Hadley Air Horn Kit

[Challenger-II]

Does anyone have any experience with Hadley's under the hood black airhorn kit #641. This is the dual trumpet horn but is powered by a direct drive compressor. It has no air tank.



This same horn is available with a different style compressor and air tank which is kit #964H. I am interested in the tankless model due to it taking up less space but, I am afraid that with the electric direct drive compressor, it will be whimpy!

 

[Koa Man]

I may well be very wrong, but I don't think there is anyway a tankless air horn will have the same power or loudness of a tank model. At least that has been my experience of the ones I have seen and heard.

 

[Mark_Kendrick]

I guess I'll just wait until I have that 150psi OnBoardAir system in w/a 2. 5 gallon tank... #ad

 

[Wirenut]

The air tank doesn't take up much space, it's a little one! I was surprised at how small it was. I have the compressor and the tank mounted on the driver side fender well under the hood. The tank is like 5 inch diameter by 7 inches long or something close to that.

 

[rono]

What do these horns sound like? Do they provide the big-rig sound or are they just loud?

Thands,

Ron

 

[Koa Man]

These horns are the actual ones you see on tractors, garbage, concrete trucks etc. So they sound the same. I run mine off a 7 gal. portable air tank with 125 psi. You can do 20 to 30 good blasts before pressure will drop to around 100. Still plenty loud even then, but easy to fill it back up with my air compressor or at a service station. I can usually go 6 months before needing to fill it again. I try to be conservative with it.

 

[Challenger-II]

So... . I take it that if these Hadley horns are driven by a direct drive 12V compressor with no tank, they will a bicycle horn and not a truck horn?? I guess I can always by a tank and appropriate compressor if it isnt very loud. Wolo makes some very loud direct drive truck horns that are impressive.

 

[Loren]

Another problem with using air horns without a tank is the power that the compressor requires. It will draw 20 amps or more when it is running. You will need to run a dedicated wire (preferably 10 gauge or bigger) to the compressor via a relay. The relay can be switched by your regular horn circuit. The compressor runs only while the horn is sounding.



I have had tankless Fiamm air horns on a motorcycle. They are loud, but they definitely do not sound like a truck, more like an expensive Italian sports car.



The Hadley set on my Dodge uses an air tank and is much louder than the Fiamms I had on the bike. They do sound like truck horns, but they don't sound like a big rig either. To get that sound, you need longer horns. That will produce a deeper note.



The Hadley Ambassador horns, as used on some motorhomes will sound like a big rig, but they are long. Unless you want to mount them externally, you will really have trouble finding a place for the trumpets.



I would recommend that you do not use tankless air horns. Get the Hadleys or Grovers. You'll be happy with them.



Loren