Common sources of steering column horn shorts?

[KTPhil]

'69 Bus, horn wire was abandoned by PO due to unsolvable short somewhere in the column.
Being new to bay Buses I am not clear on what to look for and how best to isolate the source of the short, without completely disassembling the column in hopes it's obvious to the naked eye.
I didn't find threads which no doubt exist covering this common issue. Any handy links?
Thanks!

[W1K1]

Funny we just got ours running and the horn is shorting when you turn the steering wheel one direction, but doesn't work when you push the horn button, (new steering wheel & wiring)
.
I came across this solution on the tube. which works really well, and bypasses that whole column wiring thing, just have to change the battery every couple years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKzux_vD3kk
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1973 super 2110cc
1965 squareback 1500E-sold
1971 bay window westy- EJ2.5 subi swap

[KTPhil]

On mine, I don't believe the brown horn wire is shorting. The (hot) column is finding a short somewhere.

[busdaddy]

9 X out of 10 the insulator is missing between the ignition switch/steering lock and the column tube, the other time it's the signal switch gounding internally.
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[KTPhil]

This part?:

[W1K1]

I know my bushing is in there
I wouldn't put it past the signal switch, it was a POS $200 repop that the leaf switch for the high beams wasn't making contact on both wires, I still have to put the old OG one back in to get it working again.

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1973 super 2110cc
1965 squareback 1500E-sold
1971 bay window westy- EJ2.5 subi swap

[mikedjames]

Places where things might be shorting-

The steering coupler can a piece of punched out metal reinforced conveyor belt which shorts out the centre column to earth. It should be insulating.

The rubber insulating / shock absorbing ring is missing at the top of the column as already stated.

Your keys have rubbed through the paint on the steering column and short out on right hand corners.

The bolts holding the coupler in are upside down and are shorting to the horn wire (as you turn the wheel)

The rivet on the spade terminal at the bottom of the column is hitting the inner tube and shorting.

The insulator washers are missing on the screws on the horn ring switch under the steering column push switch - the ring is attached to earth by the brown wire, you push it down onto the column to make the circuit with the horn.
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[KTPhil]

Aaahh, thanks, I'll check all those out in time.
The rubbing keys must have been a sonofabitch to discover!
Getting out the VOM and shaking/banging parts may help, too!

[bsairhead]