Horn contact steering wheel

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   We have a 71 AMC Javelin SST with the rubber horn contact ring on the inside of the steering wheel.  It has shorted out.  A couple of questions?
Can it be removed and repaired, and reinstalled?
Does anyone carry replacement parts?
I will have more questions as I restore this care.
John

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JFelten Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Fan Joined: Apr/22/2015 Location: Colorado Status: Offline Points: 9	Post Options Post Reply Quote JFelten Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Horn contact steering wheel Posted: Apr/23/2015 at 7:46am
	We have a 71 AMC Javelin SST with the rubber horn contact ring on the inside of the steering wheel. It has shorted out. A couple of questions? Can it be removed and repaired, and reinstalled? Does anyone carry replacement parts? I will have more questions as I restore this care. John

304-dude Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Sep/29/2008 Location: Central Illinoi Status: Offline Points: 9082	Post Options Post Reply Quote 304-dude Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr/23/2015 at 9:04am
	That's odd... Mine is plastic. I am not using mine, as I have converted to racing removable hub. Let's see here, is it the wee springy thing that touches the backside of the steering canceling cam? I can remove it and wire from my column.
	71 Javelin SST body 390 69 crank, 70 block & heads NASCAR SB2 rods & pistons 78 Jeep TH400 w/ 2.76 Low 50/50 Ford-AMC Suspension 79 F150 rear & 8.8 axles Ford Racing 3.25 gears & 9" /w Detroit locker

JFelten Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Fan Joined: Apr/22/2015 Location: Colorado Status: Offline Points: 9	Post Options Post Reply Quote JFelten Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr/23/2015 at 9:49am
	To better describe it the contact rubber is about 1/4" wide and runs around the inside circumference of the steering wheel. underneath the are two strip copper (I think) rings, one inside and one outside. one is ground and the other is hot. pressing the rubber at any point forces the rings to contact and the horn to sound. somewhere around the wheel the rings are making contact and shorted. I am afraid to pull them out and do damage which cannot be corrected. I need some help before I proceed. thanks John

304-dude Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Sep/29/2008 Location: Central Illinoi Status: Offline Points: 9082	Post Options Post Reply Quote 304-dude Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr/23/2015 at 10:33am
	This may sound odd, but it may be worth a try... I would attempt to rebuild the rubber using silicone caulk. First taking match book cover or similar material and make a bunch of L shaped cut outs to place in between the two contacts. Be sure to make them thick enough to be close to the thickness of the gap. Have them in 1/4 space increments apart or if needed shim between low ares to even out. Once in place, rebuild the damaged rubber ring with silicone using a tooth pick or narrow nozzle. You can cut out small pieces of tape to line areas you may feel need protected from drizzle. Take your time as there is no hurry. If done well enough you will not need to remove or replace the damaged compoment. To me it is worth a try, as it looks like replacement is your only option if it cannot be repaired. One thing I did with many small rubber parts that have worn through time. Is I made wax molds an used silicone to copy them. In some cases taped cut aluminum can material and formed them to shapes similar to what was too damaged to form around. Once I had a finished copy, I would trim with a hobby knife for proper fitment. There are seals that work as well... Rebuild kits for faucets, seals around automotive head light bulbs, and 1/4 rubber form a gasket to be cut and formed around channels. To me something that small and specialized can be not so difficult as one may think.
	71 Javelin SST body 390 69 crank, 70 block & heads NASCAR SB2 rods & pistons 78 Jeep TH400 w/ 2.76 Low 50/50 Ford-AMC Suspension 79 F150 rear & 8.8 axles Ford Racing 3.25 gears & 9" /w Detroit locker

fasttony Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jan/09/2011 Location: US Status: Offline Points: 1188	Post Options Post Reply Quote fasttony Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr/23/2015 at 4:35pm
	That sounds like a rim blow steering wheel does it look like the one pictured? If it is I doubt you can fix the one you have easily they tend to crumble when taken apart. The wheel can be sent out to a specialty steering wheel repair shop see therimblowbuddy.com but they are pricey $500 - $600 starting range. There are Ford switches that fit but they are about 1-1/2" short and a filler might be needed. Tony

Azuqui Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Fan Joined: Feb/26/2015 Location: Cape Coral, FL. Status: Offline Points: 15	Post Options Post Reply Quote Azuqui Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr/23/2015 at 9:46pm
	Funny, you guys are talking about this. I just took my steering wheel off, in order to change the ignition cylinder as I'm rekeying the whole car. When I put in back together my horn stays on all the time. I have 74 Javelin AMX with the three spoke steering wheel with the big rubber black button with the AMC logo inside. is there a small spring that keeps button from touching the ring?

uncljohn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/03/2013 Location: Peoria AZ Status: Offline Points: 5394	Post Options Post Reply Quote uncljohn Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr/23/2015 at 10:11pm
	That "Rim Blow" rubber ring I understand is in reproduction some where. People have used a Ford part similar to the AMC piece but I believe there are two versions, one is too short and the other is too long. I guess I do not know at the present time what is available. Mine went bad many years ago and I was able to purchase a replacement from what remained of an AMC dealer in the town I lived in at the time. I'd start by contacting our parts vendors to see what they have if anything. That is the function of our vendors. The older ones that have been around for a while are the better bet. But that is where I would start.
	70 390 5spd Donohue 74 Hornet In restoration 76 Hornet, 5.7L Mercury Marine Power 80 Fuel Injected I6 Spirit 74 232 I-6, 4bbl, 270HL Isky Cam

JFelten Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Fan Joined: Apr/22/2015 Location: Colorado Status: Offline Points: 9	Post Options Post Reply Quote JFelten Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr/24/2015 at 12:38pm
	Thanks for the feedback. Mine is a "rim blow" as pictured. I will be checking w/ parts vendors as I work on other parts of the car. The car only has 44K miles on it and has set for a lot of years. I will be working on the front end. A lot of the rubber pieces and seals are cracked and need to be replaced. I am not sure about ball joints, tie rod ends a-frame bushings ................ Are those parts available? John

White70JavelinSST Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Aug/08/2012 Location: Minnesota Status: Offline Points: 4867	Post Options Post Reply Quote White70JavelinSST Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr/29/2015 at 2:38pm
	John, are you sure it's the rim blow switch and not the connections going through the steering wheel center into the column? Remove the wheel and test continuity across the connectors for the rim blow switch, that will tell you if it's shorted out completely. I had the horn go off once and the only way I could silence it was disconnect. It seems to me that something inside the column was the problem then. Although I did get a new rim blow switch too, as it was brittle. Armand
	70 Javelin SST, second owner, purchased 1972

JFelten Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Fan Joined: Apr/22/2015 Location: Colorado Status: Offline Points: 9	Post Options Post Reply Quote JFelten Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Apr/30/2015 at 7:46am
	thanks, I wil outheck it out. Right now I am pulling the motor. I think I have a spun bearings. John