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MG MGB Technical - Horn Slip Ring Noise

I have just installed a Nardi steering wheel and hub in my 1975 MGB. Works fine, including the horn, however the slip ring to brush contact makes an annoying sound when turning the wheel. I've applied electrical contact grease on the slip ring, but I suspect that after a few turns of the wheel, the bursh just scrapes off the grease. Does anyone have any recommendations on how to keep this noise from occurring? Its not a safety issue or performance issue - just annoying.

Will the slip ring eventually wear to a point that the noise goes away?
JFW Woodall

I suspect that the new hub is not supporting the brush assembly as much as the original hub did and it is now running on the slip ring at an angle causing chatter. You might try some type of spacer under the brush housing to move the housing a little closer to the slip ring and see if that helps. I had a similar noise when the brush housing on my car cracked and left the brush unsupported.
Bill Young

No - the fix is easy, remove the brush from the column and apply a blob of solder onto the contact where it touches the ring.

Perfectly quiet and self lubricating
Chris at Octarine Services

Bill,
On my '75 B, the slip ring turns with the hub, and the brush is fixed on the column. Not sure if this is different on other MGB years. The slip ring I am using is made of sheet metal, however the slip ring on the original wheel/hub had grooves in it (like a ruffles potato chip!). I believe the current slip ring on the Nardi Hub is in about the same spot that the original slip ring once was.

Chris,
Thanks. I'll give that a try!

Bill/Chris - thanks for your great input - this message board is such a great resource, especially for MG new owners like me :)
JFW Woodall

This thread was discussed on 24/06/2004

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