Installed Second Horn (Hella) on my Rivian

[hevak]

Just the one. Both horns on driver side, plenty of space. Rivian is just using standard 12v horns. Looking at the stock horn it very much resembles the Hella ford horn. No Telsa crazy yet.

Is this a picture of the actual Rivian horn? I'm wondering if we can identify the connector being used. If they're using the same connector as Ford/GM, there are y-splitters that are easy to come by without requiring any splicing.

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[Nuclianba]

Is this a picture of the actual Rivian horn? I'm wondering if we can identify the connector being used. If they're using the same connector as Ford/GM, there are y-splitters that are easy to come by without requiring any splicing.

It's similar, but that isn't a picture of it. The connector location doesn't align with what I saw on the truck and the connector on the Rivian doesn't look like the Ford/GM connector I saw on other videos. So I just spliced in to the harness. I'm sure this is a standardish-connector you could find a counterpart for if you didn't want to touch the harness, but that was more time I didn't want to invest.

Connector can be seen at this point in the video:

 

[iforbes]

Had a close call on the freeway 2 weeks ago, 99% sure the guy didn't even hear the horn on the truck. The single tone setup just didn't sit well with me, especially because its so easy/cheap to add a second tone and help things break through the traffic noise. Saw this threat but no documentation, so I filmed as I did my install to create a guide for others looking to do the same:



Luckily, adding a second high tone at 500 Hz is straightforward: $30 worth of stuff and ~1 hour of time.

WHAT I BOUGHT:
I went for a standard 400Hz/500Hz dual tone setup, using the current horn on the Rivian as the low tone. Don't buy a 400Hz horn...you already have this on the truck!
Horn: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VU51C6
Leads: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FVJR31Z
Connectors: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BC8THCG8

BONUS: During the install I found the 12V wires in the harness for a 12V outlet in the frunk tub (recent builds don't have this outlet) on a summer 2023 truck. Future project!

Haven't had anybody almost merge in to me yet in traffic since, so can't say if it works any better, but I feel better! Hope it proves useful to somebody else.

Thanks for the video. Great job!

Did you consider running the new horn to the area on the passenger side where to original setup was placed? I know there is just a blank in that hole, but wondering if a -it’s removable and b would the home be louder due to direct path out for the sound?

 

[flush]

Just added the second horn too, same mounting spot as I could not reach anywhere else that could be a potential mount point.

Bought a slim 510Hz model, it is aimed down which needed longer wiring. Bent the horn mounting plate to match the curve.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HWC34RB

Used a 2-pin splitter instead as I wanted to keep it as identical as the original 2-pin plug.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HQFVG92 (longer length since I didn't know how much I would need to route the cable)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BYJH85XN (only need 1x 2-pin connector for the horn

Stuffed a foam pad there in case the cable or something rubbed on the plastic.

)

 

[Swezey]

Here's my proposed mounting area for my 2nd horn.

Does anyone know which nut size/thread type for those bolts sticking out?

This sits right behind the driver's headlight. The horn came with 2 brackets so this should be a perfect little spot for it.

 

[joey128]

I’m curious if anyone had considered replacing the original horn with an air horn vs adding an additional horn with something like this: https://a.co/d/hRX4GEg

Reason being, this maybe louder than having 2 tone horn. There’s also something about possibly needing to a relay if adding a 2nd horn to an existing 1 horn setup. Not entirely sure if required…. Perhaps someone more familiar about relays and shed some light into this.

 

[Nuclianba]

I’m curious if anyone had considered replacing the original horn with an air horn vs adding an additional horn with something like this: https://a.co/d/hRX4GEg

Reason being, this maybe louder than having 2 tone horn. There’s also something about possibly needing to a relay if adding a 2nd horn to an existing 1 horn setup. Not entirely sure if required…. Perhaps someone more familiar about relays and shed some light into this.

IMO horns are plenty loud, it's not a volume issue it's a single tone issue, people just don't perceive single tones in the same way as double. The truck originally had 2 but sometime last year they dropped one, point being the wire size in the harness and fuse for the horn is big enough to support 2, no need to do a relay.

For an air horn, you could do that too, but definitely would need to use a relay and wire from the 12V, then use the horn circuit to trigger the relay. Possible, the 12V is in the front area too, I'm sure this will be louder and more aggressive, but a bit more work to install. I personally didn't see the need for that but to each their own.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Does anyone know which nut size/thread type for those bolts sticking out?

Sorry, I do not know. However, a set of thread checkers would be a good investment for this and future projects. Great mounting location.

I’m curious if anyone had considered replacing the original horn with an air horn vs adding an additional horn with something like this: https://a.co/d/hRX4GEg

Unless you really want the "look at me, I'm special" factor, there is really no need for air horns. Paired horns like these (piezo electric?) are plenty loud. Air horns require installation and wiring of a small air compressor. This means greater current demand and slightly more involved in installation (need a relay and harness, powered directly off of the 12V battery and space to mount everything including compressor). Stability and reliability of the 12V is seemingly a 50/50 gamble, why change your odds? Plus, air horns are a little slower (need to spin up compressor to move air). Not a great delay, but one nonetheless.

Lastly, and again, volume isn't the issue with Rivian's single horn. It's pitch (frequency)—i.e. being different enough to stand out from background noise of the roads, freeways and all sounds other cars make and heard by their drivers. A shrill scream of a child in a crowded room would your attention because ambient sound is a lower frequency. Same idea.

 

[Swezey]

Sorry, I do not know. However, a set of thread checkers would be a good investment for this and future projects.

I had a leftover nut that almost worked, but wrong threads.
So I took that into Lowes and used that as my point of reference.
My nut was standard. The bolt is metric.

I believe 6M x 1 was the size. Bought a pack of 6 and 6 washers. Worked like charm!
(I'll see if I still have the package to verify)

I'll look into getting a set of thread checkers, never really occurred to me. Great suggestion!

 

[kong]

Just added the second horn too, same mounting spot as I could not reach anywhere else that could be a potential mount point.

Bought a slim 510Hz model, it is aimed down which needed longer wiring. Bent the horn mounting plate to match the curve.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HWC34RB

Used a 2-pin splitter instead as I wanted to keep it as identical as the original 2-pin plug.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HQFVG92 (longer length since I didn't know how much I would need to route the cable)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BYJH85XN (only need 1x 2-pin connector for the horn

Stuffed a foam pad there in case the cable or something rubbed on the plastic.

)

@Nuclianba @flush appreciate the write up guys. @flush I assume your method avoids any splicing - correct? How is the slim horn holding up?

 

[flush]

@Nuclianba @flush appreciate the write up guys. @flush I assume your method avoids any splicing - correct? How is the slim horn holding up?

No splicing of the original horn wire in the vehicle, just connect all the various wires between the new additional connector + Y splitter to the new horn.

No issues at all, horn works well, people actually hear it now.

 

[Granolander]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BYJH85XN (only need 1x 2-pin connector for the horn

Could you please confirm this link takes to the product you mentioned originally? I see this is a triangle shaped connector; where does it go?

 

[flush]

Could you please confirm this link takes to the product you mentioned originally? I see this is a triangle shaped connector; where does it go?

hmm, the product link has changed.

you want something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Deutsch-Waterproof-Automotive-Electrical-Connector/dp/B0CT2DX7X9

 

[Granolander]

hmm, the product link has changed.

you want something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Deutsch-Waterproof-Automotive-Electrical-Connector/dp/B0CT2DX7X9

I knew there was something wrong there. lol
Thank you for replying so quick!

 

[Megavolt]

Part of me wants to install this but I don't want to void the Rivian warranty.

https://hornblasters.com/collections/electric-horns/products/compact-electric-horn

This voids the warranty?

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