how to repair beetle horn wiring?

type3lover in the garage...

796 posts · joined Feb 2005 · 2 Sep 2006, 2:24 pm

#529384

Hi,

I'm working on a 68 Beetle and trying to get the horn working as it did from the factory - that is, with the horn ring instead of the pushbutton that someone has put in.

The article http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/wired/wired_12_00/wired_12_00.htm is not much help unfortunately. I can't see any plastic bush or connection for the horn wire to go.

I have a wire running down the centre of the column and attaching to the steering box. I assume this should be ground?

I also have a brown wire which when earthed to the body it makes the horn work. I assume that this is the hot wire from the horn. This is currently connected to the push button with the other side to earth.

If I touch the two wires mentioned with ignition on the horn works. That's great, but where is the brown wire supposed to go?

I am also fitting an aftermarket steering wheel in the process but the owner really wants the horn button back where it should be - on the steering wheel!

There are no slip rings etc, but I think this applies to later models.

Please help - I have been pulling my hair out all morning and there's not much left! :cussing

Cheers, T :thumb

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Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 2 Sep 2006, 4:00 pm

#529407

hey T

most aftermarket wheels come with a horn button with 2 pins on it
in VWs theres a + straight from the fusebox to the horn
(usually shared with the brake lights)
and then the earth runs from the horn to the horn ring on the steering wheel then when u press it it goes to earth
u just need to make sure that the contact strip on the steering wheel boss and the indicator switch are there and in good nick

hth
-Joel

type3lover in the garage...

796 posts · joined Feb 2005 · 2 Sep 2006, 6:04 pm

#529439

Thanks Joel,
I don't know if there is something missing or not but it just doesn't make sense...

Does the steering wheel and inner column always have 12v from the horn to them?
As I understand it the horn has 12v from the fusebox all the time, and to make it work the return wire needs to touch ground. This is done when the horn ring is pressed and voila!
So, how do I get the return wire from the horn to contact the button on the steering wheel (steering boss button).???
That wire appears to be available (outside the column but inside the car) but I don't know how to get the juice from that wire to the horn button!?!?

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Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 2 Sep 2006, 6:59 pm

#529461

the earth wire from the horn goes to the steering column and connects to this little contact on the indicator switch

which makes contact with this ring on the steering wheel

and from there the horn button just conects it to earth
which is the wire running down the steering shaft to the steering box

hope this clears it up a bit

-Joel

pod i`ve got to finish this thing one day

4,980 posts · joined Dec 2003 · 2 Sep 2006, 9:21 pm

#529525

on a 68 the wire that goes up the middle of the steer shaft is live and the horn button on standard wheel has nylon bushes on it to keep it from earthing out .original horn ring has a brass ring around under it to make the earth contact, will get some pics soon😎

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pod i`ve got to finish this thing one day

4,980 posts · joined Dec 2003 · 2 Sep 2006, 9:44 pm

#529533

heres how the original horn ring looks
front-- wire goes here

back --brass ring and nylon bushes

for a sports wheel you would put the live wire to one side of the button and the other to earth

[ Edited on 2-9-06 by pod ]

meetings 1st sunday of the month
check wbsite for location
All Welcome
http://www.flatfour.org/
and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FlatFour

type3lover in the garage...

796 posts · joined Feb 2005 · 3 Sep 2006, 1:40 pm

#529733

Thanks heaps for the pics and replies!
There were several different designs and wiring methods over the years as I understand it.
This steering column (the outer part) bolts directly to the dash so is earthed, which means that to complete the horn circuit the wire running up the column must be hot as Pod suggested.

If the above is correct then I need to know how to get juice from the return wire on the horn to the wire running up the column.

There is no brass ring present and no "scraper" on the indicator assembly. That means the wire would connect directly to the wheel and twist with it. That seems wrong and would fail eventually I'd reckon.

So far this has been a very humbling experience!!

I have attached a pic showing the brown wire that when earthed to the body makes the horn sound.

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68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 3 Sep 2006, 3:07 pm

#529754

Hi,
Yes, the brown wire should go up the centre of the steering shaft..
Its terminated at the rubber buffer by being plugged onto a connector on the rubber buffer...
a wire from the horn to the other side of the buffer then goes to the horn...
Originally that is...

My wire goes to a late model large collapsable steering wheel as on 1303 beetles and type 3s..
the wire has a female connector on it an just plugs on..

the old steering wheel has the horn Bar and copper ring etc and the wire goes under the screw..
as shown by someone...

I also have a Hella push button under the dash for air horns, but the wires got mislabelled somewhere, and now pressing the Steering wheel gets the air horns and the under dash push button is the VW horn...
Ats amazing how soon You get used to pressing the button under the dash...

Lee

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 3 Sep 2006, 9:15 pm

#529914

if the contact on the indicator switch is missing then theres not much u can do till u get that replaced as theres no way of getting the conection through to the steering wheel

its a common thing to break
alot of my old column assemblies have lost this
steering wheel has probably turned on it 1000s of times over the years

-Joel