Vintage Dodge truck horn repair

[1937 Dodge]

I have two trumpet horns that need repair The photo shows only the long one I also have a short one. I have had no success on internet searches. Does anyone know of someone who repairs these old horns? Do I really need to hook up a horn relay? My original single horn mounted to the engine block and did not have a relay.

Thanks for any suggestions you may have

[Merle Coggins]

Nice lookin' horn bracket Elmer.

Anyway, I would reccomend using a relay. When I finally got mine all wired up I used a 10 amp fuse. After a couple of test toots I blew the fuse. After inserting a 15 amp fuse it'll work all day long. That's a lot of amps to ask a switch to carry.

Have you disassembled the horns yet to clean the contacts and etc? I haven't had to do that to my horns, but I see that they could come apart. There's a ring of small screws holding the working end together. I'm not even sure what all is in there, but I would think it shouldn't be too difficult.

Good luck,

Merle

[1937 Dodge]

Thanks for the input Merle. I will take the horns apart and check out the contacts, interior wiring connections etc. Thanks too for the relay fuse info. You have been a big help to this project.

[Jerry Roberts]

Elmer , I have adjusted some horns that had a half-round cover over the points . As Merle said , clean the points , also see if the points are adjustable . When using two horns , use a relay . When just testing the horn , a more direct hook up to the battery will often blow the horn when an indirect connection won't . I see you are using a t5 transmisson , what are you using for an emergency brake ? Does yor last name begin with a S ?

[Guest Dave Claussen]

I took apart the horn that was in my truck which was 6 volt. It was not the original horn so I figured I had nothing to lose. It was what looked like a standard auto horn. I just had some curiosity about what was inside and how it worked. There's really not a lot to them. It appears that it has a magnet similar to what a radio speaker would have. It also had the contacts on the outside of the housing marked as to what was supposed to be hooked up where, + and - and so forth. I cleaned it up and repainted it and made a new gasket from some paper gasket material from Autozone. Then I reassembled it and it worked fine. I won't be using it since I'm converting over to 12 volt so I'll just hang on to it in case someone is looking for a non-stock 6 volt horn. I would have to think that most horns would be very similar mechanically. Good luck. Dave

[4852dodge]

The 6 volt horn will work with 12 volt but only in short bursts and it's very loud, like a semi's air horn.

[1937 Dodge]

Hi Jerry,

Thanks for the tips.

Yep, I'm running a T5 off of a Chevy S10 with a 3.9 rear end. The T5 was installed by Tom Langdon of Langdon's Stovebolt Engine Co. The older Dodge and Plymouth truck bell housings were wide enough to allow the drilling of 4 new holes so no adaptor was needed.

I don't have an emergency brake. Want to come up with something. Some folks have installed a newer rear end. I am open to work-arounds that others are using.

Last name is Stange.

[NJ Sekela]

I have a Dodge D14, and the mechanic was trying the horns with a 12v tester...worked once, now dead...anywhere I can get replacements?

[Plymouthy Adams]

odds are unless he smoked the coil or the diaphragm is totally shot with rust....the horn can be repaired by cleaning up internally and adjusting the points.   

[billrigsby]

I have been very leery of testing anything with 12 volts, even the starters.

Got a 6 volt battery now, so far everything tested actually works, surprising.

[Dodgeboy49]

I switched over to 12 volts in 2000 and was curious to know how long the stock horn and starter would last. 22 years and 40,000 miles later I'm still wondering how long they'll last. Neither have had any service or maintenance in that time. It is entirely possible that I've gone 22 years on luck; others' results may vary, but these seem to be very robust units.

[bkahler]

I've also switched over to 12 volts but as yet have not ran the truck or tried to start it.  The only 6 volt items left on the truck are the starter, horns and fuel gauge.  The starter I'm not worried about and the fuel gauge I've got a voltage reducer in place.  I have twin 6 volt  horns that I currently plan on wiring in parallel so each will get 12 volts but if it looks like 12 volts to the horns is not a good idea I can always wire them in series.  

 

Everything I've read and been told is 6 volt starters on 12 volts is not a problem unless you sit on the starter for extended periods of time.  

[DJ194950]

The horns can work if carefully tubed (can be a pain to do) are Very loud and do not hold on for long, May not last long then.??

 

Mine took quite heavy wire to work regularly and you also need to use a 12volt relay.  Good grounds for sure.

 

My experience with org. 6 V. 1950 horns on 12 V.

 

DJ

[lostviking]

Two six volt horns, then run them in series. In parallel they both still see 12V.