1960-61 horn assembly hell made simple.

[Eric&Barb]

If the non-stock ground wire was working, you should have had constant horn. So either that wire was badly made/installed, and/or you have voltage drop somewhere in the stock system, and/or you have a problem in the horn itself.

Have you checked for voltage drops or at least run a jumper cable to test across each connection?
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In Stereo, Where Available!

[6T5 square]

Disconnected the wire- now I get absolutely nothing. Next step- I'll pull the steering column to make sure all of the bottom washers/ springs and clips are in place.
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John
65 square 1500S (weezer) sold but always on my mind
60 beetle (Ned)

Quoting John Muir -- Open the rear boot. Get out the stool and sit down. Contemplate the air-cooled beauty before you. - How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive -- Step-By-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot

[6T5 square]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned here- the plastic washers. Can they be replaced with nylon washers? I've found exact size washers for the ones between the steering wheel and the metal ring. The other three- located on the brass pins - are paper thin. I have found washers but they are 1.2 mm thick. I have the originals but was wondering if they could also be replaced
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John
65 square 1500S (weezer) sold but always on my mind
60 beetle (Ned)

Quoting John Muir -- Open the rear boot. Get out the stool and sit down. Contemplate the air-cooled beauty before you. - How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive -- Step-By-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot

[Eric&Barb]

As long as the plastic washers are non-conductive, and not a brittle kind of plastic, they should be fine. Nylon washers should have both of those characteristics.
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In Stereo, Where Available!

[thomas.]

This screw kit from W.West is '62 and up but for $5 can't be best if some of the parts are useable. Like the plastic washers



http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=113998225

[6T5 square]

Put everything back together with the help of the instructions at the beginning of this topic. Found that the plastic ring needed to be turned so the larger holes were in the correct position.
Horn still wouldn't work.
I reattached that lead wire that bridges the steering column to the steering box.
Now the horn works. Not very loud, but it works.

Go figure
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John
65 square 1500S (weezer) sold but always on my mind
60 beetle (Ned)

Quoting John Muir -- Open the rear boot. Get out the stool and sit down. Contemplate the air-cooled beauty before you. - How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive -- Step-By-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot

[Eric&Barb]

[6T5 square]

I’m getting 6.43 volts at the horn- and it drops to zero when I hit the horn
_________________
John
65 square 1500S (weezer) sold but always on my mind
60 beetle (Ned)

Quoting John Muir -- Open the rear boot. Get out the stool and sit down. Contemplate the air-cooled beauty before you. - How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive -- Step-By-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot

[Eric&Barb]

Sounds like a voltage drop. Check up stream at the fuse box.
_________________
In Stereo, Where Available!

[TonyB]

I love this place! Maybe someday I’ll be able to contribute words of wisdom!

My bug came with a aftermarket steering wheel held in place by washers & tension ... I bought a better wheel & hub kit, new turn signal switch, signal cam & horn contact ring ... couldn’t figure out the horn so I ended up putting a button just under the edge of the dashboard where some po drilled holes for something thats no longer there ... now I think I can get the button on the wheel working ... great write up!

[Eric&Barb]

[vegavelez]

Amazing explanation, my horn have been unhooked for 12 years because I could not figure out what was wrong with it. Thanks to your tutorial it took me 10 minutes and now my bug speaks again. Awesome!!!

[Bilscho]

Very very useful explanation. Having an understanding of the mechanics helped me find the problem with the horn, cleaned up everything within the steering wheel helped, but main problem turned out to be a resistance in the horn due to rust! Cleaned that out and it works perfect. Minor problem was also the connection at the bottom of the steering column which cleaned up ok too.

[zabo]

[Mervo]

My 61 has this issue. I do have all the competent original parts. I noticed that the only originality difference is the steering wheel has been replaced at some stage with a +65 wheel with the curved brass ring on the back, but the original 61 column.

I have spent days trying to get the horn system re-established including insulation of the column, with no success.

Given the mixed nature of the steering system on this car, I wondered if anyone had come up with a way to add a simple contact micro-switch under the push ring on the steering wheel that could active the horn?
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1962 Porsche 356
1968 Porsche 911 (sold)
1988 Porsche 911
2004 Porsche Turbo
1960 VW beetle (Australian)

[Mervo]

I guess this one has been done to death and many folk just give up?
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1962 Porsche 356
1968 Porsche 911 (sold)
1988 Porsche 911
2004 Porsche Turbo
1960 VW beetle (Australian)

[EVfun]

I don't think there are very many that understand the original '60-'61 system very well so they don't know how to modify it. I have an idea that may work...

You will need all the horn parts that are part of the later steering wheel. You will need to run a wire down the hollow steering shaft and out the slot at the clamp at the beam (that wire is likely to be a lot easier to fish in if you run it up from the slot until it comes out inside the car.) You will need to remove the jumper that goes from one rag bolt bolt to another rag joint bolt. The new wire you ran up the steering tube will connect to a bolt that is part of the steering box side of the rag joint. The other end of the new wire will attach to the place provided on the horn button of the later steering wheel. At this point the horn won't work (unless your steering shaft assembly has already worn through its insulation somewhere.)

If you go to page 1 of this thread and find the diagram of the 1960-1961 Steering Column Setup you see the second item from the top called "plastic washer." If you remove that it should defeat the factory efforts to insulate the steering tube from the steering shaft. That should allow the steering column assembly to function the same as the later 1962-1967 assembly and so work with your later steering wheel.
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[Mervo]

Thanks very much for this. I did go to the trouble of running new wire down the column but not the last modification that you have suggested!

One thing do I remove the woven connection across the steering coupler connecting the shaft to the steering box?
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1962 Porsche 356
1968 Porsche 911 (sold)
1988 Porsche 911
2004 Porsche Turbo
1960 VW beetle (Australian)

[racerock]

[Mervo]