steve s
Well-known member
PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED --SEE POST #13 FOR EMBARRASSING DETAILS.
Well, it's been over ten years since I attempted any "upgrade" on my Ford ('29 Town Sedan), and once again I'm about to the point where I wish I'd left well enough alone but there's no turning back.
Installing an F-100 steering box, and getting the horn rod right is driving me nuts. Shortly before I began, the horn died. I determined that the horn was OK, but the horn button seemed to not be. I thought, "Great timing, I'm going to be pulling the column: I'll fix it then." BUT, when I removed the rod and continuity-tested it repeatedly it worked fine; no matter how I jiggled things, the horn button always grounded the contact down at the end of the rod. So, I figured the rod must have been almost-but-not-quite too short so it was making a marginal contact inside the light switch for the past 20 years, and finally gave out. Of course, when I reassembled the whole thing, the horn still didn't work, and now neither did the lights!
It turns out the rod was a tad too short for the spider thingy to even engage the light switch's switch part, and, similarly, the horn contact was not being made. The steering box provider suggested I try a non-repro light switch, and/or I cut a bit off the collar at the end of the steering column, so the switch could be snugged up closer. I did both. Using as stock, original switch made no difference; shortening the collar worked--the spider engages the switch, and I can feel a good springy pressure against the rod's horn contact. The light switch switches the lights correctly, but, alas, THE HORN STILL DOESN'T BLOW, plus, I now have the common problem of turning the steering wheel changing the light switch positions.
I think I can figure out what needs to be done with the steering wheel friction problem, what this is really a long-winded way of asking is,
DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THE HORN BUTTON TO WORK OUT OF THE CAR BUT NOT IN THE CAR, AND CAN IT BE FIXED, PREFERABLY WITHOUT REMOVING THE COLUMN FROM THE CAR?
It turns out that one of the downsides of the F-100 unit is that the larger flange that attaches it to the frame does not permit the column to be simply loosened and tilted down a bit to facilitate horn rod removal without total removal of the box/column.
Thanks!
Well, it's been over ten years since I attempted any "upgrade" on my Ford ('29 Town Sedan), and once again I'm about to the point where I wish I'd left well enough alone but there's no turning back.
Installing an F-100 steering box, and getting the horn rod right is driving me nuts. Shortly before I began, the horn died. I determined that the horn was OK, but the horn button seemed to not be. I thought, "Great timing, I'm going to be pulling the column: I'll fix it then." BUT, when I removed the rod and continuity-tested it repeatedly it worked fine; no matter how I jiggled things, the horn button always grounded the contact down at the end of the rod. So, I figured the rod must have been almost-but-not-quite too short so it was making a marginal contact inside the light switch for the past 20 years, and finally gave out. Of course, when I reassembled the whole thing, the horn still didn't work, and now neither did the lights!
It turns out the rod was a tad too short for the spider thingy to even engage the light switch's switch part, and, similarly, the horn contact was not being made. The steering box provider suggested I try a non-repro light switch, and/or I cut a bit off the collar at the end of the steering column, so the switch could be snugged up closer. I did both. Using as stock, original switch made no difference; shortening the collar worked--the spider engages the switch, and I can feel a good springy pressure against the rod's horn contact. The light switch switches the lights correctly, but, alas, THE HORN STILL DOESN'T BLOW, plus, I now have the common problem of turning the steering wheel changing the light switch positions.
I think I can figure out what needs to be done with the steering wheel friction problem, what this is really a long-winded way of asking is,
DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THE HORN BUTTON TO WORK OUT OF THE CAR BUT NOT IN THE CAR, AND CAN IT BE FIXED, PREFERABLY WITHOUT REMOVING THE COLUMN FROM THE CAR?
It turns out that one of the downsides of the F-100 unit is that the larger flange that attaches it to the frame does not permit the column to be simply loosened and tilted down a bit to facilitate horn rod removal without total removal of the box/column.
Thanks!
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