Need help with horn ring

[CJ Perry]

Hi all, new user here! I'm having a problem with my 1969 Ford F-250 Camper Special in the form of a horn ring that doesn't fit, and hasn't as long as I've owned the truck. Frankly I'm tired of my horn being a button taped to the side of the column. It looks to me like the threaded portion of the steering shaft on the end is too long and is interfering with the backside of the horn ring. The wheel and ring are factory pieces so I'm not sure what would cause this, could the previous owner have replaced the shaft with one of incorrect length? I don't really want to cut off the extra thread on the end or make a hole in the plate on the horn button but I'm not sure there are any other options.

[Busboy]

I agree with you about the shaft, the nut that they came with is a thinner one, about half the thickness of the one you have. Since the wheel bottoms out on the tapered spline, this must mean that either the wheel is worn there or yes the shaft is incorrect.

[390FE1972]

Here is a thread that has pictures of the 1967-70 steering column shaft and nut, and the 1971-72 set up:

http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... =6&t=35113

Hope this helps!

[Ranchero50]

I loved the Robroy threads. As said before, someone at some time installed a later column in your truck, or at least the steering shaft. The sucky thing is even with the cap on the horn probably still won't work. The system grounds the negative side of the horn coil if everything lines up correctly. Mine still doesn't work. I think you'll need the base plate for the early trucks so the brush lines up with the ring on the wheel...

[CJ Perry]

Any suggestions on how I could verify that the column is correct? It doesn't have any later features that I can discern like tilt, I'm really puzzled as to why anyone would swap out it or the shaft, unless my truck didn't originally have P/S. Upon reviewing that thread the shaft I have does look similar to the later one, and it's clear that someone had already taken a grinder to it in the past because the end is pretty ugly.

[sargentrs]

I'm really puzzled as to why anyone would swap out it or the shaft, unless my truck didn't originally have P/S.

I've done the same thing. My truck was originally a manual steering 3 spd. I'm changing to automatic and added P/S. Took the column out of a '71 with P/S. Same deal. I'm swapping to an aftermarket Grant steering wheel and I'll probably have similar issues. I'd just put the original '68-'70 nut on it and grind off the excess shaft then try to get all the correct pieces for the horn ring.

[Ranchero50]

Yep, grind it with the nut on so it will clean the threads when you take it off

[ShortBedz]

I just rebuilt my steering column and the horn fit before I removed it then it had the same problem as above after I reinstalled the column. I changed the shaft out for a nicer one with new bearings. It was a little longer sticking out from the nut so had to grind the tip down until it would fit the horn back on. Seems to be very common with these trucks.

[idahiboy]

Hi all, new user here! I'm having a problem with my 1969 Ford F-250 Camper Special in the form of a horn ring that doesn't fit, and hasn't as long as I've owned the truck. Frankly I'm tired of my horn being a button taped to the side of the column. It looks to me like the threaded portion of the steering shaft on the end is too long and is interfering with the backside of the horn ring. The wheel and ring are factory pieces so I'm not sure what would cause this, could the previous owner have replaced the shaft with one of incorrect length? I don't really want to cut off the extra thread on the end or make a hole in the plate on the horn button but I'm not sure there are any other options.

How happy are you with the column in general? Mine was super loose, lots of play and pretty rusted where column traverses firewall..... I am NOT mechanical or handy with metal, but it actually wasn't to bad to just pull the column, grind/sand rust and repaint.... Replaced bearings and things tightened up.... Mine was manual trans on the floor so wasn't too complicated..... You could then just have machine shop cut................... Or just grind it down and get a grade 8 half nut for the top.

I was able to get my horn to work again