Hey guys, has anybody ever relocated their stock horn? Mine quit working a month ago and I finally realized it's because the 2 wires that lead to it had broken off...
So then I started looking under the bike while moving the wheel to and fro... and that horn bracket rubs against a LOT of assorted wires. I could see where is rubs on some. So (since it needs to be repaired anyway) I took the whole thing off.
First of all, it was a lot heavier than I expected for some reason.
Secondly, now I'm looking for somewhere else to mount it... any ideas?
Since you are at it... my suggestion is to buy a Stebel Nautilus....mount the compressor under the seat and attach horn to the frame on the right hand side. My dealer just did this to my bike and it looks OEM. THe horn is absolutely terrific. Used it the other day for driver backing out of driveway in front of me. He slammed on brakes and wrenched his neck around to find the semi truck bearing down on him.
Geoff
Quote from: "BEEZZER"Since you are at it... my suggestion is to buy a Stebel Nautilus....mount the compressor under the seat and attach horn to the frame on the right hand side. My dealer just did this to my bike and it looks OEM. THe horn is absolutely terrific. Used it the other day for driver backing out of driveway in front of me. He slammed on brakes and wrenched his neck around to find the semi truck bearing down on him.
Geoff
+1 on the Nautilus. If you have the place to mount them (mine are on my Thunderbike crash bars), the Magnums have a deeper, but not quite as loud, sound compared to the Nautilus.
Either is a HUGE improvement over stock. Just be sure to wire them with 12ga or better wire via a relay.
My stebel is on the left and the compressor is behind the tail light.
(http://matttys.smugmug.com/photos/501225654_P64VC-M.jpg)
Notice the tube for the compressor/horn.
(http://matttys.smugmug.com/photos/501225690_3AKrb-M.jpg)
Thanks for the ideas guys. A Stebel is in my future but right now money is too tight to justify it. For now I'll have to make due with the stocker... I'll be sure to let you guys know where I put it.
I've only had to use my horn maybe twice.
Yesterday I was getting the bike safety inpsected for the tag renewal. The turned on all the lights, blinkers, then hit the horn.
At first I thought one of the techs had dampened it with his hand or something. It sounded like someone had put it in a bucket of water when they tested it.
Later on I was cruising down the highway and remembered this. I hit the horn and it sound like the horn was about a 1/4 mile in front of me. I hit it again, and it doubled back and reinstalled itself between my forks for the subsequent tests.
No idea. If it's a simple fix, I'll fix it. If not I'll just install a Nautilus.
Quote from: "EvilBetty"I've only had to use my horn maybe twice.
Yesterday I was getting the bike safety inpsected for the tag renewal. The turned on all the lights, blinkers, then hit the horn.
At first I thought one of the techs had dampened it with his hand or something. It sounded like someone had put it in a bucket of water when they tested it.
Later on I was cruising down the highway and remembered this. I hit the horn and it sound like the horn was about a 1/4 mile in front of me. I hit it again, and it doubled back and reinstalled itself between my forks for the subsequent tests.
No idea. If it's a simple fix, I'll fix it. If not I'll just install a Nautilus.
Usually with horns they corrode, that changes the harmonic at which the sound plate vibrates and the contact gap goes out of tune. The fix is simple: first clean off the crud, then treat with some rust stopper, then hook it up to a battery (maybe warn the wife / kids / neighbours first). Somewhere on the horn you'll find a little grub screw, it tunes the gap. Back it off a little way and if that doesn't bring it on song, tighten it until it does. If that doesn't work, it's time to replace.
I'll check it out, thanks!
Or just replace it with a Stebel Magnum, very cheap, very loud and is a direct replacement for the OEM without any changes to the bike.
Got to admit, I have a Stebel Nautilus mounted on my Touratech crash bars.... :oops:
I have the same problem. Stocker sounds like its in a bucket of sand. Had a spare replaced it and thats almost as bad. I usually go Nautlius during ownership. This time I will be going with the High / Low note twins with relay. Just need to figure out where to mount them.
Quote from: "EvilBetty"I'll check it out, thanks!
EB, did you give it a try???
I'm currently "stuck" in Vegas. I can't believe I miss my bike this much. Driving down to Hoover and then up through the Valley of Fire, I wish to hell I had rented a bike somewhere once I got here instead of this POS Nisan Versa.
Quote from: "EvilBetty"I'm currently "stuck" in Vegas. I can't believe I miss my bike this much. Driving down to Hoover and then up through the Valley of Fire, I wish to hell I had rented a bike somewhere once I got here instead of this POS Nisan Versa.
:ImaPoser
I looked up the Versa - it seems to be similar to the NOTE in the UK (where do Nissan dream up these names?). I have a twisted loyalty to the firm as many friends and family work at the factory in Washington (the one in England) and that gets me good discount. I drive a Pathfinder which is like a Titan but a bit smaller and without the V8 :cry: .
Anyway, "Stuck in Vegas..." can't be all bad???
Patty has a 2008 Altima. Wonderful car. But this Versa has 40k miles on it as a rental. Both struts are trashed, passenger side CV joint is about gone, and it needs breaks. The break squeak and the CV joint clicking are horrible at low speeds with the windows down hehe. But I will say it handled well as a rally car along the shore of Lake Mead yesterday! :lol:
Well I'm in Vegas for a convention. I don't gamble, and I'm out here with my girlfriend so that limits my activities :) We've Hoover and a few area state parks, then saw a couple of shows here on the strip. I want to sit at the pool and sip some mojitos but this 10-5 convention is making that tough!
Quote from: "matttys"My stebel is on the left and the compressor is behind the tail light.
(http://matttys.smugmug.com/photos/501225654_P64VC-M.jpg)
Notice the tube for the compressor/horn.
(http://matttys.smugmug.com/photos/501225690_3AKrb-M.jpg)
what's involved in separating the compressor from the horns??
A screwdriver, vise and mallet. Ultimately you have to get over your fear that you will break it and just start wacking it. You will need a plastic male king nipple (this is what you would use if you were putting to garden hoses together with hose clamps and not 3/4" couplers). Epoxy the nipple in and run a hose to the compressor.
Quote from: "matttys"A screwdriver, vise and mallet. Ultimately you have to get over your fear that you will break it and just start wacking it. You will need a plastic male king nipple (this is what you would use if you were putting to garden hoses together with hose clamps and not 3/4" couplers). Epoxy the nipple in and run a hose to the compressor.
ok I used a Wolo (looks just like Stebel) Bad Boy
took a flatblade screwstick under the catch over the air fitting and pop ... separated, no muss no fuss
compressor under tail section by tail light
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff86/xtphreak/Tigger/air%20horn/01_compressorlocation.jpg)
relay under seat with hose and wiring, 30A fuse at battery, 10AWG wire for the power ... 2 conductor 17AWG in jacket (old vacuum cleaner cord) for relay trigger from original horn circuit.
I used spade connectors plugged into the stock wiring, with another pc of wire coming out of the connectors to the original horn, for now.
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff86/xtphreak/Tigger/air%20horn/04_relayandharness.jpg)
these are the "tap plates" I mentioned before for easy multiple attachments directly to the battery
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff86/xtphreak/Tigger/air%20horn/07_batterytapplate.jpg)
horn (horn trimmed a bit to fit) on left frame tube with ty-wraps thru holes drilled in "wings"
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff86/xtphreak/Tigger/air%20horn/08_hornlocation.jpg)
I decided to stick the compressor in a cloth bag for some filtering, lotsa fine dust under the tail piece
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff86/xtphreak/Tigger/air%20horn/09_compressorfilter.jpg)
works good, but there's a slight delay because of the hose, unless you just blew it ...
so I left the stock horn wired in parallel with the relay. plus if the wolo dies (as I read a lot of the stebels do), I still have a horn installed ...
probably gonna add a switch in the fairing to select stock horn alone or both horns ...
that way I can use the stocker to get the attention of fellow riders without the inherent heart attack of the air horn.
oh, forgot a finished shot
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff86/xtphreak/Tigger/air%20horn/10_finished.jpg)
and the sticker too :wink:
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff86/xtphreak/Tigger/air%20horn/11_sticker.jpg)
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Looks like a good install to me. Congrats!
I was thinking of installing a Stebel Magnum in the OEM horn location, but I concerned with the mounting angle of the horn. I would think you would want it mounted forward, but then it's catching rain and bugs. Down would be the best option, but the OEM location is horizontal.
Ideas?
Quote from: "EvilBetty"I was thinking of installing a Stebel Magnum in the OEM horn location, but I concerned with the mounting angle of the horn. I would think you would want it mounted forward, but then it's catching rain and bugs. Down would be the best option, but the OEM location is horizontal.
Ideas?
Just mounted mine onto the original mount, horn faces to the left and is horizontal to avoid snagging but is plenty loud enough. Had it on maybe a couple of years with no problems. Did have to leave off the loose plastic cover I think. No time at all to fit as you dont have to mess with the wiring, its plug and play :D
Good to know, thanks!
The stock horn location has a good bit of room up there. I don't think you'd have too much of a problem.
Now to resurrect an old thread
Honked at a squirrel today and it just looked at me and I swear it started to laugh. I can hear the squirrel laughing and saying " sounds just like my aunt May farting"! :ImaPoser
Gotta get a new horn for my Girly.
Are you guys still happy using a Nautilus?
tett
:ImaPoser
Almost a year on the Vara and still working well, almost embarassed to use it at times :oops:
I have a set of motrax hooters mounted close to the stock mount. Its 2 horns so one fits on the standard mount and one just under it. Not quite as loud as the steible horns but good enough to get the attention of the old woman about to pull out on me the other day.
Nice and cheap at £10 as well.
I put a FIAMM highway blaster in the stock horn location...just barely fits but is awesome. 132dB and gets a far better response from cell phone distracted drivers than the stocker, which imho is almost useless. A friend of mine swapped his stock unit out for the Stebel, both work equally well...would not even consider keeping the stock unit.
Quote from: "jonathan jaecks"I put a FIAMM highway blaster in the stock horn location...just barely fits but is awesome. 132dB and gets a far better response from cell phone distracted drivers than the stocker, which imho is almost useless. A friend of mine swapped his stock unit out for the Stebel, both work equally well...would not even consider keeping the stock unit.
Which one did you go with, the high or the low?
I fitted an alternaitve horn on to my TDM, 130dB twin horns, I have yet to fit them to the Tiger.
they are Motrax hootaz £10
http://www.mandp.co.uk/productinfo/5657 ... Two-Wheels (http://www.mandp.co.uk/productinfo/565754/Spares/Horns/On-Two-Wheels)
E. Betty,
I am only using one so I'd recommend the low tone...also requires a 5v relay. If you don't have a relayed accessory block under the seat a relay will fit behind the headlights. I have the horn pointed straight forward (hits who I fire it at) and ride in the rain all the time with no issues.
Jonathan
Wrote about this a looong time ago:
http://tigertriple.com/forum/index.php/topic,5006 (http://tigertriple.com/forum/index.php/topic,5006)
But the best part is that the whole was, for me, free.
All the bits come from an auto breakers, and they'll usually let you have the stuff for nearly nothing.
Cosmo
I put the Stebel Nautilus on my 06. I mounted it under the rear cowl, behind the seat. perfect little void in there for it which requires little to no mounting of the horn at all. Just sat it on a piece of foam to keep from bouncing any.
For hook up, I did put in a separate circuit for it and relay, but just extended the ground switch wire from the factory horns back to the stebel so that all my factory wiring is still in tact and the factory horns are still mounted as well. This way all I have to do to take to stock is clip the ground back to the horns up front and it is done.
you probably lose a bit of the sound since it is enclosed, but not much. And compared to the factory horns, well, there is no comparison if you ask me.
Jason