| train Horn Install right View
As a Diesel Power reader, it's likely you have a big truck with big tires, a big suspension lift, and a big, bombed-out diesel engine. But when it comes time to honk at someone, you're stuck with that wimpy factory-installed horn. Not only is this unacceptable for your big truck, but it can also be a safety and theft concern that's easily preventable.
Why Train Horns?In some parts of the country, the idea of adding train horns to trucks has been around for several years. In fact, there's a whole industry that has popped up offering these kits. To some, installing powerful horns on a daily driver may seem excessive, but if you're pulling a 15,000-pound trailer and you see a car about to pull in front of you, a simple warning blast can mean the difference between the driver noticing or hitting your rig.
Another important benefit is theft prevention. Most new trucks come equipped with factory alarms that sound the horn, so a train horn setup can become a powerful deterrent. Let's face it, when we're in a shopping mall and hear a typical car alarm, people barely notice. Thieves count on this to make their lives easy as they get away with the stolen vehicle. After hearing one blast from a train horn, we can almost guarantee it will send any would-be thief looking for another target.
| The flow-control valve is between the pressurized air tank and the horns. It needed to be mounted in a secure location, so we used sheetmetal screws to attach it to the underside of the body. This valve only has two wires: one goes to ground, and one connects to the factory horn through the HornBlasters toggle switch.
Bolt-On KitFor our project, we contacted HornBlasters, and after a quick talk, we were advised that its Conductor's Special package would fit the bill nicely. This kit includes everything you need to install it on any vehicle. It's a four-horn system that includes a 150-psi compressor and pressure switch as well as all the lines, wires, connectors, and in-cab controls to complete a first-class install. All you need to supply are basic handtools and your time.
Train Horn LawsThe use of any device this loud should be done with caution, and you should only use the train horn in case of an emergency-or to avoid an impending accident. The laws on the use of train horns vary from state to state, and even from town to town. In some areas, they are legal to own but illegal to use. So you should ask your police department about the local laws before finding yourself at the receiving end of a noise-violation ticket.
In Chattanooga, Tennessee, where the install was done, the sound of a train horn is very common. Some people are abusing the use of these horns, resulting in fines from the police. If you practice common sense and use the horn on an as-needed basis, you should be fine. For this truck, we used a toggle switch that allows the factory buttons to activate the stock Dodge horn or the HornBlasters kit when desired.
