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Horn button?

This might be a silly question but has anyone installed a horn button in their steering wheel? I got a Vixen air horn for my M1008 and I'm trying to decide whether or not to use the provided 12v air solenoid or to use a pull valve with a lanyard (like a semi). If a steering wheel button is too involved, I'll probably just go with the pull valve so your input is much appreciated.
 

Mullaney

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This might be a silly question but has anyone installed a horn button in their steering wheel? I got a Vixen air horn for my M1008 and I'm trying to decide whether or not to use the provided 12v air solenoid or to use a pull valve with a lanyard (like a semi). If a steering wheel button is too involved, I'll probably just go with the pull valve so your input is much appreciated.
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The big plus is that the hand operated air valve can ease out a sound. The electric solenoid is ON or OFF. Doesn't matter a lot on the smaller higher pitched horns. The ones that sound like a fog horn that you can ease out a sound from are really cool to have with the manual valve.

Wiring the solenoid to the horn button is simple enough. Unplug the horn wire off the horn, then use a spade connector on the wire you run to the air horn's solenoid. That way if you want to remove the air horn - or for state inspections - just plug the old electric horn wire back in place...
 
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The big plus is that the hand operated air valve can ease out a sound. The electric solenoid is ON or OFF. Doesn't matter a lot on the smaller higher pitched horns. The ones that sound like a fog horn that you can ease out a sound from are really cool to have with the manual valve.

Wiring the solenoid to the horn button is simple enough. Unplug the horn wire off the horn, then use a spade connector on the wire you run to the air horn's solenoid. That way if you want to remove the air horn - or for state inspections - just plug the old electric horn wire back in place...
Absolutely agree with all of that but mine doesn't have an electric horn at all. I just assumed that the military didn't deem them necessary so they didn't come with one. Am I incorrect?
 

patracy

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It should have had a horn stock (Electric). But many times the RFI blocker diode fails in them causing them to "stick on". The quick fix is people simply unplug them. But you can get in there and remove the diode and plug it directly into the harness. That's what I did to mine. I also took the filters out of the wiper blade motor leads as well.
 
It should have had a horn stock (Electric). But many times the RFI blocker diode fails in them causing them to "stick on". The quick fix is people simply unplug them. But you can get in there and remove the diode and plug it directly into the harness. That's what I did to mine. I also took the filters out of the wiper blade motor leads as well.
Looks like mine had been removed, then.
Does this switch look complete, at least?
20220821_170609.jpg
 

Mullaney

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Looks like mine had been removed, then.
Does this switch look complete, at least?
View attachment 876844
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Same as with most other military trucks. Windows - up or down - rain or shine. Looks to me that the window was down more often than not when your truck was in service. That metal ring is the contact that gets grounded when you press the button that you don't have these days.
 
So, I found the horn, it wasn't removed. 😆
The power wire going to it had been cut and it was twisted back together with a wire nut, which is maddening. I'd seriously rather see a household light switch "installed" in a vehicle than wire nuts and it seems that my truck has quite a few of the latter.
Anyway, I used a butt connector and now the stock horn works so I'm just going to get a replacement button cover and leave it alone.
I've opted to use the pull valve for the air horns because honestly, after the tach/gauge pod/cooler fan switch/lockup/auxillary fuse panel, I'm sick of wiring.
I mounted the horns, tank, and compressor last night. I need a couple more little bits to finish the install and I think I'm going to try and find some velocity stack screens to go over the horns.
20220821_170405.jpg
I don't know who needs to hear this but be extra careful when installing 1/4 NPT check valves. 🤣
20220821_181847.jpg
 

powerwagonwc12

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My horn stays on all the time so I have removed the suppressor at the firewall with no change, in the wiring diagrahm there is a diode between the orange wire from the fuese block to the green wire output from the horn relay my question is what is the physical location of the diode?
 

vanaisa

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edit: seems that pictures are gone from this thread, here it is:

HornDiode.jpg
 
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