Interior: Plastic Horn Button Installation

[WCP]

Has anyone found a trick to assist in the installation of a horn button? I found the button on my '64 Daytona wrapped with masking tape to hold it in place. It actually dropped on the floor while driving to Springfield due to a rough road. Today I removed it and added the correct O-ring, but had no success in getting it to slip in to the housing. I tried a forum search with this post title and got no hits. I then eliminated one word at a time until the word horn remained and still got no hits. I can't believe that there were no posts with the word horn. So much for search facilities!

[mbstude]

I've found that putting multiple words in quotes is the only way to use the search function.

Try "horn button install" for example. It'll only search for those 3 words, together, in that order.

[WCP]

Thanks Mat. When I tried that, the response made no sense - something like " the words are either too short, too long or too common to be included in your search"?

[leyrret]

Did you try a lubing the o'ring?

[52hawk]

I'd try some gojo hand cleaner for lube.[without pumice!]

[Flashback]

Just put dishwashing detergent (liquid), on the o-ring. Pop in and let dry.

[WCP]

Tried every lube I could think of - soapy water to silicone grease, but no go. The O-ring is new and slightly smaller than the button diameter. However, it won't stay in the outer groove and won't press in while in the inner position. I'm considering fastening the O-ring to the button groove with adhesive, to keep it in place. However, I'm hoping someone has a simpler trick. I'm sure I'm not the first person to have this problem.

[Stan.Gundry]

I had the same situation last summer. I went to NAPA and asked them to pull out their selection of O rings. I selected one that seemed just right, one that seemed just a shade too small, and one that seemed just a shade too large. One of them worked just perfectly, with no lubrication.

[Welcome]

Has anyone found a trick to assist in the installation of a horn button? I found the button on my '64 Daytona wrapped with masking tape to hold it in place. It actually dropped on the floor while driving to Springfield due to a rough road. Today I removed it and added the correct O-ring, but had no success in getting it to slip in to the housing. I tried a forum search with this post title and got no hits. I then eliminated one word at a time until the word horn remained and still got no hits. I can't believe that there were no posts with the word horn. So much for search facilities!

Studebaker Horn ButtonsRoscomacaw

[Studebakercenteroforegon]

Exactly - the lubricant is the problem. The o-ring is intended to roll up out of the groove to hold the horn button tightly. Thus you have to push the button in very squarely - and it takes more than a couple of times to get it to seat correctly. But when it does - it fits flush and tight.

[(S)]

meanwhile.....

Neighbors are thinking, "why does that jerk keep honking that horn!"


But thats how they go on........

[WCP]

Thanks for the responses. I now see that the o-ring must be dry and simply roll in to position. I tested this approach on a '62 Hawk horn bar and it worked perfectly on the 2nd attempt with a really snug fit. However, here is the problem. I measured the recess diameter of the Hawk bar and compared that to the '64 Daytona bar and found the '64 diameter 0.032" or 1/32" smaller. I then checked a '63 bar from a Cruiser and found it to be the same as the '64. After more than a dozen attempts this morning, I suspect that I will have to find a slightly thinner o-ring than the stock 1541971's.
Oh, and BTW, I did disconnect the battery so I wouldn't give the neighbors a further chance to wonder.

[RadioRoy]

Thanks for disconnecting the battery. It's amazing how many people are too spaced out to think of that.

What I have done is to put a few small blobs of silicone seal (RTV) on the button by the O-ring, push the button into place, wipe any excess, and leave it overnight for the smell to dissipate. Works fine, is easy to do, still comes apart when you want it to.

[WCP]

Success finally, but only by acquiring a thinner o-ring - 2 5/8 x 2 13/16 x 3/32". This goes in relatively easily (first try) and provides a nice snug fit for '63 & '64 horn bars. Buna o-rings are firmer than that supplied as 1541971. I also picked up a 2 1/2 x 2 3/4 x 1/8" o-ring and will try that one on the '62 horn bar as the thinner one would probably be too loose.