Horn Button Backing Plate Removal

[Bill Bausser]

Any collective wisdom on how to get this bugger off?

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Thanking you in advance

Bill

[Wes Bender]

If you mean removing it from the steering wheel, you press down real hard and rotate it counterclockwise.

[Jim Liberty]

And Wes mean "Real Hard". They can be a bear to get off. ……………….Jim.

[Adam Wright]

It helps if you have some else hold the steering wheel, or hold it with your knees. you can also carefully spray some WD40 behind it. Normally the little rubber cup is hard as a rock and fused to the wheel, but if softened up works a lot better. You will want to replace it anyway so don't worry about tearing it when you twist the horn button. Also, make sure you grip the pointed ends with your fingers and apply pressure there, rather than with the palm of your hand on the face. I've cracked the horn button disk before, without moving the base, making your problem worse.

[Ron LaDow]

Depending on how your dog, for instance, reacts to a loooong horn blowing, you might want to remove the ground lead at the battery.
EASY Jim is a gold-medalist in getting those off quickly enough that hardly anyone notices. Even with a newish rubber cuff in there, I take the ground lead off.

[John Brooks]

Yea, disconnect the horns, or battery. Press in hard and flat then twist CCW. Just as your think you have broken the wheel, it comes free. The rubber is surprisingly hard aft all these years hiding in the wheel.

[Norm Miller]

So, I gather you are trying to remove the backing plate from the horn button which is not attached to the wheel, right?
That can be a project.
Secure the button 3 tabs on a bench with blocks of wood or (?)
Press down firmly on the backing plate and twist it counter-clockwise.
Also, you can try to support the backing plate and press down on the button and twist it counterclockwise. Lots of luck.

Norm
Take it to Porsche headquarters and see if they have any savvy engineers. ,

[Vic Skirmants]

So, I gather you are trying to remove the backing plate from the horn button which is not attached to the wheel, right?
That can be a project.
Secure the button 3 tabs on a bench with blocks of wood or (?)
Press down firmly on the backing plate and twist it counter-clockwise.
Also, you can try to support the backing plate and press down on the button and twist it counterclockwise. Lots of luck.

Norm
Take it to Porsche headquarters and see if they have any savvy engineers. ,

WHAT??? The horn button is glued to the backing plate. No twisting involved!

[Bill Bausser]

Well guys. Still struggling with this. The horn pad was easy, just like Vic said it was glued and came off real easy. The backing plate, well that’s another story. Ron and John - honking horn is not a problem, it doesn’t work, one of the reasons I’m taking it off. Adam, Jim and Wes it just ain’t moving I put some Wd40 on it. Press and try to turn it and have only gotten about a 1/8 inch or less movement. I succeeded in buggering up one oh the 3 Spears or tabs. If I ever get it off I can try some testers or pop for $50 to Stoddard. How is this thing attached, is some sort of cam action. Reminds me of removing a harmonic balancer in a Ford Big Block. What if I just try to army it out with a couple of big azz slot head screw drivers. I’m taking it to Amelia in a couple of weeks. Maybe I should hold a side contest with some of you guys to give it a try. Getting restless Les Leston wants to get settled

[Mike Wilson]

It isn't pried off so the screwdrivers won't work. It definitely twists off CCW. If you are going to replace it, maybe try pushing it in as much as you can and tap it with a rubber mallet.

Mike

[Wes Bender]

As Mike says, prying with a pair of screwdrivers will definitely break it. There are three lugs in detents. The WD-40 should help if you can get it on the lugs themselves. As has been stated above, you REALLY have to push in on it to compress the rubber. The rubber gets stiff with age. Once it goes down below the fixed part of the lugs, it will rotate CCW.

[Doug McDonnell]

I predict you need to press in harder before turning.

[Mervyn Hyde]

My T6B has the chromed dress/horn ring so I had to be extra careful not to break that. As said, push hard before turning. After removing the glued horn press and after sitting overnight with WD40, a couple of gentle taps with the rubber mallet around the base plate seemed to release the seal that had formed at the base of the rubber cup. I also tried turning it clockwise a bit to release it, then anticlockwise. I think I got lucky.

[Vic Skirmants]

Hint: turn the steering wheel to full lock to the left; then you don't need help holding the wheel.

[Wes Bender]

I don't want to insult you, but make sure you are turning the backing plate to the left (CCW) and not to the right....... I only mention this because I've been there, done that.