Anyone do a Horn Upgrade?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,193
Likes: 1
From: Cincinnati Oh
go for lower notes while you're at it - C or lower IMHO. I went with E notes I think and it sounds a little more masculine than the A-C stock horns. It isn't europe, so avoid the high-pitched horns...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,193
Likes: 1
From: Cincinnati Oh
Sorry my English Friend!
I just think the "euro-style" high pitched horns are more fitting on a yugo or Geo Metro rather than the sports cars we all know and love.
Now those French bastards... don't get me started!
I just think the "euro-style" high pitched horns are more fitting on a yugo or Geo Metro rather than the sports cars we all know and love.
Now those French bastards... don't get me started!
Guest
Posts: n/a
Originally Posted by Ramanstud
go for lower notes while you're at it - C or lower IMHO. I went with E notes I think and it sounds a little more masculine than the A-C stock horns. It isn't europe, so avoid the high-pitched horns...
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Drifting
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 1,478
Likes: 3
From: Sacramento, CA Money can't buy happiness - but it's more comfortable to cry in a Corvette than a Yugo.
New horns are probably the best solution, but if your 96 horns are like my 88 horns you might try adjusting them. My horns sounded so weak when I bought the car it was pathetic. When I went to pull one out so Ii could use it as a guide to shop for new ones I noticed there was a small knurled adjusting bolt on the side. The bolt was locked tight due to corrosion so I had to use a vise grip to break the bolt free. Since I was planning on replacing the horn anyway, I figured I had nothing to lose. Turning the horn adjustmet bolt made a significant difference in the tone and especailly the loudness. After I got the left one tweaked to where I wanted it, I disconnected it and worked on the right side. Turns out the right side was not making any noise at all. Adjusting the bolt to max loudness soon solved the problem on that side as well. That was 7 years ago and it still Honks On.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,137
Likes: 5
From: Howard PA
Originally Posted by Mike_88Z51
New horns are probably the best solution, but if your 96 horns are like my 88 horns you might try adjusting them. My horns sounded so weak when I bought the car it was pathetic. When I went to pull one out so Ii could use it as a guide to shop for new ones I noticed there was a small knurled adjusting bolt on the side. The bolt was locked tight due to corrosion so I had to use a vise grip to break the bolt free. Since I was planning on replacing the horn anyway, I figured I had nothing to lose. Turning the horn adjustmet bolt made a significant difference in the tone and especailly the loudness. After I got the left one tweaked to where I wanted it, I disconnected it and worked on the right side. Turns out the right side was not making any noise at all. Adjusting the bolt to max loudness soon solved the problem on that side as well. That was 7 years ago and it still Honks On.
Then I just went to the hardware store and got some bolts and nuts to put it back together. Little black paint to hide the repair and they were good as new after some tweaking with the screw. I'm not cheap, I would buy replacements but I wanted the original horns and tones working.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 703
Likes: 2
From: Cypress Texas
On mine, I took the horns off, sprayed WD40 inside them and let them sit for a while. If you break up the corrosion inside, they will work again. On an old pair of horns that still didn't seem to want to work, I used a rubber mallet and hit them several times and they started to work.
If you are still thinking about upgrading, why not go with a set of the older style cadillac horns, it was a set of four and sounded almost like a train whistle. Really loud.
If you are still thinking about upgrading, why not go with a set of the older style cadillac horns, it was a set of four and sounded almost like a train whistle. Really loud.