No, I'm not a Texas Aggie! Lol. I'm from Pennsyltucky and have never even been to Texas

Basically what you are saying is that the ground is just floating as if the wire were disconnected while the positive is always connected. Then when the button is pushed, it grounds the wire to the steering wheel/column.

I think I have come up with a temporary solution to the problem. There is a brush that was added to the T/S switch (you can see it in the picture). It constantly rubs the bottom of the hub, which has a copper ring all around the bottom of it. There was a wire soldered to the copper ring. If I solder another wire to the ring on the hub and run it up to the metal ring on the underside of the floating horn button (which has a little connector for a wire), it should work. When the horn button is pressed, the metal ring will make contact with the steering wheel, create the ground and sound the horn.

I will pick up some wire sometime this week and wire it up. I'll let you guys know how it goes. Still, it will be much better to have the correct wheel. The truck is a pain in the butt to steer because the gypo wheel is too small and I like things to be done the right way.

Thanks for all of your help!

 

They accomplish it with a wire (replacing the brush and insulator) that connects to a metal plate riveted to an insulator as seen in the pic below.

The tapered spring placed in the aftermarket horn button (not shown) holds the insulator plate away from grounding on the aftermarket wheel until the horn button is depressed.

To dacampeau:

Eureka, you have got it exactly! You can see how your description fits (except the hub you described with the copper contacting plate is not shown here.)



BTW, If you have manual steering those small aftermarket wheels are a pain. Original size is 17" IIRC vs maybe 13" on an aftermarket wheel, so you have a big mechanical advantage with an original wheel. Down size is: they sell for about $200 in repro form. Then you also need several other parts to make the horn blow.

 

NumberDummy had said that the 4 spoke wheels for the 1966 F250 4x4 are not reproduced anywhere. In my search, I couldn't find any either. If you are aware of a company that reproduces the 4 spoke wheel, please post where to get it!

Thanks!

 

The 3 spoke 17" steering wheel (C3DZ-3600-A) is reproduced by Dennis Carpenter (in black only).

Applications: 1960/63 Falcon/Comet / 1961/66 F100/250 2WD / 1966 F100 4WD / 1966/73 Bronco / 1967/70 F100/250 2WD/4WD / 1969/70 F350.
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C1TZ-3600-A Black & C1TZ-3600-B White .. 18" 4 spoke Steering Wheels / Obsolete / Not reproduced / No Ford Dealer or obsolete parts vendor has any.

Applications: 1961/65 F100/250 4WD / 1961/66 F350 / 1966 F250 4WD.

Lemme know if you still want me to drive to South Central LA to see if Tthetruck junkyard still has some 4 spoke 18" steering wheels.

 

Yes, it would be great if you could visit the yard for me. I would much rather have the correct wheel than the gypo.

Thanks so much.

 

Sounds like the horn wiring problem is solved. Just checking to see if I still needed to dig out my wiring diagram. Looks like I dont. Bill are you ignoring my ask on the phone # for that yard in LaLa land. If so just say you dont want to give it out and all is good. .

 

When did you ask? You didn't when we spoke on the phone. If you had, I wooda told you.

 

Yeah, no need to dig for it but thanks anyways!

 

Here you go Bill:

It was in this post I carried it forward for you. I didnt think about that at the time we spoke on the phone. So I was just interested in what they may have available down there. I know the body parts Im looking for are not repoped but I wondered if they were ever made as a body shop repair panel and mybe Ford supplied them at one time as a body panel repair part. Hey if you never ask you never get an answer.

 

Sorry to dig up this OLD thread but where did you get this assembly?
It appears new and must be a reproduction but that is the same one I need for my 66 Econoline.
Much appreciated!

 

Hope this quick reply on an old thread works, Bill. I'm new to the site.
I am trying to fix my '66 F250 4WD TSS and horn issue. Based on other posts, I found and purchased a NOS TSS for the truck, and got my brake lights and blinkers working. Now I need a steering wheel (and brush, and...) that accommodates the stock brush / button system (Rather than the Grant POS on there now) If you have a line on an original 4 spoke - that would be great.
I'm stumped by some of your info on the 3 spoke - do you think a standard repro will fit and work on my F250? It looks like the same horn system.
BTW, the truck has power steering, so I don't need the leverage of a larger wheel - but I may need to work on the shaft to make it all fit (It has the end nub extension that likely needs to be removed, at least)

Thanks so much for any help, and for all your posts on this site - I truly appreciate the greatness!

 

1; it takes 2 brushes
2; good luck on a 4 spoke
3; they will usually cost more
4; they are larger than the 3 spoke
5; try to find a decent used original and maybe restore it

 

Thanks Christmas. I was not aware of the 2 brushes. I've heard about it, but didn't think that applied to my truck, as I have not seen it in any of the parts diagrams.
Do you know, are two brushes required to make the circuit, or are they just redundant to make the button contact action better / more reliable at any angle. Based on the parts and wires I see, I don't see how two brushes changes anything in the electrical circuit.

My truck is pretty far from stock, so I don't have dreams of getting it there - actually don't really want an 18" wheel, as I don't know how my legs are going to fit under it, and truck now has power steering, so don't need the leverage. NTL, I like the idea of stock and would be happy to live with a 4-spoke.

All that said, what's your opinion on a 3 spoke F100 wheel being able to bolt up and close the horn circuit with one brush? Seems like it could do the job.

 

These guys are used to the 2WD trucks that have two brushes - one in the steering wheel center hub and one in the turn signal switch. The 4WD trucks use the flat metal plate of the switch as the contact point so no second brush for them.

Making your current turn signal switch work with a 2WD horn or making a 2WD wheel work with your horn would both require something extra to make it happen.

 

Thanks TA455HO. So I guess I find an elusive 4 spoke, or I'm into customization.
I'm envisioning buying a stock horn spring contact, drill through some aftermarket adapter plate, add a plastic sleeve, drill and tap a for a ring lug on the top of the steering shaft, (verify I have good contact through the rag joint), find an after market horn button with enough stroke to engage/disengage spring contact (probably the hardest part here), attach two-wire after market horn button between steering shaft and spring contact.

Thoughts?