air horn question

[crash6882]

The air horn on the truck i drive is very faint and is barely hear-able. I was wondering if the problem could be the compressor, or if it could be the horn its self?

[terrylamar]

The air horn on the truck i drive is very faint and is barely hear-able. I was wondering if the problem could be the compressor, or if it could be the horn its self?

Does your truck have airbrakes? If they work, your compressor must be working. How much air pressure is required to sound your horn? Isn't there a city horn and a highway horn? Are you sure you are sounding the correct one. What do I know, I'm just a student.

[Windwalker]

Not sure how true it is, but I was told that there were a few lawsuits about the loud air-horns. As a result, companies like Freightliner, and I guess a couple of others, started using "SISSY" horns. So, while an air-horn from back in the 60's can be heard for 15 miles, the new ones don't seem like anyone will hear them at 15 feet. There were a few trucks sold back in the late 90's that didn't even have air-horns.

[nrvsreck]

Doesn't the DOT require an airhorn? Or is it just a horn of any type? All the times I've been DOT'ed, they always wanted me to pull the airhorn cord. But then they never cared whether or not the city horn worked. Maybe it doesn't even matter as long as you have some sort of audible horn. I know in my experience I rarely use the airhorn as I don't want cause some soccer mom or granny to suddenly have a heart attack on the highway. :shock:

[crash6882]

The truck is a 1994, i don't know if it was after that law was put into effect. As far as my city horn goes, it doesn't work. I don't even know where the unit would be located. Where would i look for the city horn unit?[/b]

[nrvsreck]

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[Silent Runner]

Don't know the rules on an air horn, but what I would call my "city horn" is in the middle of my steering wheel, like on a car. Has been one there on every truck we've owned.

As far as the air horn being faint...Dirt, bugs, leaves, chaff, etc. can fill up the horns pretty fast if you're not using horn covers. That might be your problem. It will eventually get to where you can't hear it at all.

[Maniac]

Its probably just clogged up with bugs and stuff and needs to be cleaned out.

As far as loud horns, there is NO law against them, as far as city horns you MUST have one that works, some DOT men will accept either one working, some want to ONLY hear the city horn.

The city horn is usually under the hood on the firewall.

[yoopr]

Everybody beat me to it-Try blowing your horn out with a Air Compressor.

[Shawnee]

if you drive a freightliner they have sissy horns anyway , air horns are not required on trucks, but i personally prefer my train horns,

[Neckster]

DOT only requires one working horn. Freightliner Cent. the air horn is under the cab by the fuel tank on the drivers side. Most of the ones i've seen only have one air horn.

[Deus]

The air horn on the freightliner I drive really stinks. In fact when little kids do the little horn motion and I sound my air horn they point and laugh at me.

[Shawnee]

thats why i put train horns on my truck, little kids love them

[Blind Driver]

The rubber diaphram may have gone bad. Take the horn apart and replace with a similiar type of rubber. Easy and cheap 8)

Be sure you have proper airpressure. Could also be something wrong in the valve.

[mrpersons]

On a truck that age, the horn is probably just full of crap! Next time your out in the boonies, just blow on it for awhile!

If you have to replace it, they aren't very expensive. Last one I bought at a dealer was something like $42.