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Horn replacement question

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TR4

TR4

Jedi Knight
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My TR4 currently has single terminal horns installed. Can I replace them with two terminal horns by grounding the second terminal? My electical knowledge is too close to zero so advice is appreciated.
 
TR4-

Your ground wire concept should work. When I gutted and
rewired my entire TR6, I installed grounding blocks
throughout the car. Here is a photo of a temporary ground
block for one of my two terminal horns. I now have real
grounding blocks but you'll get the idea from the photo.

best of luck,

d

hornGround.jpg
 
Without getting out of my chair...

I'm thinking the TR4 honks the horn by providing a ground (purple w/black tracer) via the horn button. In other words, the hot side (purple) at the horn is always hot.

If you have been successfully using a single-wire setup (presumably the present horn is grounded thru its mount to the body) then perhaps you have something quite different from the horn button in the middle of the steering wheel. In that case simply grounding one terminal may work.

If you grounded the original TR4 horn that way it would honk just fine -- but never shut off.
 
Having struggled to get a consistent ground on my TR4 horns (and not quite there yet), I agree completely with Geo's comments. A single wire to your horns implies that the original horn setup has been changed. The single wire setup you have has to be grounded, perhaps through the horn bodies themselves otherwise you'd be honkless.

Randy
 
I found that my horn problems were due to poor or nil continuity along the steering column. I have a temporary fix where I ran a wire from the upper column which by passed both column flex joints. No problems since and I will fix it properly when other more pressing (i.e. fun) projects have been completed.
 
Ian-

I have the same issue, using short jumper wires at the rubber couplings does not solve it - I suspect corrosion between the inner steering column/couplings may be the issue. It is quite a pain.

Look at the column design, I am very surprise Triumph didn't make a ground at one of the column bushings - those bushings have a metal insert, in my opinion that is a better place to ground than going all the way through the steering rack. Oh well.

Randy
 
I ran one long wire to completely bypass the center shaft and both couplings; held it in place with electrical tie-wraps so it won't flap. I cleaned up the wire attach points until I had continuity and the problem hasn't re-occurred - yet.
 
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