Astrodokk

Whenever I take off hard or make tight hard turns, the horn honks. This happens because when I step on it, the torque forces me back into the seat, and I try to remain stabilized by holding onto the wheel real tight, it seems to tilt somewhat and something shorts in there. It honked so much at the last autocross that I was somewhat embarrassed, but spectators thought I was doing it on purpose. I've since disconnected the horns but I hate having to reconnect for regular driving, then disconnect for racing.
What could be causing this? It happened again last week when I took off from Ron's house. I attempted to peel out, and got a honk instead so I let off. Ron probably thought I was honking goodbye!

Frankie the Fink

I had this problem on my '66 Mustang but only when backing up...the horn would honk and all the lights would dim...weird. I'm gonna suggest you ****** the steering wheel off and start looking around; its clearly a shorted wire or mechanically the horn is being switched on by something misaligned.

Something as minor as your steering wheel not being properly torqued down can allow things to distort as you nail the gas and pull on the wheel. Next thing you know - HONK!

MasterDave

Mine was the same. Rag joint issue. I went to my rag joint and made sure the steering column was pulled as far towards the front of the car as possible. Just loosen the pinch bolts and slide the serrated section to accomplish this. Never honked accidently since. If this doesn't cure yours you may need a new rag.

Ron Miller

I think you've got too much play between the upper and lower column bearings. Loosen the steering shaft at the rag joint such that the column can move freely there, then while someone is holding the steering wheel firmly down against the upper bearing, slide the preload spring and clamp at the lower bearing until it's almost fully compressed. There should be a slight clearance between the coils of the spring, but I don't remember the specification. Not much, but you can look it up.

Once the lower clamp has been tightened, be sure to tighten the clamp at the lower rag joint. I think that'll cure your problem.

KC John

I had this problem, but had a different reason for it happening. The brass ring on the top bearing in the column has 3 tabs that hold it in place. One of the tabs came loose and it was slightly elevated off the surface. I glued it back in place and it solved my problem.

I know what you mean when you say it was embarrassing. People looked at me like I was crazy.

ehjr02

Sounds like a feature to me. With that much torque, it'd probably be too hard to reach all the way forward to push the horn button when you've got the pedal down.

64tux

had the same thing happening on my 64. under the hood on the steering saft theres a spring that holds the lower steering bearing up. push it up tighter to the bearing and retighten. it'll keep the steering wheel from pulling out tward you and keep from shorting. worked for me!!

lovevettes

Worked for me on my '64 also!

Ron Miller

Sometimes tightening the clamp at the lower column is all that it takes. But, when it doesn't, you often need to loosen the rag joint connection in order to let the shaft move and insure that it's fully seated at the upper bearing as stated in my previous post. And again, I've found that it also helps to have someone hold inward on the steering wheel and shaft to be sure the upper bearing is fully seated when compressing and tightening the lower spring that loads the lower bearing.

Whatever works for you . . . . . .

JohnZ

The horn works by grounding a coil in the horn relay, which then closes contacts that connect 12 volts to the horns. The wire to that coil in the horn relay is a 20-ga. black, in the curved harmonica connector under the steering column.

That wire (in the turn signal switch) connects to the flat brass ring on top of the switch. Then the bottom end of the spring-loaded horn contact/brush in the cancelling cam rides on the brass ring, and the top end of the contact/brush piece contacts the "leg" on the bottom of the horn contact assembly that screws to the steering wheel hub. When you push on the horn button, the wave washer in the horn contact assembly deflects, and completes the circuit from the brass ring on the switch to the steering wheel hub, which provides ground through the steering shaft and rag joint to the frame, and the horn blows.

Whatever is causing the momentary ground (which blows the horn) is between the turn signal switch and the horn button.

Ron Miller

That's definitely what's causing the horn to blow, temporarily grounding out the circuit normally only grounded out when you depress the horn button. Excessive "slop" or play at the upper bearing will allow the horn circuit to ground, I've seen cars that you've been able to blow the horn by pulling the steering wheel to the side. I'm not sure where it's being grounded in these instances, but removing the excess play at the upper bearing is a cure.

Kensmith

Carlos,

I also had this problem. I replaced the lower and upper bearings and made sure the spring was pushed up tight for the lower bearing.

http://www.zip-corvette.com/GroupDetails/SubGroupResults.aspx?gid={9aa8fe57-5d3e-4cf1-80b1-359b56d4d087}&SearchType=_GROUP_SEARCH&G roupName=63-66+Steering+Column&

turbocat

Carlos, I too had this problem. I removed the wire to the horn relay and the honking stopped!

Astrodokk

Sounds like a feature to me. With that much torque, it'd probably be too hard to reach all the way forward to push the horn button when you've got the pedal down.

Ha ha, very funny! But that's exactly how it felt, so I had to hold on to something for dear life, and that was the steering wheel!

Carlos, I too had this problem. I removed the wire to the horn relay and the honking stopped!


Ha ha, very funny also! Actually, I did that for awhile!

I was at Ron's garage today and I asked him to pull on the steering wheel, and lo and behold, I saw the column pull out of the rag joint housing!!!
The pinch bolt was very tight, yet allowed the shaft to pull out, so I added a couple of lock washers and that fixed the problem! Since the bolt was only threaded half way, it wasn't compressing the column, just tightening on itself. I've been driving like that since I got the car!!!

lovevettes

When I first bought my '64 the pinch bolt was NOT on the flat of the shaft, this is a must for correct tightness. The curvature of the splines prevent this.
I guess the spokes of the steering wheel was not right inside the car and whoever wanted it to be correct didnt know that it must be on that flat and took the easy way to correct the alignment of the steering wheel. [Instead of the pulling the steering wheel]
BTW I have gone to car shows and looked at other C-2's and have noticed the flat in the wrong position, tried to explain this to the owner and they were not mechanically inclined and the explaination ,I think ,was futile.
If the small spines get play in them and start to wear, and strip, there is a possibility the ability to steer the car will disappear.
If my car had the bolt in the location and if I have seen others in the wrong location ,I wonder how many others there are across the USA and Canada?
Just in case check yours out.

JohnZ

The flat on the input shaft at 12 o'clock with the gear centered didn't start until 1969; prior to that, the shaft just had a full circumferential groove at the bolt location.

Ron Miller

John, I think he's referring to the flat on the steering wheel shaft, and I think you're referring to the input shaft on the steering gear box.

The steering wheel shaft has a flat to allow the column to be adjusted in/out to some degree. But, I'm not sure how you'd get the clamp bolt in the clamp if the flat is misaligned too much! Not running without a clamp bolt, I hope!!!

lovevettes

Nope
Mine has a flat on the bottom of the center steering column long solid shaft that goes all the way up to the steering wheel. The flat is where it goes into the rag joint cast coupling.[the end towards the steering wheel] I guess you misunderstood my description of where it is.
Ed

redred65cpe

I did this, too! On my maiden voyage after doing a bunch of work to the car, which included raising the body and having to disconnect the steering column, the horn would sound when I turned right. People waved, I just waved back. I popped the ring off accidentally when moving the column and when I put it back on one of the tabs wasn't quite right.

larry

Roger Quintero

All right gang, I have the same honking problem on my 61, since I rebuilt the column. I took the entire horn assemble off the column and just had the worm gear shaft sticking out of upper rubber ring with the brass collar, with the black ground wire. Horn still honks when when turning the shaft. The only thing I think it could be is the ground wire attached the to collar. Does that sound right? I dont understand how a rag joint comes into the picture?
Thanks