Is it possible to just purchace the silver plate on the steering wheel without having to buy a new steering wheel? Or is it actually PART of the steering wheel? Picture for reference...



for a 66 mustang btw.

 

Why? There's nothing wrong with it.

 

The horn wasnt working and the mechanic said the contacts where worn out... is that possible? Electrical stuff baffles me.

 

Yes....

but the contacts are on the other side of the steering wheel....they are on the bottom. You must pull the steering wheel to service them.

There are several other issues that could be causing the horn not to work.

-Gun

 

You might need a new mechanic. There are two sets of contacts. The two screws visible in your blurry photo are the upper contacts, for the horn ring. They are replaceable, but it is unlikely they need to be.

There are spring-loaded contacts on the turn signal switch that contact the slip rings on the underside of the steering wheel. Even if these are totally worn out, the horn would probably still work. I've never seen a set that worn, and I've seen a lot of these.

Most likely the spacing between the steering column and wheel needs to be adjusted. At the bottom of the dash the column is attached by a U strap. Loosen the nuts attaching it, and pull the column assembly upward towards the steering wheel, until there is only a 1/16" gap, and re-tighten the nuts. Your horn will probably be working now.

A small amount of silicone grease on the slip rings will assure years of squeak-free service from your TS switch. These don't come cheap, so it's worth your time to grease the rings.