Author Topic: install vox horns  (Read 1326 times)

Offline jguzzi

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install vox horns
« on: November 15, 2020, 03:08:40 PM »
I am wanting to replace my original vox horns on my 1978 convert which no longer work well (weak sound).  The new pair from MG Cycle has 2 spade connectors on one and there are two female connectors on the bike which fit.  On the other one (right hand side) there are four spade connectors (2 +2) as shown in the pic.  The leads from bike on the right side have 3 female connectors.  Can someone explain where I should put the three leads since there are four spades.  I feel a little silly having to ask but I am worried about shorting a connection or worse.



« Last Edit: November 15, 2020, 03:09:34 PM by jguzzi »

Online Antietam Classic Cycle

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Re: install vox horns
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2020, 03:22:19 PM »
On the horn with four terminals, the outer two are the same as the inner ones that they're closest to.
Charlie

Offline jguzzi

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Re: install vox horns
« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2020, 03:26:32 PM »
Thank you Charlie....but there is a third female connector on the right side.....do you know where that goes?  Do all 3 connectors on the left side go onto the four spades on the horn?   There are just 2 female connectors on the left horn.

Online Antietam Classic Cycle

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Re: install vox horns
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2020, 03:29:07 PM »
3 female terminals is a new one for me. I've seen 4 and 2 (with "piggy-back" termimals), but not 3.
Charlie

Offline ozarquebus

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Re: install vox horns
« Reply #4 on: November 15, 2020, 05:33:04 PM »
 I was going to fix my vox horns by drilling out the rivets, opening them up and cleaning the points and re adjusting tuning screw. Then using screws to put them back together. I have done this successfully with other horns. Horns don't really wear out, they just get corrosion on their points.
John

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Online moto

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Re: install vox horns
« Reply #5 on: November 15, 2020, 08:01:18 PM »
I was going to fix my vox horns by drilling out the rivets, opening them up and cleaning the points and re adjusting tuning screw. Then using screws to put them back together. I have done this successfully with other horns. Horns don't really wear out, they just get corrosion on their points.

Good idea. I may try it on my original Vox horns, now sitting in a box. The new ones have corroded badly (my fault I suppose for winter driving). The new ones also weigh a good deal less than the originals, making me think they cheapened the design somewhere.

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Offline Kiwi_Roy

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Re: install vox horns
« Reply #6 on: November 15, 2020, 09:51:22 PM »
The most important thing with horns is to get a beefy supply, something like a 16 gauge wire from the battery through a fuse, to a relay contact and then the horns and straight to chassis., don't try and run the current through a button.
Guzzi in their usual fashion run the wires to hell and back resulting in a wimpy sounding horn, here's another 1978 bike to illustrate my point.
https://www.thisoldtractor.com/guzzi007/schematics/1978_V1000_SP.gif
First of all it comes from the ignition switch, back through a fuse to the horn and then they take it from the other side of the horns up through the bars and a wimpy wire to the switch and back to chassis.
I guarantee if you wire the horns as I say they will be twice as loud.
The horn relay coil only need about 0.1 Amps.
Wire the horn relay coil as the horns are presently wired, hot on one side other side through the button to chassis.
I kind of equate horns to loudspeakers, think of the heavy wires they use to wire them nowadays.
Another thing with horns they don't like to be anchored down solidly, it damps the noise down, if they come with a sort of springy metal bracket make sure you use it.
The Vox horns in your first picture show this bracket.
« Last Edit: November 15, 2020, 10:46:35 PM by Kiwi_Roy »
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Offline ozarquebus

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Re: install vox horns
« Reply #7 on: November 16, 2020, 07:03:15 AM »
KIWI ROY, great info there!
John

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