Horn rod blues
- Thread starter Gino
- Start date
Marshall V. Daut
Well-known member
I have NEVER had any luck making any repairs to the light switch rods I have removed from steering columns over the years. Well, maybe once. They are delicate animals that were not robustly made 98 years ago. The head was only lightly soldered to the rod and almost any attempt to repair a faulty horn button usually ends up with a snapped connection. Re-soldering doesn't work there, at least I have never been successful trying that. Unless the rod is radically bent, you can sometimes counter-bend it with care enough to slide it back down the steering shaft. A kink in the rod is normally the kiss of death because it will push out edges that make the rod wider and less likely to be pushed back down the steering shaft.
After numerous unsuccessful light switch rod repair attempts, I don't even mess with them anymore. It's new U.S.A. rods for me from here on out. Save yourself a lot of grief and do the same. By all means experiment with a repair; you might get lucky. But while doing so, mentally count how many pop bottles you will have to return in order to buy a new switch rod.
They aren't cheap anymore, but they solve a ton of problems, both practical and cosmetic.
Marshall
After numerous unsuccessful light switch rod repair attempts, I don't even mess with them anymore. It's new U.S.A. rods for me from here on out. Save yourself a lot of grief and do the same. By all means experiment with a repair; you might get lucky. But while doing so, mentally count how many pop bottles you will have to return in order to buy a new switch rod.
They aren't cheap anymore, but they solve a ton of problems, both practical and cosmetic.Marshall
mass A man
Well-known member
I couldn't have worded it better Marshall. My thoughts exactly.
katy
Well-known member
Usually by replacing it.
Marshall V. Daut
Well-known member
"What do you mean by USA rods?"
Gino - I am not at liberty upon a sacred promise to reveal who makes and where the USA light switch rods are manufactured these days, but you can take my word for it - he/she/it/they (I am being cagey here and adhering to the oh! so pronominal PC usage!) only makes quality products that we all use. If you order a light switch rod from the many Model A parts vendors, you will receive the rod manufactured by this company that insists upon quality ahead of profit. If I had a dollar for every Model A I have been asked to "save", whose lights or horn operation was problematic, I could have retired years ago. For a time in recent memory, light switch rods were manufactured off-shore. You know what THAT means in terms of quality and fit. I don't know what the motivation factor was behind this USA company bellying up to the bar, but it obviously decided to take the bit in its mouth and manufacture light switch rods that actually fit and work. Bless their little pea-picking hearts! The light switch rods now offered by the Model A parts vendors all stem from this company. Being a long-time Model A guy and having suffered through years-long various iterations of Rick's and J.C. Whitney/Warscharsksy horsesh*t inferior quality off-shore light switch rods, the present offerings are well worth the price tag. You can't beat headlights that actually turn on or an ahooga horn that works when the button is pushed - and not from a remote push button, as many "restorers" settle for.
Yikes, did I run off at the mouth to compliment one of the excellent repo parts manufacturers, who keep our hobby vibrant.???" Yes. No mea culpa here, however. I believe that credit should be given where credit is due.
P.S. Shut up already, Marshall!!!
Gino - I am not at liberty upon a sacred promise to reveal who makes and where the USA light switch rods are manufactured these days, but you can take my word for it - he/she/it/they (I am being cagey here and adhering to the oh! so pronominal PC usage!) only makes quality products that we all use. If you order a light switch rod from the many Model A parts vendors, you will receive the rod manufactured by this company that insists upon quality ahead of profit. If I had a dollar for every Model A I have been asked to "save", whose lights or horn operation was problematic, I could have retired years ago. For a time in recent memory, light switch rods were manufactured off-shore. You know what THAT means in terms of quality and fit. I don't know what the motivation factor was behind this USA company bellying up to the bar, but it obviously decided to take the bit in its mouth and manufacture light switch rods that actually fit and work. Bless their little pea-picking hearts! The light switch rods now offered by the Model A parts vendors all stem from this company. Being a long-time Model A guy and having suffered through years-long various iterations of Rick's and J.C. Whitney/Warscharsksy horsesh*t inferior quality off-shore light switch rods, the present offerings are well worth the price tag. You can't beat headlights that actually turn on or an ahooga horn that works when the button is pushed - and not from a remote push button, as many "restorers" settle for.
Yikes, did I run off at the mouth to compliment one of the excellent repo parts manufacturers, who keep our hobby vibrant.???" Yes. No mea culpa here, however. I believe that credit should be given where credit is due.
P.S. Shut up already, Marshall!!!