Two Horns, One Button

[General Mcgregor]

Finally got around to a mod I have wanted to do for a while.

A few years ago I installed a Grover truck horn under the heater, worked pretty well but I had it rigged to manual valve with a pull cable that was prone to failure and freeze ups. Well I finally bought a 24V electric solenoid and got it hooked up. I didn't want a second horn button but I also wanted to keep my stock horn functional, so I wired up a selector switch so I could choose which horn is sounded when the button is pressed. Real easy mod, since the solenoids are being switched at the ground end I simply had to run a dedicated hot to the new solenoid and then just run both grounds to either side of the switch. Horn button wire comes off the center of the SPDT toggle switch. No modification to the stock harness, just unplugged where the horn button wire comes out of the steering box and plugged in my new wires.

See the video, sorry it's so short but my neighbor had company and I didn't want to be too obnoxious.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5KEwR72cmc

 

[General Mcgregor]

Here is the build thread on the original installation. http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?66181-Installed-a-Grover-Products-Air-Horn

 

[brianp454]

Why not install a simple pull switch with a tassel in the left forward top of the cab like in commercial trucks and use that for the second set of horns?

 

[JDToumanian]

I want to do a related horn mod on my HEMTT... It has both an electric horn and an air horn. The electric horn is actuated by the horn button on the steering wheel, and the air horn by a pull valve with the lanyard hanging above the door. Both horns were terrible. I replaced the wimpy air horn with a Grover Stuttertone. What I want to do, is install an air solenoid to the wire that currently powers the electric horn, and hook the air up to the Grover as well, so that pushing the horn button or pulling the lanyard has the same effect.

I had it rigged to manual valve with a pull cable that was prone to failure and freeze ups.

The HEMTT horn pull valve is a Bendix 228928. I can't imagine it behaving unreliably, so if you still want a manual valve, try one of them.

http://www.mixerandplantparts.com/Bendix-228928-Horn-Valve-p/228928.htm

Jon

 

[General Mcgregor]

Why not install a simple pull switch with a tassel in the left forward top of the cab like in commercial trucks and use that for the second set of horns?

Because I wanted to use my stock horn button

 

[General Mcgregor]

The HEMTT horn pull valve is a Bendix 228928. I can't imagine it behaving unreliably, so if you still want a manual valve, try one of them.

http://www.mixerandplantparts.com/Bendix-228928-Horn-Valve-p/228928.htm

Jon

Thanks for the link, if I had known about that one a couple years ago I definitely would have bought it. I don't see going back to the old pull valve though, been driving around with this setup for a couple days and it is really slick!

 

[JDToumanian]

I don't see going back to the old pull valve though, been driving around with this setup for a couple days and it is really slick!

Yeah, I like the idea of having both... The pull valve is cool, for tooting the horn for kids, but when some a55hole cuts me off, my hands are usually closer to the steering wheel button!

 

[General Mcgregor]

yeah, i like the idea of having both... The pull valve is cool, for tooting the horn for kids, but when some a55hole cuts me off, my hands are usually closer to the steering wheel button!

Exactly!