Community Forums

lascar · 09-24-2010, 01:53 PM

We went thru all this back in June or July, I checked a lot of things but never did get the horn working. Now inspection is due and I need to get it fixed.
I down loaded and printed Workhorse wiring diagrams, found the sheet on horn wiring. I know all the fuses are ok and the relay works. The horn will honk by shorting across two pins in the relay socket. The wire from the horn button thru a slip ring or brush, to the relay does not have continuity.
I've been trying to remove the steering wheel, so far it won't budge.
Do I have to remove the steering wheel to access the brush, or is there another way??

Thanks in advance for all your help.

DriVer · 09-24-2010, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lascar

I've been trying to remove the steering wheel, so far it won't budge. Do I have to remove the steering wheel to access the brush, or is there another way?? Thanks in advance for all your help.

My steering wheel was off a long time ago and if I remeber correctly, there's a spring loaded horn disk is under the wheel. I had to change the wire from the small rubber wheel I had to the larger 2 spoke steering wheel I have now.

You will need a puller and the wheel comes off easily. It will only go back on one-way by the way!

lascar · 09-24-2010, 03:23 PM

On my motorhome the switch is built in to the horn button. There is a wire running from the horn button down thru the steering wheel and then to the relay under the dash.
I coudn't find a puller that would work, none of them had long enough bolts. I made a puller by drilling out the body of an old steering wheel puller, welding a 5/8-11 nut to it, grinding a 5/8 bolt to a point and attaching that to the steering wheel with two 1/4-20 cap screws 6 inches long. But so far I haven't been able to get the wheel off.

ccook129 · 09-24-2010, 06:35 PM

I just went to local autoparts store and got one,you pay deposit use, it take it back, get deposit back,no charge for use.

DriVer · 09-24-2010, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccook129

I just went to local autoparts store and got one,you pay deposit use, it take it back, get deposit back,no charge for use.

I did the same thing for a fuel pressure gauge. Ran my AMEX for $180.00 and when I returned the kit I got a refund. Thanks Autozone!

lascar · 09-25-2010, 09:11 AM

I got a steering wheel puller from checker, with a $60.00 deoosit, but it had no bolts long enough, or the right thread, to work on the Workhorse wheel. That is why I made my own.

JCM · 09-25-2010, 09:26 AM

If all else fails. Put a push button on the dash and bypass the stearing wheel. Like the "old" cars.

DriVer · 09-26-2010, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lascar

I got a steering wheel puller from checker, with a $60.00 deoosit, but it had no bolts long enough, or the right thread, to work on the Workhorse wheel. That is why I made my own.

Have you visited Ron The Bus Nut to see if he has a puller? They sell steering wheels for Workhorse with a generic horn button. There's nothing unusual about the WCC steering wheel if you have a good puller kit.

lascar · 09-26-2010, 02:56 PM

The steering wheel finally came off, with my puller, but I don't seem to be any closer to making the horn honk. I do not have continuity from the horn contact on the steering column and the relay terminal. I haven't even found a wire that runs from the horn contact to the relay. I haven't removed the relay/circuit board panel yet, but I did remove part of the plastic around the steering column, cant get the rest of it off until I go buy some Torx internal sockets. I may have to have AAA come and tow the motorhome away before I'm thru.
Thanks for all your suggestions!

DriVer · 09-26-2010, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lascar

Thanks for all your suggestions!

All one needs to do is ground that slip ring and the horn should sound. Understand that we did establish that the horn did sound when manually activated ??? So there is a good ground at the horn.

Full-Timers · 09-26-2010, 09:09 PM

This might help.

lascar · 09-27-2010, 09:22 AM

Thanks, I appreciate your help,both of you.
I don't get continuity from the slip ring to relay terminal 86.
I also am having difficulty finding anything grounded on the steering column. I will check that further using a jumper connected to the battery.
I'm headed off to buy some torx sockets to remove the front half of the plastic on the column, to get better access to the slip ring.

Full-Timers · 09-27-2010, 11:38 AM

It looks like there is a connector between the slip ring and the relay. C200. You might locate that and see what you got there. It could just be a pin in the connector that is pushed back. At least you can check continuity there and see which direction the problem lies.

lascar · 09-28-2010, 09:09 AM

I finally was able to remove the 4" dia. steel plate that was below the steering wheel. it was held in place by a wire lock ring. The slip ring was under that plate and has a conductor ring on both sides. The top side was contacted by the steering wheel, and the bottom side by a spring loaded contact that is part of the turn signal switch. I still don't have condutivity between that contact and the relay terminal. I going to remove the turn signal switch and unplug the connector, then check again for a connection to the horn relay.