horns-what works

so, I'm guessing that many of you have had similar problems, youve got a "loud" car,..and the horn is just plain anemic, sometimes your lucky if you can hear it at all over the engine at idle.

whats the best out there for decibels? electric,air,it doesnt matter what type I just want something that works...and no, train horns are not an option

 

Get a big trumpet horn or pair fron '40's or '50's, if you have 12V use a 6V horn. The extra motivation does wonders...

 

look for the hella blaster horns also heres the piaa ones,or a clip of them,these bastards are loud as shit,just right for waking up the idiot on the cell phone who just pulled out in front of you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXrazvy7p2s&NR=1

 

I love my Aoogah horns on both cars. My truck is reallly loud. Nothing gets more attention. It works great for chasing deer away from the roadway too. Saved my butt lots of times. Aftermarket ones work too.

 

I've got horns off of a Peterbilt big rig.

 

My 49 sedan horns blast good.

 

Lots of anemic sounding horns are due to one of the tones not working, many have a hi/lo.

Word on the street is a horn off a 6V car is an attention getter at 12V.

Placement can have a lot to do with it as well.

 

I'm using a dual tone set off a big fifties car
plenty loud.

my present dilemma though is I am missing the guts under the stock Stude horn button
and have at least temporarily gone to a dash mounted button.

would be nice if it were right at my fingertips when needed
instead of having to let go of the wheel (with one hand) to reach for the dash button

I did mount it mid dash so the passenger can push it whenever she feels the urge

 

Yes, what's mentioned above, running 6V horns on 12V will produce a pretty good sound.

 

As said above,
but make sure you use a horn solenoid,
cause those things suck up the juice and will burn out 20 amp fuses.
TP

 

http://www.hornblasters.com - watch the videos...

Vance

 

I'm running a 1922 Spartan which I think was off a fire engine (originally painted bright red) Really loud, but 12v spins it too fast.
With dual tone horns, they have to be tuned to have an interference so they really split the ears.

Flatman

 

two or three tone airhorns are nice.

 

I'm running these old 6V Autolites on 12V and they'll wake the dead

 

get some factory 50's gm horns (you have to get a pair) they are frickin LOUD for what they are.
or, just get a la-cucaracha air horn...those are always crowd pleasers.

 

locomotive air horns !

 

triple horn set from a caddy sounds great

the 2nd one in the video of course http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpgorFRQrdU

 

some good suggestions here guys, thanks....any idea on decibels?

I've ran twin air horns before which wernt too bad, but this one is going to be a shade louder
so I have my doubts that they could be heard?
(blown injected bigblock with dual 4inch pipes{short at that} )

an NO, I'm not interested in train horns, thanks anyway
the more compact the better,but I'm willing to try and hide a decent set if they work

 

I put a pair from a '93 Lincoln and a single from a '78 Ford truck on my '38. It was $13 well-spent at my local Pull-A-Part.

They weren't train horns or anything crazy like that but the SOB's sure were loud. They were small, simple to wire up, & didn't come with air systems & a bunch of other crap to have to deal with either.

JH

 

The Stebel air horn is cheap and amazingly loud.
http://www.bikerhiway.com/stebel-na...tm_medium=frgl&utm_source=froogle&language=en

 

On the subject of the old 6v. horns, anybody got a source for rebuilding them? I was trying to run the stock '36 Ford pick up horns where I did all the work to insulate them to run in series on 12 volts when alas I found them to both be DOA. Then another couple of swap meet beauties with the big dome covers also appear dead after making a couple of anemic squeaks. I heard to repair these thing you file the points. Well, I tried that only to see a side of the points come unglued and fall off. Out of curiosity, what do the points do? Do they break connection in the event the things heat up? That's all I can figure. Anyway, anybody knows who repairs these things?

 

These things are pretty easy to rebuild yourself. usually just need to clean the points and readjust for best sound. At worst you have to pull a coil from a donor. Here's a tech I did on rebuilding the small rmas horn kind these used in the old Corvettes. They look different but work the same way.


Horns 101

Fundamental to fixing anything is an understanding of how it works. A horn operates pretty much like a doorbell buzzer. It consists of a set of points, a coil, a diaphragm and a trumpet. The points are normally closed. When you apply power to a horn, the points energize the coil. The coil produces a magnetic field that attracts a plunger in the center of the diaphragm much like a solenoid or relay. As the diaphragm moves downward, it presses on a small lever that opens the points. The magnetic field collapses and the diaphragm moves upward. This closes the points, re-energizes the magnetic field, pulls the diaphragm downward and the process repeats itself. The diaphragm vibration is magnified by the trumpet and makes sound. Horns generally don’t work for one of two simple reasons; either the diaphragm has rusted out, or the points have corroded. The coil could also be bad, but generally one of the first two fails before the coil burns out (unless you already melted it by trying to weld on a new mounting bracket).<O</O
<O</O

I think it is wise for the “do-it-yourselfer” to approach horn rebuilding from the perspective of disturbing as LITTLE as possible with the exception of what’s actually necessary to repair the horn. Most of the problems I have heard about from other amateur horn-rebuilds were simply the result of an over-energetic restorer trying to do a “good job.” A glass beaded, ospho prepped, rustoleum painted horn may look great before you reassemble it, but if it works at all, it will probably sound like a cow in heat. You may have done so much internal damage that even a professional can’t fix it, and for all your good intentions and hard work, all you’ve ended up accomplishing is destroying an otherwise rebuildable horn.

<O</ODisassembly

Part of the problem of horn restoration is that the darned things were never intended to be rebuilt in the first place. BEFORE you start working on your Corvette horns, take apart a sacrificial, passenger car horn. You can develop a little technique and you may end up needing the diaphragm for the actual horn rebuild. Don’t worry if you’ve already removed the tuning screw as part of a previous last-ditch effort to get your horn to work. It is used to adjust the mechanical tolerances of the points and diaphragm, and will need to be set for the new clearances in the rebuilt horn. Wipe the horn down in lacquer thinner and match mark the trumpet and backing plate BEFORE you take the assembly apart (No, you won’t remember how they went). I do not recommend glass beading the horn until AFTER you have finished the rebuild to avoid possible distortion of the horn assembly. Be CAREFUL when drilling out the six housing rivets. This is probably the longest and is certainly the most tedious part of the entire rebuild. Center punch the back side of each and drill a 3/32” pilot hole far enough into its’ center so as to extend into the head of the rivet. Use a ¼” drill bit, and carefully remove the MUSHROOMED portion of the rivet being careful NOT to drill into the backing plate of the horn. Drill the blind rivet in the trumpet muzzle all the way through with the 3/32” bit. It will have to be drilled for a clearance hole for the new fastener and ground flat on the muzzle side for the new fastener later. DO NOT pry the backing plate away from the trumpet or tap out the rivets; Wiggle out the rivets by grabbing their heads with vise grips. This will eliminate the possibility of cracking the pot metal trumpet.

<O</ORebuilding

Fold several pieces of 150 grit sandpaper (about the size of a stick of gum) in half long-wise, rough side out, and work them one at a time, back and forth through the point gap until the points are clean. Verify good electrical contact between the points by checking the electrical continuity between the backing plate and the horn’s electrical terminal BEFORE you start reassembly. Use a multimeter or hook up a battery’s positive terminal to the horn’s electrical terminal, and a test light between the backing plate and the battery’s negative terminal. The test light will light up when there is good electrical contact between the points. DO NOT glass bead the diaphragm as instructed with some rebuild kits. Glass beading will cause residual surface stresses that will cause the diaphragm to fatigue crack and may warp the diaphragm or affect the sound of the horn. Clean the gasket sealing surfaces of the trumpet, backing plate and both sides of the diaphragm by hand with a gasket scraper and a stiff wire brush. DO NOT tamper with the mating surfaces of the backing plate and trumpet; they are already perfectly matched to each other. You can glass bead and paint the exterior of the horn to your hearts content AFTER the rebuild, but DON’T worry about cleaning or painting the inside. Once the horn is assembled, it’s pretty much sealed from the environment and you’ll probably do more harm than good. Just blow out any dust/debris with an air nozzle.
<O</O
<O</O
Reassembly & Tuning

The rebuild kit I got included (4) gaskets, exactly (12) new rivets (nice reproductions), a points file and instructions (around $15). The gaskets were too thin, I ruined two rivets learning how to install them properly, the points file was way too fine to cut through the oxidized build up on my points and the directions were incorrect/ misleading. I suggest that you get TWO kits so you have enough rivets to get through the “technique developing stage” and you may need the extra gaskets to approximate the thickness of your original gaskets.

<O</OPlace the diaphragm in its’ original orientation for reassembly (there is a small rub spot on the diaphragm’s insulating washer where it touches the lever of the points contact). Carefully center the diaphragm in the assembly by evenly spacing its’ outer edge with the rivet hole circle. The instructions I received with my kit said to use a gasket on either side of the diaphragm. My horns had a SINGLE gasket on the backing plate side of the diaphragms only and the original gaskets were MUCH thicker than the replacements. When I assembled the horns as instructed, I couldn’t adjust the diaphragms far enough to close the points (remember, if the points aren’t closed, the horn can’t blow). If you experience this problem, place BOTH gaskets on the backing plate side of the diaphragm. With the gaskets in this position, my horns worked fine but the tuning screws had to be adjusted almost completely in. If you bought two rebuild kits, you can stack up three or four gaskets to approximate the thickness of the original gasket and bring the tuning screw to its’ midrange. I don’t recommend using sealer as instructed with some rebuild kits. It will only make it difficult to disassemble the horn in the future. Temporarily fasten the horn assembly together with 8-32x ¾” screws and nuts. Use fasteners at ALL six locations and tighten snugly. DO NOT install the rivets until the horn has been tuned and you are CERTAIN that it is working properly. Back the tuning screw all the way out, and turn the screw clockwise until the points just close. Use a multimeter or hook up a battery’s positive terminal to the horn’s electrical terminal, and a test light between the backing plate and the battery’s negative terminal. The test light will light up when the points close.

<O</OAt this point, you are ready to test the horn. Hook up a battery’s positive terminal to the horn’s electrical terminal, and the backing plate to the battery’s negative terminal. The horn will probably sound like it is trying to blow. You may even get a treat and actually hear the horn! Adjust the tuning screw to minimize vibration and to produce the clearest trumpet sound. Replace the fasteners one by one with rivets so you do not disturb the horn assembly. I was able to duplicate the look of the original rivets by placing a flat piece of steel over the head of one of the jaws of my vice to protect the head of the rivet, and letting the knurled face of the other jaw bite into the backside of the rivet as it mushroomed. Finally, LIGHTLY glass bead the exterior of the horn, and top it off with a coat of black paint from your favorite spray bomb.

<O</OConclusions

I toyed around with several “improvements” (including an access hole for cleaning the points, and a small condenser across the points), but the words of an old friend of mine burned in my ear, “If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It.” Horns work pretty dog gone well just the way they are. There are plenty of 30+ year old working originals around to attest to that fact. I do recommend reassembling them with #8 x ¾” allen head cap screws and Keps nuts (nuts with integral star washers) instead of the rivets that come with the rebuild kit (use a #8 x ½” allen head cap screw in the trumpet muzzle). Drilling out the rivets is a major part of the rebuilding process, with lots of room for damaging the horn that I’d rather avoid. The cap screws have a very similar appearance to the original large head rivets and are much easier to disassemble for subsequent horn repair. The Keps nuts will not come loose from horn vibration and have a neat “factory look,” but a drop of locktite won’t hurt. On the other hand, if the horns last another 30 years- well let’s just say that I won’t be fixing them again. Given the problems I had with the rebuild kit, and my preference for not using rivets, the next time I rebuild a set of horns, I’ll probably cut my own gasket from gasket stock the same thickness as the original and avoid the kit altogether. Most horns of the same vintage (including Fords) are essentially the same, and may have been made by the same manufacturer, so parts donors are plentiful. If you prefer, premium horn rebuild kits include new diaphragms, but I don’t have any experience with these. Horns are simple, rugged, low cost electrical devices, but at the same time, they are precision-built, electro-mechanical machines. Keep in mind their basic operating principles and these few simple guidelines to ensure a successful rebuild.<O</O

 

gashog,
You lost me when you talked about "diaphragm vibration is magnified". I got excited and had to go to another website.

Seriously, thanks for the info. I think the old Ford units might lend themselves to an easier rebuild because they are not riveted together. In the meantime, I just put the originals on for looks and hid some new ones up under the hood in preparation for just trying to get this thing on the road.

 

LOL, glad to help. Yes, the earlier horns are easier to take apart and look a little different inside but they still work the same (not counting ahoogah horns).

 

I remember I once picked a pair of horns off of a 49 plymouth at the junkyard near my school. When I got back I figured I would try them out. Without giving consideration to the fact they were 6 v and I had a 12 v jumper pack I hooked them both. I don't think I've ever heard a horn as loud before in my life. Since I did it at like 11 am on a saturday behind some dorms I'm afraid I may have made some enemies, but it was well worth it.

 

ive got the original 6V horn on my 38 chevy. ITs got an annoying BLEET sound to it that really gets ones attention. If you just bump the horn button is sounds like the roadrunner. 12V makes it plenty loud.

 

i have put a kit with a pair of horns from ( HARBOR FREIGHT ) THEY ARE SUPER LOUD 110bs + AND LIKE 16.00 I USE TWO ( 2 ) SETS . HA HA HA HA

 

Word!

my 2 -6 volt stock 53chevy horns at 12 volt are a real attention grabber..loud!

 

70's and 80's Cadillac horns are loud, cheap and compact.

 

Got a V-Dub horn on my 32.

It's ok, but not too loud and I seldom use the horn anyway.


Things change though, I have a set of quad horns from a mid-90's or whatever the heck the slab side Caddy's are.
These go on the 31 roadster - thinking of mounting them under the trunk pointed backwards.
For those special times, ya know.

Loud they are, a lot like the diesel locomotive horns that I hear coming through town.

I have an extra V-Dub horn as well.
It'll go up front on the hood bracing.

The little Dub horns work well when you don't want too loud of a beep.

If you use a Dub horn, be sure and use the double steel strap isolater with it.
Without, and the horn mounted on the hood brace, they sound terrible.

The made in Germany horns don't come with an isolater, but the made in Mexico ones do.
Quality looks equal and both horns sound the same.