Is there an 850 horn contact repair kit yet?

[Doug Warner]

Well, after honking my horn at one of Atlanta's many mobile idiots today, my 94 850 succumbed to the dreaded crumbling horn contact failure:
http://webpages.charter.net/dwarner2/HornContact.jpg

Left: The one that sounded the horn until I pulled the fuse.
Right: What it looks like with all the plastic gone, The tip is 2mm thick, and the supporting ring underneath was 2mm as well, producing a total 4mm protrusion above the bracket surface.

I could see that a whole steering wheel would be the only factory fix..

Still, where there's a will (and cheapness), there's a way:

First try:
Machine screw, insulating washers, shrink tubing:
http://webpages.charter.net/dwarner2/HornContact2.jpg Still, it didn't seem too durable, and I didn't have enough washers.

Second try: Some plastic rod stock and my old lathe:
http://webpages.charter.net/dwarner2/HornContact1.jpg Original contact insulator on left, my version on right. The original has some plating on the tip. There's no tarnish, so I doubt it's silver. Any ideas what metal it is?

With ready made screw-based contacts and the plastic parts, this would be an easy & cheap fix, The ring terminals can be easily pulled off the original contacts and they fit nicely around the screws. Is Volvo or anyone else currently selling repair kits?

Spammers are vermin. Please kill them.

 

[Doug Warner]

Well, after honking my horn at one of Atlanta's many mobile idiots today, my 94 850 succumbed to the dreaded crumbling horn contact failure:
http://webpages.charter.net/dwarner2/HornContact.jpg

Left: The one that sounded the horn until I pulled the fuse.
Right: What it looks like with all the plastic gone, The tip is 2mm thick, and the supporting ring underneath was 2mm as well, producing a total 4mm protrusion above the bracket surface.

I could see that a whole steering wheel would be the only factory fix..

Still, where there's a will (and cheapness), there's a way:

First try:
Machine screw, insulating washers, shrink tubing:
http://webpages.charter.net/dwarner2/HornContact2.jpg Still, it didn't seem too durable, and I didn't have enough washers.

Second try: Some plastic rod stock and my old lathe:
http://webpages.charter.net/dwarner2/HornContact1.jpg Original contact insulator on left, my version on right.

And, one of the four restored contacts. I coated them with silver solder. http://webpages.charter.net/dwarner2/DSCN0159.JPG Horn works fine now. About 5 hours work, including trial & error "sculpting" of the plastic parts.

Spammers are vermin. Please kill them.