Unwanted Horn Sounding

[Joe S.]

Hi Folks:

Got my 61 270HP running and solved most of the heating problem by advancing the timing. The timing marks are no where near accurate so I timed it by trial and error. Now the horn problem.

When I drive it and make a right turn the horn sounds at a particular spot in the turn. It seems the warmer the weather the more vocal the horn gets. I know that the horn button switch just grounds the horn relay so I have to assume that some where in the steering column or steering wheel hub something is grounding the circuit. I have had the steering wheel off twice and thought I had it but it came right back. Is it possible that the turn signal cancelling mechanism is causing it? All the horn parts and the turn signal switch are new. The canceling mechanism is out of an old Chevy but appears identical to what's left of the original. Has anyone out there come across this in your efforts to get one of these C-1's back on the road?

Thanks

[Richard M.]

Re: Unwanted Horn Sounding

Joe it may be the rubber surrounding the upper bearing is worn.,pull the wheel again to check. You'll have to remove the hub too.

Other possibility is the lead wire from the bearing is chafed and grounding it.

Rich

[Donald H.]

Re: Unwanted Horn Sounding

I suspect Rich is right. I had the same issue with my 1960 after restoration. The horn would honk when I made a turn. It was the upper steering column bearing (attached picture), in particular where the horn wire is soldered to the bearing housing. This area was slightly out beyond the rubber boot around the bearing and rubbing on the steering column tube.

I can't remember if I just bought another bearing or if I was able to correct the one I had on the column. But in either case, it was a reproduction part.

Don

[Joe S.]

Re: Unwanted Horn Sounding

I suspect Rich is right. I had the same issue with my 1960 after restoration. The horn would honk when I made a turn. It was the upper steering column bearing (attached picture), in particular where the horn wire is soldered to the bearing housing. This area was slightly out beyond the rubber boot around the bearing and rubbing on the steering column tube.

I can't remember if I just bought another bearing or if I was able to correct the one I had on the column. But in either case, it was a reproduction part.

Don

Thanks Don. I will definitely have a look at that. Mine is also a repro part. Funny thing is, after I had installed the repro, I found a NOS that I had had for years and decided not to change it. Perhaps a poor choice!

[Joe S.]

Re: Unwanted Horn Sounding

Thanks Guys. I solved the problem and it was the steering column bearing. I installed a repro and when I took it out and looked carefully at the underside, the inner race on the bearing has a bit of a flange that rotates with the bearing when the steering wheel is turned. At one point in the rotation it comes into contact with the brass sleeve that the wire is soldiered to thus sounding the horn. As I mentioned I had a NOS part as well which has a lot more clearance between the inner bearing race and the brass sleeve. I put that one in and the problem is solved. (Using a repro part because you forgot you had an NOS is one of the dangers of restoring a car over 4 1/2 decades) The repro part was just not well made. I don't know how many folks are actually manufacturing that part, but I got mine from Vette Products of Michigan. If you need one of those bearings, I would try someone else and have a careful look at the back before installing it. Thanks again. It is a relief not to be honking at folks for no reason. In this day and age of road rage it could get you shot!