Ahooga Horn

rscardina

rscardina

Senior Member
My horn seems to work most of the time when I am driving but not so well at idle or when the engine is not running. I thought I would dismantle to investigate. The motor seems fairly clean and spins freely. The diaphragm is dirty and a little rusty and the housing is a little rusty also. the diaphragm gaskets are almost nonexistent. I am thinking I could buy thin gasket material and make my own. I am going to lube the oiling pads. Other than that I can't see anything that I would believe would cause a problem. Any ideas?
 
I find holding fine sandpaper against the commutator while pushing the horn button helps a lot to clean up the commutator. I also keep the two felts oiled.
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
I find holding fine sandpaper against the commutator while pushing the horn button helps a lot to clean up the commutator. I also keep the two felts oiled.
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What grit sandpaper do you use? Or how fine should it be? I guess fine to me when I'm dealing with wood is 220, but automotive stuff 600 or 1000... just hoping for a little clarity...:)
 
Looks like it may be an after market horn.
 

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Bob C said:
Looks like it may be an after market horn.
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Yes, it looks like the typical JC Whitney horn. I had one that was 6 volts and actually sounded as good as any original I've heard. I did sell it though and bought an original for less that I sold the Whitney horn for.:)

I use about 220 sandpaper.
 
Ryan,
If you are running 6 volts, you might want to install a relay for your horn to get full voltage to it. (sold by most of the vendors) Regardless of voltage, you're on the right track......clean & oil everything. I polish the commutator with crocus cloth and use a toothpick to clean between the segments. Then clean the commutator with electronic cleaner to get any oil off. Check the brushes for wear and tension. Clean the rust off the diaphragm but do not paint it (would deaden the sound)
 
Cool colors! Do you ever get complaints about leaving the meter running when you're standing?

Yup. Looks like the three JC Whitney/Western Auto/Pep Boys horns that I have.

If like mine, you adjust the rotating cam contact by putting a socket wrench up the horn trumpet and unscrewing the keeper nut. Then a small screwdriver moves the center contact on the diaphragm.

It's a kind of a tricky thing to get right. You think you have the right contact and the horn sounds GREAT, and then you tighten up the keeper nut and it throws the setting off.

Joe K
 
It must be an aftermarket horn. It doesn't match the one in my mechanics handbook by Lew Andrews. The communicator looks like new and the motor parts appear fairly clean. I haven't taken it completely apart It doesn't appear to come completely apart. It already has a relay installed.
 
I would live with it over taking it apart. The wiring to the horn is too lite imho. I would use a VM and look for voltage drop. Ground side and power side.
My guess is you'll see the voltage to the horn drop by a volt or more.
 
Try cleaning the comutator with acetone. It's the round copper thing that the brushes contact. Also clean out the groves with a wood sliver.
 
I have found a squirt of kroil in the bearing pads, lets the armature spin faster. I'm guessing it dissolves varnish? Build up on the shaft. Also, after I cleaned the commutator, (with an eraser) I washed the whole thing with a spray brake cleaner type. That kept it clean and working longer then any time before.
 
At a suggestion here, I cleaned mine with WD 40. Just took the cover off, placed towells all around it. After backing off the adjustment I washed it all with WD and wiped up the excess. Then I pushed the button while spraying WD 40 all over the Commutator. Cleaned it up nicely. Wiped it all down, and oiled the pads at each end.
Perfect Ahooga even after sitting without running for days.
 
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