Roof mount air horns

John316 · June 13, 2012, 06:36:26 PM

We are going to be installing roof mount air horns. My question is, how do we (and other truckers) keep them from filling up with bugs. Seems like they would get choked over time. Thoughts?

Thanks,

John

FloridaCliff · June 13, 2012, 06:41:49 PM

John,

I have two and have never had a problem.

Maybe just blow them...

There is a lot of air going through them during use...

Cliff

luvrbus · June 13, 2012, 06:49:13 PM

They sell shields for the horn are yours round a bell or a rectangular ? you can buy those at any truck chrome shop some people call the shields mutes

good luck

John316 · June 13, 2012, 06:54:36 PM

Thanks Cliff and Clifford. Both of you guys answered my question.

We don't have the horns yet. They will probably be circular. At some point we will probably look for those shields to put on them. I am surprised that you guys down in Florida don't have a love bug problem with your airhorns

.

Anybody have a favorite airhorn that is the best?

Thanks,

John

luvrbus · June 13, 2012, 07:17:40 PM

Hadley are great horns check their site

good luck

Bill B /bus · June 14, 2012, 02:15:44 PM

Buy the shield when you get the horns. Otherwise you will buy new horns in a couple of years due to dirt on the diaphragm.

Bill

PS Buy a spare for when you lose one to errant trees.

FloridaCliff · June 14, 2012, 03:00:52 PM

John,

I have the rectangular horns, two horns.

Actually, I did put the shields on when I bought them.

I had four, but swapped two with NCBob in one of our covert deals.

The love bugs, don't mention them out loud....

I washed the bus before a trip this Spring and they came out the next day.

I toot the horn before I leave and when I return so I guess my diaphragm is clean..

Cliff

Lin · June 14, 2012, 05:50:55 PM

John, I sent you a PM.

Scott & Heather · June 14, 2012, 09:44:28 PM

I love tooting my own horn :-) problem is, I still have the lame button valve on the floor which happens to be located so far rear of my left foot up on the stainless step next to my electrical switches in the drivers area that I have to sit funny just to get my heel
On the horn valve button when I want to beep. By then, the emergency has passed, the pedestrian is squashed and my bus has a dent in the front stainless. Ok, being a little dramatic but wish I could change to a chain pull or something :-/

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DMoedave · June 15, 2012, 04:48:22 AM

I used to have trouble finding that air button but i have a cover right there now and i just move my foot to that corner of the box and straight down hits the horn. You could put a wedge or post to do the same. I have a pull chain on the SS and its no fun reaching for that in an emergency either. For a get ready for a wrning, a pull chain is nice. Mine was set up with one end secured foward about 8 " and the rear is the pull, so there is a nice loop to grab. I also have better volume/tone control with the pull, but you cant beat the stomp for emergency blasts! You could have both with all the nifty push/pull nylon connectors. Be forewarned, sometimes the airhorn freezes some folks when you want them to move it seems to paralize them!

John316 · June 15, 2012, 04:53:18 AM

Cliff, have you ever asked the love bugs if they don't like the noise?

Lin, I just replied. I thought I sent it last night, but I didn't hit send. You should have it.

Scott and Dave. I actually like where our horn button is. It frees up my hand to hold the wheel. It is the standard MCI location, with a floor button. My only gripe is I can't flash my lights and honk at the same time. And, Dave, you mentioned sometimes it freezes a driver, instead of moving them. As you know, sometimes it also seems to catapult them too. lol

Thanks gents.

John

Scott & Heather · June 15, 2012, 06:06:51 AM

Ahhh. Well then, I suppose someday I'll get some nylon push pull connectors and move the dumb thing closer to the front of the drivers area.

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TomC · June 15, 2012, 02:02:36 PM

I bought two double air horns that have 19" and 17" horns. I cut the second one down to 15" and 13". Mounted both sets on the roof with two individual pull valves (I have an overhead TV cabinet above the driver's seat that facilitates the pull valves). On the two pull valves I had a chain connecting the two together. I can either pull the high tone horn, or the low tone horn or pull both together for a 4 tone horn. I have had the horns on the roof now for 35,000 mile of driving with no horn bell shields (I don't like the horn shields because they block some of the sound). The best thing is to blast the horns at least once a day. I also have Buell 4 tone train horn facing down to the ground mounted just in front of the front door using an electric solenoid with just a push button right next to the pull chains. Believe me when I say I have used the train horns with good results. I also have a normal two tone electric horn that works off the steering wheel center button (which my wife calls the weinie horn). Good Luck, TomC

belfert · June 15, 2012, 04:42:16 PM

My air horn button is on the floor to the left of the high beam switch. I've never had to use it for an emergency so I have no idea if it is a good place or not. I didn't even know that was the air horn button for the first year or two I had the bus.

I just have a single plastic air horn that points down under the bus. It is loud enough for me. Like already mentioned a really loud horn causes people to just freeze due to the shock of the loud noise.