Some of you may have read my post on installing my Air Wing Horn cover a few weeks ago. I tried everything and cannot get the horn to work when the Air Wing cover is installed. The horn works perfect when the stock cover is put back on. It seems the horn is not grounding properly to the new cover, therefore I only get a muffled, sick sound out of the horn. I spoke to a local dealer and they told me that they have seen this a lot and they just rotate the horn around until they get a good ground. I have tried that and had no luck.

I know I have asked before, but thought I would try one more time.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

I also postedthis in the electrical forum as well...

 

I will have to assume it mounts the same as the stock cover. Is it possible to place a washer between the cover and the bracket? Or possibly connect a ground wire between the two?
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Are you saying put a washer between the actual cover and the bracket that mounts to the bolt on the frame? It is possible if I use a very thin washer. How would this help?

thanks

 

Yes. I have never disassembled the horn before. But upon inspecting the horn assembly from the outside, I was wondering if a washer between the bracket and the cover would help it to seat better. Therefore, giving it a better ground.

Just throwing some ideas around. Good luck.

 

Warg, from the looks of the 2004 manual that I have, there are two (2) terminals on the horn. A black wire (ground) and a yellow/black wire. If attaching these wires to the horn with the stock cover works, then it seems to me the ground is solid. The mount for the horn has a rubber bushing to dampen some vibration so that mounting point is not a good ground location. Thus the separate wire back to the harness. I've never taken my horn off so what follows is just a guess...

The manual also mentions to be careful not to let the cover touch the horn when installing/replacing the horn. I think I may have mentioned in an earlier post that the horn might be "pinched" by the cover and that might cause a muffled tone. The horn has to be allowed to vibrate to create the sound. It's a little like holding on to a bell and trying to ring it. Contact with the bell housing prevents it from vibrating and creating its tone.

Did you try taking the horn off and the cover off the horn and just letting the horn dangle and try operating it that way? If this works (and it should) then I think the cover might be pinching the horn somewhere. If you think this might be the case, see if the mounting bolt is long enough to allow you to add a washer or two between the horn and the cover. This may space the cover out far enough to relieve any contact between the horn and the cover. Failing that, try to see if you can spot any contact between the edges of the horn and the inside of the cover. You might be able to use a sharpie marker to mark around the edges of the horn where it looks most likely to make contact, and then have some of this transfer to the inside of the horn cover when you fit it. If you find some of the marker has transferred then you've found a point of contact. Try taking a file or rasp and gently shave some material off of the horn (I think it's just made of plastic). Test fit it again until you're sure there's no contact between the horn and cover.

When the dealer people say they just "move it around" until it works, this idea of relieving any pinching might be what they are actually accomplishing. Hope this is helpful. Good luck.

-Randy

 

I got into it again today and I really looked at all points of contact between the stock horn cover and the horn. Then I put the horn in the new cover and did the same thing. The horn does not make contact with the new cover anywhere except where it bolts up. I even tried it with just the horn and cover, no other bolts, mounting bracket etc. I am not sure if the bolt is long enough to put a spacer between the cover and horn, I thought it may be but it doesn't look like it. I emailed Zanotti's where I bought it and they said they have had the same problem and they just move the horn around until they find it works. I am not giving up. I'm too hard headed for that. thanks for the help.

 

I tried the cover again...this is what happened.

I put the new cover on, and I can rotate it around and get the horn to work sometimes, but as soon as I tighten the nut at all (even finger tight, way too loose to ride) the horn gives me the muffled grown. When I put it back on the OEM cover, I can tighten the nut with a ratchet and it still works perfectly.

Any ideas?

 

I like Randy's idea of letting the horn hang freely to see if it works. This will confirm whether or not you need a ground (besides the ground wire), which at this point doesn't sound like it does.

So that would tell me that you are probably creating a short somehow when the horn contacts the cover or bracket. That said, is there any way to insulate any part of the cover that may contact the horn?
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This is certainly possible if there's an exposed electrical contact between the horn wiring and the new cover. Put some electrical tape around the connections just to be sure. But, I still think you have a vibration (or lack of ) problem. Is there a stud welded to the inside of the horn cover that you are putting the nut on and tightening up? Have you tried attaching the cover to the horn and NOT mounting it on the bike before trying to operate it? If there is a stud on the inside of the horn cover that you attach the horn to, I would try putting a couple of washers on the stud before slipping the horn onto it. Use small diameter washers or try using a rubber washer to minimize the contact patch between the horn and the cover. Try operating the horn assembled this way without first mounting it on the bike.

Can you take some digital pics of this setup and post so we can get a better idea of what you're dealing with?

 

the only stud involved in mouting the horn is the one on the actual horn itself. The stud on the horn goes through the hole on the cover and a nut is tightened down on the stud to fasten the horn to the cover. The horn will work fine in the new cover right up until the nut is tightened. Even finger tight is too tight. However, if I put the OEM cover on, I can tighten the nut down very snug (with a ratchet) and it still works properly. I will post some pics. I have tried operating the horn with it mounted on the bike, and not mounted, same results.