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insyncro
Banned
Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 15086
Location: New York
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 Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 5:36 pm Post subject: Horn Ring |
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I have a leather wrapped steering wheel from an 89 Bluestar that has a damaged horn ring.
Can a ring be swapped from one steering wheel to another?
Thanks in advance.
dylan |
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ragnarhairybreeks
Samba Member
Joined: October 26, 2009
Posts: 1890
Location: Sidney B.C. Canada
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| Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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one of the things I love about the Samba are the questions that make me get off my duff and do things I had been putting off...
horn ring on my '86 syncro looked like a homemade fix, copper wire ring and it only made intermittent contact. Insycnro's question got me out to the workshop and I whipped off the steering wheel from my '82. I recall replacing ring years ago with a good junkyard find one. oh btw, 15/16 socket works on the steering wheel nit.
Anyhow, I pried up the contact ring from the '82 wheel and popped it into the '86 wheel, no probs. BTW, the smaller '86 wheel (power steering) had the word "carat" stamped on it, even though its from a GL syncro. Previous owner switch or stock?
I have posted pics on my blog....
http://shufti.wordpress.com/
alistar
_________________
'86 7 passenger syncro, converted to westy pop top, project still in progress
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94, now gone...
https://shufti.blog/
Old address still works...
http://shufti.wordpress.com |
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insyncro
Banned
Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 15086
Location: New York
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| Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 5:13 am Post subject: |
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Alistar,
Thank you very much for the reply and the blog pics.
I see, the whole unit comes out.
I had been trying to just remove the damaged copper ring.
BTW, you just help save a very rare leather wrapped wheel from a Bluestar.
dylan |
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ragnarhairybreeks
Samba Member
Joined: October 26, 2009
Posts: 1890
Location: Sidney B.C. Canada
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| Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 7:13 am Post subject: |
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And thanks for posting the question Dylan, I now have a consistently working horn.
Leads me to wonder about putting in a horn relay. I had done that in my '82, to power 2 horns, but it was a hokey relay install... relay in one of those black plastic electrical boxes you find on the van, mounted behind grill on right of rad.
This time I'll copy the stock VW set up and have relay on fuse panel.
alistair
_________________
'86 7 passenger syncro, converted to westy pop top, project still in progress
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94, now gone...
https://shufti.blog/
Old address still works...
http://shufti.wordpress.com |
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insyncro
Banned
Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 15086
Location: New York
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| Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 7:46 am Post subject: |
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Dual horns would be a good upgrade for sure.
Glad to help motivate you.
df |
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Californio
Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2007
Posts: 1306
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 10:10 am Post subject: |
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I replaced my horn ring about 10K miles ago, and it's busted again--the copper has broken and makes intermittent contact, which sounds the horn intermittently a la Little Miss Sunshine.
I'm suspecting what wore the ring out so fast is the copper contact flap, which has worn to a sharp point after 334,000 miles...
Anybody either (1) fixed one of these, or (2) know how to get a replacement?
I don't want to just buy a horn ring again, and I don't see the contacts on any of the usual vendors' sites. |
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tencentlife
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2006
Posts: 10078
Location: Abiquiu, NM, USA
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 10:35 am Post subject: |
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As a new part, the contact shoe is part of a new turn signal switch assembly. It's not made as an independent part.
http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_125_153/turn...ntrol.html
I have fabricated shoes from brass sheet, but they don't end up lasting long, it's very hard to attach anything there.
Lubing the ring lightly with some vaseline or grease helps these parts last.
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Please don't PM here, I will not reply.
Experience is kryptonite to doctrine. |
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ragnarhairybreeks
Samba Member
Joined: October 26, 2009
Posts: 1890
Location: Sidney B.C. Canada
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 10:39 am Post subject: |
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I may be spreading an urban myth, but I thought the spring contact "tab" was made of beryllium copper. It would make sense, its a bit harder and springier than regular Cu.
alistair
_________________
'86 7 passenger syncro, converted to westy pop top, project still in progress
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94, now gone...
https://shufti.blog/
Old address still works...
http://shufti.wordpress.com |
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Californio
Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2007
Posts: 1306
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 12:23 pm Post subject: |
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| So the deal is, replace the signal switch at the same time as the horn ring. Makes sense, thanks for the tip. |
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PDXWesty
Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006
Posts: 6247
Location: Portland OR
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 12:47 pm Post subject: |
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My horn ring is brass. Aren't they all?
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89 Westy 2.1 Auto |
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dhaavers
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010
Posts: 7757
Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 1:07 pm Post subject: |
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I've got 10k miles (~2 years) since I replaced my horn ring & lubed w/dielectric grease. I also smoothed the edge of the tab (aka "shoe") to keep it from grinding away the new ring. ...still going!
_________________
86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
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Californio
Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2007
Posts: 1306
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 2:20 pm Post subject: |
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Does dielectric grease make sense in this case?
10K miles, ok, but they should last 10 times that, no? |
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Timwhy
Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2009
Posts: 4002
Location: Maine
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dhaavers
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010
Posts: 7757
Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 2:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Californio wrote: |
| ...10K miles, ok, but they should last 10 times that, no? |
Yes. We'll see...I was only at 135k when I replaced the ring, now I'm at 145k. 
You're way ahead of me in mileage. Still, sounds like you're in for a turn signal assembly...sorry.
_________________
86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>
Last edited by dhaavers on Tue Feb 15, 2011 3:03 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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ragnarhairybreeks
Samba Member
Joined: October 26, 2009
Posts: 1890
Location: Sidney B.C. Canada
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 2:59 pm Post subject: |
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| PDXWesty wrote: |
My horn ring is brass. Aren't they all?
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Yes, except for this funky homemade ring that was on my syncro, PO's work.
But the contact "tab" on switch assembly is some sort of copper.
alistair
_________________
'86 7 passenger syncro, converted to westy pop top, project still in progress
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94, now gone...
https://shufti.blog/
Old address still works...
http://shufti.wordpress.com |
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Jamos
Samba Member
Joined: July 08, 2005
Posts: 762
Location: Lake Tahoe, CA
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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Mine became just like what was described here...I think the contact "shoe" got worn down and sharp, and then it tore up the contact ring in short order.
I had the Little Miss Sunshine horn thing happening for a little while which was pretty fun, and then I just unplugged the horn until I had time to fix the ring.
So I got a new ring, and got the dremel out to smooth out any sharp points of the shoe part. It's a bit smaller now than original, but it is very smooth and keeps good contact. I also used some dielectric grease all the way around the ring, which has kept it quiet and moving smoothly.
I drove for a few months and then popped the wheel off to check out the ring and it looks fine, no groove or scratching from the modified shoe.
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'86 Wolfy Westy Weekender
2020 Audi Q5 |
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Californio
Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2007
Posts: 1306
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:29 pm Post subject: |
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Good idea, cut that tab off a bit and make it straight & smooth.
You could probably solder on a piece of generic copper too, make it last a bit longer? |
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Jake de Villiers
Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2007
Posts: 5911
Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 11:13 pm Post subject: |
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| ragnarhairybreeks wrote: |
And thanks for posting the question Dylan, I now have a consistently working horn.
Leads me to wonder about putting in a horn relay. I had done that in my '82, to power 2 horns, but it was a hokey relay install... relay in one of those black plastic electrical boxes you find on the van, mounted behind grill on right of rad.
This time I'll copy the stock VW set up and have relay on fuse panel.
alistair |
Thanks for reviving this Al. Dixie's horn has a dead spot at straight ahead but I have a spare steering wheel or two that I can rob that ring from!
_________________
'84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com |
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Californio
Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2007
Posts: 1306
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| Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 10:26 am Post subject: |
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Bifurcating a little from the OP's topic, I realize, but hopefully this thread's title will lead Vanagon wrenchers yet unborn to various and sundry horn fixes...
I just replaced both the horn ring and the signal stalk, brand new from VC which had them on my doorstep less than 24 hours after ordering, thank you so much.
The horn still does its Little Miss Sunshine number. Luckily it has that cheesy sound anyway.
I noticed the steering shaft at the top has some lateral play in it before the nut is tightened down, maybe a sixteenth of an inch. Again, it's a high-miler, 332K +-. Could that have an effect? Is there some sort of bushing that fits around the steering shaft at the top to prevent this?
Anything I could have done in the installation to screw it up? If the horn ring wasn't mashed into the steering wheel right? Or?
WUWDS? *
*What Up Wif Dat Sh*t? |
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Timwhy
Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2009
Posts: 4002
Location: Maine
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| Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 10:44 am Post subject: |
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| Californio wrote: |
Bifurcating a little from the OP's topic, I realize, but hopefully this thread's title will lead Vanagon wrenchers yet unborn to various and sundry horn fixes...
I just replaced both the horn ring and the signal stalk, brand new from VC which had them on my doorstep less than 24 hours after ordering, thank you so much.
The horn still does its Little Miss Sunshine number. Luckily it has that cheesy sound anyway.
I noticed the steering shaft at the top has some lateral play in it before the nut is tightened down, maybe a sixteenth of an inch. Again, it's a high-miler, 332K +-. Could that have an effect? Is there some sort of bushing that fits around the steering shaft at the top to prevent this?
Anything I could have done in the installation to screw it up? If the horn ring wasn't mashed into the steering wheel right? Or?
WUWDS? *
*What Up Wif Dat Sh*t? |
The answer is yes.
| Timwhy wrote: |
Had an issue with my steering collumn yesterday. Took the van out for a quick spin to give the battery a charge and I got as far as the end of the block. When I went left my wheel had alittle play in it. Up/down and left/right, then the horn started going off (great).
Went about 5 or 6 block and returned home. It was getting dark and there was no way to really get a good look at it. Got on the samba and PM'd Loogy. He responded with the perfect diagnosis the plastic sleeve had come up the collumn and the collumn now had some play in it.
This morning I went out before work and sure as Loogy said, that sleeve was up the collumn. Push it down and the collumn was tight. Problem is the new steering wheel doesn't go down far enough to put pressure on that sleeve so it happened again after I put everything back together.
So, remedy! I had to cut a piece if pvc pipe cuppling to bridge the gap between the wheel and the sleeve then put everything back together and see if it worked. It worked, Thanks Loogy! It was like you could see my steering collumn with such an accurate description of the problem.
On a side note while I had the collumn apart I replaced the ignition switch. Really easy 15 minute repair, what a difference that new switch makes. Just the feel of it tells me that the old one was on it's last legs.
Thanks goes out to Ben for the directions on that replacement. |
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'09 VW Tiguan (dead)
'87 VW Westy
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