Horn Issues on 68 charger!

[Mikes68Charger]

I’ve got a ’68 Charger and I’m having trouble with the horn. It used to work fine, but over time it started getting intermittent — sometimes the horn wouldn’t activate when pressing the center ring. I figured it might be the relay, so I replaced it, but that didn’t solve the issue.

Here’s what I’ve tested so far:

With a test light grounded to the body, I pulled the horn ring and touched the light to the metal plate under the horn switch (the one the horn ring makes contact with). When I do that, the horn sounds.

Based on that, I replaced the horn switch with another used one, but the problem is still there — no horn when pressing the ring.

At this point, I’m wondering if I just happened to get two bad horn switches, or if the issue could be in the turn signal mechanism or somewhere deeper in the column.

Has anyone run into something similar or have suggestions on what to check next?

Any help is appreciated thx you.

 

[pnora]

The steering shaft is losing its ground. There is a metal staple looking clip the fits in the upper bearing rubber isolator that grounds the bearing to the hub.

 

[WileE]

That is a very serious, unrepairable symptom, and my best advice to you is to sell that car to me very cheaply. Since that, as noted in another thread, is my dream car, gifting it to me would not be out of the question either !

 

[Mikes68Charger]

The steering shaft is losing its ground. There is a metal staple looking clip the fits in the upper bearing rubber isolator that grounds the bearing to the hub.

Do you happen to have a diagram picture of where it’s located? Sorry I am not as familiar with where it would be? Do I need to take apart the entire column?

 

[pnora]

Do you happen to have a diagram picture of where it’s located? Sorry I am not as familiar with where it would be? Do I need to take apart the entire column?

Read--------------------loosing ground through the steering wheel column???????

 

[Mikes68Charger]

Read--------------------loosing ground through the steering wheel column???????

Thing is my car isn’t doing what that link is where the key is on or off the horn doesn’t work regardless

 

[pnora]

Thing is my car isn’t doing what that link is where the key is on or off the horn doesn’t work regardless

Horn works all the time regardless of the key being on or off. Simple test with it together. Take a jumper that has a good ground and touch it to the center steering shaft by the nut and hold it there while depressing the horn switch. Let us know what happens.

 

[Coelacanth]

I'll throw this in because you never know. I installed a pair of nice-looking Prestoline horns in my '70 Charger several years ago but never had a battery to test them because the car hasn't been started in 13 years. Anyway, I got a battery installed and was doing electrical testing after restoring and installing my instrument panel. When I tested the horns, only one seemed to work. I swapped them on each of the connectors and the good horn worked on both, and the funky one only made a dismal fart sound for half a second, on either connector...so it wasn't a bad ground or circuit. The horn also had something small rattling around inside when I shook it.

My buddy who was a mechanic for several years back in the day told me to whack it with a hammer, said one of his horns did the same thing. I gave it a few solid whacks, not believing something so simple might work, reconnected it...and it indeed worked again!

Your issue seems to have something to do with the steering wheel horn ring contacts, so the above may not apply.

 

[Mikes68Charger]

Horn works all the time regardless of the key being on or off. Simple test with it together. Take a jumper that has a good ground and touch it to the center steering shaft by the nut and hold it there while depressing the horn switch. Let us know what happens.

So went ahead and took a ground and touched the center shaft and depressed the middle ring and the horn went off so does this mean that that center seal with the staple is the culprit? I followed exactly what you said and the horn went off, which is great however, when I take my test light in my and ground off and press the horn the car does not honk still.

 

[pnora]

So went ahead and took a ground and touched the center shaft and depressed the middle ring and the horn went off so does this mean that that center seal with the staple is the culprit? I followed exactly what you said and the horn went off, which is great however, when I take my test light in my and ground off and press the horn the car does not honk still.

Yes the the upper bearing isolator shown in the bottom of the link I posted is out of place or missing.

 

[Mikes68Charger]

Yes the the upper bearing isolator shown in the bottom of the link I posted is out of place or missing.

Gotcha okay does this piece usually wear out? The horn used to work

 

[pnora]

Gotcha okay does this piece usually wear out? The horn used to work

No it does not wear out. Inner shaft can get a ground through the coupler to box. But it can be erratic. Your ground in the rubber isolator bushing may of been lost if the column was apart. Most people do not even know they are there.

 

[Mikes68Charger]

No it does not wear out. Inner shaft can get a ground through the coupler to box. But it can be erratic. Your ground in the rubber isolator bushing may of been lost if the column was apart. Most people do not even know they are there.

That part of the column hasn’t been apart to my knowledge and again the horn used to work it was just recently it now doesn’t work

 

[pnora]

That part of the column hasn’t been apart to my knowledge and again the horn used to work it was just recently it now doesn’t work

Time to fix it.