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Horn upgrade


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I've got a thing about stock horns, so on most of my vehicles, I usually end up replacing the wimpy sounding stock horns with something else. Normally, I replace the stock solo horn with a pair of 135db Fiamm Freeway Blasters. I did this to my Honda Shadow Sabre motorcycle, and to my Saturn Sky. So I was thinking of doing the same thing to my Comanche, but went with something else, a Bad Boy compact air horn from Wolo. They're around $40, and I've seen them at Pep Boys, Advance Auto, Auto Zone, and Harbor Freight.

 

I mounted it in the same place as the stock horn, but had to use some bigger washers, because the Badboy mounting bolt is smaller than stock. I followed the wiring instructions, and put the stock horn wire on the "+" terminal, and ran a ground to the mounting bracket. I tested this setup by turning on the key and pressing the horn button on the steering wheel, and thought I was good to go. However, last night on my way to dinner, I noticed the dash lights weren't working, and the horn wasn't working either. So this morning I looked at the wiring diagram again, and decided to use the relay that was provided. I must've spent two hours monkeying around with that relay, wiring it up two different ways per the instructions, checking all kinds of things for continuity, starting with the basics and making sure the new horn still worked, etc. I ended up wiring it the first way I did it, the only difference was I ran both stock horn wires into a solderless connector, and ran a short length of single wire to the "+" terminal on the new horn. I had to do this because the stock horn wires wouldn't reach the bottom of the new horn anymore, thus the two wire into one wire connection.

 

I hope this connection works, and doesn't do anything else weird to the electrical system, I have all I can handle as it is, lol! But the end result is worth it, because that little air horn setup is LOUD! I think it's just as loud as a pair of Fiamm Freeway Blasters, but a LOT easier to install. Doesn't look like I can "manage" attachments, and these pics aren't posted anywhere, so unless there's a way I can add the pics as attachments, I'm SOL...

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Okay, uploaded some install pics on this photobucket site. Let's see if this Atari guy figured it out...cool beans, looks like it worked...sorry for the large pic size...

 

The new horn is pretty close in size to the stock one:

 

Only mod needed was slightly bending the bracket to clear the bottom of the new horn:

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  • 1 month later...

very nice up-grade Robert, I have seen/heard them in action, my son has 2 of them installed in his honda civic, they are very very loud - haha, on my heep I kinda went the cheeper route, with some cheepy air horns but sound the same, and have been under water a few time and still work :bowdown:

 

here is a short video of my cheepy air horns, ( Warning ) - turn down the volume on your computer, pets don't like the sound of them if you have any !!! also - after making this video, I don't think my camera likes me- haha

 

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Now those are some air horns, lol! Plus, high up in the engine compartment like that, should keep them out of harm's way, and make for a good echo chamber! Just played the video, and the sound of the compressor spinning up drowns out the horns, but I've heard them before. Looks like you have some bedliner stuff along those upper fenders?

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I also like a LOUD horn..

 

First I swapped in a couple junk yard HI-N-LO horns outta a 60's full size sedan. Later I picked up a set of wolo air horns. I run these thru a relay and trigger then with the factory horn button. Nice and loud!! For Christmas I got a Wolo ahooga horn... I put that behind the lower rad support and wired in a separate horn button on a stalk next to the steering wheel.

 

 

Now my horn in the wheel is messed up. The contacts aren't to good and the horn will not always work.. poor contact. Anyone else have this? how did you fix it? Are those contact discs available?

 

CW

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Mine stays on if I hook it back up , so I am going to rewire a jake-brake style air horn from the roof of the cab .

 

I'm kinda like the idea of having a semi style horn pull . Makes my truck feel bigger . :yes:

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