# Breakaway Horn Install????



## DanMan (Jul 18, 2008)

I love my horns. My commute is about 3-4 hours daily into/out of Manhattan from New Jersey. Unfortunately, my job requires me to park in parking facilities with I guess what you'd call "valet" service. What it comes down to is on any given day at least a couple yahoos are in the drivers seat of my car. 

Through the years my drivers side horn has been cracked and reglued several times. While some parking attendants are quite good, others are clumsy oafs. I don't know if they drive with two feet or what...

Long story short, I was thinking of mounting my drivers side horn in an alternative fashion. Maybe Velcro, so if some brainiac puts there foot on it it will give but not crack(again). Really just looking for some ideas. I know you guys are pretty resourceful 'round here.

Thanks


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## Victor_inox (Apr 27, 2012)

Small neo magnets. 3 pairs or 4. Horn will be positioned exacly just like crapple magnetic cover. You welcome


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## Jesus Christ (Aug 3, 2010)

What about some sort of protective grill? With Velcro or magnets I'd be afraid of having them come loose if you ever brake hard and interfering with the pedals.


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## Victor_inox (Apr 27, 2012)

Jesus Christ said:


> What about some sort of protective grill? With Velcro or magnets I'd be afraid of having them come loose if you ever brake hard and interfering with the pedals.


lanyards 
me personally I think OP overcomplicate the problem.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Put sharp spikes on the front of them.


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## DanMan (Jul 18, 2008)

mikey7182 said:


> Put sharp spikes on the front of them.


Best idea yet.

Maybe I am looking for a bit of sympathy from my horn brethren, but how about I step on your horns and we'll see if you still think I am overcomplicating the problem, Victor.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

I can empathize. Someone broke a horn of mine mistaking it for the e brake. Is there a way to install them deeper under the dash so they are less prone to rogue feet? Either that or wrapping them in a protective grill frame, or adding more mounting points to take the stress off the few you have and reduce the risk of it cracking.


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## Victor_inox (Apr 27, 2012)

DanMan said:


> Best idea yet.
> 
> Maybe I am looking for a bit of sympathy from my horn brethren, but how about I step on your horns and we'll see if you still think I am overcomplicating the problem, Victor.


 while passing key to the valet say it out loud to him/her you brake it you buy it. problem solved everyone go home now.


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## jpeezy (Feb 5, 2012)

one of two things or both, 3m two part epoxy some 1/8th " aluminium stock under lip of bottom of horn, and or add some small LEDs in and under the horn, so they call attention to it being there(maybe even make them flash), tie into dome light. i have nightmares of the horn coming detached while driving (at the most inopportune time of course) and causing harm to yourself or others.


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## Justin Zazzi (May 28, 2012)

jpeezy said:


> i have nightmares of the horn coming detached while driving (at the most inopportune time of course) and causing harm to yourself or others.


This /\

Breakaway parts that might cause interference with the pedals would be a safety concern. You might be better off making them more solidly installed or taking some of the other suggestions above like making them more obvious.


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## Patrick Bateman (Sep 11, 2006)

DanMan said:


> I love my horns. My commute is about 3-4 hours daily into/out of Manhattan from New Jersey. Unfortunately, my job requires me to park in parking facilities with I guess what you'd call "valet" service. What it comes down to is on any given day at least a couple yahoos are in the drivers seat of my car.
> 
> Through the years my drivers side horn has been cracked and reglued several times. While some parking attendants are quite good, others are clumsy oafs. I don't know if they drive with two feet or what...
> 
> ...


If it were me, I would simply make them unbreakable.

First, get about a pound of the weather seal from Home Depot ($5)

Wrap the entire horn body in weather seal. It's basically clay, but it's super tacky.

And then wrape the clay with fiberglass.

Voila! Indestructible horn. Plus, it will improve the sound by damping resonances. Same idea as dynamat, but stronger and costs virtually nothing.


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## Victor_inox (Apr 27, 2012)

I love Patrick`s solution, I have to remember that.


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## DanMan (Jul 18, 2008)

That's the catch. It has to be either totally unbreakable or breakaway. Unfortunately I have learned that the traditional strap and hang method leads to cracking at the bolt or screw hole in the horn body whenever some lumbering clumsy giant puts all his weight and might through his leg into the horn.


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## rawdawg (Apr 27, 2007)

I've had the drivers side horn detach on one side while I was driving. It rested on my ankle but didn't interfere with my driving and I drive a manual. Also, surprisingly, it just kinda' skewed the center image but not enough for me to stop the vehicle. I dealt with it when I got home.


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## subterFUSE (Sep 21, 2009)

I had just installed my current full-size horns in my Audi and went to play golf. Valet parking was the only option. I forgot to warn the valet about the horn. When they brought the car back to me, the horn had been snapped and was lying on the floor.

Fortunately, I have video cameras in my car so I pulled up the video for the hotel manager and they compensated me for the damages. I epoxied the broken horn back together for a temporary fix until Eric could send me a new horn body and I could get it painted and dampened.

My new rule.... no one drives my car but me.


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## DanMan (Jul 18, 2008)

subterFUSE said:


> I had just installed my current full-size horns in my Audi and went to play golf. Valet parking was the only option. I forgot to warn the valet about the horn. When they brought the car back to me, the horn had been snapped and was lying on the floor.
> 
> Fortunately, I have video cameras in my car so I pulled up the video for the hotel manager and they compensated me for the damages. I epoxied the broken horn back together for a temporary fix until Eric could send me a new horn body and I could get it painted and dampened.
> 
> My new rule.... no one drives my car but me.


Finally, somebody who can relate to my issue. 

Unfortunately I can't make the compromise of not having others drive my car. I admire you for putting the responsibility on the hotel. I love my horns but realize that most people just don't understand why we have these things hanging inches above the brake pedal. I failed annual inspection once because the "inspector" told me that speakers belong in doors.(He couldn't fathom why I had kicks.) As for the horns, he initially thought they were heater vents.


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## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

combination round-over roll bar brush guard... made of metal instead of PVC it helps with diffraction and dimwits, a two-fer...


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## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

The minihorns are 1/2" or thicker of urethane in the back side...you would have to try to break them to really easily break them.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

You could also find some Illusion CH-1 horns which are metal, and never have a problem again.


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## DanMan (Jul 18, 2008)

thehatedguy said:


> The minihorns are 1/2" or thicker of urethane in the back side...you would have to try to break them to really easily break them.


So, through bolting through the backside would be the way to go? 

Does something as small as the head of a 1/4-20 bolt affect output at all?


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## DanMan (Jul 18, 2008)

mikey7182 said:


> You could also find some Illusion CH-1 horns which are metal, and never have a problem again.


Yeah, maybe, but I am too loyal to Mr. Stevens. Even to a lowly diy'er who rarely changes gear he is so helpful.


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## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

No, not really...that's how I always do mine- a bolt through the long side of the throat near the edge where it is nearly 3/4" thick. I use a step bit to create a counter sink of sorts.



DanMan said:


> So, through bolting through the backside would be the way to go?
> 
> Does something as small as the head of a 1/4-20 bolt affect output at all?


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## DanMan (Jul 18, 2008)

Thanks for the reply.

That's what I'll do. I had always tapped from the backside. My OCD had me believe that a bolt head introduced inside the horn would cause negative consequence. 

Can always trust your advice.


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## Patrick Bateman (Sep 11, 2006)

Where's the bolt located?

A 1/4" bolt close to the throat will definitely create some issues.

I'm not saying it's the end of the world, but ideally, you want that first two or three inches to be smooth as a baby's butt. I usually line the throat with clay until there's zero gap, a perfectly smooth transition from the exit of the compression driver to the entrance of the waveguide


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## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

I put mine all the all at the end of the "long" side...so it's what a good 8 or 9" away from the driver.

Push comes to shove, you can buy elevator bolts at Lowes and places to use- small dome with no slots.

Or...you can drill a hole in the body, flush a bolt in, and cover the hole with epoxy or some other adhesive that would stick to the urethane. You would have a smooth interior with a couple of studs coming out of the body.


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