Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Attached photo shows the components from the rear of a Sprint steering wheel.

When I got the car, there was a flick switch wired up to operate the horn, which I don't want to use. So, I'm trying to assemble said item and get the horn push to work correctly.

Fitted at the back of the wheel boss, I notice that the brass 'brush' or spring loaded contact 'finger' is broken off the wheel mounting hub centre, this I assume, 'rubs' or makes sliding contact on the slip ring that's fixed in the top of the steering column.

Question #1:-

Is it possible to obtain replacement parts to repair this, as it looks like the brass contact fixed to the black plastic part may be able to be removed from the boss ?

Are they available ?

Otherwise, any ideas please ?

Whilst on a roll,

Question # 2:-

Can anybody confirm which horn push is the correct one for my Jan ' 72 UK Sprint from the two pictures attached ?

Not sure which one to use - both in excellent condition.

Any replies appreciated,
Regards,

Phil.

Phil

I've got the same problem with my Europa steering wheel where the brass finger has snapped, I'm not too sure on the spares front but the Springalex boss kits come up on Feebay quite often not necessarily for the Correct spline but you could remove the contact part from them, reference the correct centre I'm pretty sure it's the textured centre for a Sprint the ribbed one was fitted to a Europa Soecials and +2's but I'm sure a Sprint owner will be along to confirm this. If you want to sell the ribbed centre I would be interested as I need one for my Europa.

Cheers

Jerry

jerryh wrote:Phil

reference the correct centre I'm pretty sure it's the textured centre for a Sprint the ribbed one was fitted to a Europa Soecials and +2's but I'm sure a Sprint owner will be along to confirm this. ...

Pretty sure that's correct as well!

I had the same problem and ended up buying an original Springalex kit for a different car and used the bent arm element only
It seemed to me that the Springalex castings are all the same and the diference is the splines and the horn connection. Some of the ads on fleabay show the front and back of the kits and by deduction, I worked out what I needed and took a punt.
The bent arm on the plastic isolator fitted perfectly.
Wasn't cheap but solved a problem
Hope this helps
Gavin

Phillip
What you need is often called a " horn push pencil" they are from a Triumph Spitfire. There's a topic here that explains it nicely lotus-electrical-f38/horn-push-brush-wiring-t21220.html

Alan,

Thanks for the reply.

There were a couple of types of wheel fitted to the Sprint apparently?

I believe I have the later one, which uses the brass slip ring for the horn push contact.

I think it was the earlier type of wheel, with the smaller Dia. / Taller aluminium boss, that employs the Horn Pencil.

Luckily, I have both wheels (spoilt for choice!) - but have decided to go for the one with larger Dia. plastic boss and slip ring connector.

The other wheel will decorate the garage wall, methinks?

Although, conversely - it appears the one I've chosen, tends to sound the horn at random, when you grab loads of steering wheel turn, ( the slip ring makes contact inadvertently!)

So I may swap over, to try the Pencil type connection, it may be a little more efficient ??
Any thoughts on the choice ?

Regards,
Phil.

Sorry Phil,
I read your post but didn't look at the pictures properly, you are quite correct of course that it's a different system to the one I was thinking about. I have the pencil type system on both my cars and it seems very reliable, I don't have experience of the slip ring type so can't comment on that.