'94 850 Horn Switch Repair

[hjself]

The horn switch(s) contacts on my '94 850 Station Wagon had shorted out causing the horn to sound continuously. I tried using glue and tape and other "temporary" repairs but nothing seemed to work for very long.

Finally, I believe I have found a more permanent method to make this repair. I removed the steering wheel and took it to my work bench where I could work with some accuracy. I disassembled the horn switch "bridge" assemblies ( two screws in each ), disconnected the ground wire connected to the right side and removed both bridges. Next I completed removing the remains of the disintegrated contact insulators ( four of them ) and then withdrew the horn switch wiring harness from the steering wheel assembly. After removing the remaining remnants of the red plastic insulators that came on the original switch contact shafts, I clamped each contact shaft ( one at a time ) in a vice and carefully drilled from the bottom end ( the end "peened over" the crimped "eyelet" on the wiring harness) until I was able to withdraw each of the crimped "eyelets" without damaging them. Next, I "sliced" some 1/4" thick nylon washers with a hole large enough to fit around a piece of nylon tubing that just fit through the holes in the horn switch mounting bracket and which fit nicely around a #6-32 brass screw. Each 1/4" washer will yield two washers when sliced. After cutting the washers ( four washers yield eight pieces when sliced ) I sanded them on emery cloth laid out flat on a smooth, flat surface until they were approximately 3/32"+/- thick uniformly. Next I cut pieces of the nylon tubing that were just long enough to reach through two thicknesses of the nylon washers and through the thickness of the horn switch mounting bracket inside the steering wheel center area. With all these pieces cut and fit by trial and error, I then began re-assembly. I placed a brass washer on each screw, inserted each screw (with washer ) through one of the nylon washers; installed one piece of the nylon tubing; inserted the whole assembly through one of the four holes in the horn switch mounting bracket; applied the second piece of nylon washer on the underside of the assembly; installed one of the four wiring harness "eyelets" over the end of the screw; applied a nut to the screw and then tightened the entire assembly. I repeated this process at each of the four horn switch mounting sights making sure that I did not leave any point of contact to ground. Next, by trial and error, I filed the contact points on the horn switch bridges ( two of them ) and I filed the heads of each of the four screws until there was sufficient clearance when all this was put together. The whole project took about two hours but it seems to be working well and I believe it will last for a long time. It is infinitely more durable than the previous attempts I made at using glue, etc. to make repairs. I got the materials that I used in the hardware section of my local Lowes Store ( Like Home Depot, etc.).

I hope this helps some of those who have problems with that pesky horn switch for which the 850 family is notorious.

If I can answer questions, I will be glad to help if I can.

Shalom.

[matthew1]

Thanks hjself!