Horn Button saga continued

[Ken7402]

Here are some pictures of my steering wheel. To re-cap, no ground so no sound. The wheel has no identifiers except "made in Italy" and "3-77". Any help on fixing the button (internally) or identifying the wheel to get a replacement is appreciated.

[72touring]

Are the points of the clip on the bottom of the button in contact with metal on the inside of hub? I had a similar problem with a Momo wheel a while back. If I remember right, I had to run a short ground wire from the metal clip to the inside of the hub. Is your horn button actually making contact internally when you press it down?

[Ken7402]

I think the problem is that there is no metal contact from the button (bottom of the plastic moving BMW emblem part) to the contacts where the springs touch the hub.

[Mike Self]

prying out the retaining spring (that holds the button in place in the steering wheel hub). This will release the innards (that horn push button assy looks like a Lucas-style button). Inside you'll find a spring, a brass cup-shaped thingy and the contact that the external terminal and wire are fastened to. When you press the plastic push button, it compresses the spring and allows the brass cup to touch the contact. If this isn't happening, there's on contact.

Did you check continuity with an ohmeter? Do that before dismantling to confirm that it's a lack of contact underneath the push button.

cheers

mike

[ingraham]

do what Mike said. Also check the braided ground strap on the rubber flex disc down at the steering box. That provides the electrical ground path from the steering column to the body.