horn question

[JayBee]

'82 Vanagon, no power to horn, checked and cleaned grounds, horn is good, fuse good. Horn ring looks worn at connection. If all wires/connections good but horn ring worn could that be the problem? Should there be power to horn even with bad horn ring?

[bscutt]

The horn typically has +12 power all the time and the ground side of the horn is what gets grounded at the horn ring to activate the horn. So at the horn, one side should have +12V and the other is open until you push the horn button. If you have +12 at one side, ground the other side to see if the horn itself is any good, then troubleshoot from there. The horn connection/switch at the steering wheel is a common source of problems.

[JayBee]

I'm not getting power to the horn. I've checked that. The fuse is showing power, but only to one end of the fuse connection. Is that normal? The horn is new and works when i ran wire direct from battery. Just don't want to buy a new horn ring unless needed. There is visible wear at the connection area on the horn ring, it's thin and cracked, but basically whole. Would that be enough to limit the power to the horn?
This small issue has been vexing me, I've gotten everything else is working on this vehicle, but the horn. My friend is trying to get me to bypass the horn button but i want it original. Thanks.

[the man 53]

I would replace the fuse. Even if it looks good it sounds like it is stopping there.

[bscutt]

In a pinch run a new fused wire (buy an inline fuse kit at Advance Auto or whatever is local) from the battery to one side of the horn. While at the auto parts store buy an aftermarket horn button. Run a wire to it from the other side of the horn and then the other side of the horn button goes to ground. Not pretty but you at least have a horn to blow when some miscreant cuts you off.