Steering Wheel

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LateOnTheBrakes

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I wondered why the truck had such a tiny steering wheel and a horn button on the dash when I got it. I'm starting to wonder if the steering column is out of some other vehicle. I would like to replace the steering wheel with one that has a horn.

Does the center piece with the three threaded holes stay with the steering column? Or is it an adapter for the wheel I have?

How does the horn hook up? Should there be a wire coming through? Does a pin go through the little green hole?

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SDJunkMan

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I wondered why the truck had such a tiny steering wheel and a horn button on the dash when I got it. I'm starting to wonder if the steering column is out of some other vehicle. I would like to replace the steering wheel with one that has a horn.

Does the center piece with the three threaded holes stay with the steering column? Or is it an adapter for the wheel I have?

How does the horn hook up? Should there be a wire coming through? Does a pin go through the little green hole?

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Yes, the center piece with the 3 holes is an adapter. There should be a piece with a contact for the horn that goes through the 4th (green) hole. On a aftermarket wheel a hire is used sometimes, it should attach to a plate that floats on springs that go over the 3 bolts.
 

LateOnTheBrakes

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How much further do I need to disassemble the column to verify the wire/contact for the horn is not damaged? Should there be a wire coming up through the green piece? I can't imagine the previous owner went through all that effort for an external switch if he could have bought a horn button.
 

bucket

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After looking at your pictures again, the cancel cam appears to be damaged and the contact wire has no way of being held in.

And PO's can be lazy. Quite often, horns have aftermarket dash buttons to activate them because nobody felt like diagnosing the actual problem. Like a broken cancel cam.
 

LateOnTheBrakes

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I'm not familiar with the anatomy of a steering wheel or column. Is the cancel cam the green plastic piece? If not, is it part of the wheel, adapter, or column? Replaceable?

It seems like something with that name would be to cancel the turn signal when the wheel is turned.

I took the adapter off but the reluctor looking wheel behind it wouldn't budge with gentle prying so I stopped.
 

AuroraGirl

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i cant finda a pic of it in the truck, but RPO n31 custom steering wheel

it looks cool and would fix your issue!
 

bucket

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I'm not familiar with the anatomy of a steering wheel or column. Is the cancel cam the green plastic piece? If not, is it part of the wheel, adapter, or column? Replaceable?

It seems like something with that name would be to cancel the turn signal when the wheel is turned.

I took the adapter off but the reluctor looking wheel behind it wouldn't budge with gentle prying so I stopped.

Yes, the green thing is the cancel cam and you are correct about it's function. The bottom part of it that cannot be seen when installed has bumps on it that make contact with the turn signal switch. But it's second function is to carry a 12v supply to the steering wheel hub area for the horn.

That reluctor wheel looking piece is called a lock plate (a pin engages into it when the ignition is switched off) and must be removed to access the cancel cam. You need a lock plate removal tool to compress the plate down and remove an annoying snap ring. Once that is off, you simply remove the cancel cam and reassemble with a new one. Green is for non-tilt, white is for tilt.
 

bucket

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Also, there's a plastic cover that is supposed to be snapped over the lock plate. It's only there for cosmetic reasons.
 

LateOnTheBrakes

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Yes, the green thing is the cancel cam and you are correct about it's function. The bottom part of it that cannot be seen when installed has bumps on it that make contact with the turn signal switch. But it's second function is to carry a 12v supply to the steering wheel hub area for the horn.

That reluctor wheel looking piece is called a lock plate (a pin engages into it when the ignition is switched off) and must be removed to access the cancel cam. You need a lock plate removal tool to compress the plate down and remove an annoying snap ring. Once that is off, you simply remove the cancel cam and reassemble with a new one. Green is for non-tilt, white is for tilt.

How can you tell it's broken just by looking at it? I do not know what it should look like or how far is should protrude.

Is this what you are talking about as far as the tool goes?

https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-57340-Steering-Wheel-Plate/dp/B0009OR956

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LateOnTheBrakes

5.3-Swapped 86 CUCV
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Virginia
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Joshua
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1986
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CUCV
Engine Size
5.3
You must be registered for see images attach

i cant finda a pic of it in the truck, but RPO n31 custom steering wheel

it looks cool and would fix your issue!

Are you offering to sell me your steering wheel? How much? What is the diameter? The one in my truck is a puny 13.5".

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Last edited:

AuroraGirl

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Also, there's a plastic cover that is supposed to be snapped over the lock plate. It's only there for cosmetic reasons.
do BOP steering wheels of this era interchange you think?
 

AuroraGirl

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400(?), 350
Are you offering to sell me your steering wheel? How much? What is the diameter? The one in my truck is a puny 13.5".

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thats a factory option steering wheel, i can show you mine. i want to keep it i think. but it would look nice
 

bucket

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350-454
How can you tell it's broken just by looking at it? I do not know what it should look like or how far is should protrude.

Is this what you are talking about as far as the tool goes?

https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-57340-Steering-Wheel-Plate/dp/B0009OR956

You must be registered for see images attach

I couldn't tell for sure, but it looked like the little hook tab was broken off the end. It's very common when the horn contact wire isn't removed carefully.

That's a variation of the proper tool, yes. There are some simpler tools out there that are more user friendly, but that should work.

do BOP steering wheels of this era interchange you think?

Yes.
 

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