horn stuck in traffic

[No.2Diesel]

In my region, large sirens (air and electric) are every where, not just at each fire department. They go off every day at noon and six. You don't need a wrist mounted chronometer. One day near me the local electrical utility company was changing poles and had lopped off the top of one and shoved in another next to it. On the ground attached to the lopped off portion was an older rotary type electrical siren with 12 horns radiating outwards. The motor is 3 phase and is 11HP. My bro and I came back that night and "liberated" the siren by putting it in trunk of his car (mid 60's Ply.) The two of us could barely lift it. Its about 5.5 feet in diameter. Obviously the trunk could not be closed so it looked like there was a V-2 rocket engine strapped to the car. It sat for a few months and during July 4th weekend we wanted to make some noise without having fireworks. We tried hooking a 5hp lawnmower engine to it. Having no electric start, we pulled and pulled on the cord to get the heavy flywheel impeller going. The engine started firing and chugging. Only a few hundred RPM could be achieved with the inadequate engine producing a low buurrrrr but very loud. I have since properly wired it and blast it occaisonally.

 

[rdixiemiller]

Wow! 11 Hp motor! That is a heck of a horn! Wire that up to your burglar alarm and you could blast him right off the property!
Neat old piece of American history, from the grim days of the cold war.

 

[clinto]

There is a picture somewhere online (I couldn't find it, but I know it's out there somewhere) of a Early Chrysler 354 Hemi powering a huge air raid siren. The siren portion was HUGE. I have also seen industrial Chrysler 361 and 383 big blocks in the same application.

 

[No.2Diesel]

Those early hemi valve covers that are stamped "Industrial" "Firepower" "Marine" "Red Ram" etc. are awesome. I have an Industrial and Marine set. They have additional bumps under the spark plug cover for adjustable rocker arm clearance.

 

[No.2Diesel]

Forgot "Chrysler" and "Imperial" those would be 392ci

 

[serp]

sounds like an easy fix, glad i'm not alone with the noise

 

[tjcouch]

My horn has not worked since day one . . . . . but there have always been more pressing issues . . .say . . . a tranny rebuild, brake overhaul, removing the plywood cab "roof" and replacing with canvas . . . .

But a couple of times this week I REALLY could have used that horn . . . . I pulled it out to check and see what the malfunction could be . . . switch? solenoid? diaphragm?

I was also darn curious about how those horn would sound.

TJ's word to the wise: NEVER, EVER place your horn on a bench in an enclosed garage and test the diaphragms with an airhose whilst standing with your head 3 feet away from the horn. Yowza! My ears are still ringing.

Must be the solenoid or the switch - .

 

[rockman]

horn stuck also

Happened to me also and I just pulled the rubber cap or top off the steering wheel and broke the contact. Have to be careful putting it back together as without any air pressure, you can trip the solenoid and drain the battery after a couple of days...did that also...also, you can trip the solenoid and have it come on when you start your truck...did that also...I should just use hand signals..

Bill in PA

 

[BimmerPower]

Where is the horn solenoid located? I want to disconnect the horn (wire) before it keeps beeping but don't want to do the wrong thing. Thanks!

 

[reloader64]

Pawnshop drove his M35 to a friend's house and parked. Friend was sitting in the driver's seat, and bumped the horn button. Horn began honking, and refused to stop. Unhooked wires from the horn, still honking. Sam drained the air tanks, and he and friend went to the Lowe's to get a cap for the air line going to the horn. To my knowledge, the horn still doesn't work, and neither does the one on his M109. Occasionally when I see him, I honk the horn in my M35, just to rattle his chain.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

My 109 has a dieing electric horn.

I drove my old m35 from SC to VA one time. Got to my house, and was very tired, so I went to bed. About 30min later, I wake up, hearing a loud noise from out in the street. I jumped up and ran outside, and my deuce was going off! (didn't drain the tanks, bad Adam!) Most of the nieghborhood started grabbing pitch forks and torches, but I managed to pull the wire out of the solinoid before they lynched me.

Long story short, it was a short! or ground actually. The wire running through the steering collum had rubbed the insulation off, and was grounding. As to why it just suddenly did it that night, I don't know.

But check your wire. Mine was beeping every so often when I turned on that trip, I was planning on checking it the next day.

 

[Pawnshop]

My problem was a stuck solenoid, I have cleaned the solenoid but now can not get 24V to it, when I punch the horn button I get 13v at the horn. If I knew an ELECTRICIAN I might be able to get them to fix it

 

[notso]

What should I check to get my horn sounding properly? Mine sounds like a horn off a small import car.

I just get people pointing an laughing at me, not moving.

 

[reloader64]

My problem was a stuck solenoid, I have cleaned the solenoid but now can not get 24V to it, when I punch the horn button I get 13v at the horn. If I knew an ELECTRICIAN I might be able to get them to fix it

Who, ME?!

 

[Pawnshop]

Who, ME?!

YOU Mr. Electrical Contractor, OR the Journeyman Electrician who got the horn stuck in the first place!

 

[frodobaggins]

Hmm... Idea for new mod. Horn disconnect switch

 

[Pawnshop]

An electrical cutoff would not have helped me, my airflow was open and would not go off, had to drain the tanks. When I disconnected the power the horn still worked, ended up having to cap the air line so I could drive home.

 

[Barrman]

Sam, check the breaker on the drivers side fire wall. Wire 25 is the horn power. Wire 10 should be feeding that breaker. Check and make sure 24V is going to the breaker and then see what is coming out.

All air or electric horns on M35's are supposed to be and probably will be on the passenger side inner fender next to, above or behind the alternator or bolted up to the front valence under the head light for electrical types. They all have 2 wires. Both wires will be marked 25. (Yes, older non winch trucks will have the horn above the headlight in the valence behind the little mesh screen, grill thing.)

One of the 25 wires will have 24V, or at least should have 24V. The other will be dead. That dead one is actually the ground wire that goes all the way to your horn button inside the cab. If your horn is stuck on, remove either of the #25 wires from the horn itself will turn it off 99% of the time. That other 1% of the time it won't because the solenoid itself is grounded out to the horn and it would have shocked the day lights out of you when you went to grab the wire. Ask me how I know about that one!

So, if your horn is stuck on. You can remove one or both of the wires at the hron itself, remove the 25 wire from the breaker on the firewall or you can drain the air tanks for an air horn to stop making noise. Just remember that draining the tanks stops the noise, you still might have a live electrical short going on that will drain your batteries over time.

Air horn sound is a weird thing. Air psi makes a difference, the trumpets themselves can be moved in and out a little and the diaphrams on the back can be adjusted in and out. If you have one that just squeeks. I would suggest taking it off the truck and pulling it apart. You will probably find at least one dead bug/critter/thing inside there somewhere. Put it back on and try it. You might have to mess with the set screws on the back to get your harmony. Just remember all of the people within a 1/2 mile or so will be listening to your efforts so pick your time wisely. Once you get the harmony going, you will know it. Oh, don't tighten the set screws down too tight because they will go right on through the thin diaphrams and ruin the horn. Ask me how I know that one too.

All of this make sense?

 

[Pawnshop]

It DOES, thanks Tim. My problem was the third thing: the solenoid was stuck due to corrosion (not an electrical short). My horn button is the newer sealed type that grounds inside the button itself (not to the wheel/column) so I suspect the trouble is at the fuse block. I will get my electrician on it!

The horn in my M109 is completely inop but I have not begun to try to figure it out yet, could be any number of things. My first priority though is to find out why the oil press and water temp gauges are intermittently reading...

Sam R

 

[50shooter]

I don't know how you guys can get the hood up and mess w/the horn while it is going. My Dad tried to scare the kids a few weeks ago and the horn stuck. I attempted to get to the hood but that horn is like an offensive weapon. I couldn't even make it to the hood. I ended up going around and under to drain the tanks. He beat on the horn button at the same time and stopped it.

Not sure what the problem was b/c I sold the truck a few days later....can't have a truck w/ a jacked up horn. Actually I was selling it anyway.

Thanks for the info. as I have other deuces w/inop horns.