Springalex steering wheel

[Richard and Pat]

One of our number asks: Can you tell me please how to rewire the Spitfire horn button in the Springalex Steering wheel? Similar to this one. Many thanks.

[Richard and Pat]

Are we all too young?
This is a new build Type 1 so needs to have the horn working before the test.

[iant-s]

Horn buttons USUALLY just earths down a connection between the horn and the steering column. So you will need a fixed slip-ring attached to the steering column. The horn push is fixed to the steering wheel and hence to the steering column shaft. The horn push has a brush that wipes the slip-ring when you turn the wheel.
If you can engineer to this point you are doing very well. A removable steering wheel will make it impossible anyway. Most people use a horn button on the indicator stalk or simply a push button on the dashboard. Both these ways will be much easier, more reliable and MOT acceptable.
Come to think of it, didn't early cars use an actual steering column?

[Throwley]

My Type1 which used to have a Springalex (or is it a Springall? I forget) has always had a dash-mounted button since build in ’86. It’s awkward to get to and functionally useless. I should move it to a better location, and will get around to that, eventually, but the centre-push is by far the best solution if you can work it. The Type1 uses the upper column from a Triumph (TR, Spitfire, GT6 etc.) and in its original form had power fed through the horn, up to a slip-ring fitted at the top of the column shroud. A plastic and sprung brass contact/wiper fixed to the steering wheel boss took this up through the steering wheel boss to the contact on the horn push, which when pushed simply earthed, making the circuit. Shouldn’t be too difficult to replicate this with the detachable wheel, but I’ve not yet worked out a way which doesn’t result in a vulnerable, or fiddly to use wiper assembly. A solution I’ve used on other cars is to run a wire through the steering column, out at the bottom then coil yards of wire around the column to allow the shaft to turn without pulling/tangling the wire when lock is applied. I’m sure that way could be made to work on a Type1 despite the shortness of the column, but hiding the coiled wire would be difficult (and I’m sure you wouldn’t want anyone to actually see such a bodge!).

It's pretty common for Subarus and other performance moderns to have detachable wheels and steering wheel functions, how do they do it?

[Richard and Pat]

Thank you both, I will pass on the replies to another Richard in Norwich.

[Richard and Pat]

Sorted thank you all.