Sticking horn push

[NickMorgan]

A problem with living in Scotland and wanting to have the top down when driving the car is that the horn push seems to have swolen slightly and now binds against the chrome ring in the centre of the steering wheel. I am assuming this is caused by the bakelite getting wet. A few years ago I dismantled the control head and sanded down the edge of the horn push. This seemed to solve the problem for a couple of years, but now it seems to have swolen again and I dare not use the horn as it sticks on. I don't want to take the control head to bits again. Has anyone else had this problem and, more importantly, has anyone managed to resolve it?

 

[angelfj1]

Nick: Bakelite is hygroscopic. Borrow the wife's hair drier and blow warm air over the control head. This may be enough to free up the horn push.

Question: So Nick, without a horn, how do you announce that you are coming down one of those narrow stone-wall lined lanes? Kinda dangerous, isn't it? :laugh:

 

[Guest]

Would a spritz of WD40 help? A little lubing effect as well as water displacer.

 

[MGTF1250Dave]

Aloha Nick,

I tend to agree with FJA and Bill, I don't think the bakelite is the problem. A sprits of WD-40 may be the answer. The button maybe sticking because of corrosion on the trim ring.

 

[Don Elliott]

Nick - When I restored my 1958 TR3A, I took off the center ring along with all the other items I needed to have rechromed. When I got it back, the chrome on this ring was nice, but it was thicker than before. This reduced the ID. Also it meant that the 3 tabs that retain the ring were stiffer and harder to bend, but I managed. But the ring was not as "round" as it should have been near these stiffer tabs. All these conditions caused the horn button to get wedged when I tapped the horn button in a certain place. I think I annoyed a lot of drivers beside me when all I wanted to do was give a "toot-toot" and it jammed.

I had to file the OD of the horn button along the bakelite flange till it was corrected.

 

[NickMorgan]

Thanks for the advice. I think I will try the WD40 trick first and if that doesn't work I will have to resort to Don's technique. I'll let you know how I get on.

 

[MGTF1250Dave]

Aloha Nick,

Another thing to check if the lubrication does not fix the problem is the spring under the button. Perhaps it has weakened, broken or come off the center post.

 

[NickMorgan]

Tried WD40, but it seems to be a bit gritty and continues to stick. I think I am going to have to open her up, check the spring and get filing.

 

[NickMorgan]

Took it to bits, filed the edges, then used finer and finer emery paper. Finished off with a wipe of WD40. She now toots as she should! Thanks for all the advice.