Steering wheel in and out play

[talljordan]

I have no voltage to that metal strip on the turn signal switch (for the horn), I don't have voltage to the connection that it plugs into either. I think there is a break behind the dash but I am having a hard time tracing it.....

The weird thing is that I DID have voltage to it before, but I had to take the thing apart 4 times and now I dont... The only difference I can think of is I removed the wiper valve thing.
_________________
1972 Super Beetle, Parked until adequate restoration funding is acquired in restoration!

Wanted: Male computer diagnostic plug end

[Joel]

[talljordan]

It doesn't... There must be a positive voltage SOMEWHERE. Otherwise how would current flow... I have no idea how to troubleshoot this.
_________________
1972 Super Beetle, Parked until adequate restoration funding is acquired in restoration!

Wanted: Male computer diagnostic plug end

[Joel]

The horn switches the negative not the positive.

The postive goes straight from fuse box to the horn and the horn button provides ground.

Its dead simple to trouble shoot, you just need to find where the ground stops.

the center of the steering wheel should be grounded all the time.
Did you use a plastic anti rattle bushing or your original stainlesssteel one?

Also make sure you plugged the wire for horn pad back in
_________________
Quick little bug, you got a Porsche motor in that?
1974 Germanlook 1303 2.5 Suba-Beetle

[talljordan]

Hi Joel,

I dont think I have any positive voltage to the horn at all (need to triple check but I did give it a quick pass with a multimeter).... But I do have voltage to the fuse. If this is the case where should I look.

I only put in the new bearing and the plastic thing that came with it. Does the metal contact ring replace that plastic thing or does it sit above the bearing (closer to the driver, between the two circlips) seperately?

What is the purpose of the contact ring? What is the plastic anti rattle bushing? The yellowish thing in my 2nd and third picture (which fell to bits)? What is its purpose? If it was that thing I had the metal and the plastic one.

Thanks!
_________________
1972 Super Beetle, Parked until adequate restoration funding is acquired in restoration!

Wanted: Male computer diagnostic plug end

[Joel]

Do your brake lights work?

The brake light power comes off the horn power wire so if it the horn is out your brakelights will be out too.

first thing to check would be if the steering wheel is grounded.
With your horn pad off make sure the 4 contact points the horn pad presses on are grounded all the time.

I suspect your problem is your steering wheel is no longer grounded.
Looking at your pics it seems that new bearing with the plastic center is isolating the shaft, the original metal contact ring keeps it grounded to the bearing.

The plastic sleeve which sits over the shaft under that circlip is just to fill the space and stop the antirattle bushing from sliding out.

Other if that checks out the other thing you may need to check seeing as you've had it all apart is the air gap between the wheel and the turn signal switch.
If that is too big the contact strip won;t reach and your horn wont work.
_________________
Quick little bug, you got a Porsche motor in that?
1974 Germanlook 1303 2.5 Suba-Beetle

[talljordan]

Got it working, bad contact where it ties in to the brake wires. I had no voltage to the horn.

For future reference when everything is hooked up there will be +12V on the metal contact on the turn signal switch, this 12V then travels up to the wire in the steering wheel and when you press the horn it grounds out and sounds (bringing all the aforementioned contacts to 0V).
_________________
1972 Super Beetle, Parked until adequate restoration funding is acquired in restoration!

Wanted: Male computer diagnostic plug end

[oprahhwinfreyy]

Mini had in and out play because the bolt that goes through the clamp to the left of the steering coupler had wiggled it way out and the clamp became loose.

After a while, it got so bad that when I was driving into a parking after a 35 mile journey through back roads, I lost all steering because the shaft had become loose from the end that sticks out of the steering box.

Make sure everything is tight, haha.
_________________
1977 Aircooled Flatwindow - Rosslyn The Taxi

[davidw99]

[talljordan]

Dave are you 100% sure that it isnt the U joint that is loose on one of the shafts? This was my issue and it looked like the box was moving in and out but it wasn't.

I would try to tighten the small bolt first, my understanding is that the small bolt adjusts the distance between the worm and roller (if this was too large there would be play), and the big nut adjusts the contact angle.

Depending on how new the box is it may be worth contacting topline and asking for their input/a different box if you are 100% sure the box is the issue.[/list]
_________________
1972 Super Beetle, Parked until adequate restoration funding is acquired in restoration!

Wanted: Male computer diagnostic plug end

[davidw99]

The U-joint is new also (Top Line Parts). I've checked every connection from steering wheel to steering box and the steering box is where the play is. The shaft does move in and out of the box when the steering wheel is pulled/pushed. I have the old steering box and I'am going to see if I can duplicate/correct the problem with that one first.
_________________
Dave

'73 Saturn Yellow Sports Bug that has undergone a full pan off restoration. "Herbert IV."

'67 Sedan. "Bellamy." Currently being "refreshed" and recently repainted.

[talljordan]

New U-Joint does not mean tight U joint. Mine was new too but I tightened it improperly.
_________________
1972 Super Beetle, Parked until adequate restoration funding is acquired in restoration!

Wanted: Male computer diagnostic plug end

[davidw99]

[bnam]

This is the correct bearing for the 71 super. The original on top, replacement below.

The blue spacer was 3-d printed using file available online.

Byas

[Scorpwanna]

I realize this is an old post of mine but I figured this was the best place to add the next step I'm taking for my steering column delima. After years of having the Topline steering column bushing installed, I'm going to go back to the original style steering needle bearing. After I had installed the bushing, when hot weather would approach and having the bug sit out in the sun, the steering wheel would get tight. How tight do you ask? Well, you'd have to jerk the wheel to turn it and it would stay in place unless you man handled it back the other way by jerking it. Park it under a tree or in any shade for an hour and it would go back to normal. Never was a problem during the winter months, just the hot summer ones. I tried several times to take the steering rod and sand it down even further but it didn't matter. It's as if the bushing swells up and grips the steering shaft rod. What I imagine is, the rod itself gets so hot that it probably swells slightly causing the pressure. Either way, I'm tired of it and going to try to reverse what I have done.

First, I looked around the classifieds for used steering columns and found one for a reasonable price. It's steering column tube looks to be for a 72 more so than my 71 (the bolt pattern bracket is differently shaped). But, the steering rod is what I was actually after in the first place! Then I began researching the needle bearing that originally was used and searching on here for a part number and realized that it matched a Porsche part that was still made to this day. Since Volkswagen and Porsche are basically siblings I thought I'd give it a shot and ordered the Porsche version of the needle bearing part from Pelican Parts, part number 113415511. It just arrived today and it fits around the race at the bottom of the steering rod I plan to replace mine with perfectly! It also measures to perfectly fit the steering column tube as well!

So short plans for the future, I'm going to take out my steering column and remove the Topline Steering Bushing and install the Porsche Needle Bearing I ordered, then the other steering column rod which will put the steering column setup back to stock. :D Just don't know when I'm going to do this ;/

_________________
1971 Super Beetle Sedan Stock
Manufacture Date: December 12 1970
Left Factory on: December 17 1970 (Emden Germany)
Received: Washington, USA
Original Color: L 12 D Shantung Yellow
SOLEX 34-PICT 3 Carb
I've got a Bentley

[Scorpwanna]

Update on restoring the original steering column layout. The new needle bearing from Pelican Parts (Porsche site) installed great. After sourcing the (correct length) steering column shaft/rod, it installed and was a perfect fit. I drove it today and it works a hell of a lot better than that plastic bushing from toplineparts.com.

So if your thinking of replacing your lower steering column needle bearing, (DO NOT USE the plastic nylatron bushing) instead go to Pelican Parts and order the actual replacement part!
_________________
1971 Super Beetle Sedan Stock
Manufacture Date: December 12 1970
Left Factory on: December 17 1970 (Emden Germany)
Received: Washington, USA
Original Color: L 12 D Shantung Yellow
SOLEX 34-PICT 3 Carb
I've got a Bentley

[vamanx]

Is the blue spacer you show at the top of the steering shaft supposed to have the gap between the top of the blue spacer and the C clip? doesn't that cause in out play in the shaft? I have a white 'printed' spacer and i have a similar gap, the result is the shaft moves in out and the column lock welded to the shaft moves out of the range of the ignition steering lock. should i take up the gap with a longer piece of spacer? Thanks.

[vamanx]

Is the blue spacer you show at the top of the steering shaft supposed to have the gap between the top of the blue spacer and the C clip? doesn't that cause in out play in the shaft? I have a white 'printed' spacer and i have a similar gap, the result is the shaft moves in out and the column lock welded to the shaft moves out of the range of the ignition steering lock. should i take up the gap with a longer piece of spacer? Thanks.

[vamanx]

Is the blue spacer you show at the top of the steering shaft supposed to have the gap between the top of the blue spacer and the C clip? doesn't that cause in out play in the shaft? I have a white 'printed' spacer and i have a similar gap, the result is the shaft moves in out and the column lock welded to the shaft moves out of the range of the ignition steering lock. should i take up the gap with a longer piece of spacer? Thanks.