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SoCal68Bug
Samba Member
Joined: April 07, 2019
Posts: 18
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 Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2022 7:58 pm Post subject: The dreaded horn |
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Recently replaced the front beam and steering box and can't seem to get my horn working again. I made sure the horn worked on the bench, and also it is getting 12 volts... so it is the ground. Some interesting bits - from the steering wheel wire to the steering box coupler is "good" - I checked resistance and it was around .2
If I ground the steering shaft wire to a known good body ground, the horn works fine. From some reason I think the new steering box is not grounded. Any tips for fixing that if that is the issue? Granted everything is new and painted, but I would think since it is all bolted to the body it would ground? |
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Cusser
Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2006
Posts: 31380
Location: Hot Arizona
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| Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2022 8:22 pm Post subject: Re: The dreaded horn |
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| SoCal68Bug wrote: |
| From some reason I think the new steering box is not grounded. Any tips for fixing that if that is the issue? |
1. Test to see if it is grounded.
2. If not, run a ground wire to steering box (bare metal, not a painted surface).
_________________
1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297 |
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baldessariclan
Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2016
Posts: 1385
Location: Wichita, KS
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| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2022 4:49 am Post subject: Re: The dreaded horn |
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| SoCal68Bug wrote: |
| Granted everything is new and painted, but I would think since it is all bolted to the body it would ground? |
Enough paint can effectively insulate the steering box from the beam, and/or the beam from the body. If your grounding checks between steering box and body show no continuity or high resistance, you’ll want to clean the paint (and/or any dirt & corrosion) off at least some of the mating surfaces between steering box and beam. Same story where front beam and connecting bolts attach to car body.
Or, alternately, run a dedicated grounding wire between steering box and body ground point, like Cusser suggested above.
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1971 Standard Beetle — fairly stock / driver
baldessariclan -- often in error, never in doubt... |
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heimlich 
VWNOS.com
Joined: November 20, 2016
Posts: 6621
Location: Houston, Texas
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| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2022 2:37 pm Post subject: Re: The dreaded horn |
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Try grounding it by hand. If that works all you have to do is find where it is not grounding.
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SoCal68Bug
Samba Member
Joined: April 07, 2019
Posts: 18
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| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2022 8:48 pm Post subject: Re: The dreaded horn |
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| I'll fess up - so checking the grounds I noticed the tab on the steering coupler that the ground wire connects too was on the wrong bolt - it was on one that just goes to rubber. I moved the tab over to one of the bolts that goes through to metal and beep beep it is working again. Painful lesson as I literally spent days chasing various things, but at least it is working again. |
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iowegian
Samba Curmudgeon
Joined: February 16, 2005
Posts: 9829
Location: Somewhere between Dubuque and Keokuk
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2022 5:00 am Post subject: Re: The dreaded horn |
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| SoCal68Bug wrote: |
| I'll fess up - so checking the grounds I noticed the tab on the steering coupler that the ground wire connects too was on the wrong bolt - it was on one that just goes to rubber. I moved the tab over to one of the bolts that goes through to metal and beep beep it is working again. Painful lesson as I literally spent days chasing various things, but at least it is working again. |
It sounds like you have grounds for celebrating. |
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baldessariclan
Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2016
Posts: 1385
Location: Wichita, KS
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2022 7:04 am Post subject: Re: The dreaded horn |
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| iowegian wrote: |
| It sounds like you have grounds for celebrating. |
*groan*
_________________
1971 Standard Beetle — fairly stock / driver
baldessariclan -- often in error, never in doubt... |
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Cusser
Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2006
Posts: 31380
Location: Hot Arizona
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2022 7:37 am Post subject: Re: The dreaded horn |
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| baldessariclan wrote: |
*groan*
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Groan? Even more groanworthy:
I told Mrs. Cusser that the coffee tasted like dirt; she said it was fresh ground this morning....
_________________
1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297 |
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baldessariclan
Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2016
Posts: 1385
Location: Wichita, KS
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2022 8:15 am Post subject: Re: The dreaded horn |
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You guys are killing me...
_________________
1971 Standard Beetle — fairly stock / driver
baldessariclan -- often in error, never in doubt... |
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jinx758
Samba Member
Joined: October 04, 2014
Posts: 699
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2022 8:23 am Post subject: Re: The dreaded horn |
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@ Cusser ...
Thanks, that is good !
I had to clean coffee off my screen.
Take care ... stay safe
jinx
_________________
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