A weird question about horns??

[hashmaker]

The horn on the 68 Charger is intermittent at best. I have found the steering shaft must be the "ground" source for when you honk the horn if you turn the steering wheel it makes a better contact somewhere and the horn goes off. I can do the same test with a test light. If you ground the horn wire to anything but the steering shaft the horn sounds great, so the question is where does the steering shaft get its ground? There must be a bad connection at that point, is it the upper bearing thru the metal column or is it off the frame thru the steering gear box, thru the coupler and up the shaft? FYI,The copper/brass ring under the steering wheel is new.

 

[Demonic]

So it's the switch or the column ground. It should not be the shaft. The top bearing is in a rubber sleeve, the bottom is in a plastic bushing. Conducting current through a bearing will eventually damage it, although it may take decades in this particular example. Do you have the short wire installed that grounds the column?

 

[hashmaker]

I agree with the bearing not being a long term way to do it. It does seem like that is where the only ground is coming from. There is a short wire with two eyelets on it going from one of the four short bolts that support the column to one of the studs that also supports that same bracket on the column. If you touch the horn wire to any part of the outer column the horn works.

 

[Demonic]

Right, that's the column ground wire. Maybe too much paint on the bolts or dash frame there? I had to swap the horn switch in my Charger, similar issue.

 

[vintage chromoly]

There is a staple through the upper column bearing rubber bushing that completes the ground from the steering wheel ring / shaft to the column housing.
I'd pull the steering wheel, clean the horn ground ring contact and check that the staple is in place and making contact between the bearing and the column housing.

 

[Demonic]

Interesting. I think I've seen that. I'll look at my spares....

Got a pic?