What are your thoughts on drilling out the inlet on the horns base? I was looking at mine when I was painting them, and the 4a horn had a slightly larger inlet hole than 1 and 2 did. I didn’t know if that was normal, or maybe BNSF special ordered it like that.
But anyway, I know that you can drill that hole out a little and make them louder. I was wondering if anyone has done this, and if it changes the tone of them. I really love the sound of them the way are, but curious for anyone’s stories and opinions…
I’m also curious on air line size. I have 1/2 line to it now. The line is only about 12" long too. I didn’t know if 5/8 line is any louder or not. The manual for the k series horns says to use 5/8 copper line, but my line is only 12" long…
Don’t drill them out. It will ruin them. It will cause premature wear on the nozzles as well as warp the diaphragms and destroy the tone. Why would you need K3s louder anyways? lol
I have a k3 thats been drilled for 4 years. I have yet to see any wear other then normal. The guy uses them alot too.
I personally dont hear a pitch change, but I do hear them being louder. Im not a stickler for my horns to be exactly on key either. Nathan hasn’t for a long time.
All ten of mine are drilled as well.
Your system is as good as your smallest restriction. If you have a 5/8 port on your tank then run 5/8 line.
But since you only have a K3 your fine with what you have now. It doesnt need any bigger airline.
True, but these are also common everyday K bells. I wouldn’t suggest this on sand cast bells or anything else rare cause it will really lower there value.
Maybe its just me cause I have had and sold so many. To me its just a horn. Screw it. I’m not a hard core collector though. I like noise. But on the other hand I wont run 200 psi through them cause its a sound that I think doesn’t sound good. Its over modulated. Drilling them out I don’t hear that.
I have my rare horns that are kept stock, but for the horns that I just want noise it doesn’t matter.
Example: Not everyone wants a wide torque curve like a rally car, some just want a top end high horse motor.
Some people want there horns to be as loud as possible. They pay enough for them, let them mod them at there own risk. Too some that seems outlandish. But those who drill them out, they are happy. I lost count how many sets I have sold that the customer wanted them opened up cause they don’t care about a perfect pitch, they want it as loud as possible.
Some people say “they are loud enough, you shouldn’t mod them”, well to some people a stock z06 is fastest enough. Other people telling them they shouldn’t do it doesn’t stop them from mod’ing it. Its just a case of people imposing there views on others and feel they are right and people should listen to only them. I say screw it do what you want you paid for it.
But like anything you mod, it always lowers your resale value to some people. Others want to buy something mod’d.
I’m not imposing my view on anybody… It’s just my opinion. I can’t make someone do what I say and I can’t keep them from doing it. I don’t really care as it isn’t my horn. I just think that if people pay so much, they shouldn’t run the risk of messing the horn up. Now if they sent them to you or someone that knew how to do it, fine, but I’m not going to recommend people do it themselves is all I meant.
