My Horn has a ghost in it!

[paraumm]

Hi, I have aproblem with my horn on my 1951 MM. It works but everytime I turn the corner it also works, so annoying after a few turns that I got out and disconnected the bloomin thing. ANy ideas?

[MoggyTech]

Does the horn sound if you simply turn the steering wheel while stationary? It's probably a fault in the horn push, or horn push wiring.

[Orkney]

You need to call these guys ....

[Welung666]

It could be the contact for the horn ring gear is bent or catching an earth as you turn the steering wheel.

[Orkney]

Could also be the springy thingy contact under the button itself not centered correctly.

[RogerRust]

I recently bought a PDF of the microfiche for Morris cars and vans.
It is full of usefull digrams like this!



Roger

[rayofleamington]

The horn should earth to the steering column shaft via the button, however if the live wire in the loom, or the conducting arm, or the slip ring, or the wire from the slip ring to the button shorts to the column the horn will sound.
These should be the only bits that are affected when you move the steering wheel, so best to look at them first.

[paraumm]

Thanks to all, I will have a go at taking it to bits and let you know.

[alainmoran]

When/if you undo the collar at the base of the steering column (so that you can get at the wiring to the back of the horn) .. be sure to completely remove the bolt since it sits in a notch on the steering rack spline ;)

Also when putting it back, tie some string round the clip bit that connects to the ring that provides the feed to the horn so that you can pull the clip out as you slide it down, and avoid bending it the wrong way like I did

[badfelafel]

I gave up on fixing my horn push, and rewired it to fit a small button on the dash.... so much easier than fixing it!!

[Orkney]

I gave up on fixing my horn push, and rewired it to fit a small button on the dash.... so much easier than fixing it!!

Thats just plain defeatistism if there is such a word

[paraumm2]

Thanks to all your replies. I finally got round to sussing it out.

The brass slip ring was worn out and cracked so every time I turned the corner it earthed.

So I registered for a metalworking and welding course at the local school.

I then purchased some copper sheeting for the contact and a length of bronze leaded gunmetal tubing.

Lathed/turned the inside of the bronze tubing to the correct inner diameter.

I then tried to force the new slip ring on but ended up fracturing the bakerlite rotor assembly. So Araldite is a great thing for repairing bakerlite, worked a treat.

After sanding down the excess glue and bakerlite I could then slip the new ring on. Soldered the wire pin onto the new slip ring.

Fashioned a new contact out of the copper sheeting - easy job!

All in all it was quite an easy job with easy access to the correct tools, otherwise it would have been a nightmare and costly for a garage to do.


Thanks again.

[mike.perry]

You beat me to it. As you have found out, the horn push is a different design to the M1000, there is no visible spring and it earths on the brass collar below the column mounting bush. Mine has not worn out yet but there is a deep groove in the collar.
Another problem that can happen is that the column mounting bush separates and slides up the column out of the housing.
Being a flat steering wheel it is easy to accidently sound the horn. You then have to look the other way in the traffic queue and pretend that it was not you.
Could you please PM me the deatails of your car for the register
Thanks
Michael