Air/train Horns

[redwolf624]

i've always wanted that loud train/semi truck air horn sound in the truck i drive ever since i started lookin at trucks when i was 15, yesterday i got cut off by an inpatient mini cooper, so like anyone with road rage does, i laid on the horn, reliezed that the horn fades in and out after about 30 seconds, i know i need a new horn button/steerin wheel cover cause the clips are worn and flimsy, but all that aside, i wanna know how easy it is to install the air horns, the easiest way to get that train/semi horn sound and has anyone done this before?

 

Redwolf

[onlyinajeep726]

I have a Kleinn Quad-trumpet one on my XJ and love it.  I got mine off of eBay.  Wasn't cheap though, $350+ for a decent kit and that's at the lower end.  Came in handy when I used to live in Charlotte.

 

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=train+horn+kit&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR4.TRC1.A0.Xkleinn+train+horn+kit.TRS0&_nkw=kleinn+train+horn+kit&_sacat=0

[redwolf624]

I have a Kleinn Quad-trumpet one on my XJ and love it.  I got mine off of eBay.  Wasn't cheap though, $350+ for a decent kit and that's at the lower end.  Came in handy when I used to live in Charlotte.

 

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=train+horn+kit&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR4.TRC1.A0.Xkleinn+train+horn+kit.TRS0&_nkw=kleinn+train+horn+kit&_sacat=0

i've thought bout the 4 trumpet system but all i really need is the 2 trumpet system, do i HAVE to have a air compresser?

 

Redwolf

[onlyinajeep726]

Well, being that it's an air horn, yes, you will need the compressor or some form of air compression device lol.  If you have A/C that doesn't work, you can convert the A/C compressor to a on-board air system to run the horn that way.  But yes, the trumpets will be pointless without compressed air.  It needs at least 100+ psi to sound right and be loud.  I have a 3 liter tank and if I lay on the horn, it will only last 10 seconds max and the sound fads quickly once it's below ~100 psi.  If I ever get around to it, I'm planning on getting a 5 gallon tank and Tee-ing off the line so I can use it to inflate my tires when on the trail.

[gogmorgo]

hornblasters.com has a selection of kits available, although i've heard mixed reviews of the quality of the compressers they sell.

Another option is to go to a yard that wrecks big rigs, pull some horns, and rig up your own compressor and tank.

[redwolf624]

Well, being that it's an air horn, yes, you will need the compressor or some form of air compression device lol.  If you have A/C that doesn't work, you can convert the A/C compressor to a on-board air system to run the horn that way.  But yes, the trumpets will be pointless without compressed air.  It needs at least 100+ psi to sound right and be loud.  I have a 3 liter tank and if I lay on the horn, it will only last 10 seconds max and the sound fads quickly once it's below ~100 psi.  If I ever get around to it, I'm planning on getting a 5 gallon tank and Tee-ing off the line so I can use it to inflate my tires when on the trail.

 

well i ripped the A/C outta my MJ cause i've never had A/C untill my mom's jeep so i got used to no A/C, but i left the compresser simply cause i couldn't get it out at the time, i don't know if it works or not bein that my heat air valve is broken and i only have defroster, but if my compresser does work, how would i tap it into the air horn?

hornblasters.com has a selection of kits available, although i've heard mixed reviews of the quality of the compressers they sell.

Another option is to go to a yard that wrecks big rigs, pull some horns, and rig up your own compressor and tank.

well bein that onlyinajeep said i could use the A/C compresser i'll probably use that but i'll check out the site, also, do the compressers have to be horizontal or can they be vertical? i've only seen em horizontal?

 

Redwolf

[cruiser54]

These little suchers are pretty loud, easy to mount, and effective. Plus, cheap.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/COMPACT-DUAL-TONE-AIR-HORN-LOUD-139dB-for-CAR-TRUCK-RV-/320835262613?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4ab3459895&vxp=mtr

[redwolf624]

These little suchers are pretty loud, easy to mount, and effective. Plus, cheap.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/COMPACT-DUAL-TONE-AIR-HORN-LOUD-139dB-for-CAR-TRUCK-RV-/320835262613?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4ab3459895&vxp=mtr

not exactly what i had in mind but at 36 bucks might be worth it,

 

Redwolf

[Comanchemodder]

after about 30 seconds

 LOL!!

[ParadiseMJ]

You spent $350 (as in Three Hundred and Fifty dollars) for a HORN...so it would sound cool?? :???:

 

Can you PM me your bank account number and Social Security number...oh, and your mother's maiden name. :brows:

[HOrnbrod]

Yeah, uh, unbelievable.  :hmm:  In fact I don't believe it.

 

A much cheaper solution w/o buying air horns is to troll the yard or look on Ebay for an original HI/LO horn set from a 1965 or thereabouts Buick Electra 225 land yacht. These horns when wired in using a 30A relay for each sound louder than a NYC bus. The Electra 225 horns were the loudest of the time before noise pollution was even concept.

[AeroNautical]

  Came in handy when I used to live in Charlotte.

 

Amen to that, I try to steer clear of downtown unless I'm driving my MJ, just because them city folk are afraid of it, hahahaha. 

[gogmorgo]

I would have posted more earlier, but I was on my phone and I've got stupidly low max char limits.

Older Caddy's (70's and back) also have some pretty loud horns, or any other of those luxury land yachts, if going that way. I pulled a set of four horns off a '73(ish) Sedan Deville a few summers back. Only two of them worked (even after I opened them up and "rebuilt" them), but I put them on my Dad's van, and it scared him the first time he hit it. It's nowhere close to an air horn, though.

 

If you do go the route of assembling your own "kit" for air horns, you'll need:

• Horns (duh) You'll want more than one for a decent chord.
• tank
• compressor (or you could have a tank that you recharge with an off-board compressor)
• piping/hose (from compressor to tank and from tank to horns. Try for the same length between the tank and each horn)
• solenoid valves of some kind  for opening and closing the air with a switch (I'd recommend one for each horn but you could put one upstream of the fork and you'd be okay)
• wiring to compressor and the switch for the solenoids.

I've looked into putting air horns on my MJ (mostly for sh*ts and g*ggles) but I've yet to find an affordable and reliable way to do it. The biggest obstacle to me, beyond cost, is mounting the whole apparatus somewhere. The 4.0 doesn't leave much room in the engine bay, so it would likely end up under the bed, which I don't really like. As far as using the a/c compressor, yeah, it can be done fairly easily (lots of how-to's online because it's a pretty popular conversion) but my a/c still works (still with r12!!) and I'm not really one for heat, so the a/c stays.

 

Another much cheaper option would be to get one of these and leave it on your dash...

[HOrnbrod]

Caddy horns are silent compared to the Buick Electra 225 horns. Different animal. The 225 used 6" all-steel horns made by Sparton. Very loud electric horn.

[onlyinajeep726]

You spent $350 (as in Three Hundred and Fifty dollars) for a HORN...so it would sound cool?? :???:

 

Can you PM me your bank account number and Social Security number...oh, and your mother's maiden name. :brows:

 

 

Yeah, uh, unbelievable.  :hmm:  In fact I don't believe it.

 

A much cheaper solution w/o buying air horns is to troll the yard or look on Ebay for an original HI/LO horn set from a 1965 or thereabouts Buick Electra 225 land yacht. These horns when wired in using a 30A relay for each sound louder than a NYC bus. The Electra 225 horns were the loudest of the time before noise pollution was even concept.

 

Yes, I did in fact spend that much on a horn and air compressor kit.  Was it the smartest use of money on the Jeep?  No.  Was it worth it in the long run?  IMO, yes.  I was 17 and my paychecks didn't have to be spent on anything essential, so I just bought stupid crap.

 

If eBay would let me go back that far in my purchase history, I'd be glad to show y'all.  I have can post pictures of my setup and of the box it originally came in. :thumbsup:

[HOrnbrod]

Yes, I did in fact spend that much on a horn and air compressor kit.  Was it the smartest use of money on the Jeep?  No.  Was it worth it in the long run?  IMO, yes.  I was 17 and my paychecks didn't have to be spent on anything essential, so I just bought stupid crap.

 

If eBay would let me go back that far in my purchase history, I'd be glad to show y'all.  I have can post pictures of my setup and of the box it originally came in. :thumbsup:

 

As long as it was worth it to you, in the long run, that's all that matters. How old are you now?

[redwolf624]

Yeah, uh, unbelievable.  :hmm:  In fact I don't believe it.

 

A much cheaper solution w/o buying air horns is to troll the yard or look on Ebay for an original HI/LO horn set from a 1965 or thereabouts Buick Electra 225 land yacht. These horns when wired in using a 30A relay for each sound louder than a NYC bus. The Electra 225 horns were the loudest of the time before noise pollution was even concept.

hi/lo horn set off a buick? i heard caddy had louder ones, i believe it was the cadillac brougham that i was told, but either way, the only yards i can troll is pick n pull, johnsons mustang and truck and always used auto parts, i've been to all 3 and the biggest thing all of em have is either a dodge 2500 or a chevy 1500, nothin that has an air horn, now if i knew what stock horns i were lookin for off a buick or caddy that'd be great to know since i'm goin to pnp tomorrow

 

I would have posted more earlier, but I was on my phone and I've got stupidly low max char limits.

Older Caddy's (70's and back) also have some pretty loud horns, or any other of those luxury land yachts, if going that way. I pulled a set of four horns off a '73(ish) Sedan Deville a few summers back. Only two of them worked (even after I opened them up and "rebuilt" them), but I put them on my Dad's van, and it scared him the first time he hit it. It's nowhere close to an air horn, though.

 

If you do go the route of assembling your own "kit" for air horns, you'll need:

• Horns (duh) You'll want more than one for a decent chord.
• tank
• compressor (or you could have a tank that you recharge with an off-board compressor)
• piping/hose (from compressor to tank and from tank to horns. Try for the same length between the tank and each horn)
• solenoid valves of some kind  for opening and closing the air with a switch (I'd recommend one for each horn but you could put one upstream of the fork and you'd be okay)
• wiring to compressor and the switch for the solenoids.

I've looked into putting air horns on my MJ (mostly for sh*ts and g*ggles) but I've yet to find an affordable and reliable way to do it. The biggest obstacle to me, beyond cost, is mounting the whole apparatus somewhere. The 4.0 doesn't leave much room in the engine bay, so it would likely end up under the bed, which I don't really like. As far as using the a/c compressor, yeah, it can be done fairly easily (lots of how-to's online because it's a pretty popular conversion) but my a/c still works (still with r12!!) and I'm not really one for heat, so the a/c stays.

 

Another much cheaper option would be to get one of these and leave it on your dash...

i know i need the trumpets (horns), a compresser, hoses, wirin, but i didn't know i need a tank and solenoid, pepboys down here has a air horn kit that comes with 2 trumpets, a compresser, hoses, and a relay, i thought that's all i needed,

 

Redwolf

[Oyaji]

 

the horn fades in and out after about 30 seconds

 LOL!!

.

I laughed too when I read that.

.

Priceless!

:rotf:  :rotf:  :rotf:

[Oyaji]

 

A much cheaper solution w/o buying air horns is to troll the yard or look on Ebay for an original HI/LO horn set from a 1965 or thereabouts Buick Electra 225 land yacht. These horns when wired in using a 30A relay for each sound louder than a NYC bus. The Electra 225 horns were the loudest of the time before noise pollution was even concept.

now if i knew what stock horns i were lookin for off a buick or caddy that'd be great to know since i'm goin to pnp tomorrow

.

:hmm:

.

.

You need a picture too?

.

.

[onlyinajeep726]

 

Yes, I did in fact spend that much on a horn and air compressor kit.  Was it the smartest use of money on the Jeep?  No.  Was it worth it in the long run?  IMO, yes.  I was 17 and my paychecks didn't have to be spent on anything essential, so I just bought stupid crap.

 

If eBay would let me go back that far in my purchase history, I'd be glad to show y'all.  I have can post pictures of my setup and of the box it originally came in. :thumbsup:

 

As long as it was worth it to you, in the long run, that's all that matters. How old are you now?

 

I'm 25 now.  In hind sight, I should have been a little more savvy with my money back then.  I certainly wouldn't go and spend that much on a horn now lol.

[gogmorgo]

i know i need the trumpets (horns), a compresser, hoses, wirin, but i didn't know i need a tank and solenoid, pepboys down here has a air horn kit that comes with 2 trumpets, a compresser, hoses, and a relay, i thought that's all i needed,

 

Redwolf

You're going to be hard pressed to find a 12v compressor that will put out enough volume to maintain 100+psi at the horns long enough for them to do anything. The tank allows you to store enough pressure and volume to make the horns work, but the typical 2-gallon tank that comes with most of the kits I've seen is only good for about 5 seconds and then it takes over a minute to recharge it. See what I mean about volume?

 Valves of some kind are absolutely necessary unless you want your horn sounding constantly. Basically, it's like the tap on a sink: open it, air goes through; close it, no more air. Solenoid valves are electrically triggered, typically through a relay, so they'll open when there's power to them and shut off when it's removed. It's much easier to wire up a switch than to plumb or rig linkages for a manual valve.

 

 

As far as the pepboys kit, if this is what you're talking about, it sounds like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlkozk6qjKY

Not impressive, I must say.

But it doesn't come with a tank or solenoid valve because it doesn't need either. It's a pretty wimpy high-pitched horn, so the compressor it comes with is enough to sound it without a reservoir, so the relay simply turns on the compressor.

 

In comparison, this is what the hornblasters mid-range (228VX) kit sounds like:

Admittedly, it does cost 10x as much... but if I was going with a horn kit, that's the one I'd go with. I just don't have $500 to lay down on what is essentially a novelty horn.

[jimoshel]

I don't have or need a horn. I mounted a 155mm cannon and turret from a surplus army tank on my MJ. Needed spring boosters and heavy duty shocks

. Somebody gets in my way, or just annoys me, I swing the turret around and point the barrel at them. Gets better results than any horn ever did.

[HOrnbrod]

 

 

Yes, I did in fact spend that much on a horn and air compressor kit.  Was it the smartest use of money on the Jeep?  No.  Was it worth it in the long run?  IMO, yes.  I was 17 and my paychecks didn't have to be spent on anything essential, so I just bought stupid crap.

 

If eBay would let me go back that far in my purchase history, I'd be glad to show y'all.  I have can post pictures of my setup and of the box it originally came in. :thumbsup:

 

As long as it was worth it to you, in the long run, that's all that matters. How old are you now?

 

I'm 25 now.  In hind sight, I should have been a little more savvy with my money back then.  I certainly wouldn't go and spend that much on a horn now lol.

 

No sweat. All of us have made expensive impulse purchases we may have regretted later. And you really never outgrow it.  :yes:

[redwolf624]

 

i know i need the trumpets (horns), a compresser, hoses, wirin, but i didn't know i need a tank and solenoid, pepboys down here has a air horn kit that comes with 2 trumpets, a compresser, hoses, and a relay, i thought that's all i needed,

 

Redwolf

You're going to be hard pressed to find a 12v compressor that will put out enough volume to maintain 100+psi at the horns long enough for them to do anything. The tank allows you to store enough pressure and volume to make the horns work, but the typical 2-gallon tank that comes with most of the kits I've seen is only good for about 5 seconds and then it takes over a minute to recharge it. See what I mean about volume?

 Valves of some kind are absolutely necessary unless you want your horn sounding constantly. Basically, it's like the tap on a sink: open it, air goes through; close it, no more air. Solenoid valves are electrically triggered, typically through a relay, so they'll open when there's power to them and shut off when it's removed. It's much easier to wire up a switch than to plumb or rig linkages for a manual valve.

 

 

As far as the pepboys kit, if this is what you're talking about, it sounds like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlkozk6qjKY

Not impressive, I must say.

But it doesn't come with a tank or solenoid valve because it doesn't need either. It's a pretty wimpy high-pitched horn, so the compressor it comes with is enough to sound it without a reservoir, so the relay simply turns on the compressor.

 

In comparison, this is what the hornblasters mid-range (228VX) kit sounds like:

Admittedly, it does cost 10x as much... but if I was going with a horn kit, that's the one I'd go with. I just don't have $500 to lay down on what is essentially a novelty horn.

i got it now, what about wolo xtreme power elextric horns? i stopped by pepboys today and they had those and the wolo long horn claxons largos, the long horns come with the relay, hoses, trumpets, and compresser, the guy at pepboys said they both have that semi sound which is purdy much what i'm lookin for with what i can aford with the space i have available, anyone know anything bout those two horn kits?

 

Redwolf

[Blue88Comanche]

I don't have or need a horn. I mounted a 155mm cannon and turret from a surplus army tank on my MJ. Needed spring boosters and heavy duty shocks

. Somebody gets in my way, or just annoys me, I swing the turret around and point the barrel at them. Gets better results than any horn ever did.

 

I was thinking about mounting a m1919 or a M134 to a roll / light bar  :rock on: ... but i do be leave you have me beat, well played sir

 

lol