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

[b_body_hopeful]

73 RR- I have been chasing a horn problem and I finally think I know what is happening but don"t know how to go about fixing it. I installed a new ignition key lock in the column cause the old one was original and was half falling out. Connected all wires after installing column back into car. went to blow horn and horn made beep beep sound. Started car and lost horn beep beep. Turned car off, took steering wheel off, with key in igition touched steering wheel column to horn connection and beep beep, Turned key to on position and touched steering wheel column to horn connection and NO beep beep. Tested every connection and wire from horn all the way thru horn relay ( which is good ) up to horn connection that rolls around under steering wheel grounding ring. I am loosing the ground on the steering column center rod when I turn the key to on position. Questions - how am I loosing the ground from the center post of the column? This is the grounding used for the horn switch when activated, yes? Does the key switch have anything to do with the grounding of the circuit for the horn after it is turned to the on position?

I am soooo confused now, I had to ask the experts.
Please straighten me out.:blob1:

 

[WP29440SE]

don't know if this would help, but there is supposed to be a ground wire from the column to the dash frame. it is where the column bolts to the dash/brake pedal housing

 

[69Bee]

Check that, and also don't rule out the actual horn switch ring. I have had them go bad from being dirty inside. Touch the wire that connects to the horn ring to the column shaft, and if it works fine, the ring is bad.

 

[b_body_hopeful]

There was no ground wire so I installed one but with no results. I need to understand where the steering shaft gets grounded?
That is what my horn switch is connected to through the steering wheel metal. I have tested everything and that is where I am loosing my connection to a ground, through the shaft that is not grounded. Am I missing how the horn circuit works?

 

[moparmarks]

Here is the column ground wire.

 

[b_body_hopeful]

I have installed the ground strap and it only grounds the steering column case not the steering shaft. What grounds the inner steering shaft? I loose the ground to the shaft that the steering wheel attaches to when I unlock the column with the key to start the car. The locking mechanism when locked is what is grounding the shaft to the outer case and with that ground, my horn beeps.
When I unlock the steering wheel, I loose the ground, the horn does not beep.

I must be missing something really easy and I feel so stupid. Power to ground....easy right.

 

[bandit]

Not sure if your horn is supposed to have power at all times(vs key-on only) but sounds to me like you have relay wired backwards. Instead of giving you power to the horn when key is turned on, power is turned off when key is on.

 

[b_body_hopeful]

Can someone post a picture of an exploded view of a 73 RR steering column?
I have the manual but there needs to be a better layout out there somewhere.
I want to make sure when I take my column out and apart that I have something to bounce what I have to what was originally put together. I would sure appreciate it.

 

[b_body_hopeful]

So after reading section 19 of the FM 40,000 times I found this little blurb....ONE LINE 6 words................
Under Bearing HousingAssembly on pg 19 – 48.
(1) Install the ignition key lamp assembly in the bearing housing.
(2) Place rubber insulator with ground staple,over column upper bearing and install assembly into bearing housing bore. Use asoap solution or rubber lubricant to ease installation.
(3) etc……


well I have no idea if there was a ground staple nor do I know where to purchase one of these....so I made my own ground staples and installed them into the rubber insulator and that's where the ground for the steering shaft comes from to operate the horn. WORKS GREAT. No pictures, but works for me.

 

[Badvert65]

Does your car have that large (thick) rubber puck between the column and the steering box shaft?

If so, there is a wire spring thingie that connects the column to the lower shaft (and to the steering box to ground). I would send pictures but it will take me a while to get them.

 

[Kernel Sanders]

OMG! You just answered a question I had in my mind for awhile now.... My question was "Why the hell is there a staple in the rubber bearing isolator!" I didnt even think about grounding!!!!! Thank you for posting that tidbit! I just thought a price tag may have been attached or some stupid reason. lol

 

[rolling18]

may have solved my problem too!! (horn sounds, but not from the steering wheel)
thanks!

 

[idrivemopar]

Do you have on the column shifter or floor shifter? Just curious, I don't remember that part when I rebuilt my column, but it may have been something that was not fully removed when I restored my column, but the horn on mine works just fine.

 

[b_body_hopeful]

I have a 4 on the floor HURST pistol floor shift. I totally rebuilt this column from the horn switch buttons to the steering box connection. Also, I rebuilt my 70 cuda column with an automatic floor shift and it did not have the ground staple. Go figure....