Shocker 127VX Train Horn Kit
The Shocker 4 train horn at $404.99, this kit is the best bang for your buck…
uses 1.5 Gallon tank, Viair 275C Compressor, at 120psi
2.Shocker 228VX Train Horn Kit
The Shocker 4 train horn at $439.99
uses 2.0 Gallon tank, Viair 280C Compressor, at 145psi
My buddy has a train horn(no clue what one). It has to be the funniest thing I have ever seen. We laughed for 5 minutes straight after scaring a friend.
I have a 2010 Toyota Camry and have no clue about cars, installing stuff, etc. How much will the installation be and do I need to find someone that knows how to do this? Is there a big difference in the two above? It rains a lot here in south florida so will rain get into the horns?
Hi there and welcome to the forum. Think about your budget (inc. install costs) and work from there. Both kits use the same kind of horns, but the added volume of air and better compressor means you’ll get more blast time out of the 228VX kit. I wouldn’t like anything less than 2 gallons for running the Shockers.
All required parts are included and there’s good installation instructions with the HB kits, but if you’re not mechanically inclined or have no tools, most auto electricians, car audio installers or mechanics can probably do it for you. There’s no doubt that there’s a way to mount the kit in a Camry, but you may need to get a little crafty depending on where you want the bits to sit (e.g in the boot, behind bumpers etc.).
No worries about getting them wet but you obviously also wouldn’t mount them so that they’re a trumpet rain collector.
Perhaps some other locals in the Florida area that are on this forum can offer some more hints on who to contact. Failing that, download the install instructions from HB site and go see some shops about getting a quote on the install.
Good luck and hope to see another hornblasters soon.
I know nothing so forgive the following question. As far as the gallon tank, I get confused b/c I feel like it should refill up once you hit the horn, so even if you lay a good horn down it will refill pretty quickly. Does it take a while to refill? How many seconds do you get of horn time on 2 gallons?
I expect to just blast this thing for terrible selfish drivers which I see daily and I don’t expect to be blasting all the time.
OK… now for a start I’m assuming you’ve got your kit ideas from the Newbie sticky thread on here. Check with HB on availability and pricing of kits because that thread is quite old and the specific kits and prices mentioned on it are probably not 100% accurate. Quick look at the HB site suggests their current Shocker kits all run 2 gallon tanks, just with varying compressor options.
With a 2 gallon (150 psi) air supply you can probably get 3-5 seconds of blast time. The compressor kicks in once pressure drops to about 110 psi, which is about a second after you lean on your horn button. It obviously stops when it reaches 150 psi again.
There’s two things you’ll want to consider:
Fill Rate
Duty Cycle
The fill rate depends on the amount of air that the compressor can pump into your tank within a given time. Check out the different models and review the specs. They all publish the pressures and approximate fill rates (in seconds). As a general rule, the more expensive they get, the faster they are or the more air pressure they can generate.
Compressing air is hard and hot work. As air pressure increases, the energy going into that process generates heat (lots of it). Duty cycle is how long the compressor can run before it needs to switch off and cool down again. The duty cycle figure is generally expressed as a percentage. For example, if we look at a 10 minute time frame with a 25% duty cycle compressor, it means that the compressor can run for 2.5 minutes before it needs to rest and cool down for 7.5 minutes.
Factor the above time into the fill rate and time you know it will take to refill your tank. You can quickly see that with cheaper compressors, they’ll have a lower fill rate and a lower duty cycle, meaning that you can quickly find yourself out of fun-time with your new Shocker horns. Now imagine yourself driving the Camry… and some lunatic in a GMC with a K5LA gives you a blasting. You reach for the horn button and give him the ‘what for’ treatment with 4 Shocker horns. You all have a good laugh and keep honkin at each other whilst people in the local vicinity run for cover.
Before you know it, the compressor has reached its limit and you’re beeping a buzzer whilst the train makes its getaway.
So you see… it all depends on how much fun you want to have
The compressor will be the most important and hardest working part within your train horn installation. Work out how much you can afford to spend all up and go for the best quality compressor you can afford within your budget.
I just purchased the Conductor’s Special 540. It’s in transit as we speak. Unfortunately I won’t see it till Monday afternoon. I’m like a kid on Christmas Morning busting with anticipation of whats to come. For the little bit extra compared to the smaller tanks, I say go for the 540. I’ve had other horns in the past and a bigger tank is a must!!
Welcome to the forum. Both kits are available. As DBO stated in his past answers (perfectly I must add! We adore him here!), the size tank and compressor are the only difference. If you have the extra change, I do suggest going with the larger air supply as it will make for a better honking pleasure! The 228VX kit is perfect for waking that annoying driver up that about blew you off the road. Kits like the 540 have a larger air source and is perfect for almost anything! Any other questions, definitely feel free to ask here or call us directly!
