Finally!!! Air Horn Install Done!

[dresslered]

One thing that I did was put a relay in between the OEM horn circuit which is activated by the "ignition on". I have a tiny switch on the steering cowl which lets me choose between the stocker horns and the Grover Blasters using the original steering wheel horn switch. When the ignition is shut off, it defaults back to the OEM horns regardless of the switch setting so that I don't wake the dead when arming the truck. Great install!

 

[Sregorb]

Dresslered,



Yea, same setup (sort of) here. The only difference being the second relay in my setup is constant hot (horns) with control of relay tapped off OEM horn wire. This creates a logic flow of: if stock horn is honking (provides power to control) AND power is present on input (as selected by stock/air+stock switch in cab) the relay energizes and trips solenoid for air horn.

This allows me to select the stock horn "chirp" or stock horn+air horn to go off with the alarm dependant on switch selection in cab. And truthfully, when I arm/disarm the alarm with airhorns selected there isn't anything more than a cough from the airhorn so I can barely tell that I forgot to set the switch to stock. So thankfully there is no wake the dead with arming. Setting off the alarm, on the other hand..... whoowheee!

The air compressor is on the first relay (ignition hot). So I know the compressor will never run when I'm not in the truck and won't drain batteries if there is a leak.

I just like having the hot feature so that if I have to park in a "questionable" neighborhood, as long as there is pressure in the tank, there will be at least one car alarm NOBODY is going to be able to ignore... . Might just be able to follow the trail to nab the sorry sap that tried to mess with the truck..... LOL.



Brian

 

[dresslered]

The air compressor is on the first relay (ignition hot). So I know the compressor will never run when I'm not in the truck and won't drain batteries if there is a leak.

That was my biggest fear to come back to the truck after a week of backpacking and find the batteries dead. :{ So far, no leaks here. You might want to consider a quick air hose adapter for emergency tire fills. The Thomas compressor should be able to handle such a situation.

 

[rubberneck]

Sound

hey, does that 1609 horn sound just like the bigger ones?? I was thinking about getting the 1030 horn, but that 1609 shure would make mounting a lot easier. I want it to sound like a truck though, not a motorhome. thanks.

 

[Sregorb]

Dresslered- Got em. There's a quick connect under the hood coiled around wiper fluid resevoir, another at the tank, and another at the rear bumper (see photo's) under the 7+4 pin connectors. Sure will make emergency stops, mine or others, more convenient.



Rubberneck- Yes, big truck sound. It does sound between a big rig and a motorhome but the Grover's are lower pitch and certainly don't have that "european" air horn sound. Install note- It'd sound even more like big rig if I had mounted the solenoid further away from the horn (slower ramp up) or installed the lanyard valve. The 1609 with the solenoid screwed into the base of the horns is instantaneous and LOUD which is what I'm after.



I'll extend the same offer to you as another member on TDR gave me. Check your PM box, set up a time, call me, and I'll honk them for you. It's a poor quality sample but it'll give you a good idea whether this will meet your needs and get you into the ballpark.



You'll either be or :{



Brian

 

[JohnMcIntyre]

Another Grovers convert!!!

The 1609s make a good, "distinguished" sound - far better than the OEM factory sparrow-fart units from DC. If however, you're truck is still feeling "unfulfilled", there are other horn upgrade options worthy of consideration



Click and listen.....

 

[24V-DSL]

Rubberneck....

Rickson will toot them for you over the phone. Not a great sample, but it convinced me to go with the l609's. Sorry, I don't have ready access to site or phone number.

 

[Briman]

I just blew the speakers out of my laptop

 

[Sregorb]

One last one for those about to attempt this project. A little cleaner copy of schematic. PM or email me for full printable (readable?) version in either power point or large JPG.



Good luck!





Brian

 

[Sregorb]

OK, I got a digital camera. So one more "last" picture here. Now I'll have to go figure out how to work the reader's rig section.



This is the "project box" mentioned above for the switches. Nice and roomy inside, doesn't slide, and standard R-Shack switches makes replacements easy as a swap from old to new... .



Brian

 

[Murietaman]

More Air Horns

I currently have three air horns installed.

A set of plastic Fiam, loud and high pitched mounted up behind the left front bumper.

Second set is a little louder and deeper. Dual horns sound like a train. It is mounted in front of the right rear fender well.

Third is single two footer off of a garbage truck. It is mounted just behind the front bumper on the cross brace. The first two are electric air pump ran. The third is powered by a Viair pump and tank with pressure switch mounted in a bed tool box. Switches for all thre are mounted on the transfer case mount. Looking for one more. A Nathan KL 5 or 3 train horn. Anybody have a connection for one of these?

Want pictures, email me. chobbs



-- email address removed --

 

[Jeff Gurr]

Glad to find a thread on air horns at the group I joined after buying my new to me 2014 CTD RAM 2500. Been looking at installs of air horns. My father-in-law gave me a Grover 1700 for free. Found a VIAIR system to install and am curious to see your install if you can share photos. Did you go with the Ultra Light or Quarter Duty system?




Thanks,

Jeff Gurr

I currently have three air horns installed.

A set of plastic Fiam, loud and high pitched mounted up behind the left front bumper.

Second set is a little louder and deeper. Dual horns sound like a train. It is mounted in front of the right rear fender well.

Third is single two footer off of a garbage truck. It is mounted just behind the front bumper on the cross brace. The first two are electric air pump ran. The third is powered by a Viair pump and tank with pressure switch mounted in a bed tool box. Switches for all thre are mounted on the transfer case mount. Looking for one more. A Nathan KL 5 or 3 train horn. Anybody have a connection for one of these?

Want pictures, email me. chobbs



-- email address removed --

 

[BarryG]

On my 01 I hung the compressor off the frame rail right behind the cab on the pass side and the tank from the rear bed cross member above the drive shaft in front of the spare tire mount. In both cases I used some 1 inch square stock that had predrilled holes in it every inch or so. Mounted the comp to to pieces then had two more pieces that I stuck on the opposite of the frame rails and sandwhiched the frame rail between them. This allowed me to stick the compressor up as high as possible. It was fairly well protected up that high but I also fabbed a box up to protect the comp out of some extra sheet aluminum I happen to have laying around. Worked great for 15 years until I took it off when I sold it. Recently bought a 2017 haven't got around to figuring the mounting on it yet but soon. If you only want the compressor for the horn then what you mention will probably work. However if you ever want to fill your tires, trailer tires etc you will wish you spent more money on 100% duty cycle unit.

I used an extremeaire from extreme outback. If I were going to buy a new one I would go with the magnumaire assuming I had the extra coin for it
https://www.extremeoutback.com/products/2/Air+Compressors.html

 

[Jeff Gurr]

On my 01 I hung the compressor off the frame rail right behind the cab on the pass side and the tank from the rear bed cross member above the drive shaft in front of the spare tire mount. In both cases I used some 1 inch square stock that had predrilled holes in it every inch or so. Mounted the comp to to pieces then had two more pieces that I stuck on the opposite of the frame rails and sandwhiched the frame rail between them. This allowed me to stick the compressor up as high as possible. It was fairly well protected up that high but I also fabbed a box up to protect the comp out of some extra sheet aluminum I happen to have laying around. Worked great for 15 years until I took it off when I sold it. Recently bought a 2017 haven't got around to figuring the mounting on it yet but soon. If you only want the compressor for the horn then what you mention will probably work. However if you ever want to fill your tires, trailer tires etc you will wish you spent more money on 100% duty cycle unit.

I used an extremeaire from extreme outback. If I were going to buy a new one I would go with the magnumaire assuming I had the extra coin for it
https://www.extremeoutback.com/products/2/Air+Compressors.html

I was going to mount the compressor under the rear seat of the crew cab, do you think it's too big or noisy for that? Didn't realize it could be mounted externally in the weather. Saw where someone had put theirs under the battery where the OEM horn was relocated from. (I hate that thing being jammed up under there anyway and it seems louder in the cab than outside.) Uni-strut mounting sounds like a good idea, never thought of that. Thanks for the tips and advice, for a few more dollars it does seem a better idea to go up from the ultra light.

Jeff

 

[BarryG]

I made a unistrut sandwich (so I wouldn't have to drill the frame) on the frame rail it worked out really good and it allowed me to put the compressor up higher than the frame rail just put bolts through the strut above and below the frame rail so it couldn't slide down at all. I then made panels for a box to go around the compressor except the top which I left open. I had enough space in the box for the pressure switch electrical etc. I could hear it in the cab if at idle but not while driving. Not sure I would want to hear it if it were in the cab seems like it would be a lot of noise.
Obviously you will have to run a line from your tank to the horn, I ran regular 1/2 inch line and put a "T" in it up by the horn and then went to smaller line for the horn solenoid and other side to a quick connect fitting that I could easily attach my air chuck, blower or whatever. Then just had one of those coil air hoses in my toolbox that could reach all my truck tires and trailer tires from the front of the truck. Might be easier to run that quick connect line to the rear of the truck from a separate manifold line on the tank the coil hose can be quite a bit shorter if you use a trailer that way. I did find the quick connect on the front of my truck would rust up every couple years and not work. I know they are only a few bucks but I never did figure out a good way to keep it sealed good. It didn't leak air just the water etc would get in the end and rust up the little balls in the end and they would quit opening though I had a gate valve right behind it that I would keep shut as those quick connects tend to leak a little bit. after the first couple times I made it a point to check them after winter every year to make sure they still worked good if not I just replaced it.

 

[Jeff Gurr]

Thank you for lots of great information. I'll add to all this when mine is finished. (After the weather gets a bit warmer than it is now. LOL)

 

[Bob4x4]

When I had my on board air system I used plastic cap plugs over the quick connect fittings.I was running dual air tanks(off big rigs)one on each side under the front bed corners outside of the frame rails.1/2 hp compressor(same model as H-1's used)

 

[Jeff Gurr]

So I finally found a few minutes to putter around on this compressed air system install. In this photo, near the top right I have found space behind the driver's side battery next to the firewall. Fits great and wouldn't be hard at all to fab a bracket to mount it. Question is whether or not it would be too hot under the hood. What do you think?

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Bob4x4]

Should be fine that is the cold side of the engine.Iv'e had an arb compressor under the hood of my Jeep for over 15 years no issues.

 

[Jeff Gurr]

Thanks! Two for and none against...

Off I go to git er done.*