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Thread: Train horns

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    Sumo Blue
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    Train horns

    Finally! Sorry it took me so long to get this posted up, but it took forever to get things planned out, and then once things were installed, I had a busy week and didn't have time to post.

    Where to go?
    Ebay, hornblasters.com, or gogodiesel.com for parts/packages. For fittings, you can't go wrong with suicidedoors.com. The have EVERYTHING and don't charge you for shipping, even if its going to be at your house in 2 days. I used all three and can't say enough good things about Matt at hornblasters or Doug at gogodiesel.

    What to buy?
    Horns
    Compressor
    Air tank
    Pressure switch
    Solenoid valve
    Air line
    Wire (10 ga power, 14 ga for remote trigger wire, and 14 ga black ground wire)
    Fittings for air line
    Pressure gauge

    What I went with:
    Horns--Nathan K3HA on custom mounts
    Compressor--Viair 480C (100% duty cycle, 200 PSI working pressure)
    Airtank--7 gallon with six 1/2" ports and two 1/4" ports
    Pressure switch--Viair 165/200 PSI (turns compressor on when tank drops to 165 PSI and off when tank reaches 200 PSI)
    Air line--1/2" DOT brake line
    Wire--20' of 10 ga red, 50' spool of red 14 ga red (lots of extra for future projects), 10' of 14 ga black
    Inline fuse holder for 10 ga power wire with 30A fuse
    Fittings--way too many to list, but if you need help sorting this out I'll be happy to help. What you'll need truly depends on how you're designing your system and what size air line you're going to run.
    Pressure gauge-- 0-300 PSI with 1/4" threads from Home Depot
    Custom brackets to mount horns and tank

    Planning your project
    First thing you need to figure out is what you're going to use and where its going to go. Hornblasters and Direct Injection Performance (gogodiesel.com) sell package deals that can fit most budgets. I liked what I saw, but wanted to upgrade some components so I pieced my system together. For example, I wanted a great compressor, not just a good one. I wanted 1/2" air line, not 1/4" or 3/8". I wanted the biggest tank I could mount on the underside of my truck. You get the idea.........

    On a side note, get a 100% duty cycle compressor. What is this? It refers to the amount of time a compressor can be operated in a given time period at 100 PSI and at a standard ambient temperature of 72 degrees F. Duty cycle is figured out this way: Compressor On Time / (Compressor On Time + Compressor Off Time) = Duty Cycle % As an example, a compressor that is rated for 25% duty cycle means that the compressor can be operated at:
    100 PSI @ 72 degrees F for 10 minutes ON and 30 minutes OFF
    A 33% duty cycle compressor can be operated 15 minutes ON and 30 minutes OFF.
    A 100% duty cycle compressor is rated for continuous duty (no OFF time needed).

    Horns love air and you'll want to use the largest line you can find, but they'll still be really loud with 1/4" line.

    Allright, so you've decided what components you're using and you know where they're going. Now for the fun stuff.

    Mount your components. After I got my horns, I realized they were too wide to put under the truck in stock form. So I did some research came up with an idea. Remove the bells from the manifold and make 3/8" plates to drill and tap for air fittings. The air chamber in the bells is too shallow to drill and tap directly, and I've saved the bells by not drilling into them (should I decide to sell at a future time). I had to get in touch with a machine shop in my area for this and it set me back $75, which was a bargain for what I got. The air hole was drilled and tapped for a 1/4" thread. First two pictures are of the fitting (1/2" push to connect with 1/4" male NPT 90 degree elbow) and the air chamber of the bell. No way to mount it directly, so I had the plate in picture 3 machined.
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    Sumo Blue
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    For reference, here's what the horns looked like on the stock manifold.
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    Sumo Blue
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    Since the stock manifold also serves as the mounting bracket and I wasn't using it, I had to make my own brackets based on where the horns were going. I decided to mount two bells facing forward and one bell facing rearward. This is pretty common on trains (gives a slightly different pitch and is more effective when the train is travelling backwards) and allowed me to mount the solenoid valve inbetween the bells with a minimal amount of airline.

    Making the custom mounting brackets:
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    Sumo Blue
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    I'd figured out how to mount the bells without the stock manifold, but needed a way of distributing the air to the bells. My solution was to go with a 1/2" union cross fitting (first picture). I used a 1/2" hex fitting to connect the solenoid valve directly to the union cross and 1/2" push to connect fittings with 1/2" MNPT ends to carry the air to the bells (picture 2)

    And I decided to paint the horns black, just to make them look nice. Stuff a rag down the mouth of the bell or you'll clog the diaphram and the horn won't work. Pictures of the painted bells with the painted mounts, mounting plates, solenoid valve, and union cross (pictures 3 and 4).

    And the bells attached to their custom brackets (picture 5).
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    Sumo Blue
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    Mounting the tank was much easier. I attached it to the frame using one of the holes already present in the frame and made a few custom brackets. The best one is the custom strap that has closed cell weather stripping on the inside to prevent rattles and clangs.

    Pictures of the tank and brackets (pictures 1 and 2).

    Pictures of the tank mounted (pictures 3 and 4). You can see the brackets and metal strap we fabricated, as well as a safety strap (48" ziptie used for hanging duct work).

    Picture 5 is a view of the back of the tank (looking through the rear fenderwell of the passenger side). You can see I've used a 90 degree elbow that has a 1/2" male NPT end with a push to connect end for the hose.
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    Sumo Blue
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    I drilled four holes in the frame to mount the compressor in front of the tank and swapped out the screws Viair supplied in favor of hex screws.

    I mounted the pressure switch in front on the tank on a 1/2" street t fitting. This fitting has a two 1/2" female NPT ends and a 1/2" male NPT end (screwed directly into the tank). The pressure switch has a 1/8" male NPT so I had to use a 1/2" to 1/8" reducer.

    Pictures of the compressor and tank.
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    holy chit that looks like a lot of work

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    i want some loud horn. BUt its a mod i never take the leap on

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    Snake - Great post dude. Good enough for a sticky in this "how to" I recon.

    You have got me real interested in going this mod to my 250 dude. I just love the idea of ripping one up the buggers when you get messed with. Can't wait to do it now. Thanks man for a great how to.

  10. #10
    World's Fastest Street HD
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    GREAT write up!!!!!! glad to see you got it all figured out and wired up and working


    i got a missed call from you the other day. sorry i totally forgot to call back then i remembered and figured i'd catch up with you on sunday at the meet. HOLY CRAP it would have been PRICELESS having the hot hOOters girls posing with your truck then tap the horns LoL!


    we gotta have another meet soon. I wanna go crusing around and laugh my azz off scaring the chit outta people. i'll bring the video camera!

    with only 100 psi through like 1/8" air gun in just ONE horn they were LOUDD!!!!! the last time you did it i saw you getting ready and it STILL scared the crap out of me and i knew it was coming carlos almost split his head open on my fenderwell doing my LT's when you blasted that sucker. hahaha i cant imagine how it sounds all hooked up and done

  11. #11
    Sumo Blue
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    Josh--its seriously overboard. I honk on the highway and the cars around me swerve all over the road.

    But I wouldn't change a thing

    --Snake

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    SNAKE nice write up.
    When I drove my 18-Wheeler, I didn't have that kind of air horn power. BUT I SURE COULD HAVE USED IT A FEW TIMES.

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    wow alot more work than I thought

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    Sumo Blue
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    A lot of work, but well worth it. Had a SUV pull out in front of me and I really laid on 'em for the first time.........a good 5 second blast. Guy's SUV went left, right, left, then right off onto the shoulder. He accelerated rapidly and was in front of me when I noticed his window go down. I figured he was about to give me the finger so I pulled alongside him, and he APPLAUDED me! Gave me a big and was laughing like a little kid. Not exactly what I expected, but very worthwhile.

    --Snake

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    LOL - Dude I've said it before but I gota get this mod done on my F250. Made me laugh again snake.

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