urgent help needed. steering problems

[fordby4]

last night I was driving around and the steering wheel started popping hard and when I make a left hand turn the horn goes off twice. Does this sound like a serious problem or an easy fix. It still turns and runs good just a horrible pop when turning. Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Rick]

Is the popping coming from inside the steering column? It sounds to me like something busted in there, and that's why the horn is blowing. Removing the wheel is easy with a puller. Once in there you can check out the horn switch assembly to see if it's busted up.

 

[mrboyle]

^ What Rick said!

 

[cloaked_chaos]

Sounds like the (steering dampener?) weight has broken loose from it's rubber mounts. The same thing happened on my 93 eddie bauer. It was like that for a few years. We originally had it checked out by a mechanic (he must have been really stupid) and he thought it was a loose bolt, and wouldn't work on it for fear of the airbag deploying (lol first gens dont have airbags).
I got bored one day and opened up the column by removing the two bolts on the back of the steering wheel, and found the loose weight. Over time it had really messed up the wiring for the horn and cruise control. I don't really know why the weight was there in the first place, I don't notice a difference without it except now theres no clanking and the horn doesnt randomly go off.

[edit] and sorry rick for saying you are wrong, but if it is what I described then you do not need a steering wheel puller.

 

[fordby4]

Thanks guys for all the help. Cloaked Chaos, you hit it on the head. It was the weight behind the horn cover. Easy fix took about 5 minutes. Now it turns without the pop.Thanks again