This is great tech for anybody who keeps their stock steering wheel, uses anything but the stock steering box, and still wants to use the horn button/ring on their stock wheel. OK, say your steering wheel/column is integrated with the steering box. (Like most pre 60's vehicles) Now say that you want to keep your way cool stock wheel and column, BUT, you plan on using something other than the the stock steering box, i.e. using a u-joint to connect to a vega box, rack and pinion, new front clip, etc... This creates a dilema. The stock horn made use of a ground wire that went down the middle of the steering shaft, and right through the stock steering box. What to do??? Well, turns out Willys had it figured out for the 1941-1949 Jeeps. They used a brass bushing that mounted to the steering shaft, and a wiring contact that rides on the bushing and mounts to the column.
The Jeep part numbers are A302, and A302B. A google search on "willys horn A302" provides numerous sources for the parts... www.willysjeepparts.com www.kaiserwillys.com www.walcks4wd.com The brush is about 15 bucks and the bushing is another 5. Here's my situation.. I want to use my stock 49 Ford Sedan wheel and column, but I clipped the car with a GM subframe. So, here goes... First, drill the column where you want to install the horn contact. I chose just behind on the column support, on the passenger side.
I positioned the bushing toward one side of where the contact would run, allowing room for soldering the contact wire to the bushing.
Then I drilled a hole in the steering shaft just forward of the bushing, and routed the horn wire thru the shaft and new hole.
This step is critical. The wire must be soldered to the bushing with a STRONG connection. This means the brass must be VERY hot to make the correct bond. NOTE: It may be easier to solder the wire to the bushing BEFORE it is epoxied to the shaft.
Great tech! I am going to use this on my Model A. I was afraid I was going to have to use a push button... No more. Thanks! Sam
Rich, great tech. Gonna use that idea (eventually) BTW, I saved this to a MSWord doc, then a pdf so I'll have it on the 'puter. With your approval, Rich, I can send it on to other HAMBers via PM Gatz
Looks like the bushing is plastic in the center, so it would be insulated from the shaft even without the epoxy.
Good write up! If I may, I'll add a couple points of potential screw ups that I managed to find. The shaft on my 56 vicky is a smaller diameter than the bushing and there is not much clearance inside the column. To keep it centered, I suggest inserting about 3 equally spaced brads into the epoxy between shaft and bushing so it doesnt become a "cam". I also got the bright idea (dont know why) to make a disconnect in the wire next to the bushing. I drilled the hole in the shaft a couple inches from the bushing and put shrink tubing over connection. Like I said, there is not much clearance inside the column and this set-up rubbed. It also didnt allow for the rivets to hold the brush on the column. So my "tip of the day " is to do it like Rodster says. Also check your shaft in a lathe to make sure its not bent - another possible cause for the cam effect
WOW, this is AWESOME. Thanks so very much. I have the parts on order and will be doing this in my wagon with the Borgenson box. Also, I believe that a 1.5 ID x 1.75 ID exhaust reducer will couple the stock outer column tube to the top or the Borgenson box. Haven't got that far as yet.
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