Hi guys and girls!! Just found the site a couple of days ago. (Wish I had found it a few weeks ago before I made a purchase on ebay)
I’ve got a 90’s k5la that I bought 6 years ago and have had it on my s10 since then. Been doing a lot of fabrication on the truck so I haven’t driven the truck in 3 years, so unfortunately haven’t played with the horn in that time either. Decided I wanted another horn for my daily (Ranger)
Just bought a k5lla on ebay and hopefully can get it installed when it arrives next week. Can’t wait!!
Pics of my s10 in the midst of an engine swap and k5la. (I’m in the middle of moving a couple city’s over so my garage is a mess! )
Horn is controlled by a cutler-hammer momentary button in my center console. I have it set up so that pressing half way down activates one solenoid thats regulated at ~80-90psi and a full press activates a 2nd solenoid to full blast at 200 psi. that way I can still throttle the horn, but without having a manual valve and having to cut holes in the truck to run air line.
Welcome to the forum. Man you got some serious plumbing going on there. Second last pic looks like four solenoids… what’s the go with that (i.e. what’s the other two for)?
Crazy setup huh? When I first installed the horn, i had a cheap momentary button and a GCXtreme 350 solenoid. I hit the horn one day on a back road and the valve stuck open and drained the tank!!! Thankfully no one (and no cops) were around. I replaced the valve after that, but when I started working on the truck 3 years ago, I’m re-doing it again and added a “safety solenoid” before the main valves. So when I press half way on the new momentary button, it activates the safety solenoid and the 3/8" solenoid regulated at ~90psi. When I fully press the button, it opens and additional 1/2" valve for full blast. The three valves above bells 1,2 and 3a control the horn. I have a check valve after the 1/2" ‘full blast’ solenoid to prevent back pressure from opening the valve when I throttle the horn. The four valves on the back are for the rear air suspension.
I made a video years ago when I installed the new button. I am an amateur at recording lol.
I wish the Ranger had work done to it. Only thing I’ve done is put a new clutch in it as I’m only allowed to replace the necessary parts since the lady saw what happened to the s10 when I first started tinkering with it and what its turned into now :D.
I plan to pull out the spare tire and do a mock up of the horn on the manifold. If it doesn’t fit, i’ll plasma cut the spare tire cross member out and weld in my own mount for it. I will definitely take pics of the install!
Thanks! The s10 has two Viair 480c’s switched at 200psi. The tank is a 7 gallon aluminum which provides a good amount of air, but I plan to add 3 gallons under both rockers (two 1.5 gallon tanks) for more volume. I assume I can buy parts from you? I see you’re in Santa Ana, which is where I work, so I could always come buy. I will need a new compressor for the ranger when my k5lla comes in from ebay!!
I live in Santa Ana but work at Oasis Manufacturing in Laguna Hills near the Irvine Spectrum or the El Toro “Y” about 12 miles down Interstate 5.
We only sell our air compressors, 12V or 24V, but just 1 of ours is equal to 5 or more of the others.
Our 1.5 & 6 gallon tanks are certified to 150 PSI. Our 10 gallon tank is ASME coded to 200 PSI. We have accessory packages (kits) and components including a few adaptive fittings as in bushings, nipples and bell reducers but most are 3/8" NPT, one way or another. We also carry 1/2" (OD) DOT air brake tubing and their instant tube fittings or as some like to call them “push-to-lock”.
Feel free to contact me because we might have what you need.
Really appreciate it! I use push-to-connect fittings with my suspension and the airline as well, so I know what you mean. I’ll check out the compressors and see what looks good.
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