I am looking for some guidance on a 57 Fairlane I inherited from my father. Trying to figure out the horn wire on the steering column to make the horns work. From what I have read, the wire is supposed to go through the center of the column. I have a hunch that the column was replaced at one time because it is solid (pulled the steering wheel off). Steering wheel and horn ring look to be correct, would like to keep them and be functional. Also it is manual steering if that matters. Thank you for any ideas or info.
Given it is a solid column it is not a 57, most likely a 58. This swap was done to get rid of the "arm strong power steering" of the 57 box and replace it with a much easier to use 58 and later box.
Look at the wires that run under a little shield along the side of the column. Might be there is one that is not connected to anything? If there is one it would be for the horn if all the brake/turn lights work. The original wire for the horn might still be open, look at the harness close to the steering box. The horn rim simply puts a ground on the wire and turns on a relay located next to the starter solenoid on the passenger side inner fender well. If you find a wire hanging open in that harness momentarily touch it to ground or check it with a tester to see if it has 12V on it.
There is a lot of info on the site about this, but basically the best way is to retrofit a '59 horn/turn signal switch along with a modification to the original steering wheel involving drilling a hole and installing a plastic bushing for the horn contact "button". I bought a '59 wheel (looks the same) which includes the hole and bushing. Some guys have used the whole column out of a '58 or a '59.
The wire coming out of the 58 steering column harness for the horn is yellow/green. There is a bullet connector in the same bundle as the turn/brake/flasher wires.
The horn wire in the 57 harness next to the steering box is yellow/green also. This wire goes to the horn relay.
Thank you all for the info. Still trying to get more familiar with this car. Was thinking about drilling the hole for a contact but wasn't sure what parts I might need. The pictures were a big help. I have everything else working so far except the dome light which I'm not too worried about right now. Still have a few more things before I can get it on the road. Thanks.
I have a related issue on my '57 Ranchero, having just installed a '58 steering box and column. I understand the required modifications, and the round plate behind the steering wheel is in place, and I have drilled the hole to accomodate the hole for the contact. All other wires off the turn signal switch matched up and are plugged in. My issue is that I don't know where I need to go with the yellow/green horn wire coming down the column. I know it needs to route to the tri-plug on the horn relay through the main loom, but there is not a stray female plug or cut wire under the dash. The prior owner had installed double air horns and made a mess of the wiring. I can only guess the yellow/green wire is in the loom somewhere. I guess I am asking where I should look in the main loom for that yellow/green wire that runs to the horn relay so I can tie into it. Thanks. Jim
Originally, there would be a bullet connector near the steering box. I pushed mine through one of the unused holes in the harness grommet and plugged it into the horn wire coming out of the column.
You have partially answered my question. That is, I now understand that with the '57 steering box the bullet connector leading back to the horn ring comes out the end of the steering shaft at the steering box, rather than just below the dash as with a '58 steering box. I need to be looking at the loom under the hood, not under the dash, for the wire that comes from the horn relay.
So, on a '57 loom the yellow/green wire coming from the horn relay comes out of the main loom in the engine compartment somewhere near the steering box and master cylinder. Can you be more specific where you see that go into the main loom? Would it be close to the wires for the neutral safety switch? If I find that I can run run a wire back through the harness grommet as you point out.
Horn wire, neutral safety switch wires and backup light switch wires should all come out of the under hood harness in the same place. If the horn wire has not been cut, it is long enough to slide through the firewall grommet. Wire should be Yellow/Green all the way to the relay.
That's what I needed to know. Thanks.