horn doesnt work.

[1971ford]

the horn doesnt work in my boss's 1970 f250.

i put in a new spring contact piece.
all wiring seems to be there.
all fuses are good (if that has anything to do with it anyways)
there is only one horn (should there be two?)
its NOT the horn relay, i bough a new one, installed it, didnt fix the problem and i took it back.
i believe the horn is getting no power. i could be wrong.

what should i check?

[fordman]

unplug the horn and run direct battery power to it. if it honks its good. if it doesnt you can adjust the screw in the side of the horn to see if it works. if it still doesnt work its in the wiring in the column.

[1971ford]

thanks ill do that

[1971ford]

how should i run power to it?

[SteveC]

well the best way to is just to take the wire off that runs to it and take a spare piece of wire and touch it to wire the regular wire hooks up and the positive side of the battery if it still has a good ground through the mounts to the radiator support it will honk if not adjust the screw if not try hooking a knowen working horn up to factory wiring and make sure it is ground and see if your horn works

Hope this is clear enough to understand it makes sense to me ....but a lot of things do that dont to others

[1971ford]

had to read it a few times,
but i got it, thanks!!!!!!!

ill do all that

[SteveC]

no problem best thing to try first is directly wiring the horn. Then try a different working horn. Just becarefull when testing the horn..i jump almost every time and usally wack my head on the hood latch

[The_Eman]

Run a jumper from the battery positive to the horn power connection. If you aren't deafened the horn is dead or the ground is bad. Clean the ground, which is the horn mounting bolt and try again. No beep=dead horn.
If it does beep then find the horn relay, passenger side under hood on or above inner fender. It will have 2 yellow wires and one blue/yellow striped wire running to it.
Remove the connector and jump the 2 yellow wires together, if the horn blows it isn't a fuse or the power wire circuit. If it doesn't blow check the fuse or if the truck is so equipped there could be a fusible link instead on the starter relay, large terminal where battery positive connects.
Reinstall connector and ground the blue/yellow striped wire if the horn works now the problem is in the ground circuit from the horn button.
Remove horn button ground out horn contact stud. If horn blows the contact isnt touching the horn button contact brass ring or the horn switch is dead or there is an accumulation of dirt.
If horn doesn't work check the rag joint grounding wire.
This should get you started

[1971ford]

thanks The_Eman ,
i just printed your reply out since it sums everything up and has the tests
i cant wait to be deafened

[1971ford]

turns out the horn was dead, replaced it.
still no honk.
hal comes over and shoves a small screwdriver into the spring hole, which cleanes the contact in there and it works!