarge]

Most inspections don't care what the horn looks like just that it works.

Sarge

[nightwolf0829]

Well, does anyone have a pic of the "ClockSpring"?, i got everything off, and i dont see what i was looking for. I see a big spring, and a cap ontop of that. I REALLY NEED HELP!

Thanks Guys!
Justin

[8Mud]

This is pretty close, http://www.carcraft.com/howto/56459/
This one is better
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?ForwardPage=az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/15/43/af/0900823d801543af.jsp

[nightwolf0829]

Thanks, that helps. So basically what im looking to replace, is the spring and all parts before it?

Thanks Guys!
Justin

[nightwolf0829]

What does the clockspring consist of?

-Justin

[8Mud]

The clock spring allows the steering wheel to be turned, while maintaining contact (to the steering column), to what ever is mounted on the steering wheel. It is typically a copper ring (mounted on an insulator) that turns with the steering wheel, and a brush or contact mounted to the steering column.
The horn is one brush/contact and one plastic ring with a brass stripe embedded (on the back).
The airbag also has a clock spring mechanism, with multiple contacts. If you have a steering wheel mounted (as opposed to column mounted) cruise control, it also has a set of contacts/clock spring.
I always called them slip rings and contacts or brushes.
Not to be confused with the little blue pill which is commonly called a XXXXspring.
Probably what you are looking to do is to clean the grease off of the plastic (insulator) ring (with the brass embedded ring on the back of it) on the outside of the spring plate and cleaning the grease off the brush sticking through the spring plate in a round holder.
The wire for the horn has been known to break near the brush (or contact), behind the brush holder. The brush has been known to wear down to nothing.
You need something to maintain contact with the steering wheel and the steering column, for whatever electrical is mounted to the steering wheel. It is typically called a clock spring (mostly by Ford). I think it may be a left over term, from when the wire actually wrapped around the steering column (and looked like a clock spring) in model T's.

Clear as Mud? http://tinypic.com/ih8bkm.gif

[8Mud]

I do remember some old Chev. steering columns that had a brass spring inside that looked like a clock spring. It would wind up and unwind as the wheel was turned, to maintain a contact for the horn. It's been awhile, since I've seen that setup.
Most of the recent stuff I've seen, is contact rings or slip rings. I think clock spring is just a generic name, for various systems doing the same job.

[nightwolf0829]

AWESOME replys! I will check out what to do today. I think im going to clean every connection off real well, with rubbing alcohol?, and proceed to replace what i feel is needed. I didnt notice any "brush", but i really didn't look all that hard. I will give agood look today. THANKS ALL!

Cheers, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Justin