Horn wiring problem 35 pickup

Lawson Cox

Lawson Cox

Well-known member
I'm stumped (as usual).

Horns won't blow. I think I have located the problem, and that
is that the wire(s*) running from the horn button, down the tube to the light switch apparently has(have) lost continuity. Horns were working fine, but then crapped out for no apparent reason.

I would like to fix it, as easily as possible, which is apparently tapping into the ground wire where it enters the switch, and putting a bypass wire to a new ground, and putting a remote push button in that bypass wire to make the connection when the accessory button is pushed, thereby completing the circuit once again. (I really hate to do that as I want to stay pretty much original.)

Another thought, has anyone ever tried to remove the horn button itself without totally removing the horn rod itself? (It is impossible to remove the horn rod on the pickup without disconnecting the steering tube & switch from the frame and dash, and then take the rod out the rear window? (I am just not up to doing that.)

Is it too difficult, or even possible, to pull the horn rod out about half way, to get to the underside of the horn/light switch, and then pry the tabs open that hold the horn button retaining ring, and remove the horn button itself to check the connection there.? Perhaps I am overthinking that idea.

Sorry to be so long winded, but Lawyers tend to be that way at times, especially when they aren't sure what they are talking about. LOL

* There are apparently two ground wires running through the tube as there are two wires connected to the center post on the light switch itself.
 
Watching with interest .. I couldn't work out from where mine was not working so I attached a motorcycle ATV stop button on the steering wheel for the trigger and found the loudest horn ( within reason) and wired it up using fuses and relays..
 
Lawson Cox said:
* There are apparently two ground wires running through the tube as there are two wires connected to the center post on the light switch itself.
Click to expand...

No idea why there would be two wires, as far as I know there should only be one.
 
I notice on our '36 Pickup that the arrangement is very similar to the Model A, of which I know more about. The '36 is my first Flattie.

Nine times out of ten, on a Model A Ford, the only fix needed is to pop the bail wire off, separate the headlite switch at the bottom of the steering column, and clean off the ever seeping 600W steering lube that makes it's way onto the horn button and light switch contacts from the steering box. Put 'em back together and you're off to the races.

I'd look at this before I did anything else. Have done this on our Model A's numerous times.
 
Good idea. I did clean off the end of the horn rod and the tube, but no help. It isn't real oily, but I'll squirt it real good with carb cleaner, and see if that helps any.

For what it's worth, on another horn rod, if I touch one lead of a volt meter to the tip of the rod, where the wire connects to the end, and the other lead to the outside of the rod itself, I get no continuity, but if I then push the horn button, I get continuity. Pushing the horn button completes the circuit.
 
You do understand that the wire your working with is a ground wire? I assume you do, but some of how this is written up almost sounds like it is being considered a power wire. The Yellow wire is the power wire to the horns and the Black wire is the ground wire back to the light switch and then a Yellow/Green wire up the column to the horn button.

"For what it's worth, on another horn rod, if I touch one lead of a volt meter to the tip of the rod, where the wire connects to the end, and the other lead to the outside of the rod itself, I get no continuity, but if I then push the horn button, I get continuity. Pushing the horn button completes the circuit."

That is how it should work, if you had continuity to the rod all the time the horn would be grounded all the time and would be sounding all the time.
 

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I had the same problem with the horn in my '37. Turned out to be a bad connection at the male to female wire connectors on the yellow horn wire just outside the headlight switch body housing at the bottom of the steering column....
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There is a kit for replacing the horn rod wire. It can be done without removing the rod but it is harder than removing the rod. If you jumper the center light switch contact to ground the horn should sound. If it does, Maybe just add some more solder to the lower connection point.
 
Here is all the parts to the horn button.If you remove the light switch and disconnect horn wire then slide it up enough bend out the 4 tabs in the chrome ring around the horn button and it will come out.
 

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Parts are assembled from left to right .Button aligns with notch in Chrome ring.
 

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OH, I see how it works now, the wire soaks up a good cup of strong coffee for power in the morning. Only problem I see is, where does the coffee cup mount?? LOL
 
UPDATE

I have everything back together enough to where I see the horn still doesn't blow.

I figure the bottom end of the horn rod is not making contact with the switch itself as everything else works.

I will pull the switch, but not the rod, and see if I can add a dob of solder to the end of the horn rod. Has anyone done this before? I can weld upside down, but have never tried to solder upside down.

Anyone anticipate any problems doing this? (Just love working on these old Fords, but hate my slow speed and sore muscles.)

Thanks for all the help you guys have given me over the years and with this present problem.

Lawson
 
Lawson if you pull the switch apart it will exposé the brass contact ,much easer to solder that .If you ground out that contact the horns should sound ,this would eliminate the switch and any wiring past that and point to the contact at the bottom or a issue at the button ,you could pull up the rod a foot then bend the tabs ,I have drilled out the long wire before the day Ted
 
Don't fully condemn the switch. I had a similar issue with our '36 PU and it was a poor connection at the horn itself. Fixed that and she works fine now.

Or, maybe the adjusting screw on the horn is a bit too tight.
 
Horn itself is okay, and blows. The problem seems to be that the rod and the contact at the switch are not meeting together to complete the circuit when I push the horn button, ergo, no sound.
 
Lawson Cox said:
Horn itself is okay, and blows. The problem seems to be that the rod and the contact at the switch are not meeting together to complete the circuit when I push the horn button, ergo, no sound.
Click to expand...

Lawson....Have you ever grounded "the contact at the switch" with a jumper wire???
 
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