Horns high and low

[Nick Whitehead]

Help!

Working to get the horns working on a Vitesse 2l Mk 2. Steering wheel press does not work, so I've tested them individually by connecting to a battery. One works and the other does not.

Is there a way of knowing whether the high or low tone is the one that needs replacing so I can order a new one? I can't see any markings on the horn itself, and I can't tell just by listening to the one that works. In case it matters, the one on the left/kerb side of the bonnet (which also has the +ve feed coming from the fuse) is the one that's not working.

Thanks, Nick

[johny]

I think the letter L or H is cast just inside the trumpet of the horn to denote whether its high or low.

The workshop manual describes the adjustment of the horn but says if it has failed repair is by replacement but this is not the case. Mine failed recently and I took them apart by drilling out the rivets, cleaned out the accumulated gunk of 50 years and reassembled with small nuts and bolts. Work fine and Ive kept an original component thats probably better quality than the after market items available....

[Colin Lindsay]

16 minutes ago, johny said:

I think the letter L or H is cast just inside the trumpet of the horn to denote whether its high or low.

The workshop manual describes the adjustment of the horn but says if it has failed repair is by replacement but this is not the case. Mine failed recently and I took them apart by drilling out the rivets, cleaned out the accumulated gunk of 50 years and reassembled with small nuts and bolts. Work fine and Ive kept an original component thats probably better quality than the after market items available....

It is; you'll see the H or L on the bottom lip of the 'mouth'. I renovated a few a year or so back but the internals were often very rusty and fit for nothing but the bin. I cheated with my current Herald by just buying a set of moderns; a pair of Fiamm horns off a Mercedes cost me £8 and were actually very good quality; must have cost a lot more when new.

[Pete Lewis]

takes me back to testing Truck  horns at Mira in the late 60s  we sampled 3 makes and as we couldnt hear any bought the cheapest 

thats quality control  for you  !!!! Ha 

Pete

[Badwolf]

Yep, repaired mine. Just drill out the rivets and look inside. Mine were full of crud. Switch cleaner and a gentle rub over sorted them out. Also check if you have an adjuster on the outside. I found them by accident under the muck. Solid, but freed off nicely. As with Johny, small nuts and bolts to reassemble, and a quick paint spray over having blocked up the trumpet to avoid glueing everything  up with paint, and as good as new....and very loud!!!

[johny]

Extra satisfying isnt it repairing something which is officially non-repairable👍

[Badwolf]

Are they non-repairable?......oh!!!

[johny]

what Triumph said, and same for fuel sender and starter solenoid, all of which are now having a second life on my ol bus😁

[Badwolf]

Recycling, great stuff. At least you know it's provenance 

[Nick Whitehead]

Thanks all for your input. I am inspired to 'make-do-and-mend' based on your experiences. Horn that is 'broken' is only broken because the spade connector has fallen off. So I'm going to see if I can take it apart and bolt the connector back on... When I've got them both working, I'll start on why pushing the horn button does not provide the route to earth to make them sound...

Onwards and upwards..

Nick

[Josef]

37 minutes ago, Nick Whitehead said:

Thanks all for your input. I am inspired to 'make-do-and-mend' based on your experiences. Horn that is 'broken' is only broken because the spade connector has fallen off. So I'm going to see if I can take it apart and bolt the connector back on... When I've got them both working, I'll start on why pushing the horn button does not provide the route to earth to make them sound...

Onwards and upwards..

Nick

I did just that with mine! I scavenged the terminals from a scrap coil and turned up some little brass threaded bits to hold them on (though nuts and bolts will work just as well, I just didn’t have anything of a suitable size!)

[Colin Lindsay]

This might let you know what to expect - download the very handy pdf file half way down for the official 'how to'.

 

[Badwolf]

Quick read here might help a little..

https://forum.tssc.org.uk/topic/2580-horn-unit-faulty/#comment-23941