Need Stebel air horn installation advice

[burkazoid]

I've found other threads regarding swapping out the horn, but I didn't see my particular question addressed. I have my stebel air horn to replace the stock horn (which crapped out on me a couple of months ago). Before attempting installation I just wanted to make sure I asked whether or not it was truly necessary to use the accompanying wiring kit, or is the stock wiring sufficient? Also, any problems installing?

[Idaho]

Some people have been able to mount new Stebel horns where the old horm lived. I had to get a Kuryakyn P-clamp and mount mine on the case guard. You will need to use the extra horn relay that came with the horn. If you try to use the stock horn leads directly to the Stebel you will burn our the horn button. The two leads that plug onto the stock horn will fit onto the relay connections for relay coil then you will need to run a fused positive lead from the battery to one side of the new relay contact and the other side of the contact to the positive post on the Stebel and run a short lead from the negative post on the stebel to a good frame ground. Lots of places to choose from. This is an easy install. Good luck.

[burkazoid]

I think those were better instructions than came with the wiring kit! LOL ;)

I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks for the assist.

[donoller]

for sure do as this guy said and use the relay it will all work

[dogdoc]

figuring out a mounting bracket for the stock site is the hardest part. or do the p-clamp idea. :-)

[rcmedic]

Not sure which model you got but I mounted mine on the front top center radiator grill bolt/screw using a small "L" bracket that I fabricated. I works quite well. I did find though when it comes to wiring, I had to use a relay and assure that the horn itself was isolated (electrically) as it did not not have a Negative ground. Once I get my bike back out of the shop next week, I will take a picture and show you what I mean. I did however leave my original horn in place.

[coacha]

How mechanically inept can you be and still successfully complete this installation? When it comes to this type of thing, I am a neophyte. I have some knowledge, but I as they say "just enough to be dangerous". Now if it were wood related, I would have little problem, lol.

[dank]

How mechanically inept can you be and still successfully complete this installation? lol.

This is an easy one. The instructions that come with the horn are very good. One evening after work last summer my son and I put some ribs on the grill, then he wired a Stebel on his FI classic and I put one on my Nomad. Finished up and ate the ribs. An easy and rewarding evening. Just get you wires etc. ahead of time and it is very straight forward. I bought all black wire instead of the colored wires that came with the kit and a couple extra connectors just in case. Also got some black snap ties at an automotive store. We put the relay fuse under the seats, attached the relays with black tie downs at the radiator, and turned the existing horn bracket around and attached the new horns. The directions with the horn tell you which wire to attach to which clip on the relay, and you can test the relay before attaching the horn just by pushing the button and listening to it click.

If we can do it, so can you. Relax and give it a try. It is very straight forward. The only difficulty I had was with the large clip for the gas tank, which I could not get loose and feared I would break as I pried on the fastening clips. (the small one came apart relatively easily.) We just gently ran a straightened out coat hanger up under the tanks, looped the wire, and slid it through. Would have preferred to take the tank off, but this came out fine also. I'll clean that up if and when I do take the tank off in the future. Go for it!

[rlfaubion]

Stebel Horn installed with OEM bracket

[burkazoid]

The directions with the horn tell you which wire to attach to which clip on the relay, and you can test the relay before attaching the horn just by pushing the button and listening to it click.

Well, it's all on there, I've even gotten the stock bracket straightened out for it. Everything it hooked up correctly, and now when I hit the button the relay clicks, but no horn sound. I'm sure I'm missing something small, any idea what it might be?

[burkazoid]

Well, it's all on there, I've even gotten the stock bracket straightened out for it. Everything it hooked up correctly, and now when I hit the button the relay clicks, but no horn sound. I'm sure I'm missing something small, any idea what it might be?

Eh, nevermind guys. It wasn't grounded. ::)

I don't like attaching the ground to the frame, so I'm going to re-route it back to the negative battery terminal.

Horn is definitely loud, though. I scared the hell out of the wife.

[burkazoid]

I re-routed the longer ground back to the battery negative terminal. I hit the horn just to make sure everything was hooked up correctly, which it was. I thought I could hear beneath the ungodly blast of the horn another sound, something I couldn't quite make out. It was either a burst of air, or the relay, or maybe a *gsssht* kind of electrical sound. I'm leaning towards it being the relay since if I keep the horn button depressed this second sound isn't continual; it happens once and doesn't continue, even if I continue to hold the horn button.

So, is this just the relay? Everything is shielded, so no metal to wire contact.

[coacha]

Got my Streble horn mounted today! Spent some time on the cell with my brother in Ohio, he is a mechanic. He walked me through some of the rough spots for me.

Had to fabricate a bracket out of a 4" L bracket from Home Depot. Attached it on the right side of the bike from the factory mounting hole, cut about 1 1/2" from one side of the bracket, enlarged the hole and bolted it up. Just didn't have enough room on the left side of the '99. Put the relay on the left side attached to the OEM horn mount space.

It looks ok but I will work on hiding the wiring later plus post a picture later tomorrow. All in all, I like it, even if it may not be all tricked out.

[dogdoc]

i had to bend bracket nearly flat to make it work. still looks like crap. Will take a strap of alumimum thicker and just flat.

[coacha]

Mine looks like pooh, but not worried about it right now. I'll wait and see if my brother can make me a fancy one when I go visit him this summer in Ohio. I have no metal work experience nor tools, other than a saws-all, lol.