When I got the car it was equipped with a wooden wheel that was too small for me since it blocked the gauges and the horn worked. I switched it for the original bus wheel temporarily while I looked through my collection of wheels. The bus wheel horn worked as well. I found I have 2 sport wheels that fit the car. I put them on and of course neither horn worked. So here's what I have on the sport wheel. I know there is a ring missing on the back of the horn button. Is there anything else I'm missing to make the horn work? I see some holes on the inside of the wheel that make suspicious there is a part missing there.
Sport Wheel.jpgSport Wheel Inside.jpgSport Wheel Horn Ring Back Side.jpg
The ring is missing from around the tabs that surround the wires. Seems like that ring would have to contact something else to work.
The metal contact ring lets the pin on the steering column make the electrical contact through full rotation of the wheel. You said the ring was missing.
I have envy of the leather condition on that wheel. PS that is my favorite E23 wheel, sporty without being obnoxious...came in mine from the factory!
I make E23 parts.
09/1983 745i (stolen spring '13 around Houston, TX Achatgruen on nutria buffalo. 8481080)
10/1984 745i
11/1984 745i
11/1984 735i (10:1-265/6)
Ford, MB, and GM round out the pack.
Definitely my favorite as well and for all the same reasons. I also have the other 3 spoke wheel and that is growing on me. It's a trick getting a wheel big enough for that car so you can see the gauges. I think the sport wheels are 380mm and the Bus is 390mm. The sport wheels are right on the fringe but you can see all the gauges. The other crazy thing is, I picked up a few wheels along the way looking for course spline wheels since I was under the impression that is what I had on my 84. Well all the wheels fit this car, a 3/1985, and I am still not sure if I have a course or fine spline hub. I just need to get the horns working.
The ring I was talking about is in this photo.
Horn button with ring.jpg
After looking at it closely, that ring can't do anything but keep the button secure since where it goes inside the steering wheel there is no metal at all. After looking at it I think the issue could be in the button itself. It has two wired that connect it to the ring on the underside of the wheel. If the button has an issue then I would suspect that the circuit is not getting completed so no horn. The other possibility, I think, is the slip ring under the wheel is not making contact with the pin on the column. The question I have is the pin on the column always rubbing on that ring? Is the pin adjustable?
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=bmw+steeri...-8-15%2FB7.JPG
That brass ring is the contact ring for the pin on the steering column.
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