Question on my tooting

[tdskip]

The horn that is. Neither horn works, and no dice after cleaning the connections.

So I pulled both connections, connected a good ground and then power from the + side of the battery. Nothing still. They should sound when I test them like that, no?

Is there a common fault that I can fix by taking them apart of the common wisdom to replcae them with new?

Thanks!

Tom

 

[John_Mc]

Tom,
When I got my car the horns did not work. When I pressed the horn button, there was a slight clicking noise, but no horn sound. What it turned out I needed was to adjust the horns. There is an adjustment screw on each one. I'll have to search for the procedure on how to do it, but it solved the problem for me. A simple fix in my case.

Okay here's the procedure according to the Haynes manual:
"At the rear of the horn is a small adjustment screw on the broad rim, nearly opposite the two terminals. Do not confuse this with the large screw in the centre. Turn the adjustment screw anti-clockwise until the horn just fails to sound. Then turn the screw a quarter of a turn clockwise, which is the optimum setting."

And if that doesn't seem to help, here's more stuff from Haynes:
1. If a horn works badly or fails completely first check the wiring leading to it for short circuits, blown fuse or loose connections. Also check that the horn is firmly secured and that there is nothing lying on the horn body.
2. Twin horns are fitted and are of two different notes. The high note has a letter H on the inside of the trumpet and the low note horn has a letter L
3. If a horn loses its adjustment it will not alter the pitch as the tone of a horn depnds on the vibration of an air column. It will however give a softer and more harsh sound. Also excessive current will be required which is one cause for fuses to blow.

Hope that helps! Here's a previous thread that I referred to:

 

[TR3driver]

The early horns could be disassembled easily for service; but on later ones you have to drill out the rivets and replace them with screws.

Still worth trying, IMO, as you've got nothing to lose.

My experience with TR3 horns is that usually they get rusty in the center and the push rod that opens the contacts no longer moves freely. If you remove the contacts, you can usually pull the push rod out with pliers and clean it up. Put it all back together, adjust the contacts, more often than not it will work.

 

[Dale]

FWIW the horns on my 7 had had enough small pebbles find their way into the center to keep them from working disassembly and removing the stones fixed them.

 

[mrv8q]

Hey, TD, seems our '74s are very much alike. After ensuring I had feeble horns after replacing the center contact in the horn ring, I got some high and low horns from Pep Boys, around $25-30.... When you pull the radiator to have it boiled out, that's the perfect time to replace them! The new ones are quite a bit tootier than the OEM TR6 horns I've heard.....

 

[tdskip]

I got some high and low horns from Pep Boys, around $25-30.... The new ones are quite a bit tootier than the OEM TR6 horns I've heard.....

I was debating doing this actually, even when working the stock ones seem to be a bit weaker than ideal given modern road conditions.

Did the new horns make a big difference Kevin?

 

[tosoutherncars]

I got some high and low horns from Pep Boys, around $25-30.... When you pull the radiator to have it boiled out, that's the perfect time to replace them! The new ones are quite a bit tootier than the OEM TR6 horns I've heard.....

I did the same thing... dual high and low, with a relay. Much more effective than the stock horns, which is good when your car is the size of a toaster oven!

 

[tdskip]

One of these?

https://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Search?catalogId=10101&storeId=10101&sku=horn

 

[tosoutherncars]

https://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts...rowse/s-10101/Ntk-AllTextSearchGroup?Ntt=horn

 

[tdskip]

Shiny.....


Thanks guys - I ordered new horns. I think I'll try to get the original works working for kicks, or maybe the TR4 since those are out too.

 

[mrv8q]

Did the new horns make a big difference Kevin?

Well, seeing as I've moved the car a total of 8 feet in the past 7 months (in and out of the garage), all I can say is they are definitely louder. Waiting on some parts from TRF/BPNW to finish rebuilding the carbs, and one of these months I'll fire her up again. TD, at least you get to drive yours....

 

[tdskip]

Well if it makes you feel any better Kevin the interior is completely out of mine, so I can't really go more than go around the block at this point.

Maybe we should set a goal to meet 1/2 between LA and OC by the end of summer?

 

[mrv8q]

Maybe we should set a goal to meet 1/2 between LA and OC by the end of summer?

TD, at this rate, Winter? Interior is mostly out of mine, too!