Horn Wiring (4 Viewers)

[msahr]

Not really sure what you are trying to say here. A new contact is nearly an inch long. It will 100% fix his issue.
Im all about cheap tricks, but moreso about facts. Sorry if i misinterpreted.

Did I miss something? Your buy this part it will fix it was referring to the circular brass part that goes on the back of the steering wheel. I'm talking about the spring-loaded plunger that's on the steering column. In the pic, there's a huge gap between the two. A new circular part isn't thick enough to bridge that gap.

I'm guessing hundreds of people have done the .22 shell casing fix. I've done it myself on 4 different trucks. I dunno.

 

[Manhattan]

The part to be replaced is that pin with the spring - not the plate on the steering wheel. The .22 shell is also a fix. And you're right - replacing the brass ring on the steering wheel would do nothing.

I think the confusion comes from the name - Toyota calls that pin a "plate" and a "pin plate connector" and a "pin". But it's a pin that contacts a plate - a plate which is on the steering wheel.

And sadly, I can get my hands on that replacement pin quicker than I can a spent .22 round. I guess I could go to the other side of Atlanta Sunday morning and look for spent rounds... nah, there probably all 9mm

 

[gnob]

Nope. My part is the pin.

Did I miss something? Your buy this part it will fix it was referring to the circular brass part that goes on the back of the steering wheel. I'm talking about the spring-loaded plunger that's on the steering column. In the pic, there's a huge gap between the two. A new circular part isn't thick enough to bridge that gap.

I'm guessing hundreds of people have done the .22 shell casing fix. I've done it myself on 4 different trucks. I dunno.

 

[msahr]

Nope. My part is the pin.

OK, I see the spring in the bag. When I looked up the part number it showed the plate. Whatever, as long as he gets his horn fixed.

 

[Manhattan]

... as long as he gets his horn fixed.

Oh we're not done yet. I heard the horn. It will not do. I've heard fish louder than that horn. So, my next quest is a good, direct swap - maybe something from a Toyota that's new enough to be "modern horn" but old enough to be a simple swap.

 

[pappy]

To say our horns are anemic, especially after 30+ years, is an understatement. I ended up going to the boneyard and harvesting a pair of Mercedes horns. I had to rewire through a relay but now my truck toots with authority.

 

[gnob]

Shameless plug

 

[liveoak]

I seem to remember that the horn is activated with a ground signal through the steering column on the older trucks as there is no horn relay. There is usually a ground signal wire jumper on the steering shaft under the hood that continues the ground path from the steering box, past the rubber isolator, through to the horn button. The horn itself always has constant power. make sure that ground jumper is there and not corroded if you have this style horn wiring
looks something like this

 

[liveoak]

for older trucks that didn't come with a horn relay, I would say that the easiest way to add a relay to get a better connection to the stock or different horn would be to just improve the ground signal. something like this, adding the relay next to the horn

 

[GeoRoss]

The OEM horn is anemic. I pulled a Klaxon horn out of an old Volvo. I also wired in a relay. No longer sounds like a mouse squeak.

 

[Manhattan]

Finally got around to swapping the "plate". Yeah, it's a pin, but Toyota calls that part a plate. I now see why the fix is a .22 casing. Getting the old pin out and the new one in is a bit of work; easy work, but more than the .22 method. The only tricky part was getting that tiny (!) c-clip on. Has to be the smallest c-clip made.

Leaving these here for the next "me" who's digging into the horn for the first time.

The amount of wear really is surprising.

Is there a good direct swap for the o.e. horn - without adding a relay?

 

[gnob]

The only reason I added a relay was because I used two pair.
Using one or the other pair should be fine on the stock wiring.
A relay adds a cleaner power source, so you aren't running all current through that steering wheel switch.

 

[pappy]

The only reason I added a relay was because I used two pair.
Using one or the other pair should be fine on the stock wiring.
A relay adds a cleaner power source, so you aren't running all current through that steering wheel switch.

I also used a relay for the same reason. Plus, you need to remember that most horns ground to the chassis, and power is applied through the steering wheel switch (one wire). With early Toyota horns you have + power all the time to the horn, and it grounds through the steering wheel switch (two wires). It's much easier to convert between the two using a relay.

 

[Manhattan]

Reviving (my) old thread. I mostly ignored the anemic horn for the past two years. Yesterday, some guy in a blacked out Hellcat Durango on 20s drifted into my lane on the highway. Patty's horn vs. the Durango's stereo wasn't a fair fight. So, I bought a two-piece (H&L) Hella horn.

Is there a standard add-in relay that you guys have used? I'm not opposed to making a little wiring harness, but want to make sure I'm starting with the correct relay.

Thanks!

 

[pappy]

I installed MB G-wagon horns in mine (boneyard). I just used a standard Hella-style relay. Our horns are wired goofy. Most horns receive positive power through a switch/relay, and ground to the chassis. Our horns have positive power all the time, and ground through the switch. It's an easy wire to figure out. My truck toots with authority now.

 

[gnob]

here's my vid of doing hella horns. wiring is near the end.
the horns came with relays iirc

 

[Manhattan]

Thank guys!

 

[Manhattan]

I got one of the new horns to work... but not the other. And worse, at one point I was sure Hella had mislabeled their relay. Yeah... that's when you know you've strayed.

Quick question @gnob - what's the red arrow pointing to?
Also, if the OE horn's two wires are hot - high tone and low tone - and the horn is/was grounded by the switch in the wheel, wouldn't both of the factory horn wires go into the relay? Or is the diagram just simplified - and that single wire at 85 represents both small wires that came off the OE horn?

Thanks!

 

[gnob]

I got one of the new horns to work... but not the other. And worse, at one point I was sure Hella had mislabeled their relay. Yeah... that's when you know you've strayed.

Quick question @gnob - what's the red arrow pointing to?
Also, if the OE horn's two wires are hot - high tone and low tone - and the horn is/was grounded by the switch in the wheel, wouldn't both of the factory horn wires go into the relay? Or is the diagram just simplified - and that single wire at 85 represents both small wires that came off the OE horn?

Thanks!

View attachment 3608435

yes. one side of the horn wire (+) runs the positive side(winding)of the relay, the ground side through the wheel.

g-w is +
g-r is neg to the wheel

 

[gnob]

reality is here you could use your battery supply to run both sides of the relay.