I recently bought a K5LA set that hasn’t ever been rebuilt and has been used for years. I am getting entire setup ready for install on my F350 and before I do so I want to get them rebuilt so I know that I will not have to take them out and rebuild them at a later date once they are already bolted in.
My question is this-
What is the best way to clean them for powder coating with out harming them? I want to get them blasted but not sure where to take them too besides a media shop. And will any thing be ok to use on them? Or would glass bead be better than walnut shell? I don’t want to pit the surface so the song or tone doesn’t change.
Also where can I find the diaphragm for them? I live in Tampa, Fl and not too many places around here that I have found can be of any help to me.
Plans for the setup include- 12ga tank, twin OB2 compressors, Graham White manual valve, 1/2 id air lines, 200psi pressure switch, and the K5LA.
The horn guts are simple and if they’re not damaged, don’t worry about replacing them. Hornblasters sells diaphrams & I’ve seen them on ebay. Take all the back caps off and go from there.
Glass beads should be ok, but walnuts are even less agressive aren’t they? You can also use a chemical stripper.
I didn’t care for the sound of my k5la at 200psi. It was kind of brassy/raspy. If you want 200 in the tank for honk time, you could run a regulator.
Today I had the time to actually tear down each horn and found exactly what I didn’t want to find. I found broken diaphragms, corrosion, rust and pitting. So i will now need to find a good yet cheap place for new ones.
I was also able to find a place to get the horns stripped and coated for $175 for a two tone powder coat.
Okay, that’s bad but it’s not the end of the world.
HB sells the diaphragm kits, some paint stripper and Dawn dish soap would clean the gunk off, and a nice baking soda and warm water bath with a soft bristle toothbrush will help get rid of the corrosion.
