Not so horny anymore.

[Optimus🤖]

I do appreciate the help but where are you connecting to the battery as I thought the upfitter was supplying the power. This is what I just found and don’t see where it goes to the battery, unless I am missing it. Sorry for the lack of understanding.

Correct. I just mentioned the battery if you didn't want to use the upfitter.

Ditch the external relays. You don't need them if you are just using the upfitter switch. Combine the power by taking the positive wires coming off both MotoHorns and "Y" them together. Connect that "Y" directly to the Upfitter 1 wire under the hood (or Aux 5/6 if you want to use the 40-amp switches just to be extra safe).

Ground them out. Route the negative wires from both horns to a solid, bare-metal ground on the frame.

 

[Tightlines]

Correct. I just mentioned the battery if you didn't want to use the upfitter.

Ditch the external relays. You don't need them if you are just using the upfitter switch. Combine the power by taking the positive wires coming off both MotoHorns and "Y" them together. Connect that "Y" directly to the Upfitter 1 wire under the hood (or Aux 5/6 if you want to use the 40-amp switches just to be extra safe).

Ground them out. Route the negative wires from both horns to a solid, bare-metal ground on the frame.

Thanks again. I do plan to use the relay so I can use my stock horn when off.

 

[Optimus🤖]

Thanks again. I do plan to use the relay so I can use my stock horn when off.

You're welcome! I understand it can be confusing amongst different installs. Whether it's an upfitter, a seperate button, or using an upfitter to turn on the horns while still using the steering wheel horn, etc.

Keep us posted my friend!

 

[SWFLGuy]

Reviving a thread here. I just bought 2 motohorns and want to be able to use stock when I want and flip switch to use all.
That’s just routing the horns to upfitter switch 6 if I read right? I don’t need to purchase anything else that I can see?
Where have you guys been installing them? They’re on the way so I haven’t been able to mock up anything.

 

[Toxophilite]

@SWFLGuy -

Good timing, I just put this together for another member.

Here is how you need to wire up an aftermarket horn and use an upfitter to activate it when you depress your normal horn. You will need a standard 40 amp relay.

Use can use 18 gauge wire for tapping into the factory horn wires.

The part that confuses most people is how your factory horn is wired. It does not have a full time positive and a full time negative wire going to it. It has two negative wires going to it, and one of those turns into a positive wire when the horn is activated. For your Super Duty, there are two wires going to the horns. The one that is reddish/brown is the one that will turn to the positive.

Once this is wired up, your factory horn will work like normal when the upfitter is off. When the upfitter switch in on, both your factory horn and the aftermarket horn will sound when you depress the horn on the steering wheel.

I have mine on upfitter 1 and i just leave it on full time. The power is cut with the ignition. It does not matter which upfitter you use, but I do not recommend using upfitter 5 or 6 and having those on full time. This may result in parasitic draw and kill your battery.

All of this can be done without removing the factory horn. You just need to tap into the wires.

With that said, since you will be in there anyway, it might a good time to either move the factory horn or block off access to the wires. Thieves like to reach through the grill and cut them so they can break into the vehicle without the horn going off.

 

[SWFLGuy]

So I need a 40 amp relay and some 18 gauge then, what’s the best (safest so I don’t screw up my truck wiring) way to tap into these wires?
I appreciate your help, my comfort level messing with my wiring isn’t very high

 

[Toxophilite]

So I need a 40 amp relay and some 18 gauge then, what’s the best (safest so I don’t screw up my truck wiring) way to tap into these wires?
I appreciate your help, my comfort level messing with my wiring isn’t very high

I recommend these taps:

https://www.amazon.com/Posi-tap-Connectors-16-18-Gauge-Wire/dp/B004D0C18C/ref=sr_1_2?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.mNFKaa1Zv4FQyNfv708KHP68YUNLMkq9ApIE2tXXac8jS6Cq230ZXEb54YtCnB9ZuPGZoAtkYd2rkPIARmJ1CyCJoQ_PLsXmGwdiKZz76b5cTW8MJhV2uOaGLSQd42qWAW51L4rwzKBGleWSShq27BxN0u-lvn-LPt-ctUojqSBGkUyHdks343HQy9Y9O3y1l3cMdLpph2Ac_HoXXhwhAQlC_CIqm1WIzEXK6cf3Bs4.gL_kUo0XZTrsUr8_fFEAFQ8VZL2T5vxURYnbqfapU5I&dib_tag=se&keywords=wire+tap+barrel&qid=1791472878&sr=8-2

You will need some 14 gauge wire for the connections between the relay and the upfitter & train horn. You will also need at least 4 female post connectors for the connections to the relay. You will also need a connector for the upfitter wire.

SInce all of these connections are somewhat exposed to the elements, I recommend you use heat shrink crimp connectors or other weather resistant connections.

To tap the wires without moving your factory horn you can remove the large plastic cover above your grill in the engine bay. There is about a dozen push pins that hold it down. Once this is removed, it exposes a hole that you can reach through and unplug the passenger side horn (there are two horns down there you just need to remove the plug from one of them). The plug has a clip on that needs to be slid back before you can depress it and pull the plug off. Once the plug is removed, you will need to free up a clip that is holding the wire plug harness in place. If you have a trim tool, this works well, but a flathead screwdriver can work too.

Once this is done, you can pull the plug up through the same hole that the hood latch goes through. There should be enough room for you to remove a few inches of the tape on the plug harness, exposing the two wires that go to the horn (the black and the reddish/brown wires). Tap into these (do not cut them) with the wire taps and run the wires to the appropriate posts on the relay.

It sounds more complicated when you read it than it really is.

Once the wire taps are in, you can plug harness back into the horn and then route the two tap wires to wherever you will be mounting the relay.

The rest is just making the other two connections to the relay (upfitter and aftermarket horn positive with the 14 gauge wire). The last thing is to connect the negative from the aftermarket horn to ground (chassis or battery).

Keep us posted on the install.

 

[SWFLGuy]

Thank you very much for the very informative answers, I really appreciate it.

 

[SWFLGuy]

Is there a particular relay that is suggested for this? And what are female post connectors?
I’m not quite as dumb as I sound but electrical on my vehicle is a different ballgame than I’m used to.

 

[Toxophilite]

Thank you very much for the very informative answers, I really appreciate it.

Limitless also makes a harness for this exact thing, but you still need to do most of the same work in reaching the horn wires and tapping into them. My method achieves the same thing, but costs way way less.

Now, I always have relays, wires and connectors on hand, so this was basically a no cost install for me.

However, if you are more comfortable with the Limitless option, here it is:

2023-Present Ford Super Duty Train Horn Integration Harness

This PLUG and PLAY harness allows you to integrate an aftermarket train horn to work with your original horn button in the steering wheel when the upfitter or customer supplied switch is activated. FITS 2023-Present FORD SUPER DUTY / Alumiduty trucks.

limitlessautoworksllc.com

 

[NEOHIO]

Is there a particular relay that is suggested for this? And what are female post connectors?
I’m not quite as dumb as I sound but electrical on my vehicle is a different ballgame than I’m used to.

Any "Bosch style 30/40a" relay should work.
There are weather proof options on Amazon, I can't recommend one of another though.

 

[NEOHIO]

Limitless also makes a harness for this exact thing, but you still need to do most of the same work in reaching the horn wires and tapping into them. My method achieves the same thing, but costs way way less.

However, is an option if you are more comfortable with it:

2023-Present Ford Super Duty Train Horn Integration Harness

This PLUG and PLAY harness allows you to integrate an aftermarket train horn to work with your original horn button in the steering wheel when the upfitter or customer supplied switch is activated. FITS 2023-Present FORD SUPER DUTY / Alumiduty trucks.

limitlessautoworksllc.com

Ouch.....

I can build a jumper for the horn, With 48" leads to connect up to a relay by the upfitter switches for much less. ALOT less.

 

[Toxophilite]

Ouch.....

I can build a jumper for the horn, With 48" leads to connect up to a relay by the upfitter switches for much less. ALOT less.

Ouch is exactly right - That is why I built my own.

I am not nor sure if the Limitless one requires you to tap into the horn wires, or if it comes with pre tapped male and female plugs already (hopefully it does), but $135 was a lot more than I was willing to pay for something that (for me) was pretty easy.

I am sure there are quite a few folks who would be interested in a Neohio version! Your stuff is always top notch.

 

[NEOHIO]

Ouch is exactly right - That is why I built my own.

I am not nor sure if the Limitless one requires you to tap into the horn wires, or if it comes with pre tapped male and female plugs already (hopefully it does), but $135 was a lot more than I was willing to pay for something that (for me) was pretty easy.

I am sure there are quite a few folks who would be interested in a Neohio version! Your stuff is always top notch.

Making the jumper is the easy part. It is hard to find decent waterproof relays that a company can stand behind.

 

[Toxophilite]

Making the jumper is the easy part. It is hard to find decent waterproof relays that a company can stand behind.

FWIW - I have a bunch of extras ones form all of the Baja Lights that came with harnesses. I would assume those are waterproof? I hope so because that’s what I used!

They look to be fully sealed

 

[NEOHIO]

FWIW - I have a bunch of extras ones form all of the Baja Lights that came with harnesses. I would assume those are waterproof? I hope so because that’s what I used!

They look to be fully sealed

This is what I mean by fully sealed.

Available here, But they list Hella or equivalent. Hella is a trusted name, but no clue who "equivalent" is. I admittedly haven't dug too deep into finding a supplier for these parts.

 

[SWFLGuy]

Ouch.....

I can build a jumper for the horn, With 48" leads to connect up to a relay by the upfitter switches for much less. ALOT less.

I’d be interested if you’d choose to do so.

 

[Toxophilite]

This is what I mean by fully sealed.
View attachment 274680

Available here, But they list Hella or equivalent. Hella is a trusted name, but no clue who "equivalent" is. I admittedly haven't dug too deep into finding a supplier for these parts.

Got it, that’s definitely more sealed than what I am running. I can see what you’re going for, but man that seems a little overkill. If it was going to be in submerged water at times I could see the need for that design. But you sir are the expert!

 

[NEOHIO]

I’d be interested if you’d choose to do so.

Let me take some measurements and order some parts.

Got it, that’s definitely more sealed than what I am running. I can see what you’re going for, but man that seems a little overkill. If it was going to be in submerged water at times I could see the need for that design. But you sir are the expert!

Far from an expert. I want to associate my name with product(s) I know will last at least a year!
I sold Western Snow plows when I was younger, you would be amazed the amount of corrosion issues a 18-24 month old plow would have if not taken care of.

 

[Toxophilite]

Got it. Remember that
I live in AZ so the snow plow analogy is lost on me .