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.

 

[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/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/15/43/af/0900823d801543af.jsp