Author Topic: Short in horn circuit  (Read 1630 times)

Offline RedKing7

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Short in horn circuit
« on: October 21, 2017 - 07:20:29 PM »
My car is a 72 Challenger Rallye.

I recently pulled the steering wheel and crush can off in the process of diagnosing an ignition problem.

Now trying to get it all back together, I've run into another problem.  As you can see from the attached photo, this is what the steering column looks like just before I put the crush can on.  The problem is that when the crush can goes on, the horn ring at the base of the crush can shorts out on the exposed metal connectors on the turn signal and 4-way switches.

It really appears that I'm missing a cover or something that insulates the horn ring from the other switch pieces shown in the figure.  However, I don't remember taking anything else off at the time and I don't have extra pieces lying around.

Has anyone else encountered this problem?  What have I got wrong here?

Thanks.




Offline GoodysGotaCuda

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Re: Short in horn circuit
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2017 - 09:07:31 PM »
The bottom of your crush can should just have a copper ring on the bottom that only touches that roller in the top right of your picture. Is something else touching?
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Offline RedKing7

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Re: Short in horn circuit
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2017 - 10:13:27 PM »
Yes.  The copper ring touches the exposed metal circuit parts.

Offline GoodysGotaCuda

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Re: Short in horn circuit
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2017 - 01:48:34 AM »


As long as the crush can only touches what's in the red circle, it's fine. The horn button makes the ground circuit for the horn to operate it.


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Build Page: Goody's 'Cuda Build Page
1976 Dodge Warlock
1972 Barracuda - 5.7 Hemi + T56 Magnum

Wheel & Tire Specs:Link

Offline 73440

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Re: Short in horn circuit
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2017 - 08:32:17 AM »
Sounds like either the copper ring or the wiring is not at the correct height and touching. Is sometning bent or not tightened fully ?
Or there are bare spots on the wires.
I had a extra length of wire stuffed behind a bike battery that wore a hole in the insulation that would touch metal and short out , took a few times pushing the bike before finding that problem.
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Offline RedKing7

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Re: Short in horn circuit
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2017 - 01:24:21 PM »
Where the horn ring appears to be touching is the exposed metal on the plastic parts.

So, can someone confirm that there is suppose to be no cover over the plastic that contains the wire connection joints?

Offline 1 Wild R/T

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Re: Short in horn circuit
« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2017 - 03:20:05 PM »
There is no cover, the plastic edge should be considerably higher that the electrical connections... The roller Mike (Goodysgottacuda) circled should be the only thing touching....  If something else is touching either the copper ring is out of position or the steering shaft is displaced... Is the snap ring in it's groove on the steering shaft?
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Offline RedKing7

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Re: Short in horn circuit
« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2017 - 05:58:55 PM »
Actually, on the right where the 4-way circuitry is, the wire connections are higher than the plastic edges around it.

I will re-seat the copper ring and snap ring to see it that works.

Offline RedKing7

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Re: Short in horn circuit
« Reply #8 on: October 29, 2017 - 03:52:34 PM »
Just wanted to update this.

I re-seated the horn ring and tightened everything really well.  Same problem.  Circuit shorts out and the horn sounds.

Must be a misalignment somewhere, but not sure where.