horns sounding bad on first blow

Main Your Horns & Installs
1

Lately, my horns are sounding really horrible on the first blow (especially when “locking” the truck and it gives a quick blast. Used to sound great, but now its an ear piercing sound. If I lay on them a few times, it will work itself out and sound ok for a few times. Had a look under her and there is a lot of road grime on the outside and inside of the horns. Any safe way to clean them? I am thinking there is grime caked on the diaphrams.

2

Is it like a squeak? Have you drained your tank recently of water?:smiley:

3

I’m assuming you’re talking about your Shockers? Could well be some gunk internal to the horns and diaphragms. Have you narrowed it down as to which horn is causing your issues, because that’s the first thing to get sorted.

From therein, three options as far as I see it:

  1. If they’re under or near warranty, then get HB to check them out or repair. Even if you’re out of warranty I’d give HB a call to find out how much a repair/replacement will cost you.

  2. If you’re not fussed about option 1 and also don’t want to disassemble them, you could try a good clean. There’s nothing but plastic and stainless inside to I’d take em off and give them a good rinse out in some warm soapy water followed by a blast of fresh air.

  3. Check if you can blow any air through them by just using your lungs. The diaphragms have to create a good seal against the seat and there should be no way for you to vent any air through it by blowing into the horn inlet. In the Shockers the seat pressure is adjustable through a little allen screw in the back cap of the horn. It’s unlikely but that screw could have become loose. If you have an air leak inside the horn, you could try tightening the allen screw slightly just until the diaphragm seals again.

BIG NOTE: Mucking with that adjustment voids warranty so refer option 1. If you over-tighten the screw you could damage the diaphragm or the horn parts internally, so naturally HB will say to never touch that screw. I would only resort to this as your last option prior to dis-assembly and only make very minor adjustments (i.e. keep to less than 1/4 or 1/2 turn max)

If all fails, I suppose the only real way to find out what’s causing it is to have a look inside. The horns are not rocket science. If you have a reasonable level of confidence in being able to disassemble and diagnose mechanical items then that might be your last option.

4

Hey DBO, option 1, HornBlasters have a brilliant lifetime guarantee on the Shockers!
I have had a couple of people mention they have a “Sqeaker”, so far, both have said it was just a drop of water in them! :slight_smile:

5

Thanks for highlighting that about the warranty Stinky - good advice about the water too.

6

Hi,

I tend to drain my tank usually once a week… Have an electric valve rigged up to the bottom of my tank :slight_smile:

I never pulled them off yet as they are packed in there pretty tight and a pain to remove… But i will try to spray them where they are first. Usually the first honk or two is very squeaky then they sound ok…

Thanks