The-Plethora Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 Getting most bits sorted now pre MOT this week. The aftermarket steering wheel that came with the car has never been something I have liked and always wanted to go back to a standard wheel with cruise control and airbag which the car initially had or a comfier aftermarket one. Anyway, in the short term it has to pass it's MOT and no horn = a bit fat fail. I have taken the centre cap off so far and can see no connections to anything. I would take the rest of the allen bolts out and remove the wheel but some are in a little tight so ideally don't want to take them out until I have a new wheel to swap it with as one of them has rounded slightly. Lifting the cowling I can see a red wire with a spade connector that fits into the horn switch button but couldnt see another after digging around. How does the second wire connect (if there is one) does it simply connect to the wheel housing to close the connection? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Blyth Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 The steering wheel is grounded to your chassis. The little metal clip at the right hand side of your switch touches the steering wheel and provides a ground for the switch. The wire is connected to one of the terminals. On one of the terminals, the horn will sound continuously after being inserted into the steering wheel, you want the wire on the other terminal. You can test the wire and everything downstream by touching the metal contact against the metal part of the steering wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monsween Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 I imagine that the centre one would be the +ve from looking at that picture EDIT: Infact thinking again it'd be the other way around lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The-Plethora Posted October 23, 2010 Author Share Posted October 23, 2010 Still battling with this one The red wire came loose so I had to remove the steering wheel and cowling to solder it back on. Even with it back in place I am getting no sound with the horn button in place and the red spade wire connected to either connector. I had someone else check this over and thy think possibly the steering wheel may be missing a bit as it all seems to sit on this plastic ring which obviously has no connectivity. I have tried the horn directly only the horn and that works just fine. The MOT is on Friday so this is an urgent one, if I dont have any luck sorting this then what is the best way of hard wiring this button to the battery and horn? (cable wise where do I wire it). Cheers for the help Starting to wish I bought a mini edit: That white connector hanging down, is that what would have gone to the original wheels airbag? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The-Plethora Posted October 28, 2010 Author Share Posted October 28, 2010 I could use some help on this one, I have run out of ideas I am certain there is a bit missing. I managed to get hold of a stock wheel today and I am very happy to be rid of the cheapest nastiest steering wheel that ever was but still no horn. MOT is tomorrow and the car is going to fail on this I have even tried to cobble something together by wiring it straight to the battery but that wont work as the wires have to flex when you are turning the wheel (tried on the old skanky button wheel). Assuming the centre spindle is the negative then the + from the battery has to get in there somehow but all I have is shown in the pics below, none of the bits off the skanky wheel are compatable with this one. I think at the very least it seems to be missing a circular metal disk with wire attatched to make the connection which can then hopefully be made when you turn the wheel. Does anyone have any advice or know the bits it is missing? All I have managed to find is a PDF on the horn circuity but that doesnt really help me. Really has brought my piss to a boil this one, I have spent hours and hours on the car fixing and replacing bits and hundreds of pounds and knowing it's going to fail on the horn when I have just got a stock wheel is very frustrating! Thanks as always Dave Inside of the wheel, everything looks ok here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Blyth Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 I've just been out to take some pictures of mine. Compared to yours, you seem to be missing the slip ring which allows electrical connections to the rotating shaft. Here's some pictures of mine: For what it's worth, I don't think there is any MOT requirement to have the horn button on the centre of the steering wheel. You should be able to have a button elsewhere (it may need to be labelled) to control the horn. If you want to keep the button on the steering wheel for the test, you could just use a long piece of wire between the button and the harness to allow the steering wheel to move lock to lock as a temporary measure. I certainly would not recommend leaving it like that but it may suffice for the time it takes to get a slip ring. HTH Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 A switch that grounds the horn wire anywhere within reach is fine. Ideally one that you press and it springs back on its own, but not vital. My Skyline goes through its test with a squeezy bottle of water under the seat, on a hose to the washer jets as the washer pump, and the horn is on a toggle switch on the centre console. Both are totally legal. Some cars actually had the OE horn on a foot switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 (edited) Dave, What r yer dikin bout at ? It's one wire to earth. Pic shows the wire, where it comes from and goes to. If that doesn't work, just check the fuse. Simples Failing that, I will take it off your hands for a fiver. Edited October 28, 2010 by David P (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The-Plethora Posted October 28, 2010 Author Share Posted October 28, 2010 Cheers Andy thats above and beyond. I presume you have an aftermarket wheel? Looking at this slip ring though I reckon I am missing more bits because I cannot see what it would connect with to pass the connection. The wire to connect your horn, is that the stock one and you have just switched it over? Your second picture down also looks like it has a connector that I dont recognise Is there any logical reason someone would have removed this ring? If it fails I can drive it till Sunday, maybe I will drop Keron a line and see if he can grab me a bunch of bits and hopefully I can sort it. Andy if you have your wheel off at the moment can I drop you a nudge for a few more pics if thats cool to see how it fits together? would be a big help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The-Plethora Posted October 28, 2010 Author Share Posted October 28, 2010 Fuse is cool Dave, do you think I just need to get that slip ring and the connector you show in your post? The ring presumably moved with the wheel. Even if I can 'fashion' something before monday I am wondering what bit on the main static bit it connect to to ground the circuit. The dogey coiling lots of wire method wasnt going to work first time I went round a right corner the wires snapped heh. Got to say though I am loving the stock wheel, so much easier to drive with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 (edited) Aaaaaah I see ! You haven't got the whirlygoround. Yes, you definitely need that to connect the column loom to the wheel. Then it's 'plug and play'. Edited October 28, 2010 by David P (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Blyth Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 I presume you have an aftermarket wheel? Yep it's aftermarket; it came with the car when I bought it. Looking at this slip ring though I reckon I am missing more bits because I cannot see what it would connect with to pass the connection. The wire to connect your horn, is that the stock one and you have just switched it over? Here is a picture from the EPC showing the bits in the area: The small black wire at the front of the slip ring seems to be stock, it certainly looks like the one that David2009 has. I'm not sure if it's a part of the wheel or included with the slip ring. I guess it doesn't really matter if you get the bits from a breaker. The cable coming from the bottom (fixed part) of the slip ring is actually a part of the slip ring. There's a connector a couple of inches upstream that connects into one of the main harnesses. I suspect it mates with the white connector hanging down on your picture in post #4. Does that connector have a wire that's blue with a red stripe? I think that would be the horn wire. Andy if you have your wheel off at the moment can I drop you a nudge for a few more pics if thats cool to see how it fits together? would be a big help. I took it off just for the photos. Just let me know if you need any more, it only takes a couple of minutes to take the wheel and the cowling off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethr Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 (edited) The horn switch doesn't have to be on the steering wheel. For the MOT, you could use a "momentary" (on only when pressed) push button or toggle switch mounted anywhere in easy reach. http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4s01000601.htm Edited October 28, 2010 by garethr (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted October 29, 2010 Share Posted October 29, 2010 The horn switch doesn't have to be on the steering wheel. For the MOT, you could use a "momentary" (on only when pressed) push button or toggle switch mounted anywhere in easy reach. http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4s01000601.htm Or as in post #7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The-Plethora Posted October 29, 2010 Author Share Posted October 29, 2010 I have put a post in the wanted section but if anyone knows where I can get hold of these bits on the weekend please let me know. The car is at the MOT place now anyway, complete with blue tacked on number plate. I will let you know how hard it fails Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethr Posted October 29, 2010 Share Posted October 29, 2010 Or as in post #7 Exactly as in post #7 (although I did use the word "momentary" for extra points ). It must have been lost amongst the pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Posted October 29, 2010 Share Posted October 29, 2010 Keron will have one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The-Plethora Posted October 29, 2010 Author Share Posted October 29, 2010 Yup, off there tomorrow morning Dave...could be a long day. It was MOT day today and well... Lets just say Keron will be able to buy all the Jelly babies and sherbert flying saucers he wants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 Is it UP and blasting yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The-Plethora Posted October 30, 2010 Author Share Posted October 30, 2010 (edited) set off at 8am and back at 3, the bits are sat next to me ready to be fitted. I will have a go in a sec after this filthy bloke at the side of the road in a van style bacon roll gets finished I got the whole assembly (indicators and such) so should be plug and play, had to get a non airbag one though as the connectors differ. I will give you a parp if all works well. Edited October 30, 2010 by The-Plethora (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The-Plethora Posted October 30, 2010 Author Share Posted October 30, 2010 paaarp I do however wish to pluck every individual pubic hair of the individual who designed that loom connector! what a sod. Cheers Dave and Andy for the pics and many thanks to Keron for finding me the right bits, an epic battle ends! Until tommorrow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 (edited) That's a 'limp' one Why not treat your horn to one of these Edited October 30, 2010 by David P (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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