FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

I am using the red GMH Shop Manual FE and FC Series reference page 227 steering wheel and related parts. My question is how can I connect the horn switch contact wiper behind the steering wheel on a 59 FC wagon? I see that there is an insulated hole in the base of the wheel assembly for item 5, contact and spring assembly - horn connector, and I have the contact with the spring. How do I fit these and what rides over the surface the contact surface of item 3, contact and cable assembly - horn? Which way up does the horn contact go? What holds the contact and spring in position? Also what gives the horn blowing ring the spring back effect? I feel that I might be missing a part but cannot find it on the diagram. Your assistance is appreciated.
If you don't have access to the stated manual  this might not make any sense.

The horn contact wiper is like a brush from an electric motor, but cylindrical instead of rectangular.  It has a flexible lead, a spring and a sort of cap soldered onto the lead, holding everything together.  The contact slides over the contact ring when the steering wheel is turned.  Item 15 holds the contact wiper in place.  It's a Belleville spring washer with holes in it to accommodate the various parts which hold the horn ring on.  The outside edge of the spring washer sits on the black part of the steering wheel, and so is insulated from ground.  This is the piece that has the "springiness" when you push the horn ring.  A Bakelite spacer (item 6) goes over the spring washer.  Its purpose is to stop the horn ring from being "live" electrically.  The spacer has three notches in it to accommodate the horn ring mounting spacers (16), which are also made of Bakelite.  The mounting screws (17 and 18) sandwich the horn ring between the mounting spacers and the contact spacer (6).

When you push on the horn ring, the Belleville washer (15) springs the other way, and its inside edge makes contact with the metal hub of the steering wheel, making the horn circuit.  The current flows from the battery through the horn, up the contact wire into the steering column, onto the contact ring, then to the contact wiper, the Belleville washer, the steering wheel hub, the steering shaft, through the steering shaft bearings to the steering box case, and then to ground.

Assembly goes like this (and wear a towel over your lap to catch the small parts which you will drop during these operations):

Disconnect the battery.  Put the insulator (14) into the hole in the steering wheel.  It sounds like it's already in place.  Follow it in with the contact (5), with spring and cap outermost.  Vaseline the sliding surface of the contact before installing.  Put the Belleville washer (15) in place on the steering wheel, lining the holes or cutouts up with the screw holes in the steering wheel.  Then put the Bakelite spacer (6) over the Belleville washer (15), again lining the cutouts up with the screw holes in the steering wheel.  Thread each horn contact mounting spacer (16) with a screw (17) and lockwasher (18).  Grab one spacer-screw-lockwasher set and put in place in the horn ring.  Line the horn ring up with the steering wheel and start the screw (17) into its hole in the steering wheel, but do not tighten.  Install the other two spacer-screw-lockwasher sets into the horn ring and start the screws into their holes in the steering wheel.  When all three screws 17 are in place, tighten them.  Check the operation of the horn ring to ensure that it has a positive "springy" feel.  Reconnect the battery and test the operation of the horn.  When everything's satisfactory, disconnect the battery again and install the horn button.  Reconnect battery.

Rob

Here are most of the basic components(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200618/3d0b4e21f4cb9842aafcb2571e21cfd0.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200618/00ece23f19b54a622f9b5a35ea245131.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200618/f92d8221785b8bc8143440d57fdea552.jpg)

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The top photo shows an alternative style of sweeper brush contact what have you, missing small spring that fits over inner part and inside cylinder to provide preload between the spring washer and circular fixed contact.


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also mate , make all components very clean ,really carefully clean without damaging surfaces ,to ensure a good contact when steering wheel is in any position ,I had a problem with mine a FC ,and a re clean fixed it ...Vern

Thanks everyone for your help on this. It seems that I am missing the cap for the horn contact. All I have for the contact is the T shape split pin and the spring. I need a cylindrical cap. Are these available or maybe I could make one from a piece of brass tubing. I haven't worked our how to post photos yet.

Rare Spares used to sell the horn contact, but there may be problems with suppliers.  Maybe some generous soul on the forum will take pity on you and sell you one.

Brass is not the right material to use.  The contact is most likely oiled sintered phosphor bronze.

I've wondered about using a brush from an electric motor, trimmed to size.

Rob

Hi all
Found this and need to jump in
I’ve read through this a few times and I have connected all the parts I’m not getting the contact part
Have power it all fits when I depress the horn blow ring no sound if I sort a screw driver over the steering wheel locking nut and the contact button or the horn contact switch the horns work.

I’m not seeing where I’m going wrong

Any assistance appreciated

Do you have all the small parts, in their correct order?  First part in is the horn contact.  Next comes a diaphragm spring.  It's a couple of inches in diameter and sits in a shallow recess in the black part of the steering wheel hub.  Then there's a Bakelite washer with three bites taken out of the outside, then the horn ring.  Finally, three machine screws with plastic insulators hold everything together.

When you push on the horn ring, the diaphragm spring "inverts" and makes contact with the steering wheel hub.  (The hub needs to be clean metal around the centre boss.)

If you seat the diaphragm spring in position on the steering wheel over the horn contact, and push the centre in with your thumbs, the horn should sound.

Rob

Wookie ..I had a problem with my horn , the problem was in the steering wheel itself ,if you see in the images above , the circular dished contact ring ,with the 3 large holes and 6 smaller holes , that disc sits neatly in a recess in the wheel its self , that recess is in itself an insulator , part of it had broken / decayed away over the years ,so on assembly the metal center of the wheel was in contact with that disc , so I removed the rest of that recess edge , machined up a plastic washer if you like and sat it in the recess ...bingo functional horn ...keep well Vern ..

This may help, the hardest bit to get if you've lost it is the cylindical bakelite insulator that sits in the wheel hub, although you can have one turned up in plastic


(https://i.postimg.cc/VdrJkJ9K/20210824-121111.jpg) ($2)

Hi Zulu
I have the same book and all the parts shown in the diagram the bakelight disk does it sit on top of the metal discs or under it looks like it sits on top in the diagram

Sits on top between the metal disc and horn bar.


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Without undoing mine, pretty sure its as per the image

Morning all

Ok I’m not understanding how it works
When you press down on the horn ring what metal parts touch to make the power connection

Everything is connected as per the book with power going to the horn contact button but when I depress the horn ring I hear a
click and then nothing

What am I missing all the parts are in place

The flat steel disc contacts the center metal of the steering wheel.

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I pop off the centre cap
Undo the 3 little screws and take out the 3 little Bakelite spacers
Remove the horn ring
Remove the Bakelite ring
Remove the metal disc with the holes in it
The horn contact button is exposed
Run a test light from the steering centre bolt to the horn contact button it lights up
Short the contact button to the steering centre bolt the horns sound loud and clear

Reverse this process for installation depress the horn ring a click and no sound

These little things are driving me nuts

So the trail of power is as follows
Battery to horn
Horn to connector at steering column
Wire goes up steering column to brass ring
Contact set with little spring etc rubs around the brass ring in constant contact
The contact set protrudes a mm from steering wheel and is in constant contact with circular ring
When button is pushed the ring pops in and contacts the centre of the steering wheel and horn blows.

From your description it sounds to me like the last step is not happening right, is ring damaged or corroded at all so that it is not earthing on the steering wheel centre properly, or not touching the contact properly.
As you say, if you short the contact to the wheel centre it works, so that’s all I can think of.

Here's my two cents worth.
Have you put the metal contact disc in the right way round? convex towards the driver.

If you have access to the NASCO Accelerator magazines check out Vol 14 No.2 (Mar 1957) pages 12 and 14 for details on horn adjustment and horn ring adjustment procedures. Also look at the article in Vol 16 No.9 (Oct 1959) regarding Kontak Fix lubricant.

Doug

I believe Holden switch the Earth (negative), so check where the wire a the bottom of steering is going to, should be Earthed. Power (positive) to the horn at all times, hope this helps.
Cheers
John

Horn circuit is earth switched as you say John, so if you take apart the connector at the bottom of the steering column and earth the wire, the horn will blow.

Ken

I have plenty of spare metal discs if you need one. They are flat I reckon, spring steel, and they convex against the wheel centre when pushed by the bakelite spacer.

You checked earth to the column bolt. Check to the wheel centre. May be some resistance in between causing enough voltage drop to cause a problem, specially if the points inside the horn are dirty. Make sure all contact surfaces are nice and shiny bright with some 240 grit emery paper.

These things can be temperamental. I've known them to start working with time for no apparent reason.

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Final follow up on this issue so we can lean from my mistakes

Did I mention I painted my steering wheel about a year ago and it sat on the shelf I figured it out a bit late 
Removed the paint from inside the area where the metal disc sits
That sorted the contact issue out horn now work as it should.

That was the last piece every thing the old girl works ready for rego now. Well until the next thing that stops working for no reason

Thanks to all those who offered up some ideas and trouble shooting advice
Cheers