Horn Button on Steering Wheel

Horn Button on Steering Wheel

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Discussion

Racingroj

Original Poster:

488 posts

162 months

Thursday 26th March 2015
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Has anyone fitted a horn button in the centre of the steering wheel? If so how did you get the wire out of the steering column, or did you use a remote wireless type (if so which one)?
Thanks

Alex93

115 posts

125 months

Thursday 26th March 2015
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Not configured everything yet but i have the Summit Tech Raptor Road to do everything wirelessly. Its one job on the list!

UltimaCH

3,155 posts

188 months

Thursday 26th March 2015
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Alex93 said:
Not configured everything yet but i have the Summit Tech Raptor Road to do everything wirelessly. Its one job on the list!
I'm thinking of doing the same. Something easy and it does away with most of the switches on the dash.

Alex93

115 posts

125 months

Thursday 26th March 2015
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Exactly my thinking! Having read a lot of content on here about different stalks and adapting ones to work on the loom sounded too much so thought the wireless option was the easiest.
Also, gives it a sexy F1-esque look to it (in my head, it's not fitted yet).
Furthermore, with the ability for it to be removed with the addition of a removable steering boss it aids security.

Racingroj

Original Poster:

488 posts

162 months

Friday 27th March 2015
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Thanks Guys. What you are talking about is a device for a lot of switch functions, I was just wanting to sort a wireless device for the horn.

Graham-P

1,548 posts

245 months

Friday 27th March 2015
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If you have room behind the push horn button then you can fit a key fob transmitter, I did this before changing bosses. You have to dismantle the key fob and where the wires go for button A you solder a couple of new wires going to the horn push, so when you depress the horn push it activates the the key fob, you then connect the receiver to the horn itself, job done......BUT beaware that when you push the horn it takes second+ for the signal to reach the horn, which may not sound to bad but if you have a real emergency like someone cutting across you it could be a bit late!.......... or you want to give a quick beep to acknowledge someone etc, it won't do that, it just gives a beep the length of the signal from the transmitter to the receiver, so it could come across as a bit aggressive.

Graham

Racingroj

Original Poster:

488 posts

162 months

Friday 27th March 2015
quotequote all
Thanks Graham
I may resort to a hole in the top of the steering column and small part way down for a small 2 core and then a curly cable to the existing horn wiring.
Roj

Corsair613

260 posts

121 months

Friday 27th March 2015
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In a related thought, I'm considering installing one of the Screaming Banshee units in my GTR. While they're primarily known for motorcycle horns (where I first encountered them), they do sell an automotive kit. See here (scroll to bottom):

http://screaming-banshee.com/banshee-horn-warning-...

Their horn installs inline with the stock unit and their relay box provides a small (somewhat configurable) delay. The net effect is that you're able to tap the horn button for a "polite" beep of the stock horn or press it for a blast of the aftermarket horn. Trust me when I say that trains will stop for you at crossings when you blast the Banshee.

Just what the doctor ordered on a bike and I bet it'll go well with the reduced visibility of a very low car like the Ultima in our world of ever-larger SUVs and their increasingly clueless drivers.

Ken

Stig

11,817 posts

283 months

Friday 27th March 2015
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Did this on the GTR with remote keyfob hidden behind horn button - details on the website.

Graham-P

1,548 posts

245 months

Friday 27th March 2015
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I guess thinking outside the box there are other ways, if you find, I think, mk2 Fiesta column stalks had the horn button at the end of the indicator stalk, or you could use the screen washer button at the end of the wiper stalk, that's assuming you have stalks??
I've used the rear wash/wipe on the wiper stalk to operate the front suspension lifter pump, as an example.......
I've gone for a horn button in the dash on the right of the wheel that's just in 'finger' reach without taking my hand off the wheel, not ideal but if I'm honest the number of times I've used the horn I could count on one hand. That leaves me with a fan over ride button (not really used as ECU takes care of it) just in case, rear fog lamp, and start button. The HVAC buttons on the centre consul.


Racingroj

Original Poster:

488 posts

162 months

Friday 27th March 2015
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Stalks are on my to do list and I have already bought the Escort Mk4 stalks with no horn button on the left and wash button on the right which I will use as the wash button.
I think I have posted before that like Mark I am trying to achieve a cockpit and dash as close to a production type car as possible. This then allows you to concentrate on driving the car rather than having to remember where all the switches are especially the indicator control. The horn is just one of those things.
Thanks again for all the useful info.
Roj

Pedders

269 posts

283 months

Friday 27th March 2015
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I don't think a curly cable is a good solution - I tried one and it would occasionally wind itself around the steering column in a way which would bind it (albeit this was when going from lock to lock). With suitable positioning and slack it might be alright, but it might not.

Have you looked at a horn slip ring? - I think this is what's needed. I have ordered a random multifunction slip ring (from an Astra, because it was cheap) off ebay to experiment with as I want to have more than just the horn button on the steering wheel - will update on how I get on.

Cheers.

V8Dom

3,546 posts

201 months

Saturday 28th March 2015
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i wired my stalks for pull for wash wipe and push away for horn as i wasnt using the rear wash wipe.

but ive now changed to vauxall stalks to bring them closer to the steering wheel


Pedders

269 posts

283 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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Fingers crossed my slip ring experiment is going to work.

I bought one of these off ebay for a fiver - fluff included!



This one is marked GM, but there's loads of them on ebay for different makes of cars and they all look the same - it's apparently a slip ring for an airbag.

It has 6 separate circuits (you can see the 6 wires sprouting out of the centre section, which can spin independently of the pins on the outer section - see here:



I needed 5 (four for functions on the Dash 2, plus a common ground for all) and found a little connector at maplins that pushed directly on four of the pins, and then soldered a wire to a fifth.

I narrowed the centre section so it was a proper fit for the steering column by luckily finding a bit of scrap steel tube whose inside diameter was exactly right (19mm if I recall correctly), and bonding this to the slip ring centre using a scrap bit of carbon fibre sheet and a lot of epoxy.

I drilled a very small hole in the centre of the steering column plate where the steering wheel boss screws to, and on the column itself close to where the slip ring would sit on the column (conscious this is potentially not sensible, but it's such a small hole and the column is reassuringly thick), underneath the dash, and then hreading some very thin wires through it (with one end connecting to the slip ring, and the other to the steering wheel mounted buttons.

I should have taken some more photos, but here is one of the slip ring in situ and connected up under the dash (forgive the mess - wiring still to tidy) and the (not quite) finished product of steering wheel buttons - although plan is to add very little more to the dash and keep it as clean as possible.





Happy Easter all!

Racingroj

Original Poster:

488 posts

162 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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Hi Pedders
After your last post about the Astra slip ring I bought one on eBay. Being a bit useless on wiring and other jobs to do I haven't got round to trying to work our how to use it. On initially looking at it I wasn't sure how to fit it to the steering column. Looking at your photos I'm still not sure how you fitted it. Any further info would be appreciated.
Just to say to all who have helped me with the various jobs I am undertaking thanks very much, your depth of knowledge never ceases to amaze me.
Roj

Pedders

269 posts

283 months

Tuesday 7th April 2015
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Hi RacingRoj

Attached is picture of the standard length steering column which I bought before I realised I needed a longer one to use with the control stalks. On the upside it meant I could experiment with this one, which explains why it is looking a little worse for wear.



Hopefully you can see the two holes I drilled in it (one at the steering wheel end, and one in the shaft itself. I have passed a wire through it to try and highlight it. As you can see, the wire is thin, which meant I could drill a small hole on the actual column in the car.

In summary the slip ring sits on the column shaft next to the hole on it, and the wire sprouting out here attaches to the slip ring. The other end of the wire attaches to the button on the steering wheel.

It's a faff to fit though, as you have to pass the steering column through the bushes first, then pass the wires through, then solder on the connectors, then fit the slip ring, connect it all up, and then push the splined end of the column shaft into the universal joint. Suffice to say I am now an expert in crouching under the dash.

Taking into account the time I have spent on first the stalks and then this, if I was doing it again I might well look into a wireless set up assuming they are IVA compliant, but on the upside this is much cheaper - sorry about the timing of this comment now you have bought the part.

PM me if it would be helpful to discuss.

prads

12 posts

118 months

Thursday 9th April 2015
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Pedders, how much did you extend the steering column to accommodate for the signal stalks and slip ring?

Pedders

269 posts

283 months

Thursday 9th April 2015
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Hi prads - it was 35mm. The factory supplied a new one at that length for not unreasonable money.

It would be worth you checking how you feel about the driving position with the steering wheel being that bit closer, though.

For me it's acceptable (gives a competition, closer to the wheel, stylie), but it would have been better in the original position as I have longer arms and shorter legs (no orangutan jokes please...), such that I am thinking about whether I can find a slimmer boss to compensate. I know that the factory supplied one is meant to be deformable, so I don't want to do anything which adversely impacts safety, but it looks pretty sturdy to me - I definitely wouldn't want to hit my head on it!

Racingroj

Original Poster:

488 posts

162 months

Monday 20th April 2015
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Hi Guys
Just an update following Pedders brilliant idea to use a slip ring (didn't know they existed until then). I bought an Astra one the same as Pedders and had an aluminium bush made with a grub screw to grip the steering column. When I fit it I will make an aluminium plate to attach to the 2 outer screw holes and fix to the chassis. There are more wires than I need but I'm sure that those who want use the 'buttons on the steering wheel' approach will find this useful. It should save money from the wireless route.