Horn Rod Reassembly in Column
 

Took the horn rod out of the column and now I am having trouble getting it all back together to get the light switch back on. How does it go?

Re: Horn Rod Reassembly in Column
 

Horn rod all the way through. There are "anti-vibration" thingies (soft rubber) in a couple of places - these are best fed in as you put the rod down. (check that they came out with the rod.)

With rod in place, use a thin piece of pine slat and bend it under the wheel edges and above the horn/light switch. This to keep it "down" in the steering column - as you work at the other end you invariably will push the light switch rod up - this prevents this.

Next on at the bottom is a spring.

Next is the two pronged "spyder" which has a square hole to match the rod.

Next is the c-clip "keeper" which engages a "slot" of sort made into the end of the rod.

Then the upper light switch body. The switch is best assembled to the light switch rod as a "unit" with lower and upper body halves together and the switch plate/harness pinned in between.

And the "bale" (bail?) holds it all in place.

Pix below. This pix shows the "tube type seal" which offers yet another place for the switch rod to get hung up while you're putting it down the center of the steering column.

https://www.ecklers.com/assets/eam/i...4-26544-A1.jpg

Re: Horn Rod Reassembly in Column
 

Check that the C-clip fits properly before you put in the spring and spider. It's a pain to fight the spring and then find out that the C-clip doesn't fit right.

Re: Horn Rod Reassembly in Column
 

My rod had a weird threaded plug behind the spring which may have been why I was having trouble with reassembly as It doesn't belong.

Re: Horn Rod Reassembly in Column
 

Don't forget the small brass bushing at the very top of the steering shaft .

Re: Horn Rod Reassembly in Column
 

Mine doesn't have ANY of the rattlers of the bushing which is probably why it rattles and maybe why the horn goes off unexpectedly.

Re: Horn Rod Reassembly in Column
 

I do not think its applies to the persons problem, but for the general knowledge of those reading about horn rod problems there was one supplier of newly made wiring looms who wound the exterior covering of the bundle of wires in the loom too far up toward the bakelite plate that goes inside the switch housing. The result was the spring loaded horn wire connector could not be depressed. It caused short circuits and non functions. The solution was very simple, just take a razor blade and cut the exterior wrap of the wire bundle back an inch or two.

Re: Horn Rod Reassembly in Column
 

My bail slipped off the bottom of the switch and it partially fell off. I noticed the tail light was staying on. I went to look and saw it was loose. I now have the switch at top of wheel where off is to the left one notch. Once I had it where hi and low were to the left. How do I start at zero to know where everything needs to be????

Re: Horn Rod Reassembly in Column
 

Update: Replaced parts in the column and added the upper bushing now so everything is nice and tight with no rattling. Furthermore, I was missing this part on the horn, could that have caused my horn blowing problems?
https://www.brattons.com/horn-adjust...rated-cup.html

Re: Horn Rod Reassembly in Column
 

Um. That part establishes the "ground" between the horn body and the headlight bar. (The serrations "dig" into the paint and establish metal to metal contact - plus preventing relative motion of the horn)

Horn body grounded is not part of the electrical equation of the horn. The blue/yellow supply wire feeding the horn is very carefully insulated and the yellow wire coming from the horn to the steering column equally as insulated. The horn blows when you push the button grounding the yellow wire and completing the circuit.

SOMETHING connected to that yellow wire is causing the problem.

More likely and as Barnstuf was indicating, your horn/light switch problems were more likely caused by quality issues connected with the parts.

Joe K