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motothronton1
Samba Member
Joined: January 04, 2016
Posts: 8
Location: Ohio
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 Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2025 7:35 pm Post subject: 1962 horn question |
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| I purchased a 62 bug. I have a 1962 horn question. When key is turned on the horn comes on, Converted to 12 volts. Put new steering wheel on , wire going up center of shaft goes to horn button. brown wire connected to steering tube from rivet tab, when I test with my meter for some reason the steering shaft is grounding to the steering column bearing . Have new rubber bushings all 3 pieces. The ground strap is installed correctly down in steering knuckle, new steering damper. My steering tube has the bearing and cup pressed into it , some metal collar, spring & clip, in the WW catalog shows a second collar sits on top of spring is the collar nylon? And is so when can you buy the part? Thank you Moto T |
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Apostle_
Samba Member
Joined: July 02, 2023
Posts: 108
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2025 8:30 am Post subject: Re: 1962 horn question |
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| You might check to see if the wire running down the inside of the column is shorted. |
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motothronton1
Samba Member
Joined: January 04, 2016
Posts: 8
Location: Ohio
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| Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2025 6:47 pm Post subject: Re: 1962 horn question |
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| The steering rod goes into column run through the bushing bearing and spring shorts to volume and shorts is there a work around so the column is ground the column |
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glutamodo 
The Android
Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 26530
Location: Douglas, WY
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| Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2025 4:03 am Post subject: Re: 1962 horn question |
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You WANT the column tube, the bearing, the steering shaft and the steering wheel to be electrically connected. That's how it works. The end point of all that is the steering wheel, and the three mounting screws for the horn ring will show battery voltage if the ignition switch is on. The horn ring has to be mounted with all the isolation washers properly in place, of course.
Now, this only works if the column tube does not touch the body. On my own 1962 Beetle, when I restored the car in the early 90s, I had neglected to install the rubber bumper that goes between the tube and the floor of the trunk and eventually, paint wore thin and it made a path to ground the tube and my horn started going off at random.
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Andy T.
"What is Glutamodo, Horror of Toyko, besides total, fiendish, quality-a-you brain!" |
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wagen19
Samba Member
Joined: November 16, 2007
Posts: 668
Location: germany
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| Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2025 6:11 am Post subject: Re: 1962 horn question |
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| motothronton1 wrote: |
| I purchased a 62 bug. I have a 1962 horn question. When key is turned on the horn comes on, Converted to 12 volts. Put new steering wheel on , wire going up center of shaft goes to horn button. brown wire connected to steering tube from rivet tab, when I test with my meter for some reason the steering shaft is grounding to the steering column bearing . Have new rubber bushings all 3 pieces. The ground strap is installed correctly down in steering knuckle, new steering damper. My steering tube has the bearing and cup pressed into it , some metal collar, spring & clip, in the WW catalog shows a second collar sits on top of spring is the collar nylon? And is so when can you buy the part? Thank you Moto T |
Attention! There is no ground strap between steering box and steering column on cars, model 60 to 7´67! (but before and after)
The brown wire is attached to ground from stering box only.
When the horn button is pushed, ground flows from brown wire to steering wheel - column - through bearing - to tube - from there by brown wire to horn.
If I got you right, you have installed a ground strap, which is not correct for 1962. > remove it. |
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EVfun
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2012
Posts: 6146
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2025 7:46 am Post subject: Re: 1962 horn question |
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| wagen19 wrote: |
| motothronton1 wrote: |
| I purchased a 62 bug. I have a 1962 horn question. When key is turned on the horn comes on, Converted to 12 volts. Put new steering wheel on , wire going up center of shaft goes to horn button. brown wire connected to steering tube from rivet tab, when I test with my meter for some reason the steering shaft is grounding to the steering column bearing . Have new rubber bushings all 3 pieces. The ground strap is installed correctly down in steering knuckle, new steering damper. My steering tube has the bearing and cup pressed into it , some metal collar, spring & clip, in the WW catalog shows a second collar sits on top of spring is the collar nylon? And is so when can you buy the part? Thank you Moto T |
Attention! There is no ground strap between steering box and steering column on cars, model 60 to 7´67! (but before and after)
The brown wire is attached to ground from stering box only.
When the horn button is pushed, ground flows from brown wire to steering wheel - column - through bearing - to tube - from there by brown wire to horn.
If I got you right, you have installed a ground strap, which is not correct for 1962. > remove it. |
Well... VW in 1960 and 1961 did have a ground strap between the steering shaft side of the rag joint and the steering box side of the rag joint. They also had a nylon sleeve and washer on the steering shaft and an over complilcated horn button in the steering wheel that included plenty of plastic insulation bits and a special turn signal canceling ring with contacts on it. Hopefully VW fired the engineer that designed that 2 year only setup.
1962-1967 model years had a wire running down the center of the steering shaft that attached to the horn ring at the top and the steering box side rag joint coupler at the bottom as you describe.
_________________
| Wildthings wrote: |
| As a general rule, cheap parts are the most expensive parts you can buy. |
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wagen19
Samba Member
Joined: November 16, 2007
Posts: 668
Location: germany
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| Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2025 8:37 am Post subject: Re: 1962 horn question |
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| EVfun wrote: |
| wagen19 wrote: |
| motothronton1 wrote: |
| I purchased a 62 bug. I have a 1962 horn question. When key is turned on the horn comes on, Converted to 12 volts. Put new steering wheel on , wire going up center of shaft goes to horn button. brown wire connected to steering tube from rivet tab, when I test with my meter for some reason the steering shaft is grounding to the steering column bearing . Have new rubber bushings all 3 pieces. The ground strap is installed correctly down in steering knuckle, new steering damper. My steering tube has the bearing and cup pressed into it , some metal collar, spring & clip, in the WW catalog shows a second collar sits on top of spring is the collar nylon? And is so when can you buy the part? Thank you Moto T |
Attention! There is no ground strap between steering box and steering column on cars, model 60 to 7´67! (but before and after)
The brown wire is attached to ground from stering box only.
When the horn button is pushed, ground flows from brown wire to steering wheel - column - through bearing - to tube - from there by brown wire to horn.
If I got you right, you have installed a ground strap, which is not correct for 1962. > remove it. |
Well... VW in 1960 and 1961 did have a ground strap between the steering shaft side of the rag joint and the steering box side of the rag joint. They also had a nylon sleeve and washer on the steering shaft and an over complilcated horn button in the steering wheel that included plenty of plastic insulation bits and a special turn signal canceling ring with contacts on it. Hopefully VW fired the engineer that designed that 2 year only setup.
1962-1967 model years had a wire running down the center of the steering shaft that attached to the horn ring at the top and the steering box side rag joint coupler at the bottom as you describe. |
The car in question here is claimed to be a 62 model, not earlier and I assumed to be a export model. (my mistake?)
Well, the standard models after 7´59, still with 3-spoke steering wheel and the "long" steering column and with the brush on steering tube, they had the ground strap, if you mean that.
Please show us evidence for a ground strap on export models for 60 and 61 models in original VW manual. Thanks. |
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EVfun
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2012
Posts: 6146
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2025 10:32 am Post subject: Re: 1962 horn question |
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| wagen19 wrote: |
| EVfun wrote: |
| wagen19 wrote: |
| motothronton1 wrote: |
| I purchased a 62 bug. I have a 1962 horn question. When key is turned on the horn comes on, Converted to 12 volts. Put new steering wheel on , wire going up center of shaft goes to horn button. brown wire connected to steering tube from rivet tab, when I test with my meter for some reason the steering shaft is grounding to the steering column bearing . Have new rubber bushings all 3 pieces. The ground strap is installed correctly down in steering knuckle, new steering damper. My steering tube has the bearing and cup pressed into it , some metal collar, spring & clip, in the WW catalog shows a second collar sits on top of spring is the collar nylon? And is so when can you buy the part? Thank you Moto T |
Attention! There is no ground strap between steering box and steering column on cars, model 60 to 7´67! (but before and after)
The brown wire is attached to ground from stering box only.
When the horn button is pushed, ground flows from brown wire to steering wheel - column - through bearing - to tube - from there by brown wire to horn.
If I got you right, you have installed a ground strap, which is not correct for 1962. > remove it. |
Well... VW in 1960 and 1961 did have a ground strap between the steering shaft side of the rag joint and the steering box side of the rag joint. They also had a nylon sleeve and washer on the steering shaft and an over complilcated horn button in the steering wheel that included plenty of plastic insulation bits and a special turn signal canceling ring with contacts on it. Hopefully VW fired the engineer that designed that 2 year only setup.
1962-1967 model years had a wire running down the center of the steering shaft that attached to the horn ring at the top and the steering box side rag joint coupler at the bottom as you describe. |
The car in question here is claimed to be a 62 model, not earlier and I assumed to be a export model. (my mistake?)
Well, the standard models after 7´59, still with 3-spoke steering wheel and the "long" steering column and with the brush on steering tube, they had the ground strap, if you mean that.
Please show us evidence for a ground strap on export models for 60 and 61 models in original VW manual. Thanks. |
Here is a whole thread on the issues with the unique 1960-1961 Deluxe Beetle horn. My first car was a 1960 Bug, I had to figure this out back in the 1980's, then convert it to the 1962-1967 system to put an aftermarket steering wheel on it.
_________________
| Wildthings wrote: |
| As a general rule, cheap parts are the most expensive parts you can buy. |
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wagen19
Samba Member
Joined: November 16, 2007
Posts: 668
Location: germany
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| Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2025 11:53 am Post subject: Re: 1962 horn question |
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Please show us evidence for a ground strap on export models for 60 and 61 models in original VW manual. Thanks.[/quote]
Here is a whole thread on the issues with the unique 1960-1961 Deluxe Beetle horn. My first car was a 1960 Bug, I had to figure this out back in the 1980's, then convert it to the 1962-1967 system to put an aftermarket steering wheel on it.[/quote]
Thank you for clarifying the details of 60 and 61 export models.
So they have a ground strap and no wire inside the column.
The 62 to 67 models have no ground strap, but a brown wire inside the column.
But again, if the car in question here is a 62 export and has a brown wire AND a ground strap, THAT added ground strap can be the reason for the issue here, described in post 1. |
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EVfun
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2012
Posts: 6146
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2025 12:26 pm Post subject: Re: 1962 horn question |
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| wagen19 wrote: |
Thank you for clarifying the details of 60 and 61 export models.
So they have a ground strap and no wire inside the column.
The 62 to 67 models have no ground strap, but a brown wire inside the column.
But again, if the car in question here is a 62 export and has a brown wire AND a ground strap, THAT added ground strap can be the reason for the issue here, described in post 1. |
Getting back to the OP's question, with the '62-'67 system the steering shaft is supposed to be grounded to the steering column bearing (and the steering column bearing is grounded to the steering column tube). They are all one, electrically. When the horn button is pushed the ring on it makes contact with the steering wheel, sends the power down the brown wire, and that grounds by being connected to the steering box side of the rag joint.
The OP does also mention a ground strap and I'm not sure what he means. There should be a the brown wire down the steering shaft that connects to the steering box rag joint tee on '62-'67 Deluxe Beetles. There should be a jumper from the steering shaft rag joint tee to the steering box rag joint tee for '60-'61 Deluxe Beetles. There should one or the other depending on the year, neither or both will not work. SO... I think you may have nailed the problem, since the OP describes both the brown wire and a ground strap!
_________________
| Wildthings wrote: |
| As a general rule, cheap parts are the most expensive parts you can buy. |
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glutamodo
The Android
Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 26530
Location: Douglas, WY
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| Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2025 3:37 pm Post subject: Re: 1962 horn question |
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He says he has the wire up the column shaft.
I wondered about that ground strap thing. What he said about the ground strap was :
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| The ground strap is installed correctly down in steering knuckle, |
Since when does the steering knuckle have anything to do with the horn?
Also, IN the steering knuckle?? What's in there? King Pin? Link Pins? Does he think the speedometer cable is a ground strap?
_________________
Andy T.
"What is Glutamodo, Horror of Toyko, besides total, fiendish, quality-a-you brain!" |
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motothronton1
Samba Member
Joined: January 04, 2016
Posts: 8
Location: Ohio
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| Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2025 6:47 pm Post subject: Re: 1962 horn question |
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| Mystery solved |
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