Hi all Im having a prob with my horn, actuallt its dead. Me not being the most knowledgable electronic guy I need some help. How do the horns ground? Is it throught the horn mount or..... Also where the hell is the relay? Ive got some wiring hell going on with a aftermarket alarm previous owner installed but I cant seem to locate the relay. The steering column portion how does that work? I cant grasp the concept of the little plunger thingy making it work because there is a spring underneath it so what does it come in contact with to make it beep? Or am I overlooking the obvious. I dont have a good schematic of the curcuit so Im kind just winging it.
Flem

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Well the horn grounds at the mounting point, getting a negative from the chassis. the horn button is the center cap itself, consisting of two thin pieces of metal spaced apart by plastic. When you press on the cap the metal flexes down and contacts the other thus completing the circuit. The plunger keeps the bottom plate in contact all the time. Hope this helps you finding the problem, I spent hours figuring out my horn, cause it would not stop honking by itself which is a little embarrassing when your driving.

|UPDATED|1/4/2005 6:45:40 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

My problem was down in the column where the turn signal switch had busted apart and loosened the horn contacts lower in the column. Did you check the easy stuff first like the fuses or the horn its self busted? Run a jumper to the horns to see if they work themselves. You dont wanna take apart your column to find out later it was a broken horn.

|UPDATED|1/4/2005 6:50:57 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Power is supplied to the horn relay. The relay is activated by grounding the relay control circuit by pushing the horn button. It makes contact, and grounds throught the steering column.

Once grounded, the relay sends power to the horn itself. The horn is grounded by its mount, and sometimes a ground wire attached to the mount.

Later relays were plastic and mounted under the dash or in the console. Earlier versions were metal and sometimes mounted under the hood, or under the dash.

Howdy all well I was checking it out but still dont see a relay and the wiring is evil beyond words. I have a few connections that dont lead anywhere bu Im guessing that this one connection may be it. Does the relay have 3 male plugs that go into the connector? Anlso does anyone know what color wire goes to the horn from the column?
Thanx
Glenn

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Yes it is a three wire with male terminals on the relay. The 75 wiring diagram shows:

Black wire 20 gauge, horn button ground from relay.

Dark Green wire 14 gauge, supply from relay to horn.

Red wire 12 gauge, power supply to relay from the 10 gauge red from the fuse box, a constant hot that alsow feed the ignition switch.

Hope this helps.

Sweet thanx man. have identified where my relay SHOULD be! Also that all the wiring is there. Im thinking that someone removed it so because the horn wouldnt stop beeping, the button is broke as 2 of the plastic things are missing. Last question how do the shims come into play?
Glenn

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Glenn,

Sounds like your previous owner had the same problem I have, and just pulled the relay so it wouldn't sound the horn all the time. I have that problem. If the relay is plugged in, the horn is on all the time. I've checked the whole column and I can't find anything wrong. I bought the replacement kit and even when down to the local GM parts dealer and picked up the plastic piece that doesn't come with the kit. Horn still is on all the time. I just can't figure it out. Maybe that's what happened to yours too.

I'm thinking of just taking it to an electrical guy at this point. Hope yours is easier to fix.

Glenn

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Glenn's Bright Blue 75 T-Top
L48, 4 Speed, Dual Exhaust

Yeah that sounds about right, looks like what I have. I need to order a relay and itll be a week or 2 before it gets out here so I wont know much till then. I guess there is a way to trick it into thinking there is a relay but Im not sure what wires to hook into what holes to make it work. Any ideas?
Glenn

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I don't know if I am on the right track for you, but you asked about shims. Maybe you have done all of this, but have you depressed the spring contact inside the steering wheel assembly? It should work when moved down.
I am talking about a tilt column. You can take the spring out, adjust the tension for more or less travel for the arm to make contact.
There is a 90 degree arm inside that rests right above the spring contact. Inside the spring is the piece that makes contact to send electric to the horns.
The shims can be added or taken away. They will determine the amount of space needed for the arm to hit the spring contact. On the plastic pieces, I take it that you are talking about the 3 plastic rivets holding the unit together under the horn button? They are available from the Corvette suppliers like Zip, etc.
Maybe you know all of this already, but my 2 cents.
Boatman

Boatman Thanks! But I'm not sure what you mean regarding the spring. As you take the column apart is it goes (horn assembly) then (turn signal assembly) is it lower in the column after that?

If the shims were messed up, would it either keep the horn on all the time, or keep it from not working at all?
Glenn

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Glenn's Bright Blue 75 T-Top
L48, 4 Speed, Dual Exhaust

The only spring in there, is the one that has the piece in it, going into the hole that goes down to the contact. All this on top. This spring can be adjusted by hand stretching it a little, or compressing. Insert back in, and it will be longer or shorter then for the arm to touch it when the horn is depressed.
To me, the shims will dictate how much pressure you have to depress the horn for contact. I started with 3, and now down to 2. If anyone needs a schematic of this, I may be able to burn one and set to e mail.
Boatman

oh, ok.. I thought you were talking about down deaper in the column. I know what you mean now. I never shimmed mine, maybe that was the issue.

I'll try it and let you know.
Thanks,
Glenn

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Glenn's Bright Blue 75 T-Top
L48, 4 Speed, Dual Exhaust

Yeah if Im getting this right if the 90 degree contact doesnt hit the plunger (in the colunm) the horn doesnt work. When you press the button it completes the curiut and "beep". My service manual says it should be .10 clearance normlly but I think as long as its normally seperated and you can depress it and make it work it should be fine. Also I think you could just use washers instead of the shims, I dont really see why you would HAVE to have the shims
Glenn

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I really appreciate all of the post on horn problems.  I have run into a succession of problems that I cannot seem to whip.

It first started as described by Tumarr above.  When ever I hit a bump, the horn would go blow.  If I removed the horn cap, no problem.  I could not solve the problem, so I replace the contact with a new unit from Ecklers.  I thought I was home free, installed the horn cap and the horns blow without being asked.  Again, if I remove the horn cap, the horns work just fine.  I presently have two shims between the contact and the spacer.  I am now running without a horn cap, but at least I have a horn.

Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Leo

 

It's been since the 70's since I had 1 apart but as I remember if the shims aren't placed just right when you replace the cap or if it's off just alittle it will cause the horns metal cage to make contact. Make sure everything is put back in place exactly as it was new when installing.
Most of this stuff was pretty generic inside. Corvette,Camaro, Vega all used the same wheel. I think the the guts were pretty much the same for alot of the Chevrolet wheels. You may be able to get this stuff from a wrecking yard for less if you can't get it in a timely manner from a parts supplier.


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Tuxblacray,

Thank you for your reply.  I have tried to follow the parts explosion for the assembly and not made much progress. Unfortunatly, the horn had been worked on by the previous owner.  They did have the shims in the wrong position, under the lever ring.  Do you think it may be the lack of shims?  I have two now and if adding more may fix it, I would give it a try.

Leo

Here is a DIAGRAM of the column and horn assy, w/shim placement. Don't know if it helps, but here it be.








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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Adams' Apple,

Thank you.  I think the 74 diagram will help.  My 75 diagram did not show the .010 clearance measurement betweent the horn cap and the lever.

I will try building up the shims until I have the spacing specified.  I really appreciate your help.

Leo

Im not sure that it will fix it or not but it's worth a try. I never had to add additional shims. Joel's wheel is an older version from what I was refering to. Although as I suspected most of the componets are relative.

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Tuxblacray: She's Back In Black! Check out my pics @ My Link


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Shims added "as needed"....the wheels/columns are pretty much the same from 69-76. There are some minor differences from there, but not too much. The horn buttons are different, tho.

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Joel Adams
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Joel,

Thank you again.  I tried the .010" process and it still goes off as soon as the horn button is attached.  I am about to believe that it is haunted.

Leo

Add shims as needed!! My '74 has about 7-8, if I remember right! That's what it had when I got it, and that's how I put it back when I put a new contact kit in it a few years back. Patience, my friend!

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

I dont know how much help this will be to you but I have a couple pix of the steering column taken apart on my site. Also an explanation of how the horn functions electrically

http://www.calliesworld.com/html/horn.html

Glenn

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Joel,

Thank you again.  I think you may be on to the solution. You hit the nail on the head, patience is the key.  I thought replacing the heater core was bad.  I will tackle the ammeter next.

Leo

Glenn,

Thank you for the great pictures.  I appreciate your help.

Leo

BTW, there are a few wires that run on the top of the turn signal switch. Believe it or not if they are broken (and they do break) the horn WILL NOT work.

 Ask me how I know this....


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Lifetime Member #73

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Jim....How do you know that?

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

He Jim I know what yopu mean. They can also be the cuase of the horn working ALL the time

Glenn

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Yeah, like everytime I turned my wheel to the right... My wife was laughing the whole way to the casino in St Louis.  Everytime I made a lane change....  Honk....Honk....Honk....

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Lifetime Member #73

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OH GREAT !!!          I've got 3 C3's and none of the horns work, so I've got this to look forward to? OH Well, I'll never be so discouraged that I can afford a C5 anyway. I like a car I can work on, it's my passion, next to sex and beer and don't ask me in what order.

 

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Jimmy B.
Just can't wait to get on the road again.

 
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Wow!!!

Looks like I may be going to AutoZone and getting a bright white horn button to mount on my dash (Just Kidding, I think)

Thank you all again for your help.

Leo

But while in a Vette, aren't you supposed to be honkin down the road?