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[RoadKingHog]

Has anyone had any experience (clearance problems) with attaching a Howard Horn assembly to the 110 engine?  My wife had the trumpet air horn on her Fatboy and would like it installed on her Softail Convertible (FLSTSE) but I am very reluctant due to the oversize of the 110 heads.  I'm thinking there is not sufficient clearance to allow for movement (engine vibration or a hard bump on the road) which will cause the upper horn trumpet to make contact with the front cylinder head or the horn attach bracket assembly at the rear cylinder head.

I've tried adding a few washers at the bike horn mounting bolt stud but it only moved it out 1/4 inch.  I think I need approximately 3/4 inch clearance to allow for normal vibration clearance.  Any ideas??  My next step is to do some serious tinkering with the horn assembly where it attaches to the bike mount bracket.

I would appreciate any suggestions (short of going with a completely different horn assembly.)  I've attached a photo of the installed horn assembly on the bike for reference only.  I've also posted a couple of added photos individually (I don't know how to do multiple photos as one attachment.)

Thanks

[RoadKingHog]

Here's a view of the close clearance at the trumpets.

[RoadKingHog]

This is a photo of the horn assembly attach bracket/clearance at the rear cylinder.

[grc]

I have no experience mounting that type of horn, but thought I'd throw this idea out anyway.  Rather than look to space the entire horn assembly outboard, why not look at modifying the angle of the mounting bracket so the front of the horn is angled outboard while the rear section remains basically in the same position?  It wouldn't take much of an angle to get you your desired clearance, and the rear of the horn wouldn't stick out any further to rub your leg.  Just a thought.


Jerry

[SmileMaker]

Another possibility is to mount the bracket backwards (180 rotation). Then mount the horns to the bracket.

[RoadKingHog]

Thanks.  It's tricky.  Unfortunately the original chromed bracket is only finished (polished on the side mounted out.)  The rubberized bike frame wafer/stud (bolt) provides a lot of "bounce" movement so I may try replacing it with something a little more rigid; or I was thinking of somehow extending the frame mount bolt with some type of female threaded sleeve that could accomodate an added [threaded] short stud.

My last resort may be to dissasemble the entire horn assembly at the bracket and re-build with longer bolts with built-up spacers that will "set out" the horn away from the bike with a little more space. 

thanks,
D.S.

[harlee79]

I could be wrong, but arn't those the metal arts horns and not Howards?