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ChiTwnVW
Samba Member
Joined: November 18, 2004
Posts: 1174
Location: Home. Sweat home.
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 Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:46 pm Post subject: Steering column insulating ring |
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Does the little guy circled in red need to go anywhere in particular? It seems oddly sized and shaped, which makes me think that I'm not supposed to just push it up between the steering shaft and tube. At first, I thought it worked with steering column lock, but that doesn't seem right either.
Help. |
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Blaubus
Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2003
Posts: 5153
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| Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 6:23 pm Post subject: |
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| thats right , it goes between the tube and the ignition pod |
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ChiTwnVW
Samba Member
Joined: November 18, 2004
Posts: 1174
Location: Home. Sweat home.
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| Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 8:10 am Post subject: |
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Alright, I've got some pictures...ignore the tape.
If I push the ring up the steering tube, get it lined up and then feed in the steering column, then the steering lock pin would be able to lock the steering column.
But on the other side, the pin would be blocked, plus the ring seems too large and overlaps.
Last, what keeps the insulating ring secured? It seems like it would float around in the steering column tube. |
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Blaubus
Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2003
Posts: 5153
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| Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 8:17 am Post subject: |
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| Last, what keeps the insulating ring secured? It seems like it would float around in the steering column tube. |
yes it would float around- IF you put it there. thats one reason i said it doesnt go inside the tube. it goes on the outside of the tube, between the pod and the tube. the pod is bolted, indirectly to the body, which supplies ground current. if that ground current touches the tube via the pod, the horn will honk unintentionally. so there is a rubber bushing and a plastic strip between the pod and the tube to keep this from happening.
there is no need for electrical insulation between the steering shaft and the tube. when you honk the horn by the center button the ground current travels up the wire from the steering box, thru the horn ring, thru the steering wheel hub, down the steering shaft, thru the bearing, and finally down the tube where it connects to a wire that feeds the horn via a tab at the bottom of the tube. so to sum up both the shaft and the tube are flooded with ground current when you honk the horn, and only when you honk it.
Last edited by Blaubus on Sat Apr 07, 2007 8:39 am; edited 2 times in total |
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ChiTwnVW
Samba Member
Joined: November 18, 2004
Posts: 1174
Location: Home. Sweat home.
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| Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 8:25 am Post subject: |
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I think the lights going on Dan, now I know what an ignition pod is.  When I disassembled the steering assembly the ring fell out of the column, so I assumed it belonged in there!
So what's the purpose of the ring? To electrically isolate the pod from the steering tube? |
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Blaubus
Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2003
Posts: 5153
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| Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 8:37 am Post subject: |
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| yes, read the post carefully so that you understand how the horn works. additionally, understand that the steering box is isolated from the steering shaft by the rubber steering coupler. the wire is attached to the box where it bolts to the coupler. so the shaft is NOT grounded when the horn is not being honked. and the tube is insulated from the floor mount by a plastic ring between em. |
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vdubyah73
Samba Member
Joined: July 05, 2003
Posts: 2541
Location: somewhere in Texas, my house has wheels
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| Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 9:23 am Post subject: |
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Man my head hurts. Been following this, just for curiosity. Convoluted ground path. Explains why do many early bays have the button on the column.
Bill
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burning down the house
73 bounty hunter, sold.
'77 transporter, junked had crotch rot.
Dubless, but have a CPR built stroker waiting for a new to me Beetle
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Blaubus
Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2003
Posts: 5153
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| Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Convoluted ground path. |
yes but its the only way to rig it. the fault is almost always in the same place. but most people have the button on the dash becasue they dont even know how it works, not because its so complicated. i have been at this for 30 years and yet even one year ago i was still fuzzy on this. and it kept my horn from working by the factory button. |
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Blaubus
Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2003
Posts: 5153
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| Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Convoluted ground path. |
yes but its the only way to rig it. the fault is almost always in the same place. but most people have the button on the dash becasue they dont even know how it works, not because its so complicated. i have been at this for 30 years and yet even one year ago i was still fuzzy on this. and it kept my horn from working by the factory button. |
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borninabus
Samba R&D Dept.
Joined: May 18, 2006
Posts: 4539
Location: Arizona Highways
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| Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 6:36 pm Post subject: |
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yes, that's hwere it goes, but you have to tape or glue it in place or else it gets in the way of the steering lock. i left mine out. no problems--yet. would you believe it was taped in at the factory?
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ChiTwnVW
Samba Member
Joined: November 18, 2004
Posts: 1174
Location: Home. Sweat home.
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| Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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So you just slide it up here? (keeping in mind to line up the opening with the steering locking pin):
What supposed to keep it from sliding out over time? |
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Blaubus
Samba Member
Joined: October 25, 2003
Posts: 5153
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| Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 7:02 am Post subject: |
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| yes they do tape it on at the factory. electrical tape is a good selection. |
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Obertancat
Samba Member
Joined: August 09, 2005
Posts: 43
Location: Connecticut
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| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 8:54 am Post subject: |
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Kinda resuscitating a dead topic, but this misconception must be quite common. I was going through all the gyrations to square away the 'horn on left-turn' horn wiring problem, and after becoming convinced that this insulating sleeve was missing, took a look down the steering tube with a light, and there it was. Hopefully putting this right will solve the problem, and I took the opportunity to replace the column wire and order a new steering coupler as well! Thanks to all the great people who make this place such a valuable resource.
I'm just about finished with my 1971 Westy Reno. Pictures to come soon.
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1974 Thing
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Terminatez
Samba Member
Joined: June 07, 2015
Posts: 340
Location: Sun Valley, CA
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| Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2018 11:42 am Post subject: |
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| ChiTwnVW wrote: |
So you just slide it up here? (keeping in mind to line up the opening with the steering locking pin):
What supposed to keep it from sliding out over time? |
What the, is this really where it goes 
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