midtowndesi

first posted 2.27.07, edited on 5.3.09

EDIT - These are the latest pics of my setup. For full details on installation, etc, read this post ;]

but first - PITCH-ARZ!!!!!!!!!!

Wiring diagram for installing a single set of horns. I essentially doubled this recipe to install my two sets. for the record - I used two relays. overkill? maybe. but at least I know I am not overloading anything while i honk for 10-20 seconds at a time :-D





During installation - I removed the grill and front bumper making the installation a breeze.










___________________________________________________________________

Aug 06-
I just installed the Hella Twin Supertone Horn Kit that I bought from TruckCustomizers.com . I paid $61 bucks for it shipped! You can find it here: http://www.truckcustomizers.com/prod...4HLA261.1.html

I would also like to thank Old Punk and CrxB for providing awesome instructions on installing the horns.

It may seem easy to most people that work on cars, but I don't really work on cars ;] Surprisingly, I had all the tools I needed for the installation... I was nervous during the install because I had to take off the "front fascia"
off my precious xB which only has 6600 miles on it! lol!

I am writing this post as a "one stop shop" for installation of the Hella Twin Supertone horns on an xB. I was nervous during the install so I didn't take pics but I'm putting the information that helped me all in this one post to help others!

:::ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED FOR THE INSTALLATION::::

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...ellawiring.jpg <- Relay Wiring diagram by SJYankee006 from http://forums.nasioc.com/ (Awesome diagram!!!)

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=29218 <- Aftermarket Horn Installation by Old Punk

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=50465 <- How To: Replace Stock Horn(tC) by CrxB

My notes for the install:

- I kept the stock horns and added these 2. Now I have 4 horns providing ___ kicking honking power ;]
- I used 12 gauge wire for ALL the wiring -
- I took off the grill (between the xB Head lights) by removing the 3 "push fasteners".
- The hood lock is mounted to this metal bar that goes between the headlights, and is like right above the radiator area. I drilled 2 holes into this bar and used it as the mounting spots for the Hella Horns.
I used the stock Hella horn hardware to mount it. They mount so cleanly that You don't need to modify the xB grill at all to have them fit!

- The power wire that connects to the stock horns (that you have to splice and connect to port #86 on the relay) is located directly under the headlight. You must take off the front fascia of the xB (as stated in Old Punks' nice steps/writeup).
From there, you simply splice the existing horn wire (one of the two wires) and connect your new wire to it. Piece of cake!

When I had everything wired, as a test, I told my cousin to honk the horn - I was standing about 6-8 feet on front of my xB. My cousin honked it for maybe 2 seconds and when he stopped, MY EARS WERE RINGING!!!! THESE THINGS ARE SO FREAKING LOUD
IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY! LOL! I was turning heads all weekend when I honked at jerks! lol!

But what sucks is that when you put the xB grill back on, since the grill isn't really "open", it muffles the sound of the horns... yeah, they're still loud as hell but I prefer the sound/volume with the grill off...

I DRIVE AROUND WITH THE GRILL OFF! LOL! The horns are so F'in loud without the grill on! People kept eyeing the horns when they would walk by the car. lol. When I park, I simply put the grill back on with a single fastener, and POOF!,
back to stock looking in mere seconds!!!

PM me if anyone has any questions about what I did. Again, thanks to Old Punk and CrxB for their nice info - I could not have done this myself w/o their tips!
- sh00k

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Update 5/12/09

I still have not had the time to make a grill that would expose these puppies. here is what I want it to look like though -


The horns are really loud under the stock grill but when you honk, the sound definitely gets muffled. also, the sound comes towards the cabin instead of going forward to whatever you're honking at.
So my plan is to cut the grill open and cover the hole with some mesh or screen material. that way the horns can be nice and loud.

I put this pic up to give people ideas.....

drewspeed

If the grill muffles it that much maybe change the location or point them in a different direction ie. up or down where they currently are.

This was one of the first mods I wanted to do the wifey's xB but I bought rims instead

hsoj_v

Haha... I want a loud ___ horn too...
Good... something to look forward to in the modding future.

*edit*

Haha, it filtered out @$$ and put butt... SawWee...

RedLine_tC

wow those look good.....

midtowndesi

DrewSpeed - I want the entire Horn exposed (not partially exposed) for maximum sound - which is why I didn't mount it elsewhere :-D

Redline, yeah they look great, but they are very noticable... I have seen others spray paint the red parts of the horn black so that it would "sort of" blend in with the of the engine compartment... I'm not gonna do this tho! lol...

I searched the internet for a while looking for the loudest good quality horn at a great price and the cheapest i found was on (as said above) truckcustomizers.com . I saw only 1 bad review for this horn but most likely it was from a hater... Everyone else said they were really loud so I bought a set and do not regret it! lol!

kevets

This may just be my first mod to my 06 :D

Andrewmham

Eh...Im used to whimpy sounding horns.Old volvo had a pathetic one. "Meep Meep" didnt really get anyones' attention. The reviews I read about these said people had trouble with debris getting inside and clogging up the works, si I am skeptical. I definitely want a new horn, still trying to decide if I want novelty or noise....i.e. musical vs. semi truck

midtowndesi

^^^ Very good point. It's not good that I drive around w/o anything protecting the horns... I may install like a wire/mesh over each of the horns to protect 'em...

I am actually even thinking about modding the xB grill so it can be installed over FOUR (meaning 2 sets) of these Hella horns... i am considering buying another set just to take the volume to another level! l0l!!! I would have to cut some of the "inside" parts of the grill though to make it fit. ANd if I do go the 4 horn route, I will paint the grills black and modify the grill so you CAN hear them clearly with the grill on :-D
- sh00k

richdog

Buy an aftermarket mesh grille that is open in front and just paint your horns so they can't be seen.....problem solved

midtowndesi

hey

I have a quick question for everyone...

If one set of these horns is 118db loud.... how loud will two sets of these horns be?

I ask because I am considering getting one more identical pair to the ones i bought... OR the other option is to go for the larger 140db ones.... but i can't seem to find any "quality brand" company that makes the 138db+ horns...

Any ideas guys? ;]
- sh00k

midtowndesi

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I JUST ORDERED ANOTHER SET OF THESE PUPPIES FOR MY xB!!!!


MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!@
- SH00K

kevets

So is it really not that loud with one set? With the grille in place.

midtowndesi

Yeah, with the grill in place, and sittin in the cabin, you can definitely hear that it's much louder (meaning the sound is getting blocked and staying/resonating in the engine compartment) and that the sound is "coming towards the driver". I got two sets just to make it EXTRA LOUD! A single set is loud as hell but I ordered the other set as comic relief. I was LOLing and ROFLMAOing in my apartment alone last night (sad? scary?) and did it for the hell of it. ;]

Since the place I mounted the first set is like strategically placed to allow the grill to come back on in a stock manner, i think i will have to mod the grill to make this second set fit. I'll see this weekend though. There are these groves on the inner part of the grill that are long and like horizontally point towards teh cabin. These things are gonna need to be trimmed ( I THINK ) for this second set to fit. I'll see and get back to you guys on sunday or so.
- sh00k

kevets

Sweet. Nothing like having a lil box sound off with the power of a semi truck when you least expect it

midtowndesi

LOL! I considered one of the ~$400 kits from horn blasters.com but as most people on this board know, im a cheap a$$! lol! for $122 (cost of the two sets of horns, and mabe $20 in misc. electrical wiring parts/connectors), i will have this insane setup! lol... Less hardware than an air-horn too - no need for a compressor, etc. very simple to wire a single set. I am going to draw something up in mspaint on how i think the second set should be wired - i dont work on cars often and im not an car electrical guru... =/ all i know is that the setup is goign to be similar to the diagram thats found here http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...ellawiring.jpg - i think!

A couple of things to note: I am going to try to find "window screen" like mesh-material so i can install them over the horns - that way, it'll protect most crap from getting onto the horns and messing them up. im also thinking about painting the gorgeous red grills black just so it blends in with the engine compartment...

- sh00k

pooder

http://www.twistedthrottle.com/imagecatalogue/imageview/6644/?RefererURL=/trade/productview/2137/539/ are 139db and Stebel is "quality brand" PLUS they're air horns without any mucking around with hoses and compressors -- just one compact LOUD unit. I have 'em on my xB and my R1100S motorcycle. They HEAR me now!!

midtowndesi

^^^ I had seen and read about those but wound up going with the Hellas... 118db makes my ears ring, I can't imagine what 139db will do!!!
- sh00k

midtowndesi

LOL! My second set of Hella horns came in yest! LOLOLOL!!!! I am going to install them next week, however. I'm really busy this weekend and won't have time but next weekend should be great. I am going to take my current set off and paint all 4 horns "flat black" so it sorta disguises the horns with the engine compartment area... WHen I re-install all 4, I am going to write a DIY because this is the best and most hilarious (great entertainment) mod I have done so far! This beats the tablet/laptop setup that I use for navigation, music, movies, etc! lol!

SO YOU KNOW it's gotta be good ;]
- sh00k

Gardiner

I checked that horn out, that is impressive. All the sound and no air tank! Where did you install it and did you need to upgrade the stock wiring?

pooder

I installed it in the FRONT ;^)

I made up a bracket so it hangs down between the radiator and the grille and mounted it a little off to the driver's side, and so that the openings are facing down and forward, allowing water to run out. For the wiring, I ran a 12 gage wire from the battery plus post to a fuseholder and then to a relay. Then from the relay to the horns, which are grounded through the bracket. Then I ran wires -- 16 guage I think (doesn't really matter) -- from the existing horns to the coil contacts of the relay. Oh yeah, the relay's right next to the horn bracket, so it's not far from the battery. Now I get both sets of horns when I HONK! *I* think it sounds SWEET!!