Horn Question

[Svashtar]

Saw an older thread about this, and saw Valleyman was trying to hook up some old El Dorado horns and kept blowing his 15a fuse.

Anyway, I think our OEM horns are pretty anemic and wanted to update them. Don't particularly like the Hella horns, but saw these at JC Whitneys:

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/tf-Browse/s-10101/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2009014/showCustom-0/p-2009014/N-111+600002595+10201/c-10101

They mention that you need a relay switch if you want to install two horns. Since we already have two, shouldn't two of these (was going to get one high and one low I guess?) just drop right in?

I am a wiring novice, able to do some simple stuff, but wouldn't know about any relays or anything. Please let me know if you think two of these would replace our OEM units without too much work.

Thanks for your help as always!

Norm

[SergntMac]

IMHO, the stock MM horns suck, Norm, and I don't know why.

On both of my MMs (300As) they went south and I had them replaced under warranty. Both times, the techs (one here in Chicago, one in Indy) mentioned that the horns were bad from the supplier. That said, I read your J.C. Whitney link, and my impression from that is that if you intend to run these aftermarket horns in tandem with OEM horns, a relay is recommended. It's likely suggested this way because horns function by shorting the power input, and the total draw on the wires would be excessive. However, if you're replacing your OEM horns one for one, IMHO, a relay is not needed because everything is 12 v.

Let us know if the tone suits a Marauder? A high pitched squeaky beep would be like wearing short pants to a wedding, eh?

[Svashtar]

Thanks Sarge. No, I undertand that if I want to add these on to work with the OEM horns that I would need at least a relay and probably another horn button, but I just want to pull the OEM duds and replace them with these 130 DB guys.

They supply a bracket if needed, but I'm hoping I can just drop these in with a little bit of tweaking. I figure getting one low tone and one high (I think they are about 95 hz. and 200 hz. respectively), rather than going all in one direction or the other. I'm hoping to get a sound that will cause cars in front of me to vibrate to pieces from the sonic assault, but barring that I'll settle for louder than what we have! :)

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I'll let you know how it works out.

Regards,

Norm

[SergntMac]

Here's the text I find when I use your link. Please check it to see if it's the same text you see too?

"Replaces original-equipment horn, or can be added to existing horn system. Approx. 4" W x 4-1/2" L x 3" H. Install individually or mount in pairs to produce a harmonious high-low blast. Horn relay (sold separately) required when installing 2 horns together. Metal motor housing and ABS thermoplastic trumpet. Includes 360-degree installation bracket, hardware, instructions. For 12-volt systems. If horn is added as additional horn, horn button installation required."

You may be right on needing a relay, Norm, but I will disagree about having to add a second horn button if you're going to dispense with the OEM horns.

Tell you what...I'm approaching my days off, if I get some spare time, I'll stop by a few retail auto parts stores like Pep Boys, AutoZone and Murray's, and see what their retail packages include, maybe get a peek at the instructions too?

The kit you point to here isn't exclusive to Whitney's, it available off the shelf. Care to wait for this advice? Or, do you have something in the shipping channel now?


Thanks Sarge. No, I undertand that if I want to add these on to work with the OEM horns that I would need at least a relay and probably another horn button, but I just want to pull the OEM duds and replace them with these 130 DB guys. They supply a bracket if needed, but I'm hoping I can just drop these in with a little bit of tweaking. I figure getting one low tone and one high (I think they are about 95 hz. and 200 hz. respectively), rather than going all in one direction or the other. I'm hoping to get a sound that will cause cars in front of me to vibrate to pieces from the sonic assault, but barring that I'll settle for louder than what we have! :) Thanks for taking the time to respond. I'll let you know how it works out. Regards, Norm

[John F. Russo]

My dealer suggested installing another set of the same horns that originally came with the car.

Now the horn sounds like a horn.

But it could be a little louder.

[blackf0rk]

I have a 2003 and my horns sound great... <?>

[SergntMac]

Okay, while I was out and about today, I stopped at Pep Boys, Auto Zone and Murray's retail stores. They all got sh*it on sale, and I got a chrome two ton floor jack for 11 bucks, hehehe. Anyway, the stuff J.C. Whitney's sells on-line separetly, comes in a kit too. 24.95 for two horns, 1 relay, connectors, ends, some wire and brackets for both. One stop shopping.

Then I looked at what's on the Marauder and how it's mounted. Doesn't look like any brackets will be needed, but the horns are insulated from the frame, and require two wires each, power and ground I presume. The horns have custom connectors, which will require some splicing. Those wires lead into a third custom union on the front harness, which leads to the OEM horn button. You may have to splice in here too, for the relay trip. Don't forget the wire from an open 12v power source for the relay, I don't think this is included.

All in all, this isn't a big deal, just not as simple as it used to be. The horns on my '91 GM are old school one-wire, but completely dead. I was hoping to upgrade my MM with something cool, and use my Marauder horns as hand-me-downs. But, I'm not going through all that without knowing what to expect in sound. Looks like the '91 will get some standard replacement horns until I get a big-azzed air horn for the MM.

[Svashtar]

Okay, while I was out and about today, I stopped at Pep Boys, Auto Zone and Murray's retail stores. They all got sh*it on sale, and I got a chrome two ton floor jack for 11 bucks, hehehe. Anyway, the stuff J.C. Whitney's sells on-line separetly, comes in a kit too. 24.95 for two horns, 1 relay, connectors, ends, some wire and brackets for both. One stop shopping.

Then I looked at what's on the Marauder and how it's mounted. Doesn't look like any brackets will be needed, but the horns are insulated from the frame, and require two wires each, power and ground I presume. The horns have custom connectors, which will require some splicing. Those wires lead into a third custom union on the front harness, which leads to the OEM horn button. You may have to splice in here too, for the relay trip. Don't forget the wire from an open 12v power source for the relay, I don't think this is included.

All in all, this isn't a big deal, just not as simple as it used to be. The horns on my '91 GM are old school one-wire, but completely dead. I was hoping to upgrade my MM with something cool, and use my Marauder horns as hand-me-downs. But, I'm not going through all that without knowing what to expect in sound. Looks like the '91 will get some standard replacement horns until I get a big-azzed air horn for the MM.Mac, I should have read the damned fine print as you did, but saw the link that said "freeway blaster" horns. My a$$. Got them yesterday, they were in the channel when you wrote on the 6th, and pulled my OEM horns. My old ones were really dirty and bug covered. I pulled off the proprietary OEM wire and cut off the protective hard plastic circles surrounding the contacts, as well as the retaining clips. Then I was able to not use the supplied female spade connectors, and just mount the new horns on the OEM bracket, and push the now accessible OEM female connectors onto the male studs on the new horns. They fit perfectly (now I know why!), but of course now I don't have the belt & suspenders locks on the connections as I had to remove them to fit the new housing around the connectors which is different.

Pushed the connector back together, and they sound EXACTLY like the OEM horns, one high and one low. Pulled them and checked, and they ARE the same %^$# thing as the OEM horns! Did I say "freeway blaster my a$$?"

They even have the same model numbers! What an idiot. I reinstalled my oem horns, but of course now the harness is not as secure as it was previously, although it does seem tight.

There is something mounted to the same cross member as the OEM horns, just to the right of them as you face the car. I don't know what it is, but there is a hole in the member next to that. I am hoping to tap that hole and run a 2" bolt into it to act as a standoff, and then mount the "new" Friamm horns, identical to the OEM ones, to that. According to them I need a separate horn button?

Do you think there's a way to just tie into the OEM horns and use the same relay? I paid $33 online from Whitneys for both BLASTER horns, plus S&H. Jumped too fast again. I can always return them for a base price refund, but thought I would try wiring them in tandem with the existing system first. In other words, 4 of the Friamm horns.

Thanks for your thoughts on this and the info.

Norm

[rocknrod]

I have access to a pair of Crome American sounding horns. I use them on my hot rods. They dont sound foreign. Anybody interested guve me a shout on e-mail. No charge for the info.

[MENINBLK]

Why don't you just compare the Marauder horns to the Lincoln horns ?
If the Lincoln uses 4 horns, the what we need
are the two horns that the Marauder lacks.

All 4 of these horns can be installed in the stock locations,
with just the addition of a fused +12V feed to the relay,
and the 4 horns wired to the relay also.

[Big House]

I will be going with a three horn air compressed system...With pleanty of room upfront to mount the horns and compressor, I will have some real get the "h3ll out of my way now" sound then.