the positive goes to the horn 1st then to the horn push, so you should have a wire coming through the centre of the column that is live as it is the return path from the horn to earth, if that makes sense, the wire has just broken on mine and you will need to feed a wire up the centre of the column, I'm not sure where it gets connected on a '71 but you should see the previous conection at the bottom of the column, a lot of folk add an additional horn push to overcome this or don't understand that the positive goes directly to the horn not the negative.

 

I see...so it sounds like the wire coming up the column is the earth,

So if owners fit an other type of horn push I wonder where they fit it...are there any MOT issues with a non std horn button,

We will have to get it o the ramps and look at the lower end of the column....many thanks.

Nick.

 

Hmm not quite right. The Horn should be supplied with +v 12v the other side of the horn is fed from a ring in the steering column that provides the earth for this circuit. It terminates an a shoe pick up arrangement on the top of the steering column. The steering wheel should have a copper track underneath it this is usually screwed onto the wheel and is always nearly missing from wheels most vw stockists keep them. this picks up the signal wire and provides a wire up to your horn. When you press the horn your horn tries to earth this wire to the steering column. Hey presto the horn sounds. One other common failure is the disc in the steering coupling it should have a little braided wire to jump the flexible coupling. If your horn doesn't sound this can be missing or not connecting due to corrosion as this part is under the drivers wheel. The solution is to clean it up and grease it. Make sure its all done up very tight. (Most important)

 

Getting the picture now,

Part of our problem is not know what is missing and what has been replaced with non std parts,

There is a copper track type of thing at the top of the column but it doesn't look like it mates with the now std steering wheel we have fitted,

It did work ok with the after-market steering wheel that was fitted,

I could do with a picture of what should be under the steering wheel at the top of the column.

Nick.

 

http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_act_shop.product_pID_87145_crumbStartRow_76_lang_EN_country_GB.htm

THis is the part for the wheel . Your column should have two brass contact sticking up from the indicator switch plate

 

Max that looks like the part we have from the old aftermarket steering wheel....if we fit it to the new correct wheel with the part it fouls the copper contacts and screws and the horn sounds all the time.

Nick.