Mounting a Stebel Nautilus Air Horn on the RT

[GeoffCee]

There is a space on the left side of the RT under the fascia trim which turns out to be perfect for mounting a 139dB Stebel Nautilus Dual-tone Air Horn.

For reasons not explained, the manufacturer would like the Nautilus to stand vertical side-to-side and fore-and-aft. The space I've chosen for this will acommodate the Nautilus as near perfectly upright as makes no difference!

Photo #1 shows the Nautilus. The yellow arrow points to a small cutout I made to the upper horn to allow it to slot around the left bracket. (See arrow in photo #4 for where this fits). The bright metal piece sticking up and out to the right of the horn is the mounting bracket I made out of aluminium.

Photo #2 shows the aluminium bracket holding the Nautilus in position. The bracket has to be cut as shown in photo #1 to allow the RT's fascia to be fastened in place. A hole has to to drilled into the projecting fascia support to allow a bolt through for the bracket and the relay.

Photo #3 Shows the Nautilus in position. Note the 2 blue Positaps taking the horn push wires to the relay. The RT's wire colors are Blue/beige (+) and Green/grey (-). Using a relay, (supplied with the Nautilus), to connect a 20amp supply direct from the battery is the prefered option. The wiring for the RT's existing horn is insufficient for prolonged use of the Stebel. For full volume output the horn manufacturer recommends a dedicated 20 amp supply.

Photo #4 shows the location I used. There are a pair of BRP brackets, (color-washed yellow), which it seems are not used for anything at all. The yellow arrow shows where the cut-out I made in the plastic of the upper Nautilus horn in photo #1 slots onto the bracket.


Look out for a further post from me on this installation dated 04-28-2013. Heading: http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.png Stebel Nautilus Horn Mount VIBRATION PROBLEM and CURE

[fastfraser]

:2thumbs: Great install .I bought the Stebal about 6 weeks ago and tried to install it where the old stock horn was and I couldn't make it work as others have so I just put it on my work bench and I'll give it another try on a rainy day. Your install is perfect and it looks pretty simple.

A few questions -did you put a 20 amp inline fuse in after the relay wired directly to the battery and did you use the wires from the stock horn to the relay and then new wire to the battery ? Did you remove the old horn ?

[GeoffCee]

:2thumbs: Great install .I bought the Stebal about 6 weeks ago and tried to install it where the old stock horn was and I couldn't make it work as others have so I just put it on my work bench and I'll give it another try on a rainy day. Your install is perfect and it looks pretty simple.

A few questions -did you put a 20 amp inline fuse in after the relay wired directly to the battery and did you use the wires from the stock horn to the relay and then new wire to the battery ? Did you remove the old horn ?

Thanks. I left the old horn in place, it's doing no harm.

Yes, there is a 20 amp in-line fuse from the battery to the relay and I used the existing horn wires to trigger the relay.

I have a dedicated 25 amp wire from the horn (-) connector to the (-) negative side of the battery.

[eddieshep999]

Very nice install - neat and tidy - Professional IMHO

Geoff as a matter of intrest I have posted a reply ref the Brackets - See your earlier thread

I have fitted the Stebel Nautilus Air Horn in the same location as the stock horn although mine sits on its side due to lack of space - as yet no issues
I have fitted an additional Fusebox where the Brackets are located and they help to secure it

It would have been interesting to find out what those Brackets were intended for, or maybe they were used in the assembly process to assist with lifting etc
We may never know


Well Done

Eddie Sheppard
Reading UK



Spyder – RT-S SES (AUTO 2010 Model)


List of Mods :-
Added Zuno 660 -Garmin kit as supplied on the Spyder RT Limited
Digital Voltmeter and Digital Clock to replace Fuel and Temp gauge – Fuel and Temp now
displayed in Cluster Display
LED Bulbs Reversing Lights,Front position lights
HMT - Brake Light
LED – Running lights
LED - Mud Flap lights
Rear extended Mud Flap
Sport Tall Wide Clear Windshield
Utopia Backrest
S/S Grills both sides matching
Bottom Panel S/S Protection
S/S stronger Funk Lid brackets
S/S Bracket for RBNS Hood for Zumo 660 GPS + TourTech Lockable Mount
Rubber Tank protector on glove box
Grip Puppies
Power Socket in Switch Cluster and at Rear passenger Handrail
Rear Speaker Switch for passenger On/OFF
Upgraded Front Marine Speakers
Bluetooth On board Radio to Sena SMH10 Headsets

[GeoffCee]

I have fitted the Stebel Nautilus Air Horn in the same location as the stock horn although mine sits on its side due to lack of space - as yet no issues

I have been searching for the reason that Stebel want their Nautilus mounted vertically, just out of interest, but I have been unable to find out why this is so. On a variety of motorcycle and vehicle websites there are plenty of examples available of the Nautilus being mounted in a variety of positions, and when space is tight the horn often ends up way off the vertical, as yours is. In the main this manufacture's requirement is being largely ignored, nevertheless the Nautilus appears well thought of by those who have bought it. It sure is LOUD! :f_spider:

[Bob Denman]

:thumbup::clap:

[retread]

If I remember correctly, the Nautilus is "weatherproof" if it is mounted vertically, so it can drain instead of collect water. If it's protected, it should be okay.

john

[M109Dreamer]

You didn't happen to make a template of that bracket did you or know the dimensions? I have have to mount the Stebel on the wifes Spyder and this is just the info I was looking for. Great write up.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[GeoffCee]

You didn't happen to make a template of that bracket did you or know the dimensions? I have have to mount the Stebel on the wifes Spyder and this is just the info I was looking for. Great write up.

Thanks. Template? No, but I can talk you through what you need to do.

Get a piece of thin metal, in my case it was a piece of stiff aluminium strip left over from another project. It was an offcut, an inch wide, about 7" long and 1/8" thick. I drilled a hole in one end to take the fixing bolt supplied with the Nautilus, pushed the bolt through and finger-tightened the retaining nut.

The next thing is to drill a hole in the plastic support (see photo) but you'll need to decide on a bolt diameter first. The bolt should be long enough (see Note below) to fasten the metal strip securely and also have enough thread left over to also mount the relay -- you can see this arrangement in the photos. The bolt doesn't need to be more than about 1/4" in diameter, drilling a larger bolt hole could weaken the plastic.

Note: The relay needs to be brought forward about 1/4" so its contact spigots underneath clear the Spyder's wiring loom. That is why there is one nut holding the bracket in place and another one fastening the relay. (See photos). This is the reason for using a long bolt.

When you've decided on a suitable bolt, drill a hole for it in the plastic support piece, under where one of the fairing mounting screws is located, (see photo). When you've drilled this hole, manouver the Nautilus into position and hold it there. Rotate the metal strip (like the hand on a clock face) until it covers the hole and scribe through from the back of the hole to leave a mark on the metal. This marks the position for a hole in the metal strip for the fixing bolt.

Push the bolt, together with a washer, through the hole in the plastic, fasten it lightly on the mounting bracket and adjust the position of the Nautilus, so that it is sitting vertically. Then tighten up the nuts on both bolts.

As well as the mounting bracket you have made, the horn needs to be supported at its other end. That is the purpose of the notch, or cutout, in the upper horn (there are two horns, an upper and a lower). The cutout allows the Nautilus to "sit" further forward on the left-hand bracket. You can mark where the notch needs to be with the aid of a torch and a metal scribe. I used a hacksaw blade to mark its position in the soft plastic. A cutout depth of about 3/8" will do for this.

Oh, and finally, you'll need to cut off the excess length of bracket metal at the right hand side. You'll end up with a shaped end, something like my example in the photos. :f_spider:

[M109Dreamer]

Thanks. Template? No, but I can talk you through what you need to do.

Get a piece of thin metal, in my case it was a piece of stiff aluminium strip left over from another project. It was an offcut, an inch wide, about 7" long and 3/16" thick. I drilled a hole in one end to take the fixing bolt supplied with the Nautilus, pushed the bolt through and finger-tightened the retaining nut.

The next thing is to drill a hole in the plastic support (see photo) but you'll need to decide on a bolt diameter first. The bolt should be long enough to fasten the metal strip securely and also have enough thread left over to mount the relay -- you can see this arrangement in the photos. The bolt doesn't need to be more than about 1/4" in diameter, a larger bolt hole could weaken the plastic.

When you've found a suitable bolt, drill a hole for it in the plastic support piece, under where one of the fairing mounting screws is located, (see photo). When you've drilled this hole, manouver the Nautilus into its final position and hold it there. Rotate the metal strip (like the hand on a clock face) until it covers the hole and scribe through from the back of the hole to leave a mark on the metal. This is where you will drill a hole in the metal bar for the fixing bolt.

Push the bolt, together with a washer, through the hole in the plastic, screw it up tight on the mounting bar and adjust the position of the Nautilus. Then tighten both bolts.

As well as the mounting bar you have made, the horn needs some additional support to take its weight at the other end and that is why I made a notch in the upper horn (there are two horns, an upper and a lower) to allow the Nautilus to "sit" better on the left-hand bracket. You can mark where the notch needs to be with the aid of a torch and a metal scribe.

Oh, and you'll have to cut off the excess length of the bar. You'll end up with something shaped like the example in the photos. :f_spider:

Thank you, I will adding this on the wifes Spyder in the next couple of weeks. As soon as I get the time to tear it apart. I have the horn sitting on my workbench waiting. I am a helicopter mechanic by trade, electrician I am not. Anything that isn't plug and play electrically always worries me and on the Spyder will all of the electrical stuff on it worries me more an my 9. That and because if I screw it up, I'll hear it from the wife. Its not like when I screw stuff up on my 9.
Thanks again,
Shane

[GeoffCee]

If I remember correctly, the Nautilus is "weatherproof" if it is mounted vertically, so it can drain instead of collect water. If it's protected, it should be okay.

john

Thanks. That makes sense. It's a good product, so what puzzles me is why Stebel don't better explain the whys and wherefores. :shocked:

[GeoffCee]

I am a helicopter mechanic by trade, electrician I am not. Anything that isn't plug and play electrically always worries me and on the Spyder will all of the electrical stuff on it worries me more an my 9.

I am not an electrician, either, but I know my way around wiring up the Nautilus, having just been through a steep learning curve with it. If you get nervous but don't mind an amateur's approach to electrics, drop me an e-mail when the time comes, I'd be happy to give you all my expertise -- it won't take more than a minute of your time. :roflblack:

[M109Dreamer]

I am not an electrician, either, but I know my way around wiring up the Nautilus, having just been through a steep learning curve with it. If you get nervous but don't mind an amateur's approach to electrics, drop me an e-mail when the time comes, I'd be happy to give you all my expertise -- it won't take more than a minute of your time. :roflblack:

I will do that, thanks.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[Questions]

My question to you is: the wires in pic 3, are they the wires from the stock horn and were they right there where you have them connected to the relay or did you have to fish them from elsewhere. I have the same horn but very little electrical knowledge, then how did you run the + wire to the Batt., and can I ground to any bolt or do I have to run that to the Batt. also? Thank you for your help!!



There is a space on the left side of the RT under the fascia trim which turns out to be perfect for mounting a 139dB Stebel Nautilus Dual-tone Air Horn.

For reasons not explained, the manufacturer would like the Nautilus to stand vertical side-to-side and fore-and-aft. The space I've chosen for this will acommodate the Nautilus as near perfectly upright as makes no difference!

Photo #1 shows the Nautilus. The yellow arrow points to a small cutout I made to the upper horn to allow it to slot around the left bracket. (See arrow in photo #4 for where this fits). The bright metal piece sticking up and out to the right of the horn is the mounting bracket I made out of aluminium.

Photo #2 shows the aluminium bracket holding the Nautilus in position. The bracket has to be cut as shown in photo #1 to allow the RT's fascia to be fastened in place. A hole has to to drilled into the projecting fascia support to allow a bolt through for the bracket and the relay.

Photo #3 Shows the Nautilus in position. Note the 2 blue Positaps taking the horn push wires to the relay. The RT's wire colors are Blue/beige (+) and Green/grey (-). Using a relay, (supplied with the Nautilus), to connect a 20amp supply direct from the battery is the prefered option. The wiring for the RT's existing horn is insufficient for prolonged use of the Stebel. For full volume output the horn manufacturer recommends a dedicated 20 amp supply.

Photo #4 shows the location I used. There are a pair of BRP brackets, (color-washed yellow), which it seems are not used for anything at all. The yellow arrow shows where the cut-out I made in the plastic of the upper Nautilus horn in photo #1 slots onto the bracket.

[ThreeWheels]

I have been searching for the reason that Stebel want their Nautilus mounted vertically, just out of interest, but I have been unable to find out why this is so. On a variety of motorcycle and vehicle websites there are plenty of examples available of the Nautilus being mounted in a variety of positions, and when space is tight the horn often ends up way off the vertical, as yours is. In the main this manufacture's requirement is being largely ignored, nevertheless the Nautilus appears well thought of by those who have bought it. It sure is LOUD! :f_spider:


If the unit is mounted upright, the piston inside the air pump is more reliable.
If you lay it on its side, the piston wears more on one side and fails prematurely.

[GeoffCee]

If the unit is mounted upright, the piston inside the air pump is more reliable.
If you lay it on its side, the piston wears more on one side and fails prematurely.

I'm happy there is a mechanical reason.
Premature failure is a bad thing. It happens before you expect it, that's for sure. :gaah:

[SpyderDog65]

I just installed my Stabel air horn on my 08 SE5 wow this is one loudass horn. Love it. :)

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

[GeoffCee]

My question to you is: the wires in pic 3, are they the wires from the stock horn and were they right there where you have them connected to the relay or did you have to fish them from elsewhere. I have the same horn but very little electrical knowledge, then how did you run the + wire to the Batt., and can I ground to any bolt or do I have to run that to the Batt. also? Thank you for your help!!

The wires from the stock horn are conveniently located pretty much where you see them in the photo - no fishing required! I found it an easy matter to run the ground wire from the Nautilus back to the battery where there is already a reliable grounding stud on the metal structure of the petrol tank.

Wiring the Nautilus

Starting with the basics, the relay supplied with the Stebel Nautilus horn is a solenoid-activated switch. Typically, a relay uses a low power circuit to control a high power circuit. The two circuits are separate and are wired through the relay separately.

The low power circuit for the relay already exists on the Spyder - it is the circuit which operates the stock horn when the horn button is pressed. Using Positaps to break into this will provide the relay's switching circuit with power. In addition to the Positaps you will also need a pair of insulated push-on connectors at the relay end.

The high power circuit is the one you have to introduce yourself using wires which are capable of carrying 25 amps. The Nautilus horn consumes about 18 amps, so a 25 amp wire provides a necessary safety margin. (Pushing high amperage down a wire which is not capable of carrying it will heat up the wire, destroy the insulation and it becomes a potential fire risk).

You will need two lengths of wire for this, I suggest red to supply a circuit from the battery (+) to the relay and black to connect an earth wire from the Nautilus (-) connector to the earthing point. You will also need high amperage push-on connectors at the relay end and also for the Nautilus's connections, an in-line fuse rated at 20 amps and a pair of insulated ring terminals to connect to the battery (+) and the earthing stud (-). I would recommend soldering your connectors, crimping is a poor substitute for solder unless carried out with professional crimping tools.

The relay's terminals are numbered. The numbering system used derives from German auto construction practices introduced many decades ago, but as obscure as this may seem today it remains a recognised standard of identifying which relay connections are which.

Terminals #85 and #86 are the low power switching circuit. Connect the Spyder's stock horn switch wires here. Terminal #85 conventionally goes to earth (-) but it will work either way round. When you press the horn switch on the handlebar it will send power through a solenoid inside the relay and activate (close) the high-power circuit.

Terminals #87 and #30 are the high power connections. Connect the (red) battery lead, which carries an in-line 20 amp fuse, to terminal #30. Connect relay terminal #87 to the Nautilus (+) connector.

Connect the Nautilus (-) connector to the battery earthing point with (black) 25 amp wire.

That's it. Tidy up the wiring and the job is done!

[kevorama]

Whew, what an experience! Of all the electrical mods that I've done, this has been the most aggravating. Installing the Stebel Nautilus in an RTS (with fog lights) is like putting 10 lbs. of potatoes in a 5 lb. sack. My install and GeoffCee's install are night and day apart. My install had a few more obstacles due to other electronics that I had already installed in the same area. Primarily, my power supply and receiver for my remote under lighting which, was installed where the Stebel should go.

My stock horn had two leads and plugs going to the horn, not one. There was a red+ and a black- plug. I had to reach in through the wheel well to reach these and pull them off of the horn. Removing the three push pins from the fascia that surrounds the fog light (the ones that are visible when the frunk lid is open) will allow you to use a coat hanger to pull the wires up in order to wield your magic. You'll only have about 2 or 3 inches of wire to work with. I cut the plugs off and spliced 12 gauge extensions on to them in order to reach the area where the Stebel will be mounted.

I did not pull the frunk for this mod. It's such a tight fit that I recommend that you don't pull the frunk. With the frunk still in place you know just how much room you have to work with. As mentioned before, I have other stuff in this area. The only way that I could make this horn fit within the 20° from vertical stance, that is recommended by the manufacturer, was to use 3M Double Sticky Velcro. By attaching the horn at two points with velcro, it is vibration resistant and firmly attached. Also, I rotated the horn so that the horn openings faced the honey combed air vent, which allows for more sound to emanate. it's loud and it's awesome!

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t432/kevorama1/StebelHornMount.jpg

Mounting the relay:

There are 4 bolts that attach the frunk at the top. I cut the corners off of the relay mounting tab, so that I could bolt it to the far right frunk bolt (as you are in front of the bike looking at it).

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t432/kevorama1/StebelRelay.jpg

GeoffCee had noticed that I had left my relay tabs without anything protecting them from a short. Fortunately, the location that I installed the relay at allowed me to just pull the black accessory panel in order to remove it and apply heat shrink tubing over the connections. Thanks for the suggestion, Geoff!

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t432/kevorama1/RelayLocation.jpg

This is a poor picture, but you get the idea.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t432/kevorama1/HeatShrinkTheRelayTabs.jpg

You have to pull several panels off of the bike to do this. If you are thinking of installing a horn that gets attention and you've never taken any panels off, then check out Lamont's video on removing panels.

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?29642-RT-panels-off-and-on-video&highlight=removing+panels

To add insult to injury, after 6 hours of doing this install... once all the panels were back on, I had a screw left over. I'm pretty sure where I left one out and it's not critical. I'll put it back in the next time I have to pull almost all of the panels off.

The following two pics are from Stebel on wiring diagrams. If you aren't comfy with doing you're own electrical work on the Spyder, these diagrams should help you to decide if you're capable of this or not. I wish you luck and much patience. :thumbup:

A side note:

The inline fuse circuit that I had run from the battery to my under lighting only had a 3A fuse in it. To keep from running another inline fuse for the Stebel, I placed a 30A where the 3A was and cut the + line and pigtailed another inline fuse with the 3A just before the under lighting PSU and after the Stebel + line.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t432/kevorama1/StebelDiagramNautilus.jpg


http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t432/kevorama1/StebelWiringSchematic.jpg

[kevorama]

Looking at the photo of your relay I would suggest you put some insulating tape or heat-shrink sleeving around the exposed metal on the relay's push-on connectors. You have a 30 amp fused open circuit to the battery on at least one of those push-ons. Better safe than sorry. :lecturef_smilie:

Geoff, I couldn't agree more. I don't know why I didn't do that while it was still easily accessible. Hopefully, my location of the relay will allow me to access it with only the removal of the accessory cover. I'll post the new pic, provided I can get to it today. Thanks for the heads up! :opps:

[Bob Denman]

Since one of these horns is now a WinterTime project; I'm sure to be emailing you guys with tons of questions! ;)

[budro]

Would these horns not be annoying, and irritating to the general public. With their very high decibel level ?----Budro

[cjackg]

Would these horns not be annoying, and irritating to the general public. With their very high decibel level ?----Budro

Hopefully !

[kevorama]

Would these horns not be annoying, and irritating to the general public. With their very high decibel level ?----Budro


Hopefully !

I believe that is the working principle behind the design. Nothing like the look on a drivers face that's texting when I blast my Nautilus. :thumbup:

[Bob Denman]

That's my theory as well...
Leave the stupid home, and the horn doesn't get tickled...:thumbup:

[ringalls51]

I installed the horn just like the instruction stated. just like your project. every time I touch the wire to the battery the horn blows. had someone else look at it and he stated I was installed just like the instruction stated. so what could the problem be. don't understand. something I did find out the red wire is hot all the time on the stock horn when you take a tester to it and the - wire black wire is also hot. so when you push the horn button it is neg. to complete the circuit. the horn blows. have any ideas. help.

[kevorama]

I installed the horn just like the instruction stated. just like your project. every time I touch the wire to the battery the horn blows. had someone else look at it and he stated I was installed just like the instruction stated. so what could the problem be. don't understand. something I did find out the red wire is hot all the time on the stock horn when you take a tester to it and the - wire black wire is also hot. so when you push the horn button it is neg. to complete the circuit. the horn blows. have any ideas. help.

Are you using the relay that came with the Stebel or are you hooking it up to the bikes existing relay? I used the relay that Stebel sent with the package and had no problems. There are 4 tabs on that relay. Two are for the + and - from the horn, another tab is for the + from the battery and the last tab gets grounded to the frame. I installed a 30A inline fuse close to the battery for my + from the battery.

[Bob Denman]

Geoffcee did a lot of legwork on installing a Stebel; send him a PM. :thumbup:

[ringalls51]

yes I the relay that came with the horn. tried again as instruction it still blows when I connect to battery. the relay must be bad I guess

[kevorama]

yes I the relay that came with the horn. tried again as instruction it still blows when I connect to battery. the relay must be bad I guess

ringalls51, sorry I couldn't have been more help. That's the only thing that I could think of that you did not mention. I'm clueless.

[GeoffCee]

yes I the relay that came with the horn. tried again as instruction it still blows when I connect to battery. the relay must be bad I guess

It's vital that you wire up to the numbered terminals on the relay correctly. Your description of the fault indicates that the horn is getting a supply of juice without the horn button being pushed. It could be a bad relay with the solenoid stuck in the closed position across terminals 87 and 30, or 85 and 86. You can check these with a meter or alternatively use a lump of wire, a battery and a torch bulb.

Really bad luck if the relay turns out to be faulty, these things are massed produced in their thousands and to hit on a bad one has to be the exception. But it could happen.

[Flanker]

Nice install.....................hoping I can pirate some of it for my RSS. I've got a Stebel left over from my M109 project last year........................and the stock RSS horn is so lame; I might just as well yell honk, honk! ;)

[cjackg]

yes I the relay that came with the horn. tried again as instruction it still blows when I connect to battery. the relay must be bad I guess

I have had Stebel horns on two RTs so far, both without a relay and with no problems. I simply plugged the OEM connectors into the Stebel.
I have never had a blown fuse or related problem with the horn without the relay. So, the simple approach really does work.
Maybe you need to take a step back !

[Flanker]

I'm mounting my Stebel to my '12 SM5 RSS. I've got the panels off, and dismounted the stock horn and it's mounting bracket; they're mounted to the left (clutch) side of the trunk. There are two wires/plugs to the stock horn, a green wire and orange/white stripe wire. The wires, plugs, and stock horn terminals are not marked as positive or negative. Are they both hot, or is one a ground (earth to you UK guys) wire? Per the posts above; I assume one of them goes to the high load terminal on the Stebel's relay block, where the heck would the other one go? TY! UPDATE: Disregard..................I reread Geoff's earlier post about what all the terminals on the Stebel relay block are for, I see both my wires attach to 85 & 86..................if it don't work one way.............I'll just switch 'em around and see how that works.

[Flanker]

Well, that was fun :p..........................or not. Got the Stebel, relay, and all the wiring installed. Had to make three parts runs, one for 14 gage red & black wire, a second for a mounting strap/rail for the Stebel, nuts & bolts, Loc Tite thread locker, and the third because the Velcro and double sided mounting tape I "thought" I had..............I don't, or have misplaced it. :cus:, :cus:. When I power the Spyder up, and press the horn button; all it does is click with each horn button press. The first time, I figured I had the two stock horn leads attached bass ackwards on the 85 & 86 relay terminals, so I switched them.............the :cus: thing (relay) still just clicks with each press of the horn button. Didn't notice any codes or alarm icons on the dash board read outs. Thoughts, or suggestions? When I get back into it tomorrow; I'll follow up on suggestions, and I think I'm going to try Jack's wiring solution, and disconnect the relay entirely and run the stock horn leads directly to the Stebel.

[jthornton]

and I think I'm going to try Jack's wiring solution, and disconnect the relay entirely and run the stock horn leads directly to the Stebel.

If the Stebel draws more current than the stock horn you might let the magic smoke out of the stock relay...

I'm guessing you don't have a multi-meter? You can get one for <$20 at places like Sears, auto parts stores etc. that would at least help you test for polarity and volts.

If you can hear the relay click then the logical place to look is the hot from the battery through the 30amp fuse to the relay contact. This is where a meter comes in handy. I don't remember the terminal number on the relay from the wiring diagram on page 1 but if you set the meter to DC and touch the ground terminal on the battery with the black lead (usually) and touch the terminal on the relay you should read 12 volts. If not then the problem is in that wire.

JT

[Flanker]

Thanks for the response and advice! Been meanin' to buy a multi meter for the last 30 years..........LOL! Bea good tool to have in the box; seems like once or twice a year I wish I had one. Anyway..............I went out this AM, and yanked the Stebel relay, and plugged the stock horn wires (they even had the right plugs to fit the Stebel terminals) onto the Stebel. OMG!! As the kids say.....................sound like a very ill goose trying to vomit (like I've heard that sound a lot :joke:), pretty disappointed; then the little light bulb went on over my head. Switch the wires on the terminals dummy! Much better! Should be able to freak people out, get idiot drivers on their cells attention (before they run me over I hope), and cause nervous people to soil themselves! w00t! Pics of my install on my '12 RSS below. http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z139/FlankerDFR/StockHornLoc1.jpg (http://s193.photobucket.com/user/FlankerDFR/media/StockHornLoc1.jpg.html) Stock horn location.http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z139/FlankerDFR/MountingBracket1.jpg (http://s193.photobucket.com/user/FlankerDFR/media/MountingBracket1.jpg.html)Stebel mounting bracket; made of two starter mortor shims http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z139/FlankerDFR/MBMountingLoc1.jpg (http://s193.photobucket.com/user/FlankerDFR/media/MBMountingLoc1.jpg.html) Stebel mounting bracket location http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z139/FlankerDFR/BrktonStebel1.jpg (http://s193.photobucket.com/user/FlankerDFR/media/BrktonStebel1.jpg.html) Stebel with bracket http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z139/FlankerDFR/StebelMtingLoc1.jpg (http://s193.photobucket.com/user/FlankerDFR/media/StebelMtingLoc1.jpg.html) Stebel in place http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z139/FlankerDFR/RelayMtingLoc1.jpg (http://s193.photobucket.com/user/FlankerDFR/media/RelayMtingLoc1.jpg.html) Relay mounting location before it was tosse din favor of attaching stock horn wires directly to Stebel terminals

[Green RSS]

Nice install. Very professional looking. :thumbup:

[stallion143]

I opened up my RT and decided on a different mounting location for my Stebel air horn...I removed the stock horn, found a heavy duty bracket I had laying around, and bent it to fit the area. I did have to trim about 1/4" of plastic to get it to fit, but I think it turned out good!

As previous posts mention, BE SURE you follow the wiring instructions...I did run #12 wires from the + and - of the battery and installed a 20 amp in-line fuse on the positive wire between the battery post and #30 on the relay.

This install won't work if you have or plan on installing factory fog lights. There is no problem with clearance or vibration if you don't have the factory fog lights...

Good luck with your installation of this VERY LOUD horn! :thumbup:

[SNOOPY]

I'm having a time finding a place for my Stebel on my ST-S. :banghead:

Looking at the pics here, the RTs have way more room behind plastic than I do and the RS pictured has way less wiring than I have in that area.

only options I can see at the moment is either cut up and epoxy in an area in the frunk for the horn :yikes:, or mount it under the bike somewhere and hope it lasts as it weathers.

There also "looks" like some room directly under the middle of the lights, but have the bike has to come apart to get to it...hate to go through that trouble if it doesn't fit.

[Copperman]

I few years ago I installed a Stebel air horn on my Suzuki Boulevard and I used a "Universal Plug-n-Play Wiring Harness for Motorcycle Air Horns" that I bought on Amazon. It cost 20 dollars but was worth every penny. It's plug-n-play and a very fast install (the wiring part). I guess you could buy all the pieces and parts and make a harness yourself, but why? This is a time saver. And remember folks... Time is money!

I think I just talked myself into another farkle.

[dizzyspots]

Just finished my install...2012 RT LTD with fog lights...disconnected stock horn wires...had to fish them up thru and out of a couple of wire clips..plenty of slack..connected them to the Nautilus...found space to install at the rear of the upper panel..against a steel bracket with a ledge..HD velcro and up against the heavy foam padding...works great and LOUD!! Easy and simple...took longer to r&r the panels than it did to install the horn!

[Biosafena]

Just finished my install...2012 RT LTD with fog lights...disconnected stock horn wires...had to fish them up thru and out of a couple of wire clips..plenty of slack..connected them to the Nautilus...found space to install at the rear of the upper panel..against a steel bracket with a ledge..HD velcro and up against the heavy foam padding...works great and LOUD!! Easy and simple...took longer to r&r the panels than it did to install the horn!

I hope the supplied relay was used, as I don't believe the factory wiring/switch are heavy enough to be used directly on the Stebel horn. They are acceptable to trigger the relay, but power needs to be supplied from the battery or a separate fuse block.


Sent from the corner of walk and don't walk....

[dizzyspots]

I would assume the factory uses a relay between the switch and the horn .....correct?

[WARWAGON]

Picture?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[cjackg]

I hope the supplied relay was used, as I don't believe the factory wiring/switch are heavy enough to be used directly on the Stebel horn. They are acceptable to trigger the relay, but power needs to be supplied from the battery or a separate fuse block.


I whole heartedly Disagree! So far, I have owned two RTs and installed a Stebel on both of them with no extra wiring or relays whatsoever and simply plugged the Stebel onto the same connections used for the oem Horn... and never had a problem at all and no blown fuses etc. The oem horn wiring is on a circuit heavy enough to handle the Stebel. Maybe you could stress it if you held the horn button down for a very extended period of time, but in normal use I have never had a blown fuse or any other related problem on either RT.... I know of several other RT owners who have done the same thing!

I could also tell you how to considerably simplify mounting the Stebel, but it wouldnt stand up to the complex engineering most folks seem to want to undertake in mounting this horn!

[SNOOPY]

I could also tell you how to considerably simplify mounting the Stebel, but it wouldnt stand up to the complex engineering most folks seem to want to undertake in mounting this horn!


It it would be easy to mount the horn on the handlebars w a hose clamp. :roflblack:

But those of us who "engineered" our placement would rather it be hidden away.

For me it was very hard to find a place on a ST-S that it would even fit.

[WARWAGON]

I whole heartedly Disagree! So far, I have owned two RTs and installed a Stebel on both of them with no extra wiring or relays whatsoever and simply plugged the Stebel onto the same connections used for the oem Horn... and never had a problem at all and no blown fuses etc. The oem horn wiring is on a circuit heavy enough to handle the Stebel. Maybe you could stress it if you held the horn button down for a very extended period of time, but in normal use I have never had a blown fuse or any other related problem on either RT.... I know of several other RT owners who have done the same thing!

I could also tell you how to considerably simplify mounting the Stebel, but it wouldnt stand up to the complex engineering most folks seem to want to undertake in mounting this horn!

Please advise, I just order one and anything that speeds up install I in favor of.



Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[SNOOPY]

Please advise, I just order one and anything that speeds up install I in favor of.



Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


What model do you have?

Hard to get a good place on a ST-S, but I hear there is more room on a RT to mount.

[WARWAGON]

What model do you have?

Hard to get a good place on a ST-S, but I hear there is more room on a RT to mount.

I have a 2012RT.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[jwulf74]

I would assume the factory uses a relay between the switch and the horn .....correct?

I'm not exactly sure, but I remember that others had issues like blowing fuses and just not getting enough current to the stebel. I used the supplied relay and just tapped the factory wires to run my Stebel. I left the factory in so both horns actually blow. :thumbup:

[cjackg]

I'm not exactly sure, but I remember that others had issues like blowing fuses and just not getting enough current to the stebel. I used the supplied relay and just tapped the factory wires to run my stable. I left the factory in so both horns actually blow. :thumbup:

I have not heard of any spyder owners having "issues like blowing fuses" from using only the oem wiring, but I have heard that using both horns together (oem+Stebel) with a relay is the loudest combination of all...

[bn2wild]

Photo #3 Shows the Nautilus in position. The RT's wire colors are Blue/beige (+) and Green/grey (-).

Well I am having difficulty determining this combination of colors on my 2012 RTS Limited.
Perhaps green/white & blue/burgundy?
Below are the colors of the harness coming down from the windshield area along with it's factory part number:

9186891869
Or is it one of the other 2 harnesses?

[GeoffCee]

Well I am having difficulty determining this combination of colors on my 2012 RTS Limited.
Perhaps green/white & blue/burgundy?
Below are the colors of the harness coming down from the windshield area along with it's factory part number:

9186891869
Or is it one of the other 2 harnesses?

Thanks for your PM. Sorry, but I can't tell where you are with all those wires!

For my Nautilus fit I simply located the OEM horn wires, there are only two, an earth and a supply. The horn push makes and breaks the horn circuit on the negative side. The horn has a permanent live, which is how come you can use it even when the Spyder is switched off. Great for passing vandals to play with!

Finding them couldn't be easier, there is a convenient 2-wire in-line connector right where you need it, one side coming from the horn push-button and the other side of the connector going to the horn itself.

I unfastened the connector to take the OEM horn out of use and Positapped into the push-button side (as shown in the photo) and used these 2 wires to trigger the relay.

So far as I'm aware there is no difference in UK wiring compared to North American wiring except that in the UK we run separate lamps for our dipped and main beams.

There may be a difference in wiring and wiring colours between 2011 and 2012 RT models, I just don't know.

Come back to me if you're still having a problem with this.

Geoff.

[dallidion]

yes I the relay that came with the horn. tried again as instruction it still blows when I connect to battery. the relay must be bad I guess

[Ben Burped]

Thank you for taking the time to show how to mount the horn. My dad taught me decades ago that "if it isn't made then make it yourself" and I had lost that outlook for the Can Am. Thanks for taking me back to my creative roots.:bowdown:

[Spyder 42]

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