Air Horns

[Archive]

My next upgrade is going to be a set of air horns.

Now comes the hard part, do I get a standard set of air horns, and which brand. Or do I get a set of train horns.

I can get into a set of train horns for about 550. 00 with the horns and the compressor, tank, etc.

I know a set of Hadley's are cheaper, but not as loud.

Are Hadleys the best in the standard horn area, or is there a more preferred brand?

How do Hadleys compare with a set of train horns for volume and tone?

Any help would be appreciated.

Not too worried about the legal aspects of horns, as most will violate local laws, but if you are judicious with use most cops won't bother you.

Thanks,



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Reformed Powerjoke owner, 2000 model, 3500, SLT, Quad-cab, 5 speed, 4. 10, 4X4, straight piped.

N7PXH

NRA member

 

[Archive]

Horns are like everything else, it is a personal preference. IMHO I think Grovers have a better sound so you might want to check those out if you haven't heard them before.
Good luck on your search.

 

[Archive]

Where are you getting these "Train horns" you speak of? Whats the Db rating?

The Grovers and the Hadleys I believe are around 119db to 132db. The train horns I found are 3 to 4x louder then that.

Just curious what train horns your looking at.

 

[Archive]

Kat -- Don't worry, he is from Washington state and probably got them from the BN not the UP.

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Denny
'99 2500 4X4 White short Q cab to much added to put here

 

[Archive]

I can tell you that the Grover sound more like a 18 Wheeler but seem to have a some quality problems. I have the Hadley Bullys which are louder and more shrill than the Grovers. The Bullys sound more like a train horn, in my opinion. The Bullys are 133 DB and good quality, and have more features (auxillary air to fill mattresses, inner-tubes, tires, etc. , an air hose, switch to turn off, a pressure gauge) than the Grovers.

I would suggest you do a search on "Air Horns", "Grover Air Horns", and "Hadley Air Horns", you will find alot of information about air horns from prior posts.

Just my $. 02!

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[This message has been edited by BIG BOB (edited 12-29-2000). ]

 

[Archive]

The sound or tone of the horn depends a lot upon the overall length as well as the diameter of the bell. I have a single Hadley that is 24 inches long with a 5 inch bell. It has a heavy and loud sound, like a OTR rig. I run this horn from a 8 gal. portable air tank with a manual air valve mounted just to the right of the ignition key. This horn and valve is over 10 years old and this is the 3rd truck it has been on. It still works perfectly.

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1996 3500 Clubcab SLT, auto, 4. 10 limited-slip, TST #5, 370s, AFC spring kit, Psycotty, Dunrite converter, Trans-Go, DiPricol EGT, boost & trans temp. gauges, 9 ft. aluminum flatbed and tool boxes with Venco dump. Custom front bumper, Hadley air horn.

 

[Archive]

I don't get much time in rush hour traffic with the schedule that I work, but the other day I got the pleasure of GearJammin' my way home from Northern tools on I-40 at 5:30pm.

I love it! Wish that I could do it more often.

Anyway, there was a "BlueHair" hogging the fast lane and she wouldn't get over. Gave her 3 chances for about 2 miles to get over,while the other cars were passing me on the next lane. We passed under an overpass and that's when I unleashed the Grovers vengance. Needless to say, she moved over and let me pass and shooting me the bird when I went by. I guess the bird was justified.
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'99 2500HD Quad Cab 4x4, Intense Blue Pearlcoat, Fully loaded w/Agate leather interior, 5-speed, 4. 10 Limited Slip, Skyjacker Leveling kit, Heckethorn Nitro 9000 shocks w/dual End to End steering stabilizers, 35x12. 50x16. 5 BFG/AT KO's on 9. 75x16. 5 Eagle 589 Aluminum Wheels, 9004 Cool Blue's, Silencer Ring removed, Fog Lights relay pulled, No muffler, No resonator, 4" straight pipe, Northwest Customs Stainless Steel Rocker Panels, Steel Horse Stainless Steel Nerf Bars, K&N Filter,Custom POWEREDGE W/HOT Programs 60/80/100+HP, Grover Air Horns, Autometer Ultra-Lite Gauges.

[This message has been edited by WOWZY (edited 12-24-2000). ]

 

[Archive]

Koa Man-

Your idea is exactly what I was planning to do. I even called a big rig salvage yard to price horns on Friday. When I have more cash, I was going to add a QuickAir II or similar compressor.

How many blasts do you get on the eight gallon tank?

Thanks, 243

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99 QC 2500 ST 4X4 SB 24V/5speed 3. 54/LSD Driftwood/Agate
Walker 21468, VDO, Bridgestone 285/75/16 MT's, RS9000's, Hella 500's

-- email address removed --

[This message has been edited by 243 (edited 12-24-2000). ]

 

[Archive]

243,
The tank I have, as well as just about all the portables I have seen, can be pressurized to 125 psi. At that level, you can crank out at least a dozen 1 to 2 sec. blasts before pressure will get down to the 90-100 psi area. Even then the horns are still real loud. It is way louder than stock even at 60 psi. In any case, I feel if traffic conditions warrant having to use the air horns more than a dozen times before I can get to an air compressor (I have one at home), I would move away from there. With that amount of idiot drivers it would only be a matter of time before one of them kills me. In actuality, I use the air horns only about 3-5 times a year. If someone is daydreaming at the green light, I use a gentle tap on the stock horn. The portable air tank does not leak. If I never use the horns for 6 months, pressure remains the same.

 

[Archive]

Thanks for the input guys,

Kat, C. D. is right, they are not stolen, in fact, they aren't really train horns, they are just marketed that way. They are a group of 3 and 4 horns, with a little different shape to the bell. They move alot more air. The 3 group horns put out 140db, and the 4 horns are supposed to put out 150db+. I dont know if the claims are correct, nor do I know if this is the best way to go, hence my post for feedback here.

Buell is the manufacture of the 3 and 4 group of horns. Hadley makes a group of three that they call a train horn as well.

Big Bob, thanks for the info about the quality of the Grovers vs. the Hadleys. Want to get the best bang, er, honk for the buck.

If anyone has any experiance with Buell horns I would like to hear about it.

Thanks again,

 

[Archive]

I always assumed (yes, I know what it means to assume) that train horns are electric. Why would someone design a huge mobile power generating station (diesel-electric) and then use some other power source for the horns?

Does anyone here know for sure about train horns. If they are practical for a truck (air powered) I'd like to find some too.

I currently have the Hadleys on my truck and like them. I have had one air leak (in five years) and found it quickly with soapy water and an old shaving brush. The first indication of an air leak is that the horn compressor runs when you turn the ignition on to start the truck, even though you have not used the horn while the truck was off.

By the way, when installing the compressor be sure it's powered only when the key is on. Otherwise an air leak can drain your batteries. I often leave my truck parked for four days at a time and would hate to come back to dead batteries when it's ten degrees outside.

Loren

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2000 Quad Cab, 4x4, short bed, six-speed: U. S. Gear exhaust brake, MileMarker Select Drive viscous coupling, Velvet-Ride spring shackles, Painless Wiring circuit box, Optima yellow-top batteries, Super-Glide 5th wheel hitch, Reese folding ball gooseneck hitch, Drawtite front hitch receiver, Tekonsha Sentinel brake controller, Westin nerf bars, Clarion sound system
1995 Standard Cab, 4x4, long bed, automatic: Firestone Ride-Rite air springs, torque converter lock-up switch, 4" cat-back exhaust, Reese 20K 5th wheel hitch, Reese gooseneck hitch, Hayes Micro Control trailer brake controller, 100 gallon bed-mounted fuel tank with 12 volt electric pump & fill nozzle, Swiss Cap fiberglass cap

 

[Archive]

Loren:
Real train horns have 3 to 5 horns (tones) on them, and are about the size of 2 full sized cinder blocks. They operate on 125 psig pressure with a 3/4" air line. They take alot of air volume. The best ones are the five tones used on Amtrac, but hard to come by. The ones I've seen on log trucks have been mounted on the frame rail behind the fuel tanks, and ahead of the drive wheels. They are also heavy. Tried to talk Amtrac out of a set at a wreck in Fla. a few years ago, but no luck!

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Denny
'99 2500 4X4 White short Q cab to much added to put here

[This message has been edited by C. D. Day (edited 12-24-2000). ]

 

[Archive]

I don't care where he got them, whether or not they are stolen. However if they are stolen yes please swipe them from the BNSF so it don't affect my bonus this year! #ad


I was asking where he was getting them because I am interested in the same type of thing. ALl the ones I have found are two big tho really.

I am still talking to a couple of people in Denver that might find me something (work in the Diesel shop).

The train horn kit I have found is from Hadley. Its a triple horn set. Part # H00998A and is said to have been measured at over three times louder then the rating of conventional, big rig, air horn system.

I think its around $498 not including a compressor.


So what are you "looking" at if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Archive]

I've seen original train horns marketed on internet ads and auctions, they all seem to be "Horton" brand, in various stages of repair... run a search for "horton train horns" on www.google.com I'm sure something will pop up.
I also know that Grover makes imitation train horns, stacked triple style, there's a picture of one in the mini-catalog they included with my horn kit. Love my Grovers, but trying to find that leak is driving me nuts.


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Tom
GLTDR B. A. D. Boys
www.lubedealers.com/meers.html

 

[Archive]

Briar, have you tried squirting a little bit of Marvel Mystery Oil in the line coming out of the compressor?
I did this last month when my compressor came on for no reason. The leak showed up at the tank fitting, dripping MMO.

 

[MXTMOPR]

Real Train Horns

Try www.hornblasters.com I plan on ordering from this company as soon as he answers his phone. These things sound real cool.

 

[NPloysa]

Those do sound cool. I want some!

 

[moolie]

dude the cannonball is bad *** from wolo that's what i have and it's a blast literally

 

[Turbo Thom]

Just remember, the train horn starts to get on the cops nerves. And they have the courts on their side. I installed the Grovers and have been mucho satisfied. Plenty loud and not as much to get me in trouble as the "real" train horns. You can get a set from a salvage yard in SC for about $1400 that will peal the paint off the top of the truck. All the inereds had been replaced. That's the insides of the horn.



. . Preston. .

 

[moolie]

1400 is steep man that one i have is 152 decibals the only complaint i have is the compressor lacks durability