Air Horns

[kwood]

Any recommendations on loud air horns that don't require a couple hundred dollars?  Just checking to see if something works good yet doesn't cost a bundle.

Thanks,

Kevin

[Dallas]

Try going to a truck wrecking yard.
I've picked them up before for less than $20 a set.

Are yours just not working? If not, squirt the peewaddin' out of them with WD40 and operate the valve every once in a while.

You may also want to clean the valve and check to make sure the air line is passing air up to the horns.

IHTH
Dallas

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Kevin,

Hadley's are [in my opinion] The Loudest air horns. The longer the better!

All our fire trucks have Hadley's, and I now have a set on my bus too.

Like Dallas said, look in a salvage yard first, if no luck try any truck stop or even Camping World sells them.

Nick-

[TomC]

Being an old truck driver and knowing the value of loud horns, I have two sets of air horns.  First are the ones I installed on the top of the bus.  I bought two sets of double 19"/17" horns and had one set cut down to 15"/13" (you can do it yourself).  I also installed one valve for each, so I have two valves with a chain connecting both.  I can either blow the high one, the low one, or pull evenly for all four to sound.
After I installed train horns on my truck and saw the value on that (mostly fun value) I also installed the same Buell train horns for trucks facing down just in front of my front door steps (small cubby hole just right for the horns).  They are on an electric solenoid and with practice can make various horn volumns.  If I have time first, I warn my wife of blowing them first since they are very loud.  Go to http://www.buellairhorns.com/ but be fore warned, the first thing when the site comes up is a blast of the truck air horns.  Granted, I've spent close to $500 on the air horns, but for me it is worth it.  Good Luck, TomC

[H3Jim]

I have been shopping around for hadleys, and I'm trying to find a dealer that will sell me a set without the air pump and tank as  I will be using the bus air.  Most dealers I have found can't sell the model I am looking for.  Anybody know of a dealer that sells the full line of Hadley horns and is cheap too?

Are there any Truck salvage places in southern California?

[plyonsMC9]

Guys - I really gotta replace mine too.  Mine sounds like a weenie  car horn.  First time I pulled up my place of employement and honked the horn, nobody came out!  They thought some nut in a car was honking his horn.            I need a BIG air horn.   

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Phil, Jim

http://www.hadley-products.com/

 Here is a list of OEM suppliers and distributors for HADLEY air horns

Independent Distributors
Arvin Meritor/Euclid  440-461-4300
HCV Distributor
Balkamp (NAPA)  800-538-6272
Horns, Compressors Distributor
Camping World  800-626-5944
Horns, Compressors RV
Coast  800-495-5858
Horns, Compressors RV
Component Products Group  800-875-4488
Open 7 days a week for orders and assistance.
Horns, HCV, Compressors, Mirrors Distributor
Dayton Parts  717-255-8546
HCV Distributor
Ft. Garry Industries  204-632-8261
HCV Distributor
J.C. Whitney  312-431-6000
Horns, Compressors Distributor
Keystone  570-655-4514
Horns, Compressors Distributor
Northwest Trailer  800-547-8045
Horns, Compressors, HCV RV
POWERDOWN Austrailia PTY  011-612-4956-5455
HCV Distributor
Road Equipment  616-878-1700
Horns, HCV, Compressors, Mirrors Distributor
Stag Parkway  404-349-7800
Horns, Compressors RV
Tectran Canada  905-678-7200
Horns, HCV, Compressors, Mirrors Distributor
Tectran USA  716-894-2224
Horns, HCV, Compressors, Mirrors Distributor
Triangle  800-458-6878
HCV Distributor
Truck Pro  800-667-2293
Mirrors Distributor
Van's East  800-334-0423
Horns Distributor
 OES Suppliers
Freightliner
503-745-8000
Horns, HCV, Mirrors
International
630-753-6037
HCV
Kenworth
425-828-5061
Horns, HCV, Mirrors
Mack
610-709-2623
Horns, HCV, Mirrors
Peterbilt
940-591-4025
Horns, HCV, Mirrors
Sterling
440-269-5500
Horns, Mirrors
Trailmobile
765-771-5601
HCV
Utility Trailer Sales
HCV
Volvo
336-393-2000
Horns, HCV
Wabash
859-525-9300
HCV
Western Star
440-269-5500
Horns, HCV
 

[NJT5047]

I"ve been watching air horns on Ebay and all the desirable horns are bid out of the park...buy them new for what they're bringing.  Even the new postings of quality horns have bids on them almost from the time they are listed. 
Tons of cheapo horns, but few nice brand name truck horns.  Train horns will bring $400 --$500  bucks  (real train horns).
I've heard that train horns are illegal...??  Reckon how they determine what's illegal? 
Junk yard sounds like an idea....as long as you got a half day to spend juking around with the bees and wildlife.
JR 

[Clarke Echols]

Train horns are illegal for street vehicle use.  Loud truck horns are also discouraged.

Why?  Because it scares the aitch eee double queue out of ordinary drivers.

I bought a Lincoln Town Car and the stupid air bag on the steering wheel forces the
horn switches to the upper left and upper right of the cross-bar.  If an emergency comes
up, I have to look for the horn button, and by the time I can find and use it, it's too late...

I've been driving for over 50 years (since age 10) and I've never been in an accident
where seat belts or an air bag would be useful.

But it sure would be fun to have a train horn on a normal car to wake up some bloke
who isn't paying attention when the light turns green. :-)

Clarke

[Ednj]

Kwood,
I'll tell yiou what, I'm haveing the hardest time trying to find a through coupling for the air line to penatrate the roof i'm about to give up.
I don't want to use a grommet.
Any #'s for a through coupling , and where to buy?

[H3Jim]

Nick, I got that same list from the Hadley website.  What has been frustrating is that I want a lanyard horn without the compressor and the tank, and so far none of these guys will / can sell it.  They have a few modeles they sell, and thats it.  They can't or won't off the other ones.

[JackConrad]

Kwood,
I'll tell yiou what, I'm haveing the hardest time trying to find a through coupling for the air line to penatrate the roof i'm about to give up.
I don't want to use a grommet.
Any #'s for a through coupling , and where to buy?

Try a local big truck parts supply place or try McMaster-Carr  www.mcmaster.com  Hope this helps, Jack

[gumpy]

But it sure would be fun to have a train horn on a normal car to wake up some bloke
who isn't paying attention when the light turns green. :-)

Screw the train horns. I'd rather just have a star plow on the front and ram the SOBs off into the ditch!

craig (commuting with Minnesota drivers, the worst in the country!)

[gumpy]

Nick, I got that same list from the Hadley website.  What has been frustrating is that I want a lanyard horn without the compressor and the tank, and so far none of these guys will / can sell it.  They have a few modeles they sell, and thats it.  They can't or won't off the other ones.

Jim,

I may be interested in the air tank. How big of a tank do they come with?  I need one for my leveling system.

I might be interested in the pump, too.

Contact me offline. Maybe we can work something out where you can buy the kit and sell me the parts you don't need.

craig

[gumpy]

Kwood,
I'll tell yiou what, I'm haveing the hardest time trying to find a through coupling for the air line to penatrate the roof i'm about to give up.
I don't want to use a grommet.
Any #'s for a through coupling , and where to buy?

Ed,

Go to NAPA and get yourself a threaded nipple that is long enough to go through the roof. Then get 2 rubber or neoprene washers, 2 flat brass washers (or stainless) and 2 brass nuts to fit the nipple. Drill the hole just big enough to fit the nipple through, and seal it with the washers and nuts. You could shoot a dab of polyurethane around the hole prior to installing the outer washers and nut, and squeeze the poly when you tighten everything down.

That should work well. You can then attach your air lines to the nipple. Double nut the nipple if you're concerned about it coming loose.

Voila.

craig