Steering wheel problem

[Si|v3r72]

Last week I took off the steering wheel on my 240 and repainted it. All went well, or so I thought. Being the newb I am, I must have done something wrong putting it back on. I've tried several times to fix it. The problem is the horn sounds when it turns past a certain position, in both directions. Needless to say I've been driving around with the horn fuse pulled, but I don't want to drive w/o a horn. Also, it clicks terribly when I turn it and seems to get hung up on something. The spring between the wheel and the column is getting caught up in the mechanism in the column and it's actually bending. Not good.

How do I get the spring set properly, and how do I get the horn to stop sounding?

[2ManyZs]

The clicking sounds like the pins that turn off the turn signals when the wheel is turned past a certain point. They could also be part of the horn problem if they are pulled out too far and touching the horn ring or possibly the wire that goes to the ring.

As far as how it is set properly, I can't say for sure since it has been years since I messed with a stock wheel. I do know I have had the same problem in the past, and it just too a little tinkering with it to get it right. Try pulling the wheel and pushing the 2 pins back in just a little, it sounds like they are pulled out too far. This may cure the horn problem and it may not. The spring is somewhat self centering, in that I don't remember there being a certain point that it sets into the hub. You could also check that the plug where the horn wire plugs onto isn't bent out too far.

[Daniel]

As per usual I agree with 2mz's.I think the return post are an issue.Perhaps you didn't put the wheel back on like it came off.When you drive straight down the road is the steering wheel position correct?Do the signals turn off correctly?You could jack the front end to help test.That would save your arms and tires .I'm sure your neighbors would be glad you weren't honking around the block all day!! Of course some would say-Showoff gets that new toy and rides around wanting everyones attention! Daniel

[2ManyZs]

If my car looked as good as his, I for one WOULD be riding around blowing my horn and thumbing my nose at lesser cars!

BTW, those tires look good on the car.

Take the cover off the column and I think it's possible to see how far out the pins are, make sure they just stick out far enough to solidly contact the turn signal return. If they are too loose, you might try a dab of silicone on the end of the pins to hold them in place. If I remember right the ring they mount into is plastic, so if that is the case the holes may be wallowing out.

I might have an original wheel here somewhere, I'm not sure if my parts car still has the original or not, so if you need parts or a spring let me know.

[EScanlon]

The "spring" between the column and the steering wheel, are you referring to the little copper contact arm? Because that's the ONLY item that could be construed as a spring between the steering wheel and the column.

I'm thinking that when you disassembled the whole steering wheel assembly in order to get paint on all the spokes and center part of the body, you had to disassemble the center horn portion.

When you did that, you also completely disassembled the horn actuator mechanism.

The horn actuator mechanism has a big round spring that keeps it up off the contact portion of the wheel that the center nut pushes down on. Without this spring, the contact plates between the horn actuator plates would come into contact with each other. Additionally, did you check to make sure that the contact wire for the horn from the back to the front of the steering wheel did not come into contact with the other portion of the contact plates?

Let me list and paraphrase:

The steering column has only the nut and spindle to receive the steering wheel body.

The combination switch has a copper tab that sticks out and comes into contact with the back of the steering wheel. This should make firm contact in order to NOT give a warbly tone due to intermittent contact. Check the angle of the contact surface to maximize the contact.

Additionally there are a couple of steel spring pins inserted in to the back of the steering wheel which in turn de activate the turn signal mechanism.

The steering wheel assembly has a wire that goes through the steering wheel hub body that connects the back friction plate to the contact plate of the horn switch. The nylon round piece gets the contact plates mounted to it via the three screws around the ring, and the rings are separated from each other by the pressure of the spring against the little cone top hat piece and the center hub of the steering wheel. The nylon piece is what keeps the spring compressed, as well as keeping your center pad mounted on to the steering wheel.

Look this assembly over, I'm thinking that this is where you have your problem. If necessary, e-mail me and I'll see what I can do to help.

[Si|v3r72]

Ok I've come to the realization that I fubared the reinstallation of the steering wheel. I've been insisting that the large spring should go behind the wheel (between the wheel and the column). The reason I insisted so is because I swear that's where it was when I took it apart originally, but now I guess it wasn't. I had such terrible problems with it yesterday (spring was still between the wheel and column) so I took it apart again and the large spring was completely mangled. Also the horn contact arm was mangled. Keep in mind I've been driving with the horn fuse pulled so I'm not honking my horn everywhere I go. So I pulled out the mangled spring, straightened the horn contact arm as best I could with needle nose plyers, and re-assembled the wheel - and voila! It works like a charm! Still no horn tho.

I think my biggest problem at this point stems from the fact that when I bought the car the foam inside the horn pad was deteriorated to the point that the pad was falling off. So in order to keep it on, I epoxied it back on. So recently when I pulled it apart to refinish the wheel, I had to break the epoxy. So the horn pad doesn't fit onto the center of the wheel like it's supposed to, but it does stay. Anyway, I guess it's time to go looking for a new spring somewhere.

Thanks for the help guys!