Horn contacts repair walkthrough.

[KidVermicious]

Intermittent or weak horn? It's probably the contacts in your steering column. We're going to try and fix that.

One phillips head, under the steering wheel:

Pull out and lift off the center assembly. Be careful, there's a wire on a spade connection underneath.

19mm bolt - you'll probably want a breaker bar here. Once that's off, pull the wheel. If you choose not to use a steering wheel puller, leave that nut on after you break it loose, because otherwise you will knock the stuffin' out of yourself when the steering wheel finally breaks free and clobbers you in the sternum. You Have Been Warned.

See that little spring loaded plunger? Clean the corrosion off of that. And blow the dust out of your column while you're at it, you filthy pig.

3 small phillips head screws hold this copper ring to the backside of the steering wheel.

Note the corrosion and the untracked areas where that little plunger wasn't making contact.

Remember that spade connector? You just found it.

Much cleaner...

If I'd had some polishing compound or really fine grit sandpaper, I would have used it, and gotten that ring even cleaner.

Make a shim for the backside of that ring out of whatever. I used an empty margarine tub.

Put it all back together, and enjoy your louder horn that works no matter what position the steering wheel is at.

If this doesn't fix it, but you've got horn when you ground that pin, the spring is probably worn out. You'll want to replace it, or shim it - if anybody knows how to remove the pin to replace that spring, feel free to add to the post! Also, this was on an '86, but should apply to any first gen 4Runner or same year minitruck, and probably the second gen rigs too.

Happy honking!

 

[SV_Dude]

Well done. I think I'll add this thread to the FSM thread in the sticky. If you have any other handy articles then shoot me a pm with the thread. I'll start building a T4R bible kind of how pirate4x4 has theirs. Except ours will be on interoir/exterior fixes and not 100% solely for offroad purposes.

 

[fourwd1]

The spacer under the ring is how I did it a few times, then I found that a .22 caliber shell will slip right over the spring loaded contact. A bit easier to do.

 

[foonanas]

where was this a week ago when I had to fix my horn to get the safety inspection done. LOL I have an after market horn and the wire broke off from that round disc. I had to figure out where it went and solder it back on..

great post with pics!

 

[KidVermicious]

The spacer under the ring is how I did it a few times, then I found that a .22 caliber shell will slip right over the spring loaded contact. A bit easier to do.

Awesome tip!

 

[RAD4Runner]

The spacer under the ring is how I did it a few times, then I found that a .22 caliber shell will slip right over the spring loaded contact. A bit easier to do.

Nice tip!
Just make it had been fired, not pry the slug off, pour the powder out, and leave primer in). hah-hah!
(We used to pry slugs off armor-piercers, then peel off copper cladding because the steel center make great center punches - dont ask me where I come from

 

[nevada]

If this doesn't fix it, but you've got horn when you ground that pin, the spring is probably worn out. You'll want to replace it, or shim it - if anybody knows how to remove the pin to replace that spring, feel free to add to the post! Also, this was on an '86, but should apply to any first gen 4Runner or same year minitruck, and probably the second gen rigs too.

Happy honking!

the pin is easy to replace, and cheap. I think I paid less than $15 for mine.

going off memory here...push the plunger down, you can see the c-clip on the bottom. i think I used some small needle pliers to R&R it.

the new one is considerably longer.

also, its a good idea to give it a good coating of dielectric grease. im sure running it dry will wear it out that much faster.

 

[89FourRunner]

the pin is easy to replace, and cheap. I think I paid less than $15 for mine.

going off memory here...push the plunger down, you can see the c-clip on the bottom. i think I used some small needle pliers to R&R it.

the new one is considerably longer.

also, its a good idea to give it a good coating of dielectric grease. im sure running it dry will wear it out that much faster.

You can also slide a 22 cal bullet shell over the pin. Just fill it with dialectic grease and slide it on top of the pin. Works great, and I heard it will last forever.

 

[fourwd1]

You can also slide a 22 cal bullet shell over the pin. Just fill it with dialectic grease and slide it on top of the pin. Works great, and I heard it will last forever.

Um, that was mentioned in post #3 above.

 

[89FourRunner]

Um, that was mentioned in post #3 above.

Yes, it was wasn't it.

I it from this forum, most likely from you in a past post. Didn't mean to take credit for the idea.

 

[wallytoo]

i used the 22 cal shell trick. i modified it by lining the shell with aluminum foil, so it fits tightly to the original pin/spring assembly. has been working reasonably well for several months now (better than before adding the shell - where the horn might work once every 30 pushes on the pad). now it works about 49 out of 50 times.

 

[88rnr]

better but not quite right

Thanks for posting this tutorial, I would not have attempted it or known where to start without it. That said, I followed the steps reassembled everything and the horn sounds better but still not as strong as it should. What else should I try? is the horn grounded to the radiator support? pull the connectors off the horn and clean them? what do you guys think?

 

[Cartzo]

Nice thread! My horn just started acting up. I'll have to try this.

 

[KidVermicious]

Thanks for posting this tutorial, I would not have attempted it or known where to start without it. That said, I followed the steps reassembled everything and the horn sounds better but still not as strong as it should. What else should I try? is the horn grounded to the radiator support? pull the connectors off the horn and clean them? what do you guys think?

Could be a bad ground, for sure. Pull the steering wheel off again and send that pin straight to ground, is that louder?

 

[DKirk]

86 Pickup Solution

For my 1986 Toyota Pickup I choose to remove the turn signal stalk totally and replace with a new genuine Toyota plunger. Four screws and plunger comes off, once you unplug the two connectors at the bottom of the column. Unsnap the ring holding the plunger in (seen below) and replace. Notice the difference between the used one (left) and new one (right). Threw some dialectric grease on it for good measure. My ring on the back of the steering wheel looked new, even with 228,000 miles so I did nothing with it. If interested in buying the official Toyota part the number is 84312-20011

 

[raynyc]

weird , i looked this part number up and trd parts says it doesnt exist

For my 1986 Toyota Pickup I choose to remove the turn signal stalk totally and replace with a new genuine Toyota plunger. Four screws and plunger comes off, once you unplug the two connectors at the bottom of the column. Unsnap the ring holding the plunger in (seen below) and replace. Notice the difference between the used one (left) and new one (right). Threw some dialectric grease on it for good measure. My ring on the back of the steering wheel looked new, even with 228,000 miles so I did nothing with it. If interested in buying the official Toyota part the number is 84312-20011

 

[bentos1]

I wanted to add my another thought on this. My horn stopped working on my 1992 truck and I had thought it was the horn itself. It turned out that it was the horn but it can be adjusted. There is a screw in the back of it which adjusts the diaphragm inside. If you think there is an issue with the horn you can take it off, adjust this screw and apply 12 volts.
Might save you buying an aftermarket horn.

 

[85 toyota]

Thanks for the write up, worked perfect.

 

[85 toyota]

I did the 22. Caliber fix and also added a washer behind the round plate. The horn does work now but it still not a steady beep it's kinda off tone then in tone, maybe a new plunger and spring is the trick, or could the horn just be to old.
Thanks in advance.

 

[bentos1]

I did the 22. Caliber fix and also added a washer behind the round plate. The horn does work now but it still not a steady beep it's kinda off tone then in tone, maybe a new plunger and spring is the trick, or could the horn just be to old.
Thanks in advance.

Try adjusting the diaphragm screw like a I mentioned in my previous reply. I had an intermittent/non working horn and adjusting the screw resolved my issue