Steering Rack Earth

Hello All,

Little twist to the usual horn not working properly..

Horn worked fine, dual horn. Get to the mot check list, horn goes mute and lots of clicking … Horn goes after 4/5/6 presses. Unplug one horn, all good… A horn on press

To note I've a momo boss/hub setup. I couldn't get it to work intially, so I added a ground wire to the nut/spline and assume earthed it that way? As my horn button had two spade provisions

I replaced my 'rack with a meyle replacement, forgot about the earth wire, as you do. On inspection there is a depression for where the screw would go, but no threaded hole for said screw.

I would assume you don't need my bodge earth wire normally and instead you'd earth the rack/column properly (I don't understand where it earth's to currently??)

Is there another place/ way to earth the column/rack other than the default place? As it looked pretty damn tight in there, and certainly not enough room for screwdrivers and taps!

As said it works for now, with 1/2 horns, but I'd rather have both and understand where it's earthing to!

Cheers,
Adam

The horn is permanent live and switched earth via the steering wheel and Column down to the rack.
Using  the body as the earth set up.
The twin horn set up depending on year and car varies up to 1990 cabs only had one power feed to the horns.
This splits of to each horn.
Over time the wire goes higher resistance do not enough current gets through to power both horns.
Disconnecting one allows enough current to power the other.
So you can take turn unplugging one at a time testing that at least both horns work.
On later cabs they ran 2 wires to each one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

chortle said

The horn is permanent live and switched earth via the steering wheel and Column down to the rack.
Using  the body as the earth set up.
The twin horn set up depending on year and car varies up to 1990 cabs only had one power feed to the horns.
This splits of to each horn.
Over time the wire goes higher resistance do not enough current gets through to power both horns.
Disconnecting one allows enough current to power the other.
So you can take turn unplugging one at a time testing that at least both horns work.
On later cabs they ran 2 wires to each one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for the the explanation Chortle, makes sense to a bit of it for me.

It's an '83 tintop, it has the single wire, then split live and earth's to the horns. Both work fine in isolation, and on occasion … If both connected, and you keep pressing/hold, at the same time.

Only way to get a constant, or on demand as it were is to have one hooked up, so makes sense with the upped resistance

I was just unsure with my setup where the column is earthing out, since I dont have the rack earth, only my bodge to connect the horn button.. and if it was worth fixing… If it works at the moment

Cheers,
Adam

The ring it’s connected to often the wire rots off.
The earth runs through the horn pad to the horn ring under the wheel that runs against a tab on the stalk assembly which earths it through the column.
To continue the earth there the brown short wire from rack to bulk head,
Often it’s dirt on all the contacting areas that stop the flow,
Worth popping wheel off and checking and cleaning anyway.
I had no wipers but a quick clean up of all the contacts I was golden.
Have you pulled the relay for the horn and cleaned the prongs?
Worth cleaning everything mate.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mine was exactly the same, clean wires up etc worked most of time and would decide not to during MOT(!) so ran with just one horn for a few years. Permanent fix was to replace both horns with new. Think they seize internally being exposed to damp and wet all the time.

adi3390 said

chortle said

The horn is permanent live and switched earth via the steering wheel and Column down to the rack.
Using  the body as the earth set up.
The twin horn set up depending on year and car varies up to 1990 cabs only had one power feed to the horns.
This splits of to each horn.
Over time the wire goes higher resistance do not enough current gets through to power both horns.
Disconnecting one allows enough current to power the other.
So you can take turn unplugging one at a time testing that at least both horns work.
On later cabs they ran 2 wires to each one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for the the explanation Chortle, makes sense to a bit of it for me.

It's an '83 tintop, it has the single wire, then split live and earth's to the horns. Both work fine in isolation, and on occasion … If both connected, and you keep pressing/hold, at the same time.

Only way to get a constant, or on demand as it were is to have one hooked up, so makes sense with the upped resistance

I was just unsure with my setup where the column is earthing out, since I dont have the rack earth, only my bodge to connect the horn button.. and if it was worth fixing… If it works at the moment

Cheers,
Adam

Sorry yes, all connected up as per factory

All clean and making contact, and some new horns

No earth for the rack as it's a replacement jobbie from meyle so there's no threaded hole for the screw.

Horns working with one connected .. but I've no idea where the column is earthing to, since none on the rack

Is there just the one place you can earth the column? I.e. on the rack … And anyone have any suggestions where mines earthing to!?

Cheers,
Adam.

On the top of the racks gear box there are usually screws or bolts that hold the upper cover on.  Loosen one of those and place it there.  



You can also remove one of the clams on the rack and push a stripped wire in to the space between the rack and the bushing, I would use a small flat blade screw-driver to scratch the metal first.  

Briano1234 said

On the top of the racks gear box there are usually screws or bolts that hold the upper cover on.  Loosen one of those and place it there.  

You can also remove one of the clams on the rack and push a stripped wire in to the space between the rack and the bushing, I would use a small flat blade screw-driver to scratch the metal first.  

Cheers for confirming Brian, was hoping that would be the case. Fiddly, but do-able!

Cheers,
Adam.