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 Confusing Problems with my 56 Dodge's Horn Slip Ring Contact SwitchJump to page : 1 Now viewing page 1 [50 messages per page] | View previous thread :: View next thread |
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56D500boy |
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Expert 5K+ Posts: 9905     Location: Lower Mainland BC | . For some time now, I have had intermittent horn problems. Sometime, it works (moving the horn ring), sometimes it doesn't. Making me crazy. But not enough actually do something about it (car still runs and stops fine, why do I need a horn?) Well sometimes, you need to toot the @holes that get to close to back the F*k away. For example.  Anyway, I was ignoring it until my signal lights started not self-cancelling - that is annoying. So I pulled the steering wheel to fix the signal light issue (turns out the self-cancelling ring fell off (!!??) the back of the steering wheel. More on that in a separate post. So while I had things exposed I started to disassemble the signal switch stuff further, testing the horn as I went (ignition on during the tests). Mostly grounding the spring loaded horn slip ring contact to the steering column (ground). Seemed fine. But the wire from the slip ring to the larger horn switch seem dodgy (no-pun intended). Enough that I cut away the old cloth covered wire and installed (soldered in) a new piece of 14 gauge stranded brown vinyl wire, complete with new bullet connector. That done (and the cancelling ring better attached to the steering wheel) (it holds the slip ring on to the steering wheel), I started to reassemble, testing the horn as I went. Horn did not work, grounding the slip ring wire to the steering column failed. Pull of the steering wheel (again).  Checked the 1604 921 contact switch (again). Grounding to the side of the switch (beside the rolling wheel contact) *ALWAYS* got a "Beep". HOWEVER, grounding to the rolling copper wheel was a bit hit or miss. Sometimes it worked, sometimes not.  Good news/bad news. At least I know the problem location. However, I do NOT understand why. The copper wheel is solid and it is pinned to the larger part of the contact switch by some kind of metal "axle". So why would the contact work sometimes and not others?? Should either fail or work, not be randomly intermittent (at least in my mind). I might try some electrical contact cleaner (maybe there is some crud on the wheel's axle/pin that is preventing current flow to ground). OR??? New switches are out there but they are not cheap. PREVIOUS Investigations: http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=75319&... Pertinent photos: Edited by 56D500boy 2023-08-22 8:34 PM | ||
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| Powerflite |
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Expert 5K+ Posts: 9672  Location: So. Cal | |||
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| 56D500boy |
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Expert 5K+ Posts: 9905 Location: Lower Mainland BC | . Thanks for the thoughts Nathan but this roller switch is failing as shown in the photo, facing me, not contact plate involved, just a patch probe cable between the copper roller and ground (the steering column). Touch the metal beside the roller and I get a beep for sure. Touch the roller, I might get a beep, or I might not. Something is wrong electrically between the roller, the pin and metal "frame" of the spring loaded switch. Confusing. | ||
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| Powerflite |
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Expert 5K+ Posts: 9672 Location: So. Cal | |||
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| 22mafeja |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 655 Location: Finland | |||
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| 56D500boy |
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Expert 5K+ Posts: 9905 Location: Lower Mainland BC | . Thanks for the suggestions. I sprayed the contact wheel with electrical contact cleaner and worked the wheel (pressing down on it and rotating it) a bunch of times (like six complete goes). Seems to have worked. Now when I test the connection from the roller switch to ground (to complete the horn relay circuit), it works when I just barely touch the tip of my grounding test wire probe to the rotating wheel. (Yippee!) I was going along fine, putting things back together when I broke the copper internal tooth star washer that was helping to keep the cancellation spring mechanism in place. I am going to try a small C-clip but I think I will be off to Lowes to buy a new star washer tomorrow. The one that I broke was very fragile. I was surprised that it didn't break when I removed it. Oh well. Progress.  | ||
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| 56D500boy |
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Expert 5K+ Posts: 9905 Location: Lower Mainland BC | 56D500boy - 2023-08-23 4:26 PM I was going along fine, putting things back together when I broke the copper internal tooth star washer that was helping to keep the cancellation spring mechanism in place. I am going to try a small C-clip but I think I will be off to Lowes to buy a new star washer tomorrow. The C-clip that I had on hand apparently was about the right size. It clicked right in there and seemed to want to stay. I will look for a small (#10??) internal tooth star lock washer but not on a panic basis. Going back to the slip ring contact, cleaning and exercising it with electrical contact cleaner seems to have worked. I now have consistent horn action. Yes, that means I am "horny" Edited by 56D500boy 2023-08-24 1:27 PM (56DodgeSignalCancellationSliderAndHornSlipRingContact_CclipOnCancellationSliderSpring.jpg) (56DodgeSignalCancellationSliderAndHornSlipRingContact_CclipOnCancellationSliderSpring_CclipDetail.jpg) Attachments ----------------  56DodgeSignalCancellationSliderAndHornSlipRingContact_CclipOnCancellationSliderSpring.jpg (147KB - 50 downloads) 56DodgeSignalCancellationSliderAndHornSlipRingContact_CclipOnCancellationSliderSpring_CclipDetail.jpg (148KB - 50 downloads) | ||
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| Powerflite |
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Expert 5K+ Posts: 9672 Location: So. Cal | |||
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