Horn grounding issues?

kreemoweet · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 1:37 pm Post subject:

Yes, it's an early bay versus late bay difference. Most of the time, that caveat is not mentioned in posts about the horn circuit. Confusion ensues. That's why
technical questions should always specify model year, and any non-stock items, if known.
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telford dorr · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 4:55 pm Post subject:

You guys are correct - I remember now. The later Bays have a completely different horn button assembly than the early bays - has a brush and slip ring kind of thing. Most buses with horn issues seem to be the early bays. This must be why...

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Tcash · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 7:02 pm Post subject:

alikatcraig · Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2015 7:45 pm Post subject:

Thanks for all of your help with this. I had previously only played with late model bugs, and thought this wired the same - wrong! Treat the entire steering column as live and then you work out that ground (the steering box) means that you attach the ground wire through the column to the nut/bolt that attaches the steering box to the coupling disc and NOT to the ones that attach the steering column to it. Bingo, my permanent horn issue went away. I did have to fabricate the missing plastic sleeve under the steering lock unit from a salt shaker though, until I find an original replacement.
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stwesty · Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2015 9:15 pm Post subject:

Here is my bag of links from when I fixed my horn a month back:

Horn wiring repair (includes details on the jumper wire)

Horn wire in steering column

Beetle horn troubleshooting (not bays but useful to understand the logic/madness behind some of the designs)

Is a 79 horn setup different?

... plus all of the previous info posted by Tcash in this thread and others.
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mattlockwood · Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 9:53 am Post subject: Re: Horn grounding issues??????

mattlockwood · Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 1:04 pm Post subject: Re: Horn grounding issues?

Success! So I took the ignition pod off. Then the outer steering tube off.

Used an old piece of intertube on the bottom of the steering column, and reassembled the whole thing. Ohm'd the the steering column and the tube, no continuity! Rewired the ignition pod, attached the battery and turned the key. No horn! Laughing

Jumped a wire between the steering column and the tube, horn works Laughing

Problem solved!

kreemoweet · Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 9:31 pm Post subject: Re: Horn grounding issues?

mattlockwood · Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 7:43 am Post subject: Re: Horn grounding issues?

Ahh! I left out the words "horn ground wire".Should read "when I jump a wire between the steering tube and the column horn ground wire, the horn sounds"

I see that there is a rubber gasket and a plastic grommet at the bottom of the tube. That's what I have.

vocho_702 · Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 12:43 pm Post subject: Re: Horn grounding issues?

Reviving this old post since I am working on the horn now.
I do not have an insulating ring between the shaft and tube. Can I find this part or is it NLA? Can I use something else instead?
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SGKent · Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 4:15 pm Post subject: Re: Horn grounding issues?

vocho_702 · Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 4:58 pm Post subject: Re: Horn grounding issues?

Sorry about that...noob move.
It is a 70.
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kreemoweet · Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 5:10 pm Post subject: Re: Horn grounding issues?

busdaddy · Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 5:12 pm Post subject: Re: Horn grounding issues?

SGKent · Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 5:28 pm Post subject: Re: Horn grounding issues?

there is an insulating plastic piece that the tube goes into that keeps it from the base. That is the part number I posted. There is a seal that goes between the tube and plastic but that part is not the insulator, the plastic is. The seal does just that - seal. Parts 13 and 14. If you are missing something other please post the number in the image so folks here can answer your question. Part #12 wasn't available from dealers even back in the 1970's. I remember trying to order one when rebuilding a 1971 column about 1978. I think that the dealer looked into it, and the only way to get them was to order a new tube. It may be that the locking mechanism goes into part #12 but don't quote me on that. Or it may be one of the parts others have suggested. Until you post the part number in the image we won't know.

211 415 599 A is that part number 12 if that is the piece. BusOK.de has a photo but none for sale.

if you read German, here is a 1974 technical bulletin:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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vocho_702 · Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 6:02 pm Post subject: Re: Horn grounding issues?

Yes I did mean #11. So what is that “insulating ring” insulating? Now I am just curious since I just got my horn working the correct way a few minutes ago. Thank you all
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69 Sunroof Beetle-AirheadParts Treffen 18
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busdaddy · Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 6:29 pm Post subject: Re: Horn grounding issues?

#11 goes between the ignition switch housing and the tube, mine slid out and fell down the tube 2-3 years ago and the horn still works normally, but it must do something or VW wouldn't have bothered installing it. I'm sure one day my horn will start blowing all by itself, when that happens I'll put it back where it belongs.
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SGKent · Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 7:26 pm Post subject: Re: Horn grounding issues?

#11 in the Bentley image is the same as #12 in the VW Fiche that I listed a part number for. It isolates the locking mechanism from the tube as I recall. It has been NLA since the 1970's. BusOk.de shows a photo of one but no price.

https://www.bus-ok.de/T2-Isolierring-fuer-Lenkrohr-NOS-869-774-orig-VW-Verglnr-211415599-A

.
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eddie.would.go · Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2020 11:08 am Post subject: Re: Horn grounding issues?

Rather than starting a new thread I thought I'd post something here. I have a 70 bus, the issue i'm having is that the horn works fine but it will go off when there is any sort of load/ torque on the steering wheel. I have the front end on a jack stand and if I hold the tire back with my knee and turn the steering wheel to push on my knee the horn goes off. If I just grab the front tire and turn the front end back and forth it's fine. If I turn the steering wheel slowly it's fine. Only when there is a load on the front tires like dry steering does the horn go off. Any ideas?


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