Air Horns

[Tony LEE]

"They still will dump the air tanks real fast though."

Should be an accessory rail somewhere to feed the horns. That way the brake protection valve will prevent the brake tanks from being drained below 65psi

[Songman]

I bought a couple of long chrome air horns from a guy down the street a few weeks ago. This guy is always having yard sales and comes up with some odd stuff. He had these air horns and he offered them to me for $10 each! They don't have any mounting brackets or anything but I figured the price was cheap enough. He stuck his compressor hose in one of them and blew it and that sucker was loud! I can imagine what two would sound like.

By the time I get to that point on the bus, I may decide not to use these. I really like the ones with the rectangular bell with covers. These are round. I figure finding mounting hardware and whatever valves you need to hook them up couldn't be that difficult since so many semis have them.

[captain ron]

Ed Skiba in Jersey has the coolest horns I've seen or heard. I think there is six or eight horns and it is frickin loud. They go all the way across his front cap.

[JohnEd]

Guys,

I went at this a little bit different than most.  I intended to mount the horns under my coach so aesthetics was of no importance.  Also, LOUD was my only consideration for the horn but “cheap” always screams at me.  I went to Harbor Freight and bought their plastic (no rust) horns on sale for $9.  Got a couple kits ($18) and that gave me 6 horns to play with.  As well, I purchased that little air regulator with the filter and oil injector for another $9.  I mounted a old propane bottle under the coach upside down to use as an air tank.  To this system I added my oil less 115V compressor that was wired in and available as part of my tire air-up system.  I already had a electrically operated air valve from a previous project.

I guess anybody can see how this went together without any further explanation....except.  The compressor was left on while underway so I could recharge the tank from the drivers seat by starting the generator. The horns were mounted on the right side of the coach and out the front as my chief concern was that I often found myself having trouble getting over to the right and I cruise on the right and move left to pass only.  Those horns run on 30 lbs of air and I had the regulator set for 60 pounds.

 I only blew them while stopped to demo them to friends.  Maybe 6 times.  The only comment I can print was one I heard a few times.  “You are going to hurt someone with those”.  Yeah, they were loud.  Used them only three times in traffic....yes, it was funny.  And, yes they moved.  A mistake with the regulator subjected them to 95 psi and they only chirped....for their last sound and death knell.

Got new horns!

John

[rv_safetyman]

OK guys, you got me all juiced up to install some old Hadleys that I had from a prior project. 

Only problem is, I can't identify the treads into the horn.  It is not pipe thread or any type of compression thread that I have in my parts bin.

It looks like they used a bulkhead type fitting so that it would be a part of the mounting.  The Hadley site is not much help.

My best guess is that it is a 7/16-20 o-ring system, but I ran out of time to check that out tonight.  Anyone know the tread type for the Hadley horn off the top of their head?

Thanks, Jim

[DavidInWilmNC]

As soon as you get them, please post or send me an email. I am looking to do the exact same things as you. I want to mount them in the spot of the old horn and will wait for your endorsement.


Grant
Citrus Heights

OK, the horn(s) arrived today.  I didn't really get them hooked up, but I did unscrew the solenoid valve and hook my blow gun to the air input.  I had in ear plugs and held the horn at arms length.  They are LOUD.  I don't have anything to really compare them to in terms of loudness.  I can't imagine needing anything louder... 'cept maybe to have fun with!    They seem to be well made and there's a label indicating that they're made by Hadley (or at least the valve is).  The only thing I don't like is that the terminals for the solenoid are some sort of posts instead of normal terminals, but it's nothing I can't handle.  For a shipped price of around $23, I think they're a deal

David

[NJT5047]

OK guys, you got me all juiced up to install some old Hadleys that I had from a prior project. 

Only problem is, I can't identify the treads into the horn.  It is not pipe thread or any type of compression thread that I have in my parts bin.

It looks like they used a bulkhead type fitting so that it would be a part of the mounting.  The Hadley site is not much help.

My best guess is that it is a 7/16-20 o-ring system, but I ran out of time to check that out tonight.  Anyone know the tread type for the Hadley horn off the top of their head? Thanks, Jim

Could be metric.  Metric uses a 10mm straight thead with an "O" ring.  Often banjo bolts.
A cheap fix may be to disassemble the horns and tap the threaded area into a 1/4" pipe thread.  Then all sorts of US fittings will work.
JR

 

[rv_safetyman]

Hi JR  It turns out that it is a 7/16 20 fitting.  It is designed for an O-ring type seal.  They also use the 7/16 20 as a part of the mounting. 

I bought a bolt and drilled it out.  I am  using a long joining type nut (about 1.5 inches long - can't think of the official name).  Turns out that you can use a 1/8 pipe tap in that nut and it cleans out pretty good.  I have not mounted it yet, but I did test it and it seems to work OK.  Should mount it next week.

Can't wait to use it for those idiots that cut in front of you just in time to dart off the exit ramp - that probably has not happened to any of you folks

Jim

[Ednj]

Can't wait to use it for those idiots that cut in front of you just in time to dart off the exit ramp - that probably has not happened to any of you folks

Jim

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Be careful, When I hit my horns, they come to a dead stop. I guess it really scares the  $#!T out of them.

[Lee Bradley]

Be carefull in Washington State.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/329092_honk27.html

[Barn Owl]

Safety reasons, I can think of a thousand in two seconds. There are a lot of rules on the books that are not enforced. I would take my chances, the horns make for a very effective communication tool. Watching a-holes fill their britches would make it worth paying the fine in that state.

[Oregonconversion]

I found this one on ebay for about $100.00   Sounds nice although its no train horn.

There is a video on the link, so you can hear what it sounds like.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FREIGHTLINER-KENWORTH-KW-PETERBILT-RV-TRUCK-AIR-HORN_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a3Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a0Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem5acedba7ceQQitemZ390017558478QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_4215wt_1217

[expressbus]

Took a 7,000 mile trip last summer. There were only two instances of road rage directed at me and the bus. One was in Arkansas where a bob-tailer got upset he could not pass me in the right lane as I was passing one slow 18 wheeler. When he merged in behind me and then passed he diliberately made a swerving manuever as if trying to run me off the road. The wife said he must have lost the load at the casino we had just gone by! The second incident was in Portland Oregon on I-5. There was a wreck on the bridge between Oregon and Washington. We needed to get off I-5 at the Jantzen Beach exit, last one in Oregon. Needless to say traffic was unbearable. I had let several cagers merge in front of me and was then trying to edge over into the lane that was empty and led to the exit I needed. Some redneck in a Ford F150 pickup just refused to let me merge right. He got close enough that he reached out and slammed his fist against the side of the bus. Now the side of my bus is fluted stainless steel. I only hope he broke some of the small bones in his hand. I thought everyone up there in the great Northwest was supposed to be so laid back and friendly - not!

Those two incidents made me think I needed something more stout than the two air hones on the roof. I may just look into getting some train horns, hey I am a train fan so why not!

Later ..

[Len Silva]

Be carefull in Washington State.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/329092_honk27.html

Well, if you're going to get a ticket for honking, you might as well make it worthwhile.  Go for the train horn!

[Singing Land Cruiser]

Hey Songman, those horns sound like they came of an old Crown Super Coach, 1952-60'ish. Just a thought for your mounts. All the Best, M&C