is the horn button supposed to be functional on the FFR steering wheel?

[sread]

Hey guys, trying to finish up some loose ends on the hot rod and can't get the horn button to work. I have the single wire that comes up thru the center of the Ididit column. It is hot at all times and when you touch it to ground (the wheel or column) the horn sounds just like it should. The problem is when I connect the wire to the spade connector at the center of the horn button , and then depress the button, I get ...nothing. I took apart the horn button assembly and see why - there is nothing to complete the circuit when the button is pressed. It seems there is something missing. There needs to be something to make contact with the center terminal when the button is pressed but there is nothing there.
I tried searching but haven't seen this mentioned before.

[RoadRacer]

IIRC, when you press the button it grounds to the column. Do you have the white spring thingy? You'll know what I mean if you have it...

like this.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtKHoV4Tt7s

[sread]

I get all that - the wire is there, and when you ground it the horn sounds. The problem is the spring loaded button it self - it does nothing. It is not making any connection with the center terminal to complete the circuit to ground. Either something is missing or manufactured wrong. I also see the issue with the whole button assembly not really making contact with the wheel itself because it is held in place by a rubber o-ring. Not sure what they were thinking. If it needs a ground jumper it would have been nice to make some mention of it somewhere.
After studying it some more and taking some measurements I think I can drill and tap the bottom of the center button and install a small screw to act as a contact for when the button is depressed.

[cob427sc]

Shoud work as presented unless there is a malfuncion in the button itself. the rubber o-ring is to hold the button in the wheel.

[first time builder]

NO it doesnt work with factory stuff. Need to have a whole different set up.

Sorry didnt see it was a 33 was thinking Cobra roadster !

[33fromSD]

On my Gen2 the horn button works fine with the FFR set up / wiring.

Jim

[wallace18]

I have built 3-33's all horn buttons worked fine. You may have a wiring issue.

[edwardb]

X4 (or whatever). Have the ididit column in my truck build. The horn button works fine with the RF harness. Plug in the hot rod connector to the column, and everything including the horn works. Something's not assembled correctly or making the proper contact. But it's supposed to work.

[Brastic]

The stock horn button works fine. Mine also have that special tingle when used.:o

[Brave Salmon]

I had similar issue on my Gen 1. The darn o-ring that holds the button in to steering wheel was preventing a good ground to the base. I drilled and tapped a 8x32 hole in the FFR adapter and one in the back of the button assembly. Used 2" pigtail as a ground wire and now we have a consistent horn beep beep. Yeah, I know, it should work but it didn't and I gave up trying to apply logic to this simple issue. Try a pigtail and see if it works for you.

[sread]

Hey guys, while I appreciate all the responses to my question, I have to admit it is a little frustrating when it seems that people either didn't really read what I wrote, or just didn't believe me. I thought I made it pretty clear from the beginning that the issue was the push button itself. It was not completing the path to ground for the powered horn circuit which connects to the spade terminal on the bottom. The wiring is fine and working exactly as intended. When I disassembled the actual push button to examine it , there was nothing in there. The button sits on 3 springs held captive by the 3 small allen screws. Therefore , the button itself is always grounded - as long as the whole assembly (or adapter) is installed in place in the steering wheel. So, either the button has to make contact with the center terminal, or there needs to be some type of plunger or set of contacts inside to make that happen. Mine was doing neither. Other than the 3 springs that it sits on, all that was in there is a small (appx 1/8 in ) hole that was tapped for threads and a screw in the center that appears to hold the center terminal in place...hence my question of something missing. I determined thru measuring as well as performing continuity checks that the button was not ,and could not contact the center terminal. Is it a manufacturing defect? or is there supposed to be something else in there? I have no idea.
I made it work buy drilling and tapping threads in the center of the bottom of the button and installing a small (4mm) screw about 1/8 in long. Now , when the button is pressed, it contacts the center terminal, which completes the ground, which triggers the relay, which makes the horn blow. I also added a short ground jumper from the adapter to the steering wheel it self for the reason previously mentioned - i.e. that the whole thing merely sits inside the wheel held in place by a large rubber o-ring , which tends to keep it insulated. Again, not sure what they were thinking there when they came up with that idea but I'm not an engineer.

[edwardb]

Your initial question was "Is the horn button supposed to be functional on the FFR steering wheel?" Since it's a Hot Rod, the assumption is it's an ididit column, so many including me answered "yes" it's supposed to be functional. Not sure why you would be frustrated. That was your question. As to the details, I'd personally suggest contacting ididit. These are typically using GM components along with their own custom parts. I had an issue with the turn signal switch on my truck build, also with an ididit column, and they were very helpful to resolve and even paid for the part I need to replace since it was new.

[sread]

Yes sir - but if you read beyond the thread title, I clearly stated that I knew it was Ididit column, that the wiring was functioning as intended, and that the issue was isolated to the button itself - that either something was missing from the push button assembly or there was some type of manufacturing defect. Will probably never know the real answer and am not going to spend any more time trying to find out as it works fine now. Again, thanks for your help.

[FF33rod]

Hey guys, while I appreciate all the responses to my question, I have to admit it is a little frustrating when it seems that people either didn't really read what I wrote, or just didn't believe me. I thought I made it pretty clear from the beginning that the issue was the push button itself. It was not completing the path to ground for the powered horn circuit which connects to the spade terminal on the bottom. The wiring is fine and working exactly as intended. When I disassembled the actual push button to examine it , there was nothing in there. The button sits on 3 springs held captive by the 3 small allen screws. Therefore , the button itself is always grounded - as long as the whole assembly (or adapter) is installed in place in the steering wheel. So, either the button has to make contact with the center terminal, or there needs to be some type of plunger or set of contacts inside to make that happen. Mine was doing neither. Other than the 3 springs that it sits on, all that was in there is a small (appx 1/8 in ) hole that was tapped for threads and a screw in the center that appears to hold the center terminal in place...hence my question of something missing. I determined thru measuring as well as performing continuity checks that the button was not ,and could not contact the center terminal. Is it a manufacturing defect? or is there supposed to be something else in there? I have no idea.
I made it work buy drilling and tapping threads in the center of the bottom of the button and installing a small (4mm) screw about 1/8 in long. Now , when the button is pressed, it contacts the center terminal, which completes the ground, which triggers the relay, which makes the horn blow. I also added a short ground jumper from the adapter to the steering wheel it self for the reason previously mentioned - i.e. that the whole thing merely sits inside the wheel held in place by a large rubber o-ring , which tends to keep it insulated. Again, not sure what they were thinking there when they came up with that idea but I'm not an engineer.

I apologise as I haven't kept up on reading these threads regularly. I had a similar problem where pressing the horn button didn't make it contact the head of the underlying screw (sounds like that might have been missing on yours). There are some pics and a description in my build thread. post 195 https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?30110-1104-(Gen1)-Steve-s-33-Rod-Build-door-poppers-pics-amp-Graduation!!!&p=430391&highlight=button#post430391

Steve

[sread]

No apologies necessary - that is exactly the same issue I had. I searched before I posted but couldn't find any other references to anything similar. I wish I had posted pics at the time and it would been more clear what I was asking. I guess until you have a reason to disassemble the button it is not easy to understand what the issue is.
Now that there are a couple threads on it, maybe the next guy that comes across this will have better luck. Thanks!

[HVACMAN]

Thanks for posting this. Mine is not working either. It worked when initially installed but not now. It's on my list of things to check.