Author |
Message |
Poorjimmy5 Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2016 Posts: 73 Location: Long Island, New York
|
Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 5:21 pm Post subject: Horn stopped working after steering box & front axle beam were r |
|
|
As the title says, my horn stopped working after I had the steering box and the front axle beam were replaced. Now it may be a coincidence that before my horn worked and after it didn't, but on the chance one begot the other I have to ask: Is there any electrical connection that may have been disturbed by the removal and replacement of these two parts?
I have checked that the horn has both wires attached. While the car was running I was getting a light from my current detector tool when I grounded it and touched BOTH connections to the horn. This happened if the horn was pushed or not. I was expecting to only have the light turn on in the tool when the horn was pushed, but honestly I have no idea what I'm doing. Please help. Hahahahaha |
|
Back to top |
|
|
sjbartnik Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2011 Posts: 5998 Location: Brooklyn
|
Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 5:37 pm Post subject: Re: Horn stopped working after steering box & front axle beam were r |
|
|
The ground path of the horn is via the steering box and to the axle beam, so yeah it sounds like there's a good chance that the issue is related to the work you had done.
The horn is powered all the time. The button in the steering wheel makes the ground connection, via a wire that runs down the steering column, jumps over the steering coupler, through the steering box and then via a wire from the steering box to one of the beam mounting bolts if I recall correctly.
So check that out. _________________ 1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Poorjimmy5 Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2016 Posts: 73 Location: Long Island, New York
|
Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 5:54 pm Post subject: Re: Horn stopped working after steering box & front axle beam were r |
|
|
A-ha! Thank you!
So...where exactly am I looking...exactly? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Al Capulco Samba Member
Joined: October 31, 2005 Posts: 532 Location: Northridge, CA.
|
Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 11:22 pm Post subject: |
|
|
See if this jumper wire is missing at the steering coupler above the steering box. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Poorjimmy5 Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2016 Posts: 73 Location: Long Island, New York
|
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 3:06 am Post subject: Re: Horn stopped working after steering box & front axle beam were r |
|
|
Great! Thank you!
Obviously I have to get to this from under the Thing right, so do you think I need a lift or can just shimmy under and do his? Or perhaps run her up on some ramps in the front?
Sorry for all the questions, just want to do this right. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
74 Thing Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2004 Posts: 7393
|
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 6:44 am Post subject: Re: Horn stopped working after steering box & front axle beam were r |
|
|
You can do it by removing the drivers side front tire and putting the beam on jack stands and reaching over the brake drum. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Poorjimmy5 Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2016 Posts: 73 Location: Long Island, New York
|
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 10:15 am Post subject: Re: Horn stopped working after steering box & front axle beam were r |
|
|
Cool. Thanks!
I will do it this weekend and let you know how it turns out. I hope the "jumper" is still there and just not connected on one side because I don't have the replacement part (yet)! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Poorjimmy5 Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2016 Posts: 73 Location: Long Island, New York
|
Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 4:11 pm Post subject: Re: Horn stopped working after steering box & front axle beam were r |
|
|
Bingo! Guess I have to order one! Thanks! Will let you know if that fixes the horn problem.
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
sjbartnik Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2011 Posts: 5998 Location: Brooklyn
|
Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 5:07 pm Post subject: Re: Horn stopped working after steering box & front axle beam were r |
|
|
Shitty work by whoever did the job, what happened to the wire down the center of the steering column? If the horn worked before then it must have been there.
Whoever put the new coupler in fucked up on the hardware, you want self-locking nuts on those coupler bolts. Should have washers too. _________________ 1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Al Capulco Samba Member
Joined: October 31, 2005 Posts: 532 Location: Northridge, CA.
|
Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 7:59 pm Post subject: Re: Horn stopped working after steering box & front axle beam were r |
|
|
Things never had a ground wire down the steering column, but it is missing the jumper wire. As suggested, the coupler needs to be corrected. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Poorjimmy5 Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2016 Posts: 73 Location: Long Island, New York
|
Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 8:18 pm Post subject: Re: Horn stopped working after steering box & front axle beam were r |
|
|
Does anyone have the part numbers for the couple hardware that I need? I would like to get it back to the correct way. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
sjbartnik Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2011 Posts: 5998 Location: Brooklyn
|
Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2019 8:48 am Post subject: Re: Horn stopped working after steering box & front axle beam were r |
|
|
Al Capulco wrote: |
Things never had a ground wire down the steering column, but it is missing the jumper wire. As suggested, the coupler needs to be corrected. |
Well that explains that!
Jumper wire is easy enough to make.
For the coupler hardware you want M8x35mm bolts (1.25 thread pitch) and M8 NyLock nuts, and M8 flat washers.
I got the hardware from BelMetric but you can get from any metric hardware supplier.
Those bolts don't get torqued down too tight, I think only about 11 ft-lbs., so you definitely want the NyLock nuts. It would not be a fun time for those to come loose.
https://www.belmetric.com/8x125-coarse-109-c-506_5...fo3g6vlb17 _________________ 1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Poorjimmy5 Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2016 Posts: 73 Location: Long Island, New York
|
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2019 7:35 pm Post subject: Re: Horn stopped working after steering box & front axle beam were r |
|
|
Ok, removed all the incorrect hardware and installed correct hardware and installed the crossover ground strap.
Unfortunately even after that, the horn didn't work! Then I found this...
There is a considerable gap, with no electrical contact! Is this NOW my problem? And if it is, how do I fix it? Or does the current go through the shaft and this none connection across the gap not come in to play at all?
This is so confusing. The horn worked before the mechanic changed the steering box and front axle beam, and now that I sorted that out, did he ALSO screw up the gap? Some how widening it? Anybody have a theory?
Oh and one other thing, when I was down there working with the drivers side front tire off I looked across to the opposite shock and found he left off the cover that protects the shaft that runs into the shock! Dammit!!!! So pissed. Never going back there! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Al Capulco Samba Member
Joined: October 31, 2005 Posts: 532 Location: Northridge, CA.
|
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2019 9:36 pm Post subject: Re: Horn stopped working after steering box & front axle beam were r |
|
|
Yes, the gap is too large, that copper strip must make contact with the bottom of the steering wheel. Just loosen the 2 bolts that hold the steering column to the bottom of the dash, and pull up toward the wheel. You are just looking to get the copper strip to touch the bottom of the steering wheel. You may want to get yourself a parts book and an orange Bentley service manual, they can be very helpful. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
sjbartnik Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2011 Posts: 5998 Location: Brooklyn
|
Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2019 7:01 am Post subject: Re: Horn stopped working after steering box & front axle beam were r |
|
|
If you can't make up the gap Al's way there is also some adjustment at those flanges on both sides of the coupler.
The pinch bolts on the clamps on either side of the coupler can be loosened the column can theoretically be moved in and out.
I say theoretically because the upper flange and steering column are probably rusted together pretty good - yours don't look like they've moved in a long time.
That leaves the lower flange on the steering box and probably where the issue came from. The mechanic may not have bottomed out the lower clamp on the steering box input shaft, causing your steering wheel to be out too far.
That would be easier to fix as the parts haven't rusted together yet. You could loosen the pinch bolt on that clamp, then while pulling the coupler & column forward against the spring, snug the clamp bolt back up. _________________ 1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Poorjimmy5 Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2016 Posts: 73 Location: Long Island, New York
|
Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2019 12:08 pm Post subject: Re: Horn stopped working after steering box & front axle beam were r |
|
|
Al Capulco wrote: |
Yes, the gap is too large, that copper strip must make contact with the bottom of the steering wheel. Just loosen the 2 bolts that hold the steering column to the bottom of the dash, and pull up toward the wheel. You are just looking to get the copper strip to touch the bottom of the steering wheel. You may want to get yourself a parts book and an orange Bentley service manual, they can be very helpful. |
Ok, I loosed the 2 bolts that hold the steering column to the bottom of the dash but couldn't get it to move UNTIL I also loosed the hex bolt under the steering column (in the cluster that is attached to the steering column and houses the directional and wiper arms). Closed the gap and tightened everything up. Still no horn. Argh! What now?
Should I not have loosened the hex bolt and just kept yanking on the steering column until the gap closed? I will double check this when the weather gets better. In the meantime, I will consider the book purchases, but will the help answer specific queries like I have or will it just give me general knowledge that MAYBE if can figure out an answer from? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
obus Samba Member
Joined: March 08, 2001 Posts: 11069 Location: just off Garden State Parkway Exit 81
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Poorjimmy5 Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2016 Posts: 73 Location: Long Island, New York
|
Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2019 2:38 pm Post subject: Re: Horn stopped working after steering box & front axle beam were r |
|
|
Thank you. I will peruse when I have the stomach to look at my Thing again... |
|
Back to top |
|
|
sjbartnik Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2011 Posts: 5998 Location: Brooklyn
|
Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2019 1:00 pm Post subject: Re: Horn stopped working after steering box & front axle beam were r |
|
|
I saw that you made the jumper over the coupler, but did you also run a ground wire from the steering box to the front axle?
My apologies if this is not how it's done on Things (I was not aware that the Thing didn't have the wire down the steering column), but my Type 3 has a wire that then connects from the top of the steering box to one of the axle beam mounting bolts to make the final ground connection. _________________ 1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Poorjimmy5 Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2016 Posts: 73 Location: Long Island, New York
|
Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2019 3:19 pm Post subject: Re: Horn stopped working after steering box & front axle beam were r |
|
|
I do not know either way at the moment...but I do know that I didn't run one from the steering box to the front axle. I have not heard of one, but them again I am a novice at all this. Thank you for the suggestion either way my friend. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|