Installed an Air Horn

I installed a Stebel Nautilus ultra compact air horn. Very easy install, no drilling on the car. At 70 mph on the highway with the top down, I could not hear the OE horn.

Before the install, I checked the sound level of the OE horn; 110 dB at the grill and 95 dB at 6 feet directly in front of the car. My meter scale only goes up to 120 dB. The air horn pegged the needle, waaaay passed the 120 mark, at the grill. I think the 139 dB advertised is reasonable. At 6 feet the reading was 105 dB, about 3 times as loud as the OE horn. All readings were taken inside my shop.

I can now hear my horn at 75 mph.

That's on my to-do list too.

I have the same horn, and I love it also.

Excellent cheap safety mod - I love mine!

Did you hook it up to a relay? I didn't and I think it should be louder.

Chris <---does not believe in using a horn in moderation

You have a decibel meter? Cool.

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Originally Posted by Miatamaniac92

Did you hook it up to a relay? I didn't and I think it should be louder.

Chris <---does not believe in using a horn in moderation

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No relay yet. I just replaced to OE horn with the Nautilus.

A post on the pointy board stated that since the brake lights and the horn are on the same fuse, if you honk while braking you will blow a fuse. So, I tried it, and blew the fuse. But, the fuse survived several short honks. I had to lay on the horn for about 3 second, holding the brakes on the whole time, before the fuse had its meltdown. YMMV

I plan on hooking up the relay sometime in the future. If the battery was under the hood, I would have wired in the relay during the install.

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Originally Posted by cone-cerned

No relay yet. I just replaced to OE horn with the Nautilus.

A post on the pointy board stated that since the brake lights and the horn are on the same fuse, if you honk while braking you will blow a fuse. So, I tried it, and blew the fuse. But, the fuse survived several short honks. I had to lay on the horn for about 3 second, holding the brakes on the whole time, before the fuse had its meltdown. YMMV

I plan on hooking up the relay sometime in the future. If the battery was under the hood, I would have wired in the relay during the install.

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Did you replace the 15 amp OEM fuse with the recommended 20 amp fuse? I still have the 15 amp fuse in place and I have not blown mine.

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Originally Posted by motorollow

Did you replace the 15 amp OEM fuse with the recommended 20 amp fuse? I still have the 15 amp fuse in place and I have not blown mine.

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I still have the 15 amp fuse. The 15 amp fuse that I blew was on purpose during the test. I have not seen the recommendation for a 20 amp fuse.

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Originally Posted by cone-cerned

I still have the 15 amp fuse. The 15 amp fuse that I blew was on purpose during the test. I have not seen the recommendation for a 20 amp fuse.

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The Nautilus horn that I purchased from Thompson-Automotive.com actually came with a 20 amp fuse, ground wire and metal bracket. Here is a quote from their product description:

This horn comes with all mounting hardware (including a Thompson Automotive custom designed mounting bracket), a fuse upgrade and full installation instructions. The horn assembly mounts right where your stock horn mounts and uses the same connector. So it is literally "plug & play"

where do uguys buy the horns from?

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Originally Posted by 1.8-M

where do uguys buy the horns from?

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LINKIE

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Originally Posted by 1.8-M

where do uguys buy the horns from?

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Link

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Originally Posted by motorollow

The Nautilus horn that I purchased from Thompson-Automotive.com actually came with a 20 amp fuse, ground wire and metal bracket. Here is a quote from their product description:

This horn comes with all mounting hardware (including a Thompson Automotive custom designed mounting bracket), a fuse upgrade and full installation instructions. The horn assembly mounts right where your stock horn mounts and uses the same connector. So it is literally "plug & play"

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My horn came from Griots Garage. The instructions for my horn are to wire it via the provided relay and inline 20 amp fuse directly to the battery. I had to make my mounting bracket and ground wire. My instructions also said nothing about the air intake and dusty/wet conditions.

Thanks for the additional information. I'll put a 20 amp fuse in the glove box. If the 15 amp blows, I'll put a 20 amp in.

Anybody who hasn't upgraded their horn should definitely consider this modification.

My Nautilus saved my butt yesterday. I was sitting at an intersection in the right lane waiting to make my turn when a semi truck passed me in the left lane. He proceeded to make a wide left turn and I saw his trailer getting closer to my car (surely he'd stop). He "didn't see me" and kept going. I laid on the horn and by the time he stopped his trailer was probably 6-12" over the top of my car and something on his truck had torn my driver side mirror off (bending some sheet metal in the process).

If he hadn't hear my horn (glad I've got a Nautilus) the back wheels of the trailer would have easily rolled over the trunk of my car on the driver side. Don't know how I would have gotten out of that situation. I was blocked in and didn't have anywhere to move the car when this was happening.

I've also heard the Hella super tones are a good horn. I think Black Roadster has a set.

Damn man! Glad you weren't killed. That sucks about your car though.

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Originally Posted by Nails

Damn man! Glad you weren't killed. That sucks about your car though.

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+1, how bad is the damage?

Sorry to hear that Thomas, glad you are OK.

This is on my to-do list too.....

Holy shit, Thomas! Glad you're ok...

Shite!::Yikes::

Driver's side mirror was ripped clean off, and it creased the door while being snapped.

Other than that the car seems fine. We'll see when they make an estimate. I was livid when it happened and just about jumped the truck driver, but he took it well and was very cooperative with the situation.

Get those horns installed!

<begin Aussie voice> That's not a horn. *This* is a horn: http://www.autosportcatalog.com/index.cfm?fa=p&pid=4751 <end Aussie voice>

Skip Cannon had a pair of these under the hood of his (highly polished) FM II Sunburst. They actually fit. They also sound like a truck horn, not a steroidal Fiat.

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Originally Posted by Miatamoto

Driver's side mirror was ripped clean off, and it creased the door while being snapped.

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Sorry to hear that Thomas. Glad you're OK!

I think Miatamoto is full of beans and he is just trying to get out of using his tires tomorrow. ;)

TTIWWP

Just in case nobody has seen one, that nautilus horn, under the brand Bad Boy can be found at Pep boys. Usually cheaper. I ve also seen it at Oreilly's also. Same horn. Same manufacturer just packaged different.
I installed mine to the stock bracket with an extender made out of a piece of flat steel bent to clear the intercooler. No problems with fuse. I can help build the extender, I have extra material left over.

HF has them too, often discounted.