Horn Earth

[s28ven]

I think I know the answer although is seems very unlikely so wanting to check your thoughts.

I have the wire in place bridging the joint between rack and column and have continuity between the chassis and both ends of the wire although not through the column.

I have cleaned the knuckle back to clean metal and have continuity here although not in the column.

The only thing I can think of is that there is so much grime between the column and the knuckle that it is not contacting. Am I just being daft and missing something obvious?

Thanks, Steven

[ericbushby]

I agree, I think you know the answer.
The column has to be earthed. If it is a fibre joint at the steering rack then it needs a link across it. If it a metal universal joint then it may not be necessary, but it does no harm to fit a link wire across the joint to be sure of a connection. Somewhere in that area you have a fault. A continuity meter or even just a battery and lamp method should locate it.
Eric in Burnley
S3SE Type 45

[s28ven]

I have the bridging wire in place and have an earth at both ends and in the knuckle of the joint although not in the column itself.

I’ve connected a jump lead from the chassis to a clean bit of metal at the bottom of the column (above the UJ) and the horn works.

I’ve stripped the lower part of the column out and am going to need heat to get the knuckle off the column before cleaning up to splines and hopefully get continuity then

[mbell]

Have you got the rack to rack mount wire in place?

This grounds the rack, which then can find the column....

[s28ven]

That’s what I’m saying I have an earth on the rack and into the column side of the UJ but it’s simply not conducting between the top of the uj and the column.

[nmauduit]

I thought from your initial post that you indeed had the wire that establishes ground connection between the bottom and the top of the column, but just in case you may want to check out the "wire bridge" on this photo from the forum (unless you have an all metal Ujoint) :



https://lotuselan.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=26549

In any case one needs to get the ground up to the pencil contact inside the steering wheel horn button to get it to work, so it is a matter of following the ground up from the chassis to find out where a wire is cut or missing.

[s28ven]

I have marked up the attached picture showing where I have an earth (red mark) and where I don’t (blue mark) I have cleaned the column to bare metal but it isn’t earthed.

I’ve got the uj and the column separated today so will clean up each site and prove continuity before re-fitting.

[The Veg]

With that same type of joint mine wasn't earthing even though the wire bridge was present. Close inspection revealed that the joint was assembled improperly which prevented the bolts from making the needed contact. I switched to the U-joint type and now all is well.

[alan.barker]

Put another Wire from bridge pinch bolt to Inner Column. Connect end of Wire to Inner Column with a Hose Clip
Alan

[pharriso]

When I bought my car there was an odd torsion spring with 2 legs:

2020-02-13 09_51_23-torsion spring - Google Search.jpg (16.85 KiB) Viewed 2955 times

It was attached to the chassis with the free leg rubbing against the steering column.

I had no idea what it did, until I removed it & the first time I tried to use the horn!

[alan.barker]

On my +2 just under the steering wheel there was a sliding ring made from copper wire around the inner steer column shaft. Like a slip ring with an earth wire soldered to it to earth the Horn. It was as we say a "heath robinson" lash up but it worked
Alan