Steering wheel/horn contact

Wiring, lights, heater controls, anything electrical..
Post Reply
User avatar
crashresq21
Sweptline.ORG Member
Sweptline.ORG Member
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 2:39 pm
City: Lincoln
State: RI
Location: Manville RI (no seriously, its a village. The day they named the place was a slow day mentally.)

Steering wheel/horn contact

Post by crashresq21 »

Ok, so I searched the forums and try to find something similar but to no avail. Here's my situation:

I installed some air horns that run off a compressor. The compressor goes to a relay that takes the stock wires. I've chased everything back to the steering column. If I'm not mistaken the roller on the switch has to be in contact with the steering wheel in order to work. I took a wire tester to ground out the roller and it did work.

Now the fun part...... I've completely taken apart, rebuilt, and reinstall the steering wheel twice and for some reason there seems to be a quarter inch or more gap between the roller and the steering wheel contact ring. Does anybody have a solution for this other than building a separate button? Could we be talking about additional threading on the shaft or Machining the shaft? The simpler the better.
"Dealing with me is like playing chess with Charlie Manson. 99% of the time you're like 'this guy is on his game', and then there's the one time I shove a pawn up my @#% and dance around"

User avatar
MadMC63
Sweptline.ORG Member
Sweptline.ORG Member
Posts: 794
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2015 12:16 pm
City: Rome
State: GA

Re: Steering wheel/horn contact

Post by MadMC63 »

I once pulled the steering shaft up to far. Everything went together like normal but there was to much space between the wheel and column. When the steering wheel is seated you should be able to just see the shaft splines inside the wheel splines. With the nut on and tightened down you see about 1/4" of exposed shaft threads. If you use a screw driver and ground the roller to the shaft it should at least spark. On the inside of the shift collar there's the bearing that has a rubber enclosure with a staple in it. That staple is your column ground. No staple, no horn.
1971 Dodge D100
So what's wrong with setting beneath a single pull string incandescent light bulb writing angry letters?

User avatar
crashresq21
Sweptline.ORG Member
Sweptline.ORG Member
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 2:39 pm
City: Lincoln
State: RI
Location: Manville RI (no seriously, its a village. The day they named the place was a slow day mentally.)

Re: Steering wheel/horn contact

Post by crashresq21 »

You happen to have any photos? Trying visualize the "staple".
"Dealing with me is like playing chess with Charlie Manson. 99% of the time you're like 'this guy is on his game', and then there's the one time I shove a pawn up my @#% and dance around"

User avatar
MadMC63
Sweptline.ORG Member
Sweptline.ORG Member
Posts: 794
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2015 12:16 pm
City: Rome
State: GA

Re: Steering wheel/horn contact

Post by MadMC63 »

I don't. The bearing is similar in shape to a wheel bearing, just smaller. The ball bearings are like BB's. Anyway... Inner and outer race with balls between them then there is a rubber isolator that goes around the outside race and covers the exposed bearings on the front and back slightly. The steering shaft is supported in the top of the column by the bearing. The isolator keeps you from feeling the bearing as you turn the steering wheel. If you pull the turn signal switch loose and up you will see the bearing just below a little retainer. The steering shaft is where your steering wheel is attached. The shaft is isolated from the column by the bearings rubber isolator. The staple is in the isolator to give you continuity between the shaft and outer column. You might call the isolator a sleeve and the bearing sits in it.
1971 Dodge D100
So what's wrong with setting beneath a single pull string incandescent light bulb writing angry letters?

User avatar
MadMC63
Sweptline.ORG Member
Sweptline.ORG Member
Posts: 794
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2015 12:16 pm
City: Rome
State: GA

Re: Steering wheel/horn contact

Post by MadMC63 »

Found this with google. The bearing sits inside this and the staple is on the rounded outside.
E2AZ-3518-C.jpg
E2AZ-3518-C.jpg (14.18 KiB) Viewed 952 times
1971 Dodge D100
So what's wrong with setting beneath a single pull string incandescent light bulb writing angry letters?

User avatar
crashresq21
Sweptline.ORG Member
Sweptline.ORG Member
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 2:39 pm
City: Lincoln
State: RI
Location: Manville RI (no seriously, its a village. The day they named the place was a slow day mentally.)

Re: Steering wheel/horn contact

Post by crashresq21 »

Oh ok. I was messing with that bearing setup today. Actually though of cleaning and regreasing it. I just sent the truck out to get the exhaust put on, but when it comes back I'll take some photos. There was a c-shaped clip that goes into a groove on the shaft itself. Wonder if that's the part you're talking about
"Dealing with me is like playing chess with Charlie Manson. 99% of the time you're like 'this guy is on his game', and then there's the one time I shove a pawn up my @#% and dance around"

User avatar
MadMC63
Sweptline.ORG Member
Sweptline.ORG Member
Posts: 794
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2015 12:16 pm
City: Rome
State: GA

Re: Steering wheel/horn contact

Post by MadMC63 »

Yep. There's a snap ring behind the bearing and one in front of it as well. Don't take the Phillip screws loose or you might be sorry. Those screws have floating nuts. Nuts that aren't attached to anything and if you remove the screws the nuts fall out and at that point your preferred language might change.
1971 Dodge D100
So what's wrong with setting beneath a single pull string incandescent light bulb writing angry letters?

User avatar
crashresq21
Sweptline.ORG Member
Sweptline.ORG Member
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 2:39 pm
City: Lincoln
State: RI
Location: Manville RI (no seriously, its a village. The day they named the place was a slow day mentally.)

Re: Steering wheel/horn contact

Post by crashresq21 »

You mean the three that hold the harness/switch down? I only saw one snap ring though.

Not home until Saturday day so photos are limited. It just seems like the steering wheel needs to go farther in or the entire assembly housing for the three on the tree and turn signal needs to come up.

I've actually gone to the point of calling a local CNC company to see if they can make me a ring I can just tack weld to make up the gap to the roller.

My preferred language has stayed the same all because of a quarter inch Gap LOL
"Dealing with me is like playing chess with Charlie Manson. 99% of the time you're like 'this guy is on his game', and then there's the one time I shove a pawn up my @#% and dance around"

User avatar
MadMC63
Sweptline.ORG Member
Sweptline.ORG Member
Posts: 794
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2015 12:16 pm
City: Rome
State: GA

Re: Steering wheel/horn contact

Post by MadMC63 »

My brain works on auto pilot sometimes. :lol: What year and series/ tonnage is your truck?
1971 Dodge D100
So what's wrong with setting beneath a single pull string incandescent light bulb writing angry letters?

User avatar
crashresq21
Sweptline.ORG Member
Sweptline.ORG Member
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 2:39 pm
City: Lincoln
State: RI
Location: Manville RI (no seriously, its a village. The day they named the place was a slow day mentally.)

Re: Steering wheel/horn contact

Post by crashresq21 »

1971 D100, 3400gvw. Three on the tree but converted to a floor shifter. Auto pilot? Lol I hear you.
"Dealing with me is like playing chess with Charlie Manson. 99% of the time you're like 'this guy is on his game', and then there's the one time I shove a pawn up my @#% and dance around"

User avatar
Jims68
Sweptline.ORG Pioneer
Sweptline.ORG Pioneer
Posts: 3125
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 6:00 pm
City: Edgewater Park
State: NJ
Location: Southern New Jersey
Contact:

Re: Steering wheel/horn contact

Post by Jims68 »

My 1968 D-100 3 speed manual column shift looked like this when I took it apart. The numbers show the order it went together. I don't have that bearing you're talking about.
Attachments
239P4010003.JPG
Jim

Sweptline Restoration CD page: viewtopic.php?f=30&t=1489

User avatar
crashresq21
Sweptline.ORG Member
Sweptline.ORG Member
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 2:39 pm
City: Lincoln
State: RI
Location: Manville RI (no seriously, its a village. The day they named the place was a slow day mentally.)

Re: Steering wheel/horn contact

Post by crashresq21 »

I've got 8, 7, 5. From that point on its the bearing and two bolts and nuts holding the shifter sleeve. Given I haven't really torn apart any deeper but hopefully I can do the same diagram you did and see if the masses can notice something missing. Have to call Bud Thorpe when I can to further discuss it.

I think the previous owner either took something apart but never replaced something, or took it apart and had extra parts LOL when I picked it up it had a button on the dash to use the horn with. I think that was more laziness and then it was fixing an issue on his part.
"Dealing with me is like playing chess with Charlie Manson. 99% of the time you're like 'this guy is on his game', and then there's the one time I shove a pawn up my @#% and dance around"

User avatar
MadMC63
Sweptline.ORG Member
Sweptline.ORG Member
Posts: 794
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2015 12:16 pm
City: Rome
State: GA

Re: Steering wheel/horn contact

Post by MadMC63 »

Just checked the parts break down for the three speed column and it shows the bearing, insulator and c- clips. They might be different part numbers but they're in the same locations as the auto column. Some stuff looks a little different but over all very similar to the auto.
Scan.jpg
Scan.jpg (53.46 KiB) Viewed 936 times
1971 Dodge D100
So what's wrong with setting beneath a single pull string incandescent light bulb writing angry letters?

User avatar
crashresq21
Sweptline.ORG Member
Sweptline.ORG Member
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 2:39 pm
City: Lincoln
State: RI
Location: Manville RI (no seriously, its a village. The day they named the place was a slow day mentally.)

Re: Steering wheel/horn contact

Post by crashresq21 »

What year was this diagram for? So far, if memory serves me right (sucks not having the truck in front of me, and I've only gone as deep as the shifter housing) I'm missing a snap ring near the plate and the switch.

I'm REALLY curious, because I have not gotten that far, about those two round pieces behind the shifter housing period I don't believe I saw those. I'm wondering if the previous owner in a rush to fix the horn lost the parts or just didn't put them back. All conjecture for now.
"Dealing with me is like playing chess with Charlie Manson. 99% of the time you're like 'this guy is on his game', and then there's the one time I shove a pawn up my @#% and dance around"

User avatar
MadMC63
Sweptline.ORG Member
Sweptline.ORG Member
Posts: 794
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2015 12:16 pm
City: Rome
State: GA

Re: Steering wheel/horn contact

Post by MadMC63 »

The diagram is for 69 - 71 D W 100 and 200. I think ( which is unusual) the clip closest to the wheel keeps you from pushing the wheel down to far and destroying the switch and stuff and the one behind the bearing keeps you from pulling the wheel and shaft up to far jamming the shift mechanisms. I've heard of people getting mad and planting their feet on the floor and pulling and pushing the wheel back and forth in anger ( rage). Never happened to me though. :pale
1971 Dodge D100
So what's wrong with setting beneath a single pull string incandescent light bulb writing angry letters?

Post Reply