Rerouting air lines?

[CincinnatiNKYBuses]

Hello all,

I was trying to get this done last year but wasn't successful. I have a 2001 Blue Bird Freightliner that I am trying to install a Hadley air horn on. While it was not equipped with an air horn from the factory, it did have an air-powered stop arm, which I obviously won't be using. Is there a way to re-route the air lines from the stop arm to wherever I mount the air horn? Will the air pressure be strong enough to operate the horn?

Thanks in advance.

(Editing to add that I think I got all the necessary parts for the horn - solenoid, horn, and pull cord - when I scavenged it from another bus. Don't have the air line just yet.)

[rossvtaylor]

That would be a good source for your air horn. The stop arm will be powered by the auxiliary air tank, which is protected and cannot cause a loss of air brakes if an aux line leaks, so that's the right system to tap into. I love air horns!

[Brad_SwiftFur]

I have an '01 Blue Bird on an IH chassis and had air powered stop sign and pedestrian bar. There's air lines behind the dash for these and even a pair of electric solenoids to actuate both which could easily be repurposed for an air horn (which I plan to do). I'll just need to run a line from these solenoids to wherever I mount the horn (likely on the roof).

[rossvtaylor]

If you're not mounting the air horns somewhere visible (like the roof or through a bumper hole) and it/they are going to be mounted beneath the bus, consider mounting them pointed straight down towards the road. That keeps debris out of the bell, prevents blockage of the sound by panels and other things, and it does a really good job of "bouncing" the sound all around the bus.

[Rwnielsen]

My air horn is directly under the driver's seat, facing forward, next to the small air tank. It's behind the front headlight area and ricochets straight up to where I'm sitting. It is ungodly loud and activated by a button on the left panel with the switches. I'd like to install a pull rope from overhead but I don't know what they're called. Now, I'm also going to check about rotating it downward, not so much for debris as to the 'blast' direction.

[Brad_SwiftFur]

Originally Posted by Rwnielsen

I'd like to install a pull rope from overhead but I don't know what they're called.

Pull cord, or lanyard. There's lots of choices for what you use. Various styles of rope, leather, cable or chain. I may use something electrical for mine, though there's always some measure of satisfaction from having a stout something to yank on when you *REALLY* wanna let someone know how you really feel.

[CincinnatiNKYBuses]

Originally Posted by rossvtaylor

That would be a good source for your air horn. The stop arm will be powered by the auxiliary air tank, which is protected and cannot cause a loss of air brakes if an aux line leaks, so that's the right system to tap into. I love air horns!

Thanks - that's just what I needed to know. I wasn't sure if it was powered via the same system as the air brakes or not. Definitely don't want to lose those any time soon.

Anyone know where the air tanks are located on an FS65 chassis? Would like to do as little air line routing as possible, so the mounting locating can be just about anywhere on the roof as long as it's a straight shot from the tank.