the wire to the horn in my steering wheel got ripped out. still have about an inch coming through the column. put an extension on and jury rigged the conection to the horn plate but when i put the it back on the steering wheel it rips itself out. whats the trick?

I know no tricks but I feel your pain. When I replaced my ignition switch I had the toughest time getting the horn button back on and not bending the connector and trapping the wire and breaking it AND getting the horn to work. Putting the horn back on and taking out the board beneath the pedals are two of my least favorite "easy" jobs.

Paul

Patience. Lots of it...

I have had to repair my horn 5x plus times already and also broke the metal tab on the horn plate.

Add probably about 2" plus (depending on what's left) to the existing wire and solder both connections together then slid the heatshrink tubing over it. Shrink the tubing. Now look carefully at the metal tab on the horn plate to what kind of condition its in and whether you have to fix/replace.

The key is to have enough extra wire without too much. After you attach the wire to the plate, you can carefully push any excess back down. Very carefully put the horn pad back on the steering wheel and CAREFULLY twist back into place.

Any resistance means the wire is catching, the horn pad is misaligned or the wire is about to break.

Don't forget the horn button (rubber piece).

Once you get everything back together, test the horn.

I hope this helps.

It is doable after the fifth time I foud out the rest of my horn parts where bad.

how is the wire connected to the horn plate? mine has a cut off screw and a round wire connector with 2 holes drilled into it. i took it apart, put it back together and now the horn won't stop. i don't think this is original. i have become the victim of my cars previous owner again. what's it supposed to look like?

Here are the horn parts as detailed in the Auto Atlanta catalog (page 57).

Click to view attachment

Item number 2 is the part with the wire. The metal contact strip on the outside of this also wears, so I went ahead and replaced this item.

The wire connects to Item number 6. AA was in the process of stamping new plates, and didn't have any availability when I was rebuilding my horn, so I carefully cut a small tab of metal from the Base Plate and pushed it up. That small tab is what I use to connect the spade plug of the wire from the Horn Contact Plate.

Since you're in there, you should probably consider replacing the Horn Boot.

Hope that helps. No affiliation to AA. Thanks George for the use of your picture.

Eric Read

Edit: I highly recommend you download the catalog from AA.. It's a great reference book!!!

thanks for the pic, but except for the boot none of the stuff looks then same as mine. will check aa catalogue and try to post pics of mine.

What year are we talking about? Is it a stock steering wheel or a modern replacement? Got any pics? I've been into my steering stalk numerous times, so the more info, the better I may be able to help.

Eric

What year are we talking about? Is it a stock steering wheel or a modern replacement? Got any pics? I've been into my steering stalk numerous times, so the more info, the better I may be able to help.

Eric
[/quote]

73 1.7 most of it i think here's pics

[quote name='nycchef' date='Jun 22 2008, 05:44 PM' post='1048095']
What year are we talking about? Is it a stock steering wheel or a modern replacement? Got any pics? I've been into my steering stalk numerous times, so the more info, the better I may be able to help.

Eric
[/quote]

73 1.7 most of it i think here's pics
[/quote]

OK - I know what's up. I did the same thing. You used a screw to secure the horn wire to the metal ring (the Horn Base Plate). It probably goes through the Base Plate and touches the Steering Wheel Center. The problem is that the Horn Base Plate must be held off from the steering wheel center by those little spacers, and cannot touch the steering wheel center (except when you want the horn to sound). If the wire, or the Horn Base Plate has a short to the steering wheel center, the horn should always sound.

Get rid of the screw, and either replace the Horn Base Plate (which is number 6 in the picture) or do as I did, and cut back a small tab from the metal on the Horn Base Plate. Use a female spade connector to attach the wire to the Horn Base Plate.

You must ensure there is no continuiety between the Horn Base Plate and the Steering Wheel Center. The spacers in your picture are one-part of a two-part spacer, which ensure there is no continuiety between these two parts. If you don't have both pieces of the spacers, you probably will not be able to ensure electrical seperation between the Horn Base Plate and the Steering Wheel Center. Additionally, the wire you have attached comes from the Horn Contact Plate (number 2 in the picture). If this plate is worn, you may need to replace it to ensure the horn works consistantly.

The item that only allows the horn to sound when the side of the Steering Wheeel Center is pressed is item number 1, the Horn Boot. This keeps the Steering Wheel Center off the Horn Plate. So you need to ensure all these items are installed correctly, with no electrical shorts between them, to ensure your horn will work correctly.

Hope this helps.

Eric Read

thanks eric
screw was from p/o. did'nt know about it till i took off the steering wheel to change the ignition. must have put the screw in too far when i reasembled. will just buy a new one.
thanks again
rich

I'm glad to help. Let me know if you have any other issues when you get it back together.