Speedo and Horn questions

[lelshaddai]

How do you adjust the speedometer gauge? Mine rests at 8mph when still.

Also I am trying to reconnect the horn to work from the steering column button. It has an outside button connected to make it work. The wire is in the column but I cannot find where it exits. Any help would be great.

[lelshaddai]

Not sure what I am looking at.

[52b3b Joe]

Thats the bottom of the steering gear box, at the end of the column.

[lelshaddai]

I have a wire that comes out of the steering box. Are you saying it is the horn wire? It turns with the steering.

[Andydodge]

The horn works via the horn button being an "earth" switch........it earths the circuit onto the steering wheel/column...........the wire that exits the bottom of the steering box is connected up thru the steering wheel to the horn switch.......if you undo the horn button/circular horn ring you'll see how the wire exits up thru the steering wheel nut and onto the centre of the earth switch..........I ran a wire direct from the horn earth switch to the horn relay on in the engine bay to check that the switch worked o/k then just replaced the old wire that went thru the column, fiddely but it works fine now..........andyd

[Dan Hiebert]

Yes, that is the horn wire.

Your speedo may have a simple fix, disconnect the cable at the back of the speedometer. If the needle drops to 0, the cable is binding somewhere. That was the problem with mine way back when. I just cleaned and lubricated the cable and haven't had any problems since. If it doesn't return to 0, then the problem is in the speedometer itself. Since I haven't had to monkey with that, I'd have to leave how to fix it to someone else.

[40P10touring sedan]

I had my '40's speedo apart not that long ago, if you find the cable isn't binding then you'll have to pull the speedo to fix it. Inside the speedo, after the back cover is removed, is a tab that the needle rests against when no load is given by the cable...you simply tweek said tab lightly to reset your zero for the needle. It's an easy fix and can be done carefully by you if your comfortable with this sort of thing. This was from a guy on the HAMB who rebuilds speedos/gauges and sold me my new{er} speedo indicator ring since mine was warped badly. When there's no input from the cable{not driving} there's a small spiral wound spring that litely holds your speed indicator to the zero tab...I was told that there's really nothing to adjust on a speedo...once you see what's in there you'll understand...careful cleaning and setting the zero stop is all that one needs to do.

As for that horn wire, I see your era does that too....my '40 is the same way- runs all the way down from the horn button contact, thru the steering wheel shaft, and out the steering box....a rather long stretch of wire there.

Do you have 3 screws from behind the steering wheel that hold your horn button on like mine...if so simply remove those and take the horn button apart carefully...watch what goes where. If your not sure about the situation there just snap a pic for us and we'll be happy to guide you along.

Edited September 28, 2012 by 40P10touring sedan
added...

[james49ply]

Be very carful on that return coil spring, it will srew up accuracy if you move it. there is an oil point by the cable connection, should have cotton in it, pull the cotton out and put a few drops of oil in it and replace the cotton with a trimmed to fit cigarett filter soaked in oil. this should cure your problem.