Bern Pearson Posted February 3, 2021 Report Share Posted February 3, 2021 Can anyone help me find the horn ring switch on the steering column? Where can I buy it? What is it called? Does anyone know the part number? There's a spring under the horn dome on the wheel. But no switch. Also, are there any other parts required? The photo is what the steering column looks like now. (Parts obviously missing.) Here's a link to something on ebay. I think the item I need is the third item down on the left. But I can't find it anywhere as a standalone/ 1946 1947 1948 PLYMOUTH DELUXE STEERING WHEEL HORN RING OEM #1319916 1319918 + | eBay Many thanks, Bern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Skinner Posted February 4, 2021 Report Share Posted February 4, 2021 (edited) Bern, follow the wire down through the Steering Post - it leads to a Horn Relay. I would think you need to install a horn ring at the steering wheel as well. That part you are reffering to is definitely needed. Good Luck Tom Edited February 4, 2021 by Tom Skinner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bern Pearson Posted February 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2021 I have the wire and the horn relay. I am trying to locate the (Possibly ) "horn switch?" Whatever goes on the steering wheel. I am pretty sure that's the part on the left of the photo at the ebay listing. (Three down from the top.) But I only need that part. Thank you. Bern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Skinner Posted February 4, 2021 Report Share Posted February 4, 2021 Bern, I am pretty sure it can be found at a salvage yard out west for less than that ebay grouping I do not have one or I would send it to you. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldSmith Posted February 4, 2021 Report Share Posted February 4, 2021 Short course on how the horn ring works. (The whole assembly is the switch.) The tee-shaped thing holds the end of the grounding wire for the horn relay. The spring is grounded. Without the horn ring in place, the horn would honk constantly. The horn ring is not grounded. It has tangs that push the spring away from the tee thing. In place and undisturbed, the horn ring keeps the horn from honking. Push the horn ring, and one or more tangs will pull away from the spring, allowing the spring to ground the tee thing. Experiment: Ground the horn ring; The horn should sound. Evenly push the entire horn ring, so that all the tangs are pushing the spring. The horn should not sound. That's all I have to say about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bern Pearson Posted February 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2021 Thank you for your respohse. I am missing the part that would hold the actuator, switch, away from the grounded parts. I have searched the web with only finding the one that comes as a NOS kit linked above. However, I found the Mopar Mall, moparmall.com. I bought the parts manual for my series. It seemed pricy but I searched high and low and their price was about the lowest. I could have saved about $20 including shipping from another source, but I suspicious that they might might not be real as I put in the exact title and it popped up on their site as new, but they had no other car stuff. So, manual plus shipping $63. Someone suggested I try a western states junk yard. Will wait until I have the manual so I can at least call the part by the right name. Right now I sound like my wife describing something technical. Lots of thingies, thingamabobs and whatsits. The link the the parts manual is here: https://www.moparmall.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=840-142 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldSmith Posted February 4, 2021 Report Share Posted February 4, 2021 I don't know what parts would be called an actuator or a switch. The whole assembly acts as the switch. I don't know what the parts diagrams call these parts. Here's my horn ring, for a '47 DeSoto. The design would be somewhat different from the other Chrysler products, but the same principle. (Cars with horn buttons would work completely differently.) In the center, one can see the end of the horn wire and the brass thingie that spans across the spring. This thingie bolts to the plastic wheel, and is insulated from ground. Covering the thingie is the tee-shaped part of the horn ring assembly. This big tee does the work, with its lugs always pushing back the big spring. The ends of the tee connect to the ring itself; two ends actually go through the cross bar of the wheel. The whole horn ring assembly is isolated from ground. Out of curiosity, I touched the horn wing with a grounded wire, and it completed the horn circuit. (I had a light hooked up instead of the horns- easier to work on the circuit - no blaring horns.) Then I pushed the horn ring in evenly, pushing all the lugs against the spring, and there was no light. Push the horn ring, and the opposite end pulls away from the spring, allowing the spring to ground against the brass thingie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bern Pearson Posted February 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2021 Hey, thanks. Maybe it is all there and I have a different problem. Appreciate your effort! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydodge Posted February 5, 2021 Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 Bern........what Donald has said is correct...the horn is earth by pressing the horn ring........which allows the spring to earth thru the brass T shaped piece and down the wire in the steering shaft ..........use of the terms "accurator or "switch" in relation to the horn ring may confuse people.........does your car have a horn ring or just a horn button?..........my car which was a 1941 Plymouth had a 1946-48 steering wheel and horn ring as shown in the attached pic, when purchased the steering wheel nut was loose and the wheel moved 1/2" up & down as the previous owner had tried to fix the horn............it needed a complete new wire from the brass T piece down thru the steering box to the relay..........not a difficult job, just fiddly, regards from Oztralia...........andyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bern Pearson Posted February 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 Thanks! Maybe it just has some bad wiring. I will try that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plymjim Posted February 5, 2021 Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 Bern, look at the photo of Andydodge's Steering wheel. In your picture you are missing the chrome horn ring & the chrome & plastic cover on the steering column plainly visible in his picture. The e-bay item you showed the link for is NOT a 48 Plymouth item. Probably for a 49 or newer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soth122003 Posted February 5, 2021 Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 (edited) Hey Bern, What you are missing is the horn ring assembly. I believe the brass T is called the contact plate. The horn ring assembly on a P-15 is the ring and a cover button with the Plymouth logo that screws in place holding the horn ring to the steering wheel. You absolutely have to have that to attach the horn ring. In my photo of my p-15 the top of my ring s broken off and missing but you can see the center with the cap/button part. If you need physical help I live in Niceville Florida about 3 1/2 hours from you. PM me for a Ph. #. That link to the ebay item ain't it. Here is the cap on ebay. 1946 1947 1948 Plymouth Horn Button Emblem Trim B | eBay Here is ehat you want. 1946 - 1948 Plymouth Steering Wheel Ring & Button Special Deluxe | eBay Joe Lee Edited February 5, 2021 by soth122003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bern Pearson Posted February 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 What a wonderful offer. Thank you. I have the horn ring and center cap. I didn't show it in the photo because I thought there was a missing item that I believed I went under the center dome. Apparently, the reason the horn does not work is the wiring has bone bad. I am looking into that today. Again, many thanks, Bern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldSmith Posted February 5, 2021 Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 The horn wire goes through the steering shaft and exits at the bottom of the steering gear box, where the wire connects to the wire going to the horn relay. Disconnect the wires to check the grounding circuit in the steering shaft and the relay circuit the powers the horns. This should show which part of the circuit has the problem Get a test light with long leads. Connect one lead to a power source, and the other lead to the wire from the gearbox. With the light visible in the cabin, you can fiddle with the horn ring assembly and see what lights the light. To test the horns and their relay, briefly ground the wire that goes to the horn relay. (Plug your ears.) The horns should sound or at least the relay should click. You may have to have the key at IGN to power the horn circuit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bern Pearson Posted February 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 Thank you. I appreciate the information. Kind regards, Bern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickPickToo Posted February 5, 2021 Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 Mr. Pearson, just have to say. This makes me feel really lucky that I have the basic deluxe with only the basic deluxe horn button and ring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.