Any DIY guides on replacing the horn?

Pearl

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Anyway, I like the Hella Supertones but IMO they're purely Euro-like diaphragm horns whereas traditional American horns are a combo diaphragm/horn type meaning an acoustic horn placed in front of a vibrating diaphragm.

Both are good but exposed diaphragm, "Euro" horns are shrill whereas traditional American horn devices encompassing the diaphragm within a horn device create the loudest sound. Just a bit of trivia after all. I'm sure purists will insist on the former but for my taste here in SWFL, the louder, the better.
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Pearl

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I have found that with enough patience and creativity, one can place twin horns in the stock area although the stock wiring will have to be spliced. In the future, if you really want to remove your $24 horn improvement, would it really be worth it to pull the bumper cover again?

It is a little uncomfortable splicing into 22guage wiring just to ad a couple of horns but I think we've been played for a long time. For instance, while you and I have been adding 8-guage wiring here and there for stereo installs, the wise have understood that 18-guage has been good all along because a simple strand of copper has been more resilient than previously thought.
 

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I have found that with enough patience and creativity, one can place twin horns in the stock area although the stock wiring will have to be spliced. In the future, if you really want to remove your $24 horn improvement, would it really be worth it to pull the bumper cover again?

It is a little uncomfortable splicing into 22guage wiring just to ad a couple of horns but I think we've been played for a long time. For instance, while you and I have been adding 8-guage wiring here and there for stereo installs, the wise have understood that 18-guage has been good all along because a simple strand of copper has been more resilient than previously thought.
Pearl, what horn did you end up going with, and do you have pictures of your install?
 

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I ended up with those red horns from AdvanceAuto, the same ones I think you linked to earlier from Amazon, or perhaps that was someone else. They are fantastically brutal with a couple of caveats per my experience. For instance, they must be kept vertical it seems. Yes, I photographed everything as I went along but I don't want to step on anyone's thread. I was successful in the end, mounting two horn type devices within the factory RoadRunner, meebeep space. I'll see if I can edit and upload a couple picts...
 

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After a lot of trial and error, this was my best solution. Not that someone else might come up with a better one but in my case, I discovered that this set of horns likes to be mounted vertically or else they'll malfunction. That might not be true for all horns and it really shouldn't matter but that's what I discovered personally after lots of frustration. Nevertheless, the current configuration is tested and proven and blasts like holy hell!

Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_3570%20sml_zps4osmh6te
 


CANMAN

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Alright guys, here is what I got. You can follow these instructions and pictures for most aftermarket horns, however like I said if swapping from anything other then another style OEM Honda horn you will have to splice the factory harness. Here is a picture of what comes in the Hella Sharptone kit. I did not use the included relay and wired to factory wiring.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? image_zps44aa26o9


1. First remove the front bumper and disconnected the car battery. This can be done solo, however is much easier with two people. Follow the how to instructions in the first part of this link for bumper removal: http://www.collegehillshonda.com/instructions/hrv/2016/foglights.pdf

2. Once you have the bumper off, located and disconnect the factory horn from the lower passenger side corner, directly behind the intercooler piping. Cut the white zip tie holder, and splice back some of the black wire loom off the factory horn wires WHILE BEING CAREFUL not to cut the factory wiring. They are very small and will cut easily.... Next leave about 1 inch worth of wiring from the end of the factory connector and cut that connector off. This will allow you to crimp it back in if you ever want or need to swap back to your stock horn. Notice in the picture the factory bracket for the horn, you can easily use that location to mount one of your horns.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? image_zpsgdrjmnsr


3. Next find a second location to mount your second horn. The options are fairly limited. I chose the front bumper support, next to the outside air temp sensor, because it was unobstructed with bumper re-install, and solid so I didn't have to worry about the horn moving. I drilled a 1/4 inch hole close to the end of the support, which will allow you to put a nut on the backside for tightening.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? image_zpsth0pugvm


4. Next mount your second horn, I used nylon insert nuts so they will stay tight. If you have trouble getting the nut and bolt together due to the limited space, take a flat head screwdriver and use electrical tape to tape the nut to the screwdriver. Then you can insert it in, get it to thread, then pull it and the tape out once you start to tighten it. For wiring you just run one positive (RED) wire and one negative (BLACK) wire back to the stock location with some slack. I also enclosed mine in wire loom to protect it from the elements and rubbing. Use weatherproof electrical crimp on connectors, since this area is fairly exposed.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? image_zpsqfuwm9me


5. Mount your other horn to the factory location. I allowed it to rest on the intercooler piping so it wouldn't vibrate all around, and placed a 1 x 1 inch square of industrial velcro on the area it rests on the intercooler piping so it doesn't rub a wear mark into the piping. Again run two wires from the horn to where the stock wires are location. Now carefully splice back the insulation on the two factory wires which are BLACK and LIGHT BLUE. Again this is very small gauge wire so use the appropriate size stripper to leave as much wire as possible. To connect them all I used a regular wire nut to secure the two BLACK wires from the horn to the factory BLACK wire, then electrical taped all my connections. Do the same for the BLUE wire and connect it to your two RED wires from the horns. I used wire nuts because the factory wire is extremely thin, and even the smallest crimp connector I have was a little loose. Alternatively, a better method would be to solder the connections together, I was just in a rush to finish.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? image_zpsgpbpdlw2

Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? image_zpsz9b7pmiz


6. Reconnect your battery and test out your horns to make sure they work, clean everything up, and reinstall your bumper! Consume beer for a job well done.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? image_zpsvaas5bq8


A few notes: If you do not have any knowledge of splicing and crimping electrical connections etc, you might want to have a friend help or pay someone to do this. Do this at your own risk, as I am not responsible for any issues with your car by attempting this DIY.

- As far as the Hella Sharptones, I am still on the fence if I love the sound or not. Mine don't sound exactly like the review videos I watched, I think because they were all filmed in a garage, and mine is outside. The sound from inside the car is certainly different then from outside of the car when I shot a short phone clip. With that being said they are certainly much louder then stock, however I would do the Supertones if I had it to do over again, as I have had them on other cars and Honda's and have been very happy with those.

- The Sharptones are slightly smaller then the Supertones, because of this, and how tight the screws on the horns were when I unpackaged them, I didn't replace the hardware with stainless steel like I had originally planned. Mainly because due to the smaller size, you would need thin wall sockets to really get off the hardware. A screwdriver alone was just stripping out the screws, so I left them as it. Again, they aren't stainless, so they will rust over time, especially exposed to the elements in the front grill and lower bumper section, so just keep an eye on them.

- I did not use a relay, as the factory harness has one already.
 

CANMAN

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Alright guys, here is what I got. You can follow these instructions and pictures for most aftermarket horns, however like I said if swapping from anything other then another style OEM Honda horn you will have to splice the factory harness. Here is a picture of what comes in the Hella Sharptone kit. I did not use the included relay and wired to factory wiring.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? image_zps44aa26o9


1. First remove the front bumper and disconnected the car battery. This can be done solo, however is much easier with two people. Follow the how to instructions in the first part of this link for bumper removal: http://www.collegehillshonda.com/instructions/hrv/2016/foglights.pdf

2. Once you have the bumper off, located and disconnect the factory horn from the lower passenger side corner, directly behind the intercooler piping. Cut the white zip tie holder, and splice back some of the black wire loom off the factory horn wires WHILE BEING CAREFUL not to cut the factory wiring. They are very small and will cut easily.... Next leave about 1 inch worth of wiring from the end of the factory connector and cut that connector off. This will allow you to crimp it back in if you ever want or need to swap back to your stock horn. Notice in the picture the factory bracket for the horn, you can easily use that location to mount one of your horns.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? image_zpsgdrjmnsr


3. Next find a second location to mount your second horn. The options are fairly limited. I chose the front bumper support, next to the outside air temp sensor, because it was unobstructed with bumper re-install, and solid so I didn't have to worry about the horn moving. I drilled a 1/4 inch hole close to the end of the support, which will allow you to put a nut on the backside for tightening.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? image_zpsth0pugvm


4. Next mount your second horn, I used nylon insert nuts so they will stay tight. If you have trouble getting the nut and bolt together due to the limited space, take a flat head screwdriver and use electrical tape to tape the nut to the screwdriver. Then you can insert it in, get it to thread, then pull it and the tape out once you start to tighten it. For wiring you just run one positive (RED) wire and one negative (BLACK) wire back to the stock location with some slack. I also enclosed mine in wire loom to protect it from the elements and rubbing. Use weatherproof electrical crimp on connectors, since this area is fairly exposed.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? image_zpsqfuwm9me


5. Mount your other horn to the factory location. I allowed it to rest on the intercooler piping so it wouldn't vibrate all around, and placed a 1 x 1 inch square of industrial velcro on the area it rests on the intercooler piping so it doesn't rub a wear mark into the piping. Again run two wires from the horn to where the stock wires are location. Now carefully splice back the insulation on the two factory wires which are BLACK and LIGHT BLUE. Again this is very small gauge wire so use the appropriate size stripper to leave as much wire as possible. To connect them all I used a regular wire nut to secure the two BLACK wires from the horn to the factory BLACK wire, then electrical taped all my connections. Do the same for the BLUE wire and connect it to your two RED wires from the horns. I used wire nuts because the factory wire is extremely thin, and even the smallest crimp connector I have was a little loose. Alternatively, a better method would be to solder the connections together, I was just in a rush to finish.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? image_zpsgpbpdlw2

Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? image_zpsz9b7pmiz


6. Reconnect your battery and test out your horns to make sure they work, clean everything up, and reinstall your bumper! Consume beer for a job well done.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? image_zpsvaas5bq8


A few notes: If you do not have any knowledge of splicing and crimping electrical connections etc, you might want to have a friend help or pay someone to do this. Do this at your own risk, as I am not responsible for any issues with your car by attempting this DIY.

- As far as the Hella Sharptones, I am still on the fence if I love the sound or not. Mine don't sound exactly like the review videos I watched, I think because they were all filmed in a garage, and mine is outside. The sound from inside the car is certainly different then from outside of the car when I shot a short phone clip. With that being said they are certainly much louder then stock, however I would do the Supertones if I had it to do over again, as I have had them on other cars and Honda's and have been very happy with those.

- The Sharptones are slightly smaller then the Supertones, because of this, and how tight the screws on the horns were when I unpackaged them, I didn't replace the hardware with stainless steel like I had originally planned. Mainly because due to the smaller size, you would need thin wall sockets to really get off the hardware. A screwdriver alone was just stripping out the screws, so I left them as it. Again, they aren't stainless, so they will rust over time, especially exposed to the elements in the front grill and lower bumper section, so just keep an eye on them.

- I did not use a relay, as the factory harness has one already.
Double post fail! Pearl, check your private messages
 

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After a lot of trial and error, this was my best solution. Not that someone else might come up with a better one but in my case, I discovered that this set of horns likes to be mounted vertically or else they'll malfunction. That might not be true for all horns and it really shouldn't matter but that's what I discovered personally after lots of frustration. Nevertheless, the current configuration is tested and proven and blasts like holy hell!

Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_3570%20sml_zps4osmh6te
Pearl, great job on the placement, I didn't think we'd be able to fit much more than the OEM horns at the original location. You definitely got creative with the brackets I see (hard to see from the picture if you added extra brackets, but from what I do see, you bent them to accommodate placement). Just one question, Have you had any vibration when working the horns? That was one concern I had with installing louder horns in such tight quarters.

I agree on the horns. I've been researching several options for a while and prefer to stay with the acoustic housing of the mainstream "American" horns rather than the Asian/Eropean sounding horns since those aren't that much different from the existing diaphragm "Meep Beep", perhaps louder. So I got the Wolo Maxi Sound 320-2T a couple of days ago. They're the same horns (I think) as what you got, I just have not had the time to install them as I'll be doing fog lights and other things at the same time so it will be a couple of hours worth of work. I bought them on eBay at a much lower than I saw at Advance Auto Parts and other local stores ($26 - $35):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281655730546?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

I did test them (just ran clip-on wires to the battery) and they sound awesome!
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? 251 Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? 252 Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? 253 Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? 254 Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? 255
I'm totally with you both on how much work it is just to get to the horn location. I also had clips break on my last fog light install on a prev '16 civic, so this time I bought extra plastic clips and the "Right/Left Front Bumper Beam (Upper)" (Parts #14 & 17) ahead of the project just in case it happens again. I got them from here:

http://hondapartsnetwork.com/assemb...inuously-Variable-Transmission-Front-Bumper-1
(NOTE: This link is for my EX w/Sensing, other trims (touring) may be different).

The "Right/Left Front Bumper Beam (Upper)" mentioned above are the ones that hold the bumper right below the headlights, and the clips on them do break very easily! The replacements are only $7 each side on the above site, which is surprising as they pretty big parts.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? 268

Now, to find the time to do the installs. Perhaps next weekend I'll be able to set some time aside for this project.
 
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My2016Civic

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@CANMAN Did you end up using that relay that came with the Sharp Tones, or did the original configuration (Fuse/Relay) work for you?

@Pearl @CANMAN Did either of you have to change the fuse from the existing one to slightly higher am one?

Thanks.. :)
 
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CANMAN

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I'm totally with you both on how much work it is just to get to the horn location. I also had clips break on my last fog light install on a prev '16 civic, so this time I bought extra plastic clips and the "Right/Left Front Bumper Beam (Upper)" (Parts #14 & 17) ahead of the project just in case it happens again. I got them from here:

http://hondapartsnetwork.com/assemb...inuously-Variable-Transmission-Front-Bumper-1
(NOTE: This link is for my EX w/Sensing, other trims (touring) may be different).

The "Right/Left Front Bumper Beam (Upper)" mentioned above are the ones that hold the bumper right below the headlights, and the clips on them do break very easily! The replacements are only $7 each side on the above site, which is surprising as they pretty big parts.
268.jpg

Now, to find the time to do the installs. Perhaps next weekend I'll be able to set some time aside for this project.
I got lucky and didn't break any tabs at all, and somehow every single screw, bolt, and clip made it back to its original location with none missing or extra parts when done haha! I think that is a Honda first for me.

In the area around the headlights I found there are little square cutouts where those clips are located. If you out a flat head screw driver in there and press the little clip/detent down they pop right out. A lot easier then trying to yank on it.

I am in the process of troubleshooting my horns, and wanna run them to the battery real quick to see if that improves the sound over the factory harness or not. If so I will be making an upgraded wiring harness to go with them. No issues with vibrations that I can tell so far on mine.
 

CANMAN

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@CANMAN Did you end up using that relay that came with the Sharp Tones, or did the original configuration (Fuse/Relay) work for you?

@Pearl @CANMAN Did either of you have to change the fuse from the existing one to slightly higher am one?

Thanks.. :)
Read my post again bud, I did not use the included relay as the factory horn has one in the harness already. If you disconnect the factory horn and then try to honk it, you can hear the factory relay click. I didn't have to upgrade the fuse (this I did not address in my post).
 

Pearl

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Did you have to wire a separate relay?
No, but I did consider it given how much of a pain it is to remove the front end just to get to the horn. I know the Honda must have a relay in place already even though I was a little caught off guard by the stock 20-22 gauge wiring. Still, they have an ampacity of 3-5 amps which aftermarket horns shouldn't start melting wires or blowing fuses anyway. A compressor-type air horn is a different matter though.

Pearl, great job on the placement, I didn't think we'd be able to fit much more than the OEM horns at the original location. You definitely got creative with the brackets I see (hard to see from the picture if you added extra brackets, but from what I do see, you bent them to accommodate placement). Just one question, Have you had any vibration when working the horns? That was one concern I had with installing louder horns in such tight quarters.

I agree on the horns. I've been researching several options for a while and prefer to stay with the acoustic housing of the mainstream "American" horns rather than the Asian/Eropean sounding horns since those aren't that much different from the existing diaphragm "Meep Beep", perhaps louder. So I got the Wolo Maxi Sound 320-2T a couple of days ago. They're the same horns (I think) as what you got, I just have not had the time to install them as I'll be doing fog lights and other things at the same time so it will be a couple of hours worth of work. I bought them on eBay at a much lower than I saw at Advance Auto Parts and other local stores ($26 - $35):

I did test them (just ran clip-on wires to the battery) and they sound awesome!
251.jpg 252.jpg 253.jpg 254.jpg 255.jpg

I'm totally with you both on how much work it is just to get to the horn location. I also had clips break on my last fog light install on a prev '16 civic, so this time I bought extra plastic clips and the "Right/Left Front Bumper Beam (Upper)" (Parts #14 & 17) ahead of the project just in case it happens again.
Now, to find the time to do the installs. Perhaps next weekend I'll be able to set some time aside for this project.
Thanks! Funny how three of us were into the same project at the same time. Actually, I found this forum because I was looking for info on horn replacement since I just got my Civic a week earlier and was terribly disappointed in the cartoonish "meep meep" sound.

Yeah, I got the very same ones at Advance Auto. They are $25 on sale I think minus military discount (or at least veteran).
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_3510%20eml_zpsxfeuhecl




@CANMAN Did you end up using that relay that came with the Sharp Tones, or did the original configuration (Fuse/Relay) work for you?

@Pearl @CANMAN Did either of you have to change the fuse from the existing one to slightly higher am one?

Thanks.. :)
So far so good without a relay or bigger fuse. Believe me, my neighbors aren't happy with me with my 20-second horn blast tests. I did stick a towel around the horns to muffle them but I had to know they would work consistently before installing the front of the car. BTW, I would rather install a relay than a bigger fuse if it came down to it. Using a bigger fuse than the wiring was designed for is definitely inviting problems.
 
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Pearl

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Okay, I'm done testing and ready to move onto other projects so I'll just throw up any remaining details I have from my own install:

This was my first idea but seemed to cause problems with the horn mounted horizontally. It shouldn't be an issue but in this case it was.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_3546%20eml_zps3bukx33k



Through repeated mounting and remounting, I discovered the red cover was disintegrating on its own so I just removed it along with the chrome grills to use another day on a different project. Without the red cover, the horn fit better anyway as the red and chrome are just for looks and I really don't want either shining through the bumper grill.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_3572%20eml_zpsw5l5vibq




This is the final configuration. The horn set came with two flat brackets and a bunch of hardware. I used one bracket in the stock location and simply bent it backward a little. Then I used the second bracket in a preexisting hole and mounted the second horn to it. I was very careful to position everything and test for interference with nearby parts that might cause a rattle.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_3568%20eml_zpswfvct29a


Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_3578%20eml_zps1rlkvlrh



Some tips:

*Remember that your fog light assembly (if equipped) occupies some of that space so place your horns accordingly.

Use the included lock washers! Also use some LockTite. You don't want to have to remove the front end just to fix a loose horn.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_3564%20eml_zpshmbdraiq


When you splice into the factory wiring, DO seal up your splices with shink tube and even re-use the factory loom along with some fresh electrical tape. This cavity is open to the elements and corrosion could set in.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_3554%20eml_zpsf3nuu6cp


Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_3557%20eml_zps6llpnrjr



When connecting the wiring to the horns for the final time, make sure to crimp the connectors just a bit for a nice, tight bite. If possible, gob some silicone on each one to further waterproof the connection (that last part not pictured, sorry).
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_3567%20eml_zpscf3nmdgu



Last, under no cirmcumstances let your better half wake up to see a big part of a brand new car sitting in the living room.
Honda Civic 10th gen Any DIY guides on replacing the horn? IMG_3559%20eml_zpsoqatp6xv
 
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