The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

I am repairing a Clear Hooters HF256 as part of an ongoing restoration of my 1959 Dexta. The problem is that it doesn't work. I have taken it apart and the coil appears ok with a resistance of 0.9 ohms. Whilst cleaning the contacts I noticed they were permanently open, whereas I would expect them to be normally closed. My understanding is that when the horn button is pressed 12v energises the coil which then pulls the armature and breaks the contacts which de-energises the coil which makes the contact and so on. This happens rapidly and vibrates the diaphragm making the horn sound until the button is released. I then found a picture of a HF256 on eBay which clearly shows the contacts normally closed and I realised that both contacts are larger than mine, or at least the bottom one is (see photos). How can I fix this? Any ideas? I really want to save this original horn.
This is mine (contacts unscrewed from base)

Clear Hooters with open contacts

should look like this:


Clear Hooters HF256 - eBay

You are going to need to find a bit of spring steel and a contact by the sounds of it Mike, contacts you can find in old solenoids or relays but I'm wracking my brain trying to think where you might canibalise the spring steel strip from, unless you can find another older type horn and hope for the best.

Its no good I can't resist it, last one I repaired for my S1 Landy was many years ago and used a spring steel strip from Granny's old corsets, they were like a blank hacksaw blade (and had to be removed before washing them) she had various digestive ailments and gradually shed these as she got older so naturally I saved them for future use, don't think I have any left but will check tomorrow just in case.

Others grannies may vary...........

Only other thought is a bit of clockspring which you might be able to 'stroke' flat again, drilling can be tricky and you don't want to be heating it or it looses it spring.

Thanks Rick
Having slept on it I now think the problem may be that the armature is seized in the 'open' position. I can't move the armature at all which I would expect to do by pressing the diaphragm? Although the contact side is very clean the diaphragm side is rusty.

That would not help matters one bit Mike - an ideal job for a soak with ATF & Acetone - did check and I can't find any of that spring strip