Fu*king Horn and Steering Column Earth!!! Help Please

[SoundillusioN]

OK, so I am trying to get my horn wiring to work.   Eventually discovered that the steering column was not earthed.  found the problem, earth point 16 (steering column to body) was fooked.  Replaced it, did a continuity test on the rack to the body, pass... but the steering shaft, still nothing! what am I missing!? 

[richandhazel]

I'd be interested to know the fix for this Shaun.

My horn failed to work for when I was prepping mine for its MOT and it appeared to be an inadequate supply problem. Being a twin horn I found that if I disconnected one of the horns the other one would work........good enough to get it through its MOT That's how it is now so if you do find the solution; new horn maybe; do please let us know

[SoundillusioN]

I'd be interested to know the fix for this Shaun.

My horn failed to work for when I was prepping mine for its MOT and it appeared to be an inadequate supply problem. Being a twin horn I found that if I disconnected one of the horns the other one would work........good enough to get it through its MOT That's how it is now so if you do find the solution; new horn maybe; do please let us know

Hi Rich, thanks for sharing your issue as its good to know any possible causes.  However, that is definitely not the problem with mine.  If you have a look at my project or dub rides thread you'll see that I have got a pair of brand new horns fitted.  The old ones were soaked in battery acid after the bump. I have new looms for everything fitted now and all is good bar two things. Horn and Brake Fluid/Handbrake warning.

My issue is definitely the earth at the moment and it doesn't make sense.  The circuit at the horn side of things as you know is very simple, taking its earth from the hub which in turn takes it from the steering shaft.  With a multimeter on continuity I found there was no earth detected for any of this.  Under the car I found the racks earth broken, fixed it, tested under the car, all good.  Tested at the steering wheel end and still no earth. 

[rubjonny]

is the metal spring under the wheel fitted? if not i think that may be pretty much the only path to ground there is, since both bearings have plastic washers under them, and i guess the rack internals might be isolated from the rack frame by rubber seals...

[SoundillusioN]

is the metal spring under the wheel fitted? if not i think that may be pretty much the only path to ground there is, since both bearings have plastic washers under them, and i guess the rack internals might be isolated from the rack frame by rubber seals...

What the bendy copper bit that pushes against the ring of the hub, thats for live isn't it or do you mean somehitng else?

[rubjonny]

no there should be a big spring between the wheel and the column, held down with like a circlip thingy

[SoundillusioN]

no there should be a big spring between the wheel and the column, held down with like a circlip thingy

Hmmm, may need to have anther look now I have something to look for, cheers mate. IIRC correctly, all I see when the wheels is off is the top of the shaft...  I wonder if i can find a pic of what this spring looks like... I take it that this spring creates a contact on something for earth from the column then?... I tested the flat plate (where the horns live spring pin is mounted) and thit is earthed somehow.

[rubjonny]

the spring is mainly there to put tension on the column to take up any play, but thinking about it its prob the only way the column can be reliably earthed also?

kinda usefull piccy here,m though this one has the spline adaptor. on mk1 there would be a thin washer pressed onto the shaft where the bottom of the adaptor ends up to put tension on the spring

[SoundillusioN]

Cheers, behind the thread?

[rubjonny]

yeah right at the base, the big spring which is butted up against the lock housing bearing. its fully compressed in the pic, its the ridged bit