Fj60 steering shaft ground problem

[dan1554]

Anyone know how to get a reliable ground on an fj60 steering shaft? This one has intermittent horn issues and it's NOT a clock spring problem. In the photo, the horn works when clock spring is grounded to the ignition cylinder, but not the steering shaft. I can't find anything on mud.

 

[Crash]

Anyone know how to get a reliable ground on an fj60 steering shaft? This one has intermittent horn issues and it's NOT a clock spring problem. In the photo, the horn works when clock spring is grounded to the ignition cylinder, but not the steering shaft. I can't find anything on mud.

Cool and unusual pic.

 

[Rzeppa]

I drove my FJ60 for 13 years without a working horn before I sold it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I'd speculate it still doesn't work. I have read that the usual issue is the contact on the slip ring in the steering column and that can be fixed with a 22 casing. It never drove me insane enough to address it.

My wife said that I could always roll down the window and yell at people.

 

[Crash]

 

[dan1554]

Thanks for the input. Its definitely NOT the contact/plunger. Removed it from the equation (connected horn wire directly to the steering shaft) and the issue is that the steering shaft has improper ground. Short of disassembling the column Im a at a loss.

 

[Cruisertrash]

Checked the button contacts by removing the back of the steering wheel cover? Each button has spring contacts (thin bent sheet metal) and some wires that go to the horn pin. Maybe the bent spring contacts are worn out or the wire is compromised. You can also buy the ring that the pin contacts brand new.

 

[dan1554]

Thanks for the reply, I took the wire thats coming from the column harness and touched it directly to the shaft, which takes the pin and steering wheel out of the equation. When I touch the harness wire to any other ground, the horns function normally. The shaft (which is what the steering wheel buttons ground to) has a poor ground.

Its starting to sound like I need to pull the column out and find out for myself. Not my 60, so first I'll see how important the horn is to the owner.

 

[DanS]

Just bend a copper bar so that it rubs on the shaft, and connect a ground to the copper?

A wiper is pretty simple to make.

Dan

 

[dan1554]

@DanS Why didn't I think of that? Too easy! Maybe I can make a brass one out of another .22 casing... Keep the theme going.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Do a web search for fixing the rag joint ground and you'll get a sense of how widespread this problem is in cars. Not unique to Toyota for sure. It's inevitable since the column itself is the circuit return, wires break and eventually corrosion and rust cause this path to deteriorate.

 

[dan1554]

@DaveInDenver I saw info for fj40-55's but nothing for the 60. Poking around the column I didn't see one either, but it wasn't a detailed examination.

 

[dan1554]

Aaand it's fixed. Went with Dans suggestion. Made a brass spring out of a flattened 6.5 prc casing. It's held against the shaft by the plastic ring of the indicator switch assembly. Backwoods but it works.