Horn replacement... Easy?

[Colorjazz]

Hi !

I have a very rusted horn on my 1991 Vanagon. I sounds like the old 1930's horn. Its actualy cool but not at all convincing when being cut off on the highway...

Is it possible to just change the horn without opening the dash and all? Idealy, I would love to just unscew, unplug, replace, plug and screw... I would order the Gowesty replacement horn...

What do you think?

[Forthwithtx]

Mine was a bolt and a couple connectors under the bumper.

Picked up the horn at the local parts store. Universal item.
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Cheers!
-Karl

'84 GL with 2001/2004 Subaru 2.5L

[metropoj]

Well, it is probably best for you to 'find' the horn first. Have someone honk it while you listen.

Then once you find it, compare what you find against your mechanical abilities to determine if you are 'capable' of replacing one.

Hard to say depending on the person.

The first concern here would be that you think the horn is in the dash.
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John.
86 TiiCo powered Westy.

[0to60in6min]

I use Hella dual tone horns with Jay Brown horn relay harness... loud and nice tone - for ref. similar to BMW 5,6,7 series dual tone horn, I think BMW use the same in black.

installation on the outside at the original horn location, no need to touch anything under the dash.

[newfisher]

[DwarfVader]

yeah... if you're going to upgrade your horn, put get the relay harness it will keep you from burning anything out.
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- oderint dum metuant -

I'll find my van someday, or it will find me.

[yiucycle]

+1 on horn relay. Stock horn wiring use the horn button as a ground with super long wire. With the horn relay, the horn button only trigger the relay and shorten up the ground loop.
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1980 2.8LV6 Fiero ASI/Riviera Vanagon
"there is no point in being embarrassed of all the stupid shit i done and will continue to do"

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[Tom Powell]

Aloha
tp

[Ahwahnee]

And with a relay on that circuit you can go with a horn that will make them wet their pants.

I use the horn quite sparingly but when I do I want it to be noticed.

[chase4food]

[Tom Powell]

[chase4food]

[Timwhy]

If you want to wire up a horn relay at the Horn, here's a diagram.

_________________
'15 Audi A3 Quattro
'09 VW Tiguan (dead)
'87 VW Westy
'91 Tin Top
'90 Cabby
What the Westy wants the Westy GETS


http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_search.php?search_author=Timwhy&show_results=summary

http://www.youtube.com/user/TIMWHY2?feature=mhee

[gene l]

Thanks for not showing ignorance by saying on the subject, and thanks for the diagram, it helps me with my problem.

gene l, disabled veteran.

[kamzcab86]

[0to60in6min]

@ kamzcab86

don't scratch your head too much over why VW didn't do this or that or should do this and that on vanagon.. otherwise you won't have many hair left...

[IdahoDoug]

On a recent trip to the U-Pull boneyard, I pulled a few of my favorite horns at $2 apiece. Find 70s-80s Cadillacs. They are beautifully tuned and very loud. They actually sound reminiscent of a yacht horn for elegance and I think that was intentional. I have a few sets sitting on the work bench and will be taking a family vote on which pair to install. The relay is a good idea - thanks.

Over the years I've tried air horns but they suffer from a couple handicaps. One is space and time to install pump, long bulky horns, and airlines. Two is the delay it takes when you press the button and the half second to spool up the pump and get the nice tweet sound - makes a little kind beep impossible. Three is that when they do get up to full sound they are too harsh for many uses.

I have the Hella Supertones on a couple cars and the note is nothing special but durability has been good at 250,000 miles so far.

Doug
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[0to60in6min]

yes.. the Hella Supertones are not nice as the Dual tone..

not as loud as the Dual Tone and the tone is not well balanced, too much in the high and not enough in the low

[Forthwithtx]

This one for less than 16 bucks at the local parts store.

http://wolo-mfg.com/model-300-2t-disc-horn-low-tone.html

They have high tone and low tone. The low tone is plenty loud and perhaps not as "meep meep" sounding as the original. My wallet gets kinda weary of going top-shelf all of the time for parts.
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Cheers!
-Karl

'84 GL with 2001/2004 Subaru 2.5L

[MsTaboo]

Keep one thing in mind when contemplating changing the sound of your horn. Perception is important. If your horn sounds like a Cadillac or Mac truck, that is what the other driver will expect to see, and may not notice it's your Vanagon that is trying to get their attention. That split second of indecision/misperception may be all it takes to have an accident.

Having the sound of a european vehicle (that is loud and clear) may get better attention. Perhaps a fresh Vangon horn, with a relay for full power? Although I do like the idea of the duel tone BMW type. Hmmm… mines in good working order, but another upgrade may be in the making .
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Currently:
'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec

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