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BusBerd
Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2005
Posts: 834
Location: Minneapolis, MN
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 Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 11:58 pm Post subject: Horn Button Clock |
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got this horn button clock from BD, but there is not enough clearance for it on my steering wheel. My old horn button works fine, but with the thickness of the clock, the button keeps hitting the top of the steering column and will not install completely.
Anyone else had this issue?
Anyone else have this clock?
I have taken apart the steering column assembly to try to find the problem.
here is a pic of how far the column is sticking up, which then hits the bottom of the horn button clock when i try to install it. (sorry its a little blurry) Is this normal clearance for the horn button? (horn ground is disconnected for a better view of the column)
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"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission |
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Pinetops
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2007
Posts: 2987
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| Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 12:27 am Post subject: |
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| Is it pretty close to fitting? If there is enough plastic on the backside of the new button, maybe you could carve some out with a dremel. That's probably not the answer you wanted but I don't know enough about the stearing assembly to know if itd be ok to adjust for more clearance. |
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BusBerd
Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2005
Posts: 834
Location: Minneapolis, MN
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| Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 12:34 am Post subject: |
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| stuco wrote: |
| Is it pretty close to fitting? If there is enough plastic on the backside of the new button, maybe you could carve some out with a dremel. That's probably not the answer you wanted but I don't know enough about the stearing assembly to know if itd be ok to adjust for more clearance. |
the clock has a metal casing on the back. I don't think carving would be an option.
_________________
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission |
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poptop tom
Samba Member
Joined: July 27, 2004
Posts: 1607
Location: The Hoosier State
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| Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 4:20 am Post subject: |
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You may want to contact BD and see what they have to say.
Hadn't seen that before; looks pretty cool.
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'76 Deluxe Campmobile |
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Collie
Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2006
Posts: 1285
Location: Virginia
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| Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 6:44 am Post subject: |
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| Could you fab some sort of 'spacer' to raise it a pinch? |
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SGKent 
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 41031
Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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| Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 8:05 am Post subject: |
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try it on another bus and see if it won't fit there too. If so you return it. If it does fit then compare where yours is different.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin |
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Jockomo
Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2006
Posts: 163
Location: Lafayette, LA
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| Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 8:11 am Post subject: |
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If you really want that thing to work the way it is intended you will need a flux capacitor. I think they are NLA
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'75 Westy with '78 2.0L engine. |
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BusBerd
Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2005
Posts: 834
Location: Minneapolis, MN
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| Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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| poptop tom wrote: |
| You may want to contact BD and see what they have to say. |
I did. They said that they hadn't heard of any problems with it. But I am wondering if this will fit on ANY bus now. I am going to contact them again. I would really like to have it fit.
| Collie wrote: |
| Could you fab some sort of 'spacer' to raise it a pinch? |
I thought about that too, but even if that were possible, with the top of the steering column being tapered, the steering wheel would be extremely wobbly
| SGKent wrote: |
| try it on another bus and see if it won't fit there too. If so you return it. If it does fit then compare where yours is different. |
Yes, I'd love to! But I only have one bus. So I thought I would try Samba to see if anyone else out there has this clock. So far, I have seen no other bus with one that fits.
| Jockomo wrote: |
| If you really want that thing to work the way it is intended you will need a flux capacitor. I think they are NLA |
clever.
ok, so further update: I tried installing it with the steering wheel nut screw in just enough so that it was flush with the top of the steering column (steering wheel extremely wobbly). Even then it did not fully fit unless I unplugged the ground in the steering wheel for the horn. I don't think there is any way for this thing to fit.
Does anybody have one??? (in a BUS)
_________________
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission |
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SGKent
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 41031
Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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| Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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Is there anyone else in Minneapolis, MN with a bus who can compare?
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin |
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BusBerd
Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2005
Posts: 834
Location: Minneapolis, MN
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| Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 4:00 pm Post subject: |
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| SGKent wrote: |
| Is there anyone else in Minneapolis, MN with a bus who can compare? |
Yes, we have a bus group here. We are meeting in a few weeks. But I thought I would throw my net across the world here on Samba to see if ANYONE else bought and installed this horn button clock. I don't think any of our MN buses have it.
(Also, old horn buttons can have a tendency to disintegrate when you try to pop them off. I don't want to be responsible for someone cracking their horn button.)
I just sent a follow up email to BD. I'll see what they say. They originally wrote: "We have never heard of one that didn't fit." So i assume there are more out there somewhere.
_________________
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission |
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skills@eurocarsplus
Samba Peckerhead
Joined: January 01, 2007
Posts: 16879
Location: sticksville, ct.
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| Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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your thread count seems to be awful high. are you sure your column is correctly assembled? i looked a 4 of the 5 busses i have here, and they all barely have any threads showing
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| gprudenciop wrote: |
my reason for switching to subaru is my german car was turning chinese so i said fuck it and went japanese....... |
| Jake Raby wrote: |
| Thanks for the correction. I used to be a nice guy, then I ruined it by exposing myself to the public. |
| Brian wrote: |
| Also the fact that people are agreeing with Skills, it's a turn of events for samba history |
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BusBerd
Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2005
Posts: 834
Location: Minneapolis, MN
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| Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 6:50 pm Post subject: |
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| skills@eurocarsplus wrote: |
| your thread count seems to be awful high. are you sure your column is correctly assembled? i looked a 4 of the 5 busses i have here, and they all barely have any threads showing |
Thanks for looking! What are the years of the buses you looked at? '77??
Yes, I am assuming that the column is assembled correctly. I am fairly familiar with it by now. But it would be great if I missed something.
The sheer, cone top, anti-theft bolt was unmolested when I bought the bus so , I am assuming the column is original to the bus.
_________________
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission |
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SGKent
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 41031
Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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| Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 7:20 pm Post subject: |
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| skills@eurocarsplus wrote: |
| your thread count seems to be awful high. are you sure your column is correctly assembled? i looked a 4 of the 5 busses i have here, and they all barely have any threads showing |
mine isn't that high either although I have a washer under it. Still I don't believe it is that high.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin |
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skills@eurocarsplus
Samba Peckerhead
Joined: January 01, 2007
Posts: 16879
Location: sticksville, ct.
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| Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 7:45 pm Post subject: |
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| BusBerd wrote: |
Thanks for looking! What are the years of the buses you looked at? '77??
Yes, I am assuming that the column is assembled correctly. I am fairly familiar with it by now. But it would be great if I missed something.
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2 78's a 70 and a 71. all of which barely had a thread-thread and a half showing
_________________
| gprudenciop wrote: |
my reason for switching to subaru is my german car was turning chinese so i said fuck it and went japanese....... |
| Jake Raby wrote: |
| Thanks for the correction. I used to be a nice guy, then I ruined it by exposing myself to the public. |
| Brian wrote: |
| Also the fact that people are agreeing with Skills, it's a turn of events for samba history |
Last edited by skills@eurocarsplus on Sat May 05, 2012 4:47 am; edited 1 time in total |
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merlinj79
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2008
Posts: 379
Location: SOCAL
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| Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 4:19 am Post subject: |
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My 77 is not that high IIRC.
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Rick
"Pumpkin II"
Stock 2L FI '77 Westy
CA Smog Stuff |
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BusBerd
Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2005
Posts: 834
Location: Minneapolis, MN
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| Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 8:58 am Post subject: |
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| skills@eurocarsplus wrote: |
| 2 78's a 70 and a 71. all of which barely had a thread-thread and a half showing |
| merlinj79 wrote: |
| My 77 is not that high IIRC. |
Good news! So now I gotta figure out why mine is so high.
Does anyone know of an exploded view of a (specifically '77) steering column. I have seen many exploded views of other years' steering columns, but there are slight differences between the years.
thanks guys!
_________________
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission |
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BusBerd
Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2005
Posts: 834
Location: Minneapolis, MN
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| Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 9:19 am Post subject: |
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Here is a link (WITH LOTS OF PICS) to a short (one page) thread about my steering column a few years back, aptly titled "Am I missing something??". I never got an answer from this.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=423728&highlight=steering
HELP!
(and thanks)
_________________
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission |
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BusBerd
Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2005
Posts: 834
Location: Minneapolis, MN
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| Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 9:46 am Post subject: |
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Also, I tried to take a photo of the back of the Horn Button Clock to show the depth of the clock and how it protrudes into the space. This is what is hitting against the steering column and ground wire connection when i try to just install it. (then to honk the horn, it would have to somehow depress even further.)
_________________
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission |
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BusBerd
Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2005
Posts: 834
Location: Minneapolis, MN
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| Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 9:09 pm Post subject: |
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OK. So I tried a bunch of different things tonight to try to get this clock to fit.
I pulled the steering wheel nut way out until it was about level with the top of the column, and then raised the switch casing to the appropriate relative level. With that, there is enough clearance for the horn button clock to work properly, but the steering wheel is not completely seated on the steering column and is wobbly.
Is it POSSIBLE that I have the wrong steering wheel??I've searched and read that 68-75 steering wheels have a 19mm opening and 76-79 have a 17mm opening. Is it POSSIBLE that i have a early bay steering wheel that works ONLY when it is bottomed out on the steering column? Will an early bay steering wheel even work on a later bay in this way?
thanks guys!
_________________
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission |
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turtleneck
Samba Member
Joined: July 21, 2011
Posts: 25
Location: Flagstaff, Arizona
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| Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 11:51 pm Post subject: |
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your original pic of the clock looks like its an older steering wheel. Maybe it's not designed for a later bus?
Sent from my iPhone |
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