VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Horn wire in steering column

Can any one tell me how to change the wire in the steering column in a 29 international. The wire is bare where it comes through the column.

The wire is part of the mast jacket bushing which is located inside the top of the mast jacket (steering column) below the steering wheel. You will have to remove the steering wheel with a puller, and then remove the mast jacket. The mast jacket bushing inside of the mast jacket will have to be pressed out and either the wire repaired or a new mast jacket bushing and wire assembly installed. Check out your 1929 repair manual for more specific instructions.

:) :grin:

Likely your best option is to replace the mast jacket bushing which has the horn wire as part of the assembly. The rubber part of the bushing gets hard as woodpecker lips, insulation on the wire deteriorates. If you remove the bushing then reinstallation is nearly impossible. The most recent reproduction bushings have modern materials that will outlast the originals and a wire long enough to reach the horn on your '29. You can get them from the Filling Station, Bow-Tie Reproductions, Gary Wallace or me.

Thanks J Y Dog. Thanks Chipper. My manual doesn't show me how to push of pound it out. Also is the bushing made of felt or somthing like that. I tryed to push it out from the bottom but it seamed to be soft so I didn't want distroy it. Thanks again for your help

Go ahead and distroy it! I distroyed mine. You will be replacing it anyway. I just used a length of pipe longer than the columb and that fit inside the columb from the bottom, then put the top end down against a solid block of wood on the floor and beat on the end of the pipe with a sledge hammer until the stubern bushing came out. It fought me, but with enough pounding it finaly came loose. Sure hope the new one goes in better than the old one came out. Have fun and Good luck!!

Thanks Bill. I guess if that is what we have to do then lets do it. By the way have you got the new one back in yet.

I recommend that you measure the depth before removing the old bushing so you can install the new one in the same place. I use an old broom stick up against the bushing and then tap it against the floor to force the bushing out the top. If it is destroyed in the process not problem if you have a replacement. I send instruction sheet and recommend that the other suppliers also send an installation sheet with each bushing purchased. A little lubricant (soap, antifreeze, silicone) on the bushing and in the tube will help push the new bushing in place. A long socket just smaller than the id of the jacket tube works well. If you put a board on the opposite end and push the tube onto the bushing it seems to work the best.

Thanks Chipper.