How to Upgrade your Standard Horn (Mazda 3)
The Factory Mazda 3 Horn is arse its the first thing that really peeved me about my car!
What you will need.
- New 12V Horns any type you like - Narva Fanfares
* I used these, I believe they didn't sound too Electric or too Airhorn Like
- A Spanner Set
- A Socket Set
- A Screw Driver Set
- 3 Metres of Wire to be used as +12V Feed ( I usually Used Yellow or Red for this ) - I used 3.5mm or 4mm I cant recall exactly
- 1/2 Metre of Wire to be used Negative Ground Wire ( I Usally Blue or Black or Green)
- A Decent Crimping Tool - Like this one
- Female Spade Crimp Connectors with the Blue Coloured Plastic - they will be the Correct Size (Get a few of these just to be safe)
- Ring End Crimp Connectors (Blue Coloured Plastic also)
- 12V Normal Relay Suited for up to 30A - EG - Narva Normal Open 4
- Inline Blade Fuse Holder & a 15A Blade Fuse - one of these would be fine
- Soldering Iron and Solder
- Heat Shrink
- 1 x M6 Bolt/Capscrew
For Tidying and Securing purposes
- Zip Ties
- Electrical Tape
- Crinkle Tube
Step 1: - Remove your Front Bumper (I will not outline this as there are plenty of guides about)
On the Right hand Side infront of the Wheel Arch you will see your Stock Standard Horn Mounted on a Zinc Steel Bracket (This is how the Horn is Earthed)
Standard Horn
http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/q...h_DSC00746.jpg
The above will be Soon replaced with these below
http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/q...h_DSC00745.jpg
I did Install in to the Stock Location with a New 12VFeed & Relay just to be on the Safe Side as the Standard Wire is pretty wimpy in comparison
Some People Else Where choose to put the new horns mounted on the Impact Bar so they are visable in the front Grille.
I undid the Centre bolt that held on the existing horn and removed It, Placed the new horn in and hooked the supplied horn bracket over the threaded Section and then fastened it all back up.
This allowed me to mount the Secondary horn close by and daisy chain the Earths of the individual horns. you can see below I had bent the bracket for Clearances.
http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/q...N/DSC00747.jpg
And I had Pre Cut Two Segments of Yellow +'ve Wires and pre crimped the ends that connect to the Horn(s) leave the other Ends Uncrimped untill we put the Relay in place. Once you have Placed your Relay you can Strip the Ends of both Yellow Wires and Crimp Both in Tandem in to a Single Blue Crimp be sure you have enough length for these to reach and plug in securely to Terminal 86 on the Relay
Directly above where the Two Horns are Suspended there is a Bracket that comes off the Chassis Rail that has an unpopulated Thread. I used that point there in conjunction with a M6 Cap Screw to Secure the Relay conveniently close to the horns!
Wiring of the Relay
http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/q...h_DSC00748.jpg http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/q...h_DSC00749.jpg http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/q...h_DSC00750.jpg
The Skinny Red Wire with the Silver Stripe that is Dangling in the Picture can also be connected up to Terminal 30 on the Relay this will now be your Trigger Wire
http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/q...h_DSC00752.jpg http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/q...h_DSC00753.jpg http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/q...h_DSC00754.jpg http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/q...h_DSC00755.jpg
In the Above Pictures I have Used a Ring Connector (That will fit over one of the Threaded Positive Terminals on the battery) Crimped that to the Inline Blade Connector. soldered a Lenght of Yellow Wire to the Other end of the Blade Fuse connector and then Concealed it all in a Crinkle tube. so it didnt stick out like dogs balls in the engine bay. Connect the Ring Connector to the Positive Terminal Now!.
Find the best way to run it from inside the battery box and all the way down in to the wheel well, cable tie various sections in place to keep it all in place and tidy. Once successfully at the wheel well Cut wire to the perfect Length Strip and Crimp the End and proceed to Connect to Terminal 85.
(NB Don't have your fuse in the blade fuse holder yet.. you might electrocute yourself or Arcweld a Spanner to your Chassis rail :-P)
Last step of the Wiring is to Cut a Short Length of Negative/Earth Wiring no more than 15cms would be required. Crimp a Female Spade to One End and a Ring Connector to the other and connect like in the above photos (see the blue wire as the example) Plug the Female Spade End to Terminal 87. This allows for the Trigger Wire to go to ground and actually Energise the relay switching mechanisim.
Now Place your 15A Blade Fuse in and Ensure everything is plugged up give your horn a stab... if you have Plugged everything up as stated you should shit yourself at how loud your horn is now and no longer "girly/oxford street" sounding as it once was!
Just as a reference
Terminal 30 - Plug the old horn power wire here.
Terminal 87 - To Chassis Ground
Terminal 85 - To 12V+ Fused , Sourced straight from battery
Terminal 86 - To the +'ve of the item/appliance to be powered when relay is switched
Good Luck with the Re Assembly of everythign else
Zip Tie anything up you feel is loose and untidy and check all bolts are nice and tight.. and away you go
BEEP BEEP :burnout:
