removing horn button, B1B

[austinsailor]

Trying to get the steering wheel off, of course, first step is removing the horn button. As I recall, you push it in and turn it to get it off of some fingers. It's not like I haven't done this before, on this vehicle even, but nothing is letting loose trying to turn it either way.

 

Searchs turned up nothing, so, does anyone recall which way it turns, clock wise or counter clock wise?  If I know I'm going the right way I'll get violent with it.  It is sort of pissing me off!

 

Edited April 3, 2018 by austinsailor

[RobertKB]

On my '51 Dodge car it turns counter-clockwise to remove after pushing it down first.

[Brent B3B]

my B3B has a horn ring w/ button and it is counter clock wise, same thing as RobertKB push in and turn.

my B3HH doesn't have a horn ring (just has the button) and I never did get it to pop off..... but, I didn't want to force it either

now I am curious, think I will revisit it.

 

I usually go by..... "if it doesn't fit FORCE IT, if it breaks then it needed to be replaced anyway!"    

[austinsailor]

Thanks. That was my guess, but it didn't come out. It does turn a fair distance, I guess it just needs some brute force - or would it be brute prying?

 

Pretty frustrating - I bought a real puller made for these recently, not I can't get to the nut to use it!

[Merle Coggins]

To get my horn button off, many years ago, I couldn't get a good enough grip on it to twist it. I ended up drilling 2 holes near the outer edge, opposite each other, and used a large snap ring pliers, with 90 degree tips, in the holes as a spanner wrench. Once I had it out I refilled the holes with epoxy and after everything was repainted you can't tell, unless you look very close. 

Edited April 3, 2018 by Merle Coggins

[Desotodav]

I might be seeing things different to you guys, but then I am in Australia and it is rumoured that our water swirls down the drain in the opposite direction to where you guys are at. .. but when you look at the photos of the horn button and the 'button retainer plate 8-33-65' which I have attached, it appears that the horn button should push down and turn clockwise to remove it...

[DJ194950]

14 minutes ago, Desotodav said:

in Australia and it is rumoured that our water swirls down the drain in the opposite direction to where you guys are at.

 

I Need a definite answer on the "swirl" question!  Please! 

I had many people ask me if it was true- I had no answer for them as I did not ever pay any attention in the 8 months I spent there many years ago.

One person got MAD at me for not assuring him that it was true! 

 

DJ

[austinsailor]

Ok, got it off! Clockwise it is. 

 

Rather than drilling holes, etc. I used duct tape to get a good bite, made a t handle with it, and it worked. 

 

Part of my problem was, as I learned after it was off, was the part that has the 3 teeth, was rusty and resisting. 

 

Got my puller on, took a pretty good pull,  but got the wheel off.

 

Besides getting the wheel out of the way of painting, which I've accomplished, I wanted to clean and paint the tube the shaft goes through. I've now learned you can't get it over the shaft without loosening the steering box from the frame.  That's a later tonight chore. Painting the cab is tomorrow's chore.

[Merle Coggins]

Yup, Davin is right. I found my pictures. It needs to turn clockwise. 

 

Also, this pic shows where I drilled the holes for my make-shift spinner 

 

[Brent B3B]

3 hours ago, Desotodav said:

I might be seeing things different to you guys, but then I am in Australia and it is rumoured that our water swirls down the drain in the opposite direction to where you guys are at. .. but when you look at the photos of the horn button and the 'button retainer plate 8-33-65' which I have attached, it appears that the horn button should push down and turn clockwise to remove it...

Geeze Davin, that's what I meant,  push in the button and turn the Steering wheel counterclockwise  

[RobertKB]

You truck guys are weird. I went out to my '51 Dodge business coupe and it is definitely down and counter-clockwise to remove the button. My '53 Plymouth is the same. Looking at the pictures, your set up is different than on a car which had the prongs on the horn button itself. That would explain the difference. I don't own a truck but visit the truck forum everyday as it is equally interesting as the car side. Anyway, austinsailor, good luck with the truck! Sorry for the erroneous information. Please post lots of pictures of your project as it looks like fun!

[BobB]

On April 3, 2018 at 6:47 PM, Merle Coggins said:

Yup, Davin is right. I found my pictures. It needs to turn clockwise. 

 

Also, this pic shows where I drilled the holes for my make-shift spinner 

 

I've just installed my horn ring. Hooked up the power lead to the horn and when I touched the ground lead to the other horn post, I got a hearty blast without depressing the button.

i take that to mean that I have a stray ground path somewhere that I shouldn't. I've studied the pix in this thread and the only thing that jumps out is my lack of the large diameter ring at the bottom left of Merle's top picture. Is that an insulator of some sort?  Can anybody who has dealt with the same issue give me any insight into what they found the problem to be? 

Thanks for your help,. Bob

[JBNeal]

There are 3 insulators in the horn circuit:  the bakelite insulator that holds the wire contact, mounted in the round 3-tabbed brass plate, and 2 paper gaskets on either side of the horn vibrator

[Merle Coggins]

That ring is a circlip of sorts that locks the 3 tab brass plate into the button. When assembled the large spring holds the brass plate into the locking fingers, and the smaller spring keeps the button contact away from the brass plate (against the circlip) until you push down on the button. Pushing the button should complete the circuit between the wire terminal and the steering column (ground). 

 

You’ll need to double check your ground wire and horn button assembly to check for an inadvertent path to ground.