Squeeky steering wheel?!?!

[Emz]

Hi!

I was wondering if anyone can help me please - my (T25) steering wheel has started to make a horrible grating noise. The noise sounds like it is coming from directly undet the wheel, I don't know enough about mechanics to take it to pieces my self though. I was wondering if anyone else had encountered a similar problem, and the best way to deal with it?

Thanks in advance for your help!
E x

[tandemsandy]

Sounds like the brass contact ring for the horn.
There's a brass ring on the bottom face of the steering wheel which rubs on a brass contact on the top of the steering column. That's how the power gets from the horn to the button in the middle of the steering wheel.
A flat screwdriver will pop out the horn button, then a big socket will undo the steering wheel nut beneath. Off pops the wheel and underneath will be some brass bits covered in gunky sludge! Clean 'em up, smear with vaseline, put back together. Job's a good 'un

Oh, use tippex or similar to mark the position of the steering wheel on its splines so you put it back on straight.


Rob

[California Dreamin]

Like he said ^^^^^^^^^ this happened to me in France two years ago, it was so bad it was unbearable top drive....as said, clean the brass horn ring and re-apply a smear of vasoline which is an instant fix.

Martin

[loo99car]

Would you really use vaseline (insulating & lubricating) on this? I would have thought its not suitable electrically for what is allready a precarious circuit arrangment. I would suggest using as what was originall applied but has dried up & become conbtaminated i.e. contact Grease(conductive & lubricating)which would be a far better long term choice.
http://www.electrolube.com/docs/lubricantmain.asp?id=62" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; .

PS; no i dont work for electrolube etc LoL.

[Zomerzet]

Yes, as above or graphite grease. I've used electrolube to clean crackly volume knobs on old amplifiers too!

[California Dreamin]

Would you really use vaseline (insulating & lubricating) on this?

YES!

Whilst I agree that this particular product is ideal....using vasoline on horn contacts has just never been an issue.
I have just never seen evidence of tracking or pitting relating to current arc (whilst using vasoline for this particular application)
I confess that I have seen several worn horn contacts but it has been evident this has been caused by lack of regular cleaning and re-application of lubricant...over 21 - 31 years of friction. I have never seen any evidence of electrical erosion.

Martin

[loo99car]

Appreciated.

[Ian Hulley]

Squeeky is usually the back of the rubber wheel rubbing on the cowl ... either a fine emery paper and sand away the point of contact or lubrication may help. The horn contact makes a scraping noise rather than squeek.

Ian

[California Dreamin]

Good point Ian but then Emz goes on to further describe it as a 'horrible grating noise'...admittedly a bit different from a squeek....

Martin

[Ian Hulley]

Yeah, didn't notice that Martin

[Emz]

Brilliant - thank-you all so much! The squeaking definately makes driving a little noisey!