I had this stuff apart on my 57 earlier this summer up in the steering
wheel. The horn button pries off. Then there is a 3/4" nut and washer
that holds the steering wheel on the steering column. Under this, there is
a disk inside that forms the switch for the horn, I have no idea how it
works, but mine was OK. Then there's a brush assembly that goes from under
this switch to the end of the steering column. From the end it sort of
looks like a rifle cartridge. It should pull right out and there should be
a plastic collar, a wire, spring, and brush on the end of it. New ones are
available from Chevy Duty and others.
There is a group of wires that enters the column just under the mount under
the dash. The 20 ga tan one is the one that fires the horn relay. If this
wire is grounded, the horn realy should fire and the horn should sound.
This wire is attached to the outside of outer column, which is isolated
from the rest of the chassis. This goes through the horn switch in the
steering wheel and is grounded through the steering shaft inside the
column.
On the horn relay, the H terminal should be hooked to the horn, the B
terminal should be hooked to a 12 v+ source that comes from the battery.
This could draw up to 10-12 amps, so should be fused accordingly. The S
terminal should go to the horn switch. If this is grounded, the relay
should fire and the horn should sound.
Except for the horn button, which is interchangable 57-59, the parts inside
the steering wheel are interchangable from 55-2 through 59, and probably on
most other GM cars of the era too.
Good Luck
Bruce Kettunen
57 3200
Mt. Iron, MN
>Mike-
>
>I had to replace the horn contact in my truck, because after 50 years of
>honking, it just wore out. Got one from one of the vendors for just a few
>bucks. Assuming that the '59 is similar to my '50, when you pry the cap off
>the horn, you will find a bolt on the steering shaft. You need to take this
>off, then you can remove the plate that goes over the horn contact. You
>will see a hole where a spring contact has been pushed and is activated by
>pressing on the horn cap. I pulled out the spring, then got needle nose
>pliars, and pulled out the plastic shaft that the spring was inserted into.
>Now you will just have a hole where you can see the metal surface at the
>back of the wheel. When you replace the contact and plastic shaft, or tube,
>you should have a clean connection to the wire coming from the steering
>column. This wire is one that goes to the relay.
>
>On the other hand, your contact may not neet replacing. I uses an ohm meter
>to test mine, and it was bad. Also, I am working with the original wiring
>harness, and have a lot of loose ends and spliced wires, so can't really
>tell you about the harness. At any rate, I hope this explains the "mystery
>wire" that comes from the column. Took me awhile to figure it out-
>
>Let me know if I can be of any more help.
>
>Smokey
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Mike Suriano <climbandmaintain@yahoo.com>
>To: Charles Culver <sculver@iwl.net>
>Date: Sunday, September 24, 2000 3:07 PM
>Subject: Re: [oletrucks] Horn wiring
>
>
>>Hi Smokey,
>>
>> Thanks for the reply! I kinda see how you did it.
>>Just have a couple of questions if you don't mind?
>>When you say from the steering column..where exactly
>>does this wire connect to? Does it connect some how in
>>the steering wheel itself? I don't understand where
>>the contact is made to cause the horn to beep when you
>>push on the cap on the steering wheel. That's where I
>>am having trouble as to what does the steering column
>>wire attach to? Let me see if I understand
>>you.........If I run a wire from the horn wire on the
>>harness...which should be the power...to the relay.
>>Then run a wire from the horn itself..by the engine to
>>the relay. Then run a wire from the steering column to
>>the relay (This is the wire that I don't understand
>>where it goes or what it connects to in the column) to
>>the relay...and then just ground the horn it should
>>work....Right? What gauge wire should I use? As you
>>can see I am very "Electrically Challenged" Thanks so
>>much for your help!!!!
>>
>>Mike
>>--- Charles Culver <sculver@iwl.net> wrote:
>>> Mike-
>>>
>>> I just wired my horn. Here's what I did:
>>>
>>> Wire from steering column to 3-terminal relay
>>> Hot wire to 3-terminal relay
>>> Wire from horn to 3-terminal relay
>>> Wire from horn to ground
>>>
>>> I got the relay from the local auto parts. Just get
>>> one for any late model
>>> Chevy.
>>>
>>> Good luck!
>>>
>>> Smokey Culver, League City, Texas
>>> '50 3600 5-window (mine)
>>> '58 Apache (hers)
>>> See 'em at:
>>> http://sites.netscape.net/ChrlsCul/homepage
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>=====
>>1959 Chevy Apache
>>
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>
>oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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