HornBlasters ROCKER User manual

ROCKER AIR HORN
INSTALLATION MANUAL
2-Gallon
WARNING: To ensure the longevity of
your system, reading and following these
instructions is necessary. Make sure to
follow the recommended maintenance
intervals found on page 13.
Page 1

KIT CONTENTS:
HORNBLASTERS ROCKER 2-GALLON INSTALLATION GUIDE
Identifying Fittings
•HornBlasters Air Compressor
•HornBlasters 2-Gallon Air Tank
•HornBlasters Rocker Horns
• 17’ 1/2” Airline
• 10’ 5/16” Airline
•Air Filter Relocation Kit (in compressor box)
•3/8" Electric Solenoid Valve
•Ear Plugs
•Air line Cutter
•HornBlasters Universal Wiring Kit
The diameter of the thread (X) will indicate what size thread a
fitting has. If you're not sure which fittings are 1/2", 3/8", or 1/4",
measure the thread on each fitting and match it up with the values
below.
1/2" NPT 3/8" NPT 1/4" NPT 1/8" NPT
0.84" 0.675" 0.54" 0.405"
1x
Safety Blowoff Valve
1x
1/2" PTC
Fitting
1x
Drain Cock Fitting
1x
Reducer Bushing
4x
Shocker Horn
Elbow
1x
Pressure Switch
1x
1/2" Solenoid Valve
1x
Air Gauge
1x
Banjo / 2-Way Splitter
1x
3/8" NPT x 1/2" PTC
Fitting
Page 2

www.hornblasters.com [email protected]
Safety Tips and Important Information
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
WARNING: To prevent injury:
Caution: To prevent the risk of electric shock or electrocution:
•Do not disassemble any electrical components of this horn kit (air compressor, air valve, pressure switch).
•Do not attempt repairs or modifications of any component. Please refer to qualified service agencies for all
service and repairs.
•Do not operate any component where it can fall or be submerged into water or any kind of liquid.
•Do not reach for any component that has fallen or been submerged into water or any kind of liquid.
•Use the included components with 12 volt DC systems only.
•Do not leave the air system unattended during use.
•Never allow children to operate the compressor or air horn. Use close supervision when operating this
equipment near children or animals.
•The air compressor will become very HOT during and immediately after operation. Do not touch any part of
the compressor with your bare hands during or immediately after use.
•Do not use this product near open flames or explosive materials or where aerosol products are being used.
•Do not operate this product where oxygen is being administered.
•Do not pump anything other than atmospheric air.
•Never use this product while sleepy or drowsy.
•Do not use any tools or attachments with the supplied air source unit without first determining maximum air
pressure for that tool or attachment.
•Never point any air nozzle or air sprayer toward another person or any part of your body.
•The included compressor is equipped with an automatic reset thermal protector and can automatically
restart after the thermal protector resets. Always cut off power source when thermal protector becomes
activated.
•Use only in well ventilated areas.
•Do not sound the air horn(s) in close proximity to another person’s or your own ear(s).
•Do not fill the included air tank above 150 PSI. Doing so may result in death or serious injury.
•Disconnect the battery negative cable before doing anything. Failure to disconnect this terminal can lead to
damaged electrical components.
•Use eye protection when operating drills or other power tools during the install.
•Ensure the parking brake is engaged before you get underneath the vehicle.
•Do not wire the system without the fuse holder.
•Do not allow the compressor to run when the vehicle is off.
Page 3

Recommended Tools + Addons
Recommended Tools
Optional Install Items (Not required but will make your install easier)
Compatible Add-on Kits (available @ www.HornBlasters.com)
•3/8” Long Socket (Horn Front Mount)
•1/2” Long Socket (Horn Rear Mount)
•1/2” Wrench
•9/16” Wrench (1/4” NPT Fittings)
•5/8” Wrench (2-Way Splitter on Valve)
•10mm Wrench or Socket (Air Source Mounting)
•12mm Wrench
•Drill (3/16" & 7/16" bits)
•Wire Cutter / Stripper / Crimper
Part #
Tire Inflation Kit
Description
Adds a quick disconnect to your system which allows
you to use air tools with our kit. AA-TIK-H
Electric Drain Valve Kit Replaces the drain cock with a solenoid valve; allows
for remote draining of the system AM-D04K
Digital Air Gauge 2' Digital Air Pressure Gauge allows you to monitor the
tank pressure in the cab GA-220H
Six Horn Upgrade Adds two more bells to the system for more
volume! HU-S6-1
Shocker Horn Bracket Mounting plate for the set of four horns only HB-SB-1
Name
•Add-a-fuse® - Great for tapping into a key-power source from your fuse-box.
•Self-Tapping Screw - These can be used for ground points on the pressure switch, compressor, and valve.
•Slotted Angle Iron - Can be used to mount the horns without making a plate.
•Zip Ties® - Used to keep your air line looking clean and organized.
•Heat Shrink Tubing - Can be used over the terminal connectors to better seal them up against the
elements.
•1" Adjustable Wrench - Makes it easier to get the brass fittings into the tank. You can use one wrench for
all the fittings on the system.
•Loctite 545 Thread Sealant - Can be used instead of Teflon to seal fittings.
Page 4

Preparing For the Install
Recommended Install Locations for Your Car (Compressor)
Recommended Install Locations for the Horns
•The trunk of your car/sedan/suv is a great spot for this air source kit. The trunk keeps the compressor
out of the weather and is one of the best install locations for the compressor/tank.
•The engine bay can also be used as an install location for the air source. If you have enough room to
mount the air source without getting too close to the engine, this will work just fine. Do not mount the
compressor to close to engine. If the compressor gets too hot, it will not run.
•If you decide to mount the compressor outside the car make sure it won't get submerged if you go
through a large puddle! It can get wet but you cannot submerge the system.
Check out the install photos below, these are two examples of installs in the rear storage area of a car.
•These horns will sound their best when facing down towards the ground, or towards the front of the vehicle
(these can face forward!) We typically see these mounted behind the front bumper, ahead of the radiator on
most vehicles. (see picture below, to the right)
oIf you opt to install the horns in the front grille, make sure that the opening at the end of each bell is not
blocked or covered. Make sure to leave some room for airflow to your radiator!
Shocker horns
installed
underneath a
mustang
Shocker horns
installed in the
front grille of a
Subaru WRX
Page 5

Preparing For the Install (continued)
Recommended Install Locations for Trucks (Compressor)
Recommended Install Locations (Horns)
•The toolbox is a great location for the compressor. Do not use the toolbox as a ground point as it will not be
directly connected to the frame of the vehicle.
•Mounting the compressor/tank underneath the bed is a great option. There's plenty of room available and
mounting the compressor outside will help it run cooler and save space in your bed / toolbox.
•The engine bay is a good spot for the compressor as long as you keep it away from the exhaust manifold and
engine block. The engine generates a lot of heat and will keep the compressor from running cool. If the
compressor overheats, it will not run until it has cooled off.
*Keep in mind that the air tank has to be close to the compressor. The leader hose on the compressor is 18"
long.
•You can mount these horns in the front bumper similar to a car or underneath the bed as shown above.
•If you face the horns forward when mounted underneath they may pickup some dirt/dust from the road. This
is normal and will not damage the horn. We suggest using a blowgun to remove excess dirt/dust from each
bell semi-annually.
Page 6

Preparing the Air Compressor
•                  
•                  
                    

•                   

Barb Fittings
(Male & Female)
Filter Housing
Relocation Air Line
www.hornblasters.com [email protected]
Start by locating the hardware that was packaged with your air compressor. You should have a set of
mounting bolts, two barb fittings, and an air filter housing. A picture of each is shown to the left for reference.
Let’s start by taking the fitting on the left with the male thread and inserting it into the
compressor inlet. The other fitting (female end) can be threaded onto the filter
housing directly. Your compressor/filter should look like the image below. At this
point, you can use the supplied air line that was packaged with the compressor to
connect the compressor and filter together.
**This line is not meant to hold pressure. Do not use this for anything other tha
the filter.
Connect fittings to
compressor & filter
Route 3/8" air line in
between filter/compressor
Filter Placement
Your compressor is fully sealed against the elements. If the compressor is mounted outside with the air filter
on the end of the compressor, the filter will get wet and water will get pulled into the compressor. To prevent
this, the filter must be relocated to an ENCLOSED AND DRY location. If your compressor is mounted in the
bed of your truck or underneath the bed, the filter could be relocated into the cab of the vehicle. The filter must
be relocated to an area where it will not be exposed to debris or moisture.
If the air filter is not relocated, the compressor will pull in water/dirt and will stop working properly. 9
out of 10 compressors that fail within the first year have pulled in water/debris from the intake.
WE DO NOT WARRANTY COMPRESSORS THAT HAVE FAILED DUE TO WATER/DEBRIS
BEING PULLED INTO THE INTAKE/FILTER
Page 7

Recommended Tank Assembly
Option 1
Option 2
**Always make sure the drain cock is facin
DOWN. Regardless of how you decide to
assemble the tank, the drain fitting needs to
point down to allow water to drain. Gravity
will pull water to the bottom of the tank.
Page 8

Plumbing the Compressor Into the Tank
•                  
•                  
                    

•                   
www.hornblasters.com [email protected]
Once you have assembled and mounted both the tank & compressor, plumb the compressor into the tank.
The compressors braided hose will thread into the reducer bushing that we plumbed into the end-cap of the tank,
(on the right hand side of the tank in the photos on page 8).
The photo to the right shows the check valve plumbed into the reducer bushing.
It is extremely important that you do not over-tighten this piece. Over-tightening this piece can lead to the
compressor not filling the tank.
Use a small amount (2-3 wraps) of teflon on this fitting. If teflon won't seal well, we recommend Loctite 545.
The check valve needs to be torqued to 12-14 ft lbs.
Screw this piece in hand-tight and give it another 1/4" turn
with a wrench.
Now that the compressor's plumbed into the tank, let's get the horns connected. Locate the roll of 1/2" air
line that was supplied with your kit. Make sure both ends are cut straight/flush. If one
end is not cut straight, the line will not make a proper seal in the fitting. Once the line is
cut, go ahead and push the line into the fitting on the end of the tank. The line will
simply push into the fitting and lock into place.
Be careful not to bend the airline right out of the fitting. This can
cause the fitting to leak over time. Take a larger bend further away
from the fitting to prevent the line from stretching the fitting out.
These fittings can be re-used with the same line multiple times. If
you need to remove the line, follow these steps:
Plumbing the Air Valve to the Tank
Page 9

Plumbing the Valve to the Tank (Continued)
•                  
•                  
                    

•                   
www.hornblasters.com [email protected]
Plumbing the Horns to the Valve
Locate the roll of 5/16" air line that was packaged with your kit. This line will be used to connect each horn bell to
the 4-way splitter on the solenoid valve. You will also need the 4x shocker elbow fittings that came with your kit.
Plumb each elbow fitting onto the brass stud of each horn as shown to the left. Do not use
Teflon tape here! Little pieces of the tape will find it's way into the horn and prevent it from
honking. Get each fitting hand tight and give them another 1/8" turn with a wrench if possible.
Be careful not to use too much force or the stud will break loose. These fittings DO NOT need
to be torqued down that much. They are not under constant pressure.
Make sure that:
•Both 5/16" lines are equal length
•Make sure each horn is mounted
properly before you drive the
vehicle.
•Ensure each line is properly
connected into each elbow fitting
and each side of the splitter.
Cut the roll of 5/16" line in half to make two separate lines. Each line must be the same length
so that each bell sounds off at the same time! At this point, connect each length of line from
the 4-way splitter into each elbow fitting on the horns. Make sure every connection is tight and
inserted all the way into each fitting.
Page 10
Locate the solenoid valve for your horns. Take note of
the arrow on the bottom of the valve (look at the
bracket reflection). This arrow must point TOWARDS
your horns. If the valve is mounted with the arrow
pointing towards the tank, the valve will not hold air
pressure and leak instantly.
Locate the 2-way splitter that came with your kit. Plumb this
fitting into the outlet side of the air valve. Use a wrench to
tighten the fitting snug. Be careful not to apply pressure to
the plastic portion of the fitting. It can/will break.
Grab the 1/2" line that we plumbed into the tank and route it
up to this valve. Insert the line into the 1/2" fitting on the inlet
portion of the valve.