Clock Switch Construction?

I was wondering, as this is my latest gremlin so I've been reading the various threads about horns and airbags...
how does this thing work? I've seen posters say their cruise went out and it needed replaced... they had an SRS light and it needed replaced... and myself like many others, no horn. That's a bunch of different things really.

The reason I ask... and I know (probably thankfully) that some of you might come on and say "don't do it! Don't mess with the airbags!!!"... but has anyone ever taken one out and sprayed contact cleaner in it? I have not taken mine out yet, and I can't tell by the pictures of the replacement part if its all sealed or not to where you could even get cleaner in there, but contact cleaner fixes a lot of things. (?)

Either way, this must be an interesting switch to have all that stuff going through it. I wish there was a way to see an exploded view of the switch itself... see how it works.

Orrrr.... this might all be painfully obvious when I take it out. In that case ignore the above.

 

I hate to tell you, but you’re way off. Imagine a bunch of wires 6? 8? Wound up like a spring in a clock. Or the spring in the recoil starter in your lawnmower. When you turn the steering wheel 1 direction, it winds the spring tighter. When you turn the other direction, it unwinds it. If you disconnect the steering shaft and turn the wheel, it snaps.

 

Hmph. Ok.... I guess I'll figure it out when I take it off. Interesting.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI98pGCCFD4

 

Cool! I have never had to deal with one, but it's good info to know for sure.

 

Ah-haaah! I see. Ok.

 

I don't know much, but can tell you this.

The Jeep (JK) people have had some interesting associations with this device. One of the popular mods is adding Cruise Control to non CC vehicles. I added CC to my 2007 (back in the day). So I don't remember much really.

The clock spring is very delicate device. The consensus (back then) was to: Disconnect the battery / handle with care / be careful disconnecting the harness connectors. Also make sure that you put a location mark on both set of splines of the steering wheel.

I don't remember it being a bad job (on the JK). Not sure how it will be on the Taco. I think it was an expensive device though.