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Getting horn to work on after market steering wheel
We (my son and I) put on a after market steering wheel. We want to get the horn to work.
He bought a Sparco wheel and hub (part # 01502252CA/Mozzo per Mazda RX7 Dall '86)
I have read every thread on this subject on the forum and cant find a really good answer.
I have found the wire from the original harness that beeps the horn when grounded.
Some threads say just get the right hub and you can use the original clock spring, but when I look at these hubs the clock spring is not going to fit.
the hubs still just have have the brass ring on the back that is supposed to make a constant connection to the horn wire when turning the wheel.
Some threads say just attach the original horn wire to the hub and make it long enough so turning the wheel wont break it.
Neither of these solutions seem like they are going to work very well.
My best idea is to use a motor brush (can get them at harbor freight), like for drill or dremel and glue on to existing stationary parts so it can always contact the brass ring and
connect the horn wire to that, but not sure this is really possible.
Anyone have a good solution to getting the horn to work with an after market steering wheel/hub?
Maybe there is a hub that works with the existing clock spring that I have not found?
Dale
I ordered that hub (no cruise or air bag), I noticed it says only finger tighen the hub, torquing it down can damage it.
Did I read that right, finger tight is enough?
Dale
Good to know.
Also, this was pretty inexpesive compared to other hubs, only $50 or so including shipping from Japan.
You have been using it for a while, so it good hub, right?
I dont have to worry about it beaking apart while driving.
If you got the HKB hub, yes, it's a top quality hub. I've had it on my car for 10 years or so.
Dale
How do you find the location of the cruise buttons? I was going to retrofit the oem steering wheel buttons but this might be tidier if it isn't awkward to use.
It's fine, right on top. Yes it is nicer having it on the steering wheel for easy operation with your thumb or whatever but this is a solid compromise.
I drive 8 hours to Deal's Gap every year with the cruise going the whole time, system works great and isn't too awkward or anything.
Yes, leave it be. Basically hub plus aftermarket steering wheel = OEM wheel, it bolts on just like the OEM wheel and has the 2 holes that the turn signal cancel mechanism locks into.
That's crazy, I didn't know they made a hub with the cruise buttons. That's cool. Regarding the torque spec, they're probably talking about the six bolts for the wheel to the hub, not the hub to the steering column.
I did this several years ago. Pretty easy, just had to drill a hole in the plastic for the hub for the wires to route through, and make a mount bracket from angle aluminum. I do wish it fit more snug around the quick release, maybe a 3D printed version would work.
Finally getting around to installing this hub, We spent an hour trying to figure out how this goes on, didnt get very far.
How is this plugn play, did I get the right hub?
But I thought that connector was supposed to fit through the opening in the hub. It seems much too large to fit through.
Also, I dont see how the hub will move the clock spring unless it pulls the clock spring by a wire.
The OEM steering wheel has an opening that fits around the connector on the clock spring, and
pushes/pulls the clock spring by the connector.
You're talking about the blue connector? I have that connector and maybe the white one outside the hub but inside the plastic piece that slides over the hub.
All you have to do is bolt the hub on and run whatever wires you need to into the hub.
Dale
I ordered that hub (no cruise or air bag), I noticed it says only finger tighen the hub, torquing it down can damage it.
Did I read that right, finger tight is enough?
I believe that's for tightening the M6 bolts for your steering wheel, so you don't strip the threads in the hub.
So we leave the blue connector and the white connector out of the center of the hub but we need to route the horn wire into the center.
I can depin the connector (see pic belw) to try and add a new horn wire to route to the center of the hub.
I was thinking the connector that came with the hub with the single horn wire would work if depined and added in place of the horn wire
on the oem connector, but it doesnt fit.
What the best way to get a new horn wire from the clock spring into the center of the hub?
First the OR-127 hub is the super basic HKB hub for the RX-7. No cruise control support and no connector to cancel the airbag light. OR-221 has the cruise control buttons and resistor for the airbag.
Why do you have the clock spring totally out of the car? There's no need to do that, just unbolt steering wheel, bolt on hub, bolt on wheel to hub, hook up horn.
The clock spring has 2 plastic tabs that fit into 2 recesses in the back of the hub. That allows for the turn signal cancel function.
We took out the clock spring before getting this hub, the other hub didnt fit with it.
We have a haltec ecu and I dont think the cruise will work with that, but I am not sure about that.
I dont know why I am having a hard time with this, its confounding my pea brain.
I dont see how the existing blue connector can go to the after market wheel, not even same connector and cant fit through the opening in the hub.
I removed the oem white connector and oem horn pin/wire and now have the blue wire that came with the hub in the oem horn wires place.
I can see how this would work, just not very secure.
05-30-21, 11:09 AM
