DOT inspection..Horn?

every time I've been DOT'ed they would ask to hear the horn I always pull the air horn cause my electric works but sounds really bad. I've never had a problem.
The first thing I would check is the horn itself, easy to do with a test light and a helper.
When I go to replace mine think I'll get 1 of those AHHOOOGGA horns!!!

 

And if you click on "Interpretation" You'll see >>>>

Question 1: Do the FMCSRs specify what type of horn is to be used on a CMV?
Guidance: No.
Question 2: Are there established criteria in the FMCSRs to determine the minimum sound level of horns on CMVs?
Guidance: No.
______________________________--
So I guess a "0" sound level is ok then !

 

I have always disconnected mine on my trucks cause I get tired of honking at people while do paperwork When getting insp pull the air horn and have only had one officer ask about the city , I told him why it didn't work he laughed and went on to the next thing.

 

That could be entertaining!

 

hell i drove around briefly without an *air* horn, and i had people tell me the city horn was all ya need....i think thats bull though.

but yeah, i never checked the air horn when i picked up a new truck, i figured they couldnt break. I was wrong. It found a way to fall off!


That said, i used to have a freightliner that when it rained the city horn started honking itself.

 

I always thought the electric and air horns were required But I cannot locate anything to substantiate that. This is all I have found in the VC regarding horns, it goes on to require back alarms and video cameras on trash trucks. Maybe another on of the old wives tales, or trucker tails in this case. Interesting in a weird way.


California Vehicle Code:
Horns or Warning Devices

27000. (a) A motor vehicle, when operated upon a highway, shall be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than 200 feet, but no horn shall emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound. An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with, and use in conjunction with the siren on that vehicle, an air horn that emits sounds that do not comply with the requirements of this section.

<<SNIPPED fron CA.GOV Pretrip>> http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/cdl_htm/sec11.htm#guides
Horn

Check that air horn and/or electric horn work. and / or kind of means pick one to me..

 

Do you want fixed right or fixed too pass the voltion, most horns are 12 volts, get on off a caddy at bonyard, super loud, get some wire, and while at auto store get one those big black push button swicth, i belive the little green book says a city horn must be working, so what i did i mounted the that caddy horn too resv washer bottle bracket , ran wires too that black button swicth i mounted off too left of my foot too floor and ran wires back too fuse box with the postive with fuse inline, when he say city horn i just press on that with foot and one day i think i scared him cause he jumped back , he said that was a loud city horn, i just said i went by little green book, didnt say what kind of city horn, ,

 

As long as you have a working horn, You're fine. It's not a violation to only have one or the other working.

And we wonder why people think that truckers are ########!

No...It's not!

I've had them ask me before and sometimes it even works but if it doesn't...They always just say OK.

Who told you that?

The law reads that you have to have a working horn, Not that you have to have a working electric horn.
Besides...The air horns on my truck came on it from the factory and regardless whether they were optional equipment or not, They are factory installed horns and therefore fullfill the legal requirement for a working horn.

Amazingly childish.

I'd love to see them write that up...

That's the reality right there!

And THAT'S THE LAW! Thanks for beating me to the punch on that...I so hate lookin' that stuff up!