Air Horn Mounting Location

[Dkevdog]

I am going to replace my less expensive (I hate the word cheap) Wolo air horns with either Grovers or Hadleys, haven't deceided which. But I don't want to mount them under the hood where my others had been mounted. The Hadley ambassadors are 30" long... . and I was curious to know where some of you have mounted them. And am I correct in saying that they must be mounted so they are visable?? I thought I heard that somewhere... ... .



Kev

 

[BPINE]

Dkevdog those horns are kinda big and the only place I found to mount those is on the passanger side frame rail. I have some Grovers that are about 26" long and you can get both of them under the raditor on the frame. It takes some work but it can be done and it sounds about the same as the Hadleys. If you want the Grovers call Rickson truck and tell them you want the horns Blair uses and they will fix you up.

 

[tgbol]

Hi Kevin

I mounted my Hadleys behind the bumper from the front crossmember. The bells almost line up with the hole in the bumper on the left side so the bumper doesnt muffle the horn. I also wired them to the regular horns, so when the alarm goes off so does the air horns.

 

[Briar Hopper]

My Grovers are mounted behind the bumper, on a little bracket I fabricated. I had to remove 3 or 4 fasteners in the rubber splash shield that runs from the bumper to the radiator support, just to get access to the area behind the bumper. Remove the stock horns, and you have a nice flat place to mount the air compressor. The air tank can go on the frame rail anywhere, I mounted mine under the passenger side rear door.

 

[JohnMcIntyre]

A couple of tips.....

Echoing what other TDR members have said here, up and under the front bumper is a shoehorn job but they will fit.



Other tips not already mentioned, but worth noting.....

(1) make sure the air connections are well made and that the live battery supply is through a switched ignition circuit... just in case you ever get an air leak , you don't want the compressor cycling on and off, whilst the vehicle is unattended for any period of time, or before you know it you could be unintentionally discharging your battery.

(2) check out TDR clubmember Dave Fitz's website - he's got a pretty good install procedure laid out with full text and pictures for the Grovers. Either Horn is a good set up and a big improvement on the factory supplied sparrow-fart units.

 

[Doubleclutch]

John M's comment about the switch for the A/C is easily overlooked... at least for me, the first time. I've got my Hadley's mounted from the brackets that hold up my running boards. They are stealthy and POTENT! Added a couple of smaller tanks for storage and don't bother with the A/C. A tight system holds air forever, and the horns are so efficient that you can deafen a lot of idiots between recharges. Don't be unhappy with the way they sound from the cab, you've got LOTS of insulation that the idiot in front of you doesn't. Enjoy!

 

[Mactruck]

I had a real problem installing my Hadley's because they were designed for roof mounting. With my Denver offroad Bumper I couldn't mount it to any bumper bracket or the front crossmember.

The solution, I mounted them to a Jannetty Heat shield. I mounted the tank in the stock horn location and removed the stock horns all together. I had to cut a little out of the passenger side battery box to get the tank to fit but it came out nicely. The compressor is on the other side of the battery box next to the filter. I was worried about vibration of the engine causing the horn to hit the turbo but It is mounted firmly with no vibration or movement.

It took quite a while to figure it out but I'm real happy with the install. It looks like they came with it. Plus the Horns are B. A.

See Them here.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/user_gallery/displayimage.php?&photoid=849&width=0

and Here (side view) https://www.turbodieselregister.com/user_gallery/displayimage.php?&photoid=850&width=4

 

[Dkevdog]

Re: A couple of tips.....

Originally posted by JohnMcIntyre

Either Horn is a good set up and a big improvement on the factory supplied sparrow-fart units.

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!! I always wondered what sparrows sounded like!



My current horns are mounted on the bracket that attaches the bumper(basically opposite the factory..... sparrow farts) but They stick down far enough that I'm afraid the new ones will be longer. Guess I'll have to really look.



Bpine- have you had any issues with water mounting them on the frame rail??



I have the ability to mount them to my modified Taylor Wing Rack, which would basically put them a few inches above the roof without actually mounting them to the roof. I'm just not sure I want to put them up there... ... ... would that look tacky??



And finally- not that I care but does anyone know of the legality of mounting locations? Are they supposed to be visable or is it more of a noise issue? Noise?? What Noise???



Kev

 

[Thomas]

Kev,



Here's what the California Vehicle Code has to say about horns:



"27000. (a) Every motor vehicle, when operated upon a highway, shall

be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of

emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not

less than 200 feet, but no horn shall emit an unreasonably loud or

harsh sound. An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with,

and use in conjunction with the siren on that vehicle, an air horn

which emits sounds that do not comply with the requirements of this

section.



27001. (a) The driver of a motor vehicle when reasonably necessary

to insure safe operation shall give audible warning with his horn.

(b) The horn shall not otherwise be used, except as a theft alarm

system which operates as specified in Article 13 (commencing with

Section 28085) of this chapter. "



Nothing is said about horn location. I have my Grover's mounted on the back of the front frame crossmember. They are almost horizontal, with the bells oriented slightly downward to drain any water that might enter. No problems in more than two years. The Grover air tank fits inside of the left end of the front bumper.

 

[BPINE]

Dkevdog I had no problem mounting them on the frame rail the Hadley's were equiped with some shields over the bell of the horn. I put the compressor and tank there too.