The horns on the 55 belair I just bought don't blow. In checking it out I found that putting 12 volts directly to the horns doesn't make them blow. They are both well grounded. Is the next step an adjustment?
Even if they worked the horn ring won't won't make them blow. I found one of the plastic horn parts that goes in the steering column in the glove box. What is the sequence for installation of these parts (metal disc, plastic disc with 3 big holes in it, and a thinner plastic ring with 3 lumps of plastic that is held in place with 3 screws).
This car is a very high point show car, but all the things that don't work are things that don't matter on the show field. Surprisingly, the AM radio works!
Thanks for your help,
Had a similar problem on a formerly owned '55. The Shop Manual was a huge help in sorting out that and other problems. I found contact parts badly worn or missing and once replaced a working horn. As I recall there is is a section in the manual showing the parts installation sequence.
Thanks 37blue
I checked the manual. Unfortunately it doesn't show the sequence. I've done this on a 55 before, but don't remember sequence. The metal disc has to go first to make contact with horn wire. I remember breaking one of the plastic rings before. Would a manual from another year tell us?
What is the web address for manuals on line?
just search old chevy manuals.
Quite often the horn circuit is different to most other circuits in that the connection sequence is battery + to fuse to horn to button on the wheel to ground. To test with a 2 wire horn disconnect the wires and find which wire has constant power, connect it to its terminal and short the other to ground, if the horn frightens the daylights out of you check the switch wire at the button.
Tony
Thanks Tony. I'll get my nerve up and try it.
Sid
When I removed the horn ring I found I could ground the horn connection in the steering wheel, and honk the horn. I then noticed the entire inside the top of the steering wheel was painted body color. When I scraped the paint off, and put the metal disc in, I could honk it by touching the metal disc, which grounded it on the steering wheel. I still need to figure out the 2 plastic rings. One fits into the topside of the horn ring, and the other goes under the horn ring when the horn ring is attached with 3 screws to the steering wheel. In think one of the plastic rings must be the wrong part, because the horn ring won't move when screWed to the wheel.
The metal "disc" is slightly cone shaped the edges are the low part and ground on the steering wheel. The platic disc goes on next. It flatens the metal disc when the horn ring is depressed grounding the center. The horn ring goes over the first plastic disc and the ring the scrwes go thru comes next.This keeps every thing in place and some tension on the horn ring. Screws are tightened down till every thing is reasonably tight.....then the horn should work
When I examined the parts I noticed that the ring the screws go in had been modified. The 3 towers had been shortened. I then ordered a kit that had all the parts in it, and I received it yesterday. It was made by Danchuck. It showed the sequence for installation in the instructions, so I put it all in the correct order and began to gently to screw in the 3 screws, and the new plastic disc broke into 3 pieces. I then replaced the broken plastic disc with the old one, and the new metal disc with the old one, because its 3 holes were a little larger, allowing more room for the towers on the upper disc to slip through more easily. Everything went together nicely, and the horn now honks by depressing the horn ring! Thanks for all the help guys.
I was re-reading this post and realized I hadn't given Gene proper credit. He had the correct sequence that the pieces go in. Thanks Gene.
You are welcome.
If the plastic parts were of incorrect size, etc. it is because various sizes that looked almost the same were used for different years and models.
