Horn upgrade - Smart Car of America Forums : Smart Car Forum

cnwpledger · 03-31-2010, 06:13 AM

I purchased a Compact Italian Big Truck Sound Air Horn from Griot's Garage. http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/...t+air+horns.do Tried to install last night and it's turns out to be bigger than the original Smart Car horn. Has anyone purchased this same horn and sucessfully installed it in their Smart Car? I have a 2009 Smart forTwo passion coupe. Any suggestions for installing this would be much appreciated. I updated the link so that you can see the horn.

sato7 · 03-31-2010, 06:48 AM

Some of us have gone the "proper" route and taken off the front panels to get to the OEM horn and its alternate (right) locations. I have the Hella set up that has two horns, a low and a high pitch ones and thus needed to get to both areas by removing said panels. NOW you dont have to put the horn in a particular spot.... We have a member of our club that velcroed his aftermarket horn just within the "hood" area. most horns just accept the OEM plug into theirs.. just remember to try the horn before you tidy it all up as a reversed polarity will make the horn not work and graciously it also wont burn it up! dont ask me how I know.....

fredthe · 03-31-2010, 07:13 AM

I don't know if yours is larger that the normal compact horn, but everything you need to know is here: Tutorial: Replacing the factory horn

Smart Enuf · 03-31-2010, 07:35 AM

If you're talking about the one with the big two-chamber red horn, I installed one of those (so-called "compact" model!). And yes, you do run out of room if you install it correctly where the OEM horn was. I ended up just cutting a piece out of the inner wheel well liner to let the horn stick out a little. You can paint the horn black so it's not visible. Don't worry, there's no harm to your car, and you'd have to look pretty darn hard to even see it from the outside.

Don't even think about mounting the horn in anything less than a vertical position. There was at least one member whose horn gradually died, and I think it was because of the non-vertical installation, which the instructions said not to do.

BTW, there's no need to use the relay that comes with the kit.

mvaldes · 03-31-2010, 07:46 AM

I think the vertical issue was with BBB's Wolo Bad Boy. I mounted my bad Boy on the OEM bracket on it's opposite side so I could do it thru the wheel well. It's not perfectly vertical but has worked perfectly for the last 14-15 months. (Taking off the front is really the way to go but I installed it in during the cold winter months. however, when I did take off the front end the following summer for a different project, I could really see how much easier it would have been to go that route.)

addendum: FWIW, I did re-read the Bad Boy directions when that issue came up and couldn't find anything that said vertical mounting was required.

Smart Enuf · 03-31-2010, 08:00 AM

Don't know about the Bad Boy, but my Stebel Nautilus' instructions were very specific about being within 15 degrees of vertical:

BB Benz · 03-31-2010, 08:14 AM

I replaced my horn with the compact version, but want to add the big daddy as well! It is on my list. I will probably add the relay to carry both compressors when I do that. Now, back to your question, of installation.
The evilution web site provided a tip. As the front panels are flexible, one does not have to completely take them off, but simply loosen and flex them enough to gain access to the otherwise inaccessible headlight pod mounting screw. Then you can remove the headlamp pod and have plenty of room to get to and mount the horn.
The larger horn in question is rotated 90 degrees compared to the compact version, and therefore may require a bracket innovation on your part. Something from A Home Improvement or other hardware store might come into play. Conduit mounting brackets in electrical could also be useful. The hardware department also carries angle iron, L brackets, etc. (Yes, I work in one).
Headlamp pod removal makes the job much easier and the front panel on the right side around the pod, loosening the top fasteners, antenna removal included, fastener inside the door jamb up top, makes the headlamp pod accessible by pulling on the flexible panel to gain access to the pod mounting screw. Panel springs readily back into shape, No Worries! The smart is your friend.
Gotta Love It!
Rich

Kermit · 03-31-2010, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mvaldes

I think the vertical issue was with BBB's Wolo Bad Boy. I mounted my bad Boy on the OEM bracket on it's opposite side so I could do it thru the wheel well. It's not perfectly vertical but has worked perfectly for the last 14-15 months. (Taking off the front is really the way to go but I installed it in during the cold winter months. however, when I did take off the front end the following summer for a different project, I could really see how much easier it would have been to go that route.)

addendum: FWIW, I did re-read the Bad Boy directions when that issue came up and couldn't find anything that said vertical mounting was required.

Exactly. I had issues and my horn died prematurely and it "could" have been the mounting position. I have since installed several others (even did one this past weekend) and have found the best mounting spot is behind the radiator mount on the opposite side of where the stock horn was. You won't even have to remove the stock horn mount. Just slide it up about 3 inches and the Bad Boy will fit right in there. As others said in this thread, it is best to remove the front end.

BB Benz · 03-31-2010, 08:33 AM

My wolo bad boy did state vertical orientation was required, probably to keep it from ingesting moisture or condensation. This version did not come with an air intake hose, but otherwise is identical. FWIW.

Smart Enuf · 03-31-2010, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BB Benz

I replaced my horn with the compact version, but want to add the big daddy as well! It is on my list. I will probably add the relay to carry both compressors when I do that. Now, back to your question, of installation.
The evilution web site provided a tip. As the front panels are flexible, one does not have to completely take them off, but simply loosen and flex them enough to gain access to the otherwise inaccessible headlight pod mounting screw. Then you can remove the headlamp pod and have plenty of room to get to and mount the horn.
The larger horn in question is rotated 90 degrees compared to the compact version, and therefore may require a bracket innovation on your part. Something from A Home Improvement or other hardware store might come into play. Conduit mounting brackets in electrical could also be useful. The hardware department also carries angle iron, L brackets, etc. (Yes, I work in one).
Headlamp pod removal makes the job much easier and the front panel on the right side around the pod, loosening the top fasteners, antenna removal included, fastener inside the door jamb up top, makes the headlamp pod accessible by pulling on the flexible panel to gain access to the pod mounting screw. Panel springs readily back into shape, No Worries! The smart is your friend.
Gotta Love It!
Rich

That reminds me. I did have to make a mounting bracket from an extra conduit bracket to get the compact Stebel with the two-chamber horn to fit in vertically (along with the cut in the wheel well liner I mentioned above).