Satelite radio installing, any ideas?

[jseabolt]

Just looking for some ideas on where to mount this thing.

I picked up a Delphi Roady XM satellite radio the other day at the thrift store. I'm trying to figure out the best way to mount it so I don't have a bunch of ugly wires hanging about.

First the antenna. I considered mounting it on the roof above the rear hatch. The wire appears to be long enough but that's allot of work removing panels to run the wire the entire length of the truck.

Then I thought perhaps mounting it on the cowl. But in order to get the wire into the cabin, I'm going to have to loosen the bolts on the fender or try drilling a hole through the firewall.

So I tested to see what sort of signal I would get if it were mounted in the corner of the dash. So far it seems I'm getting 2 to 3 bars which is just about as good if it were outside the vehicle.

Now the reciever. My favorite idea is to mount it into the center console. Since my CD changer did not work, I removed it. I'm thinking of tapping into the wiring and connecting it to one of those power point outlets which will be conseled between the console and cup holder. The unit cannot be hardwired without the power reducer which drops the power from 12 to 5 volts.

Any of you guys ever mount one of these things in your Explorer. Got any pics?

 

[Tavery1]

We had one of the old style Sirius where the antenna sucked and needed to be outside of the vehicle, the antenna wire was routed under the carpet, and was mounted in that little double storage area under the radio on a black plastic piece so the wires got hid behind that. I'll look for pictures on my laptop tomorrow.

 

[Electrohacker]

I made a clip for my Inno

the wires are all over because this was a mock-up for my new shifter, normally they're all hidden as I have a kit installed that ads a 12 outlet under the console as well as a radio antenna interface. the antenna is on my roof running along the mouldings and through the dash and behind the stereo down to the console

 

[KPSquared]

Hidden inside the console looks good!

Don't ever not do a nice, clean job just cause it "looks like a lot of work" Pulling panels to conceal stuff properly and Dremeling up some plastic to mount something clean is well worth all the hard work in the end. If you just half-ass it, you may as well just plug it in the cigarette lighter and leave it lying in the cup holder...

That being said, on the dash looks pretty clean to... an less chance of some ass-hat ripping it off your roof cause he was bored...

 

[jseabolt]

I made a clip for my Inno

the wires are all over because this was a mock-up for my new shifter, normally they're all hidden as I have a kit installed that ads a 12 outlet under the console as well as a radio antenna interface. the antenna is on my roof running along the mouldings and through the dash and behind the stereo down to the console

Don't mean to change the subject but how come my top of the line 96 'V8 XLT didn't come with one of those fuel economy monitors installed in the center console?

Are all Explorers of this era already wired for this fuel monitor? Can I get this piece with this monitor from a junkyard and just plug it in or is there more to it?

Those pockets do make a nice place to store cell phone, house keys, pack of smokes, etc. though.

 

[Electrohacker]

I added the message center. you have to run about 14 wires, the signals all exist in the vehicle already, but the wires dont.

I miss the pockets myself


I have 4 or 5 message centers left, unless you wan to try your luck at the junkyard (make sure so cut the plugs and as much wire as you can)

be aware that 95-97 used a different one than 98+

 

[jseabolt]

I added the message center. you have to run about 14 wires, the signals all exist in the vehicle already, but the wires dont.

I miss the pockets myself


I have 4 or 5 message centers left, unless you wan to try your luck at the junkyard (make sure so cut the plugs and as much wire as you can)

be aware that 95-97 used a different one than 98+

Is this something that requires removing the dash or instrument cluster? What sort of job am I looking at here?

 

[Electrohacker]

you have to pull the radio, the trim around the radio, the kickplate under the steering wheel, the cover over the gauge cluster, the gauge cluster, and run wires through a hole in the firewall WITH A RUBBER GROMMET (never forget the grommet)

in all about 5 hours of work if you lay it all out and label your wires well

 

[ford99_1979]

I picked up a vehicle specific mount from pro-fit international.

Click here to see simple installation pictures & instructions

This is my installation. Not as slick as in the console, but this way you can see it. I hard wired the power on mine, so it comes on when the radio comes on. I ran the antenna wire behind the radio bezel, under the steering column, up under the "A" pillar and straight back along the roof line where the headliner meets the plastic. No need to fully dissasemble the interior panels just tuck the wire under the plastic trim. Once in the back, I ran placed the antenna just adjacent to the end of the roof rack rail. In writing this I realized you need to start at the antenna and work towards the front, in reverse of what I have described.

 

[jseabolt]

Here's the radio I really want.

http://www.ltmelectronics.com/vr182g3.html

But the thing is I want to be able to move my radio from one car to another if I need to. Having to pay for a subscription and all.

 

[Electrohacker]

Here's the radio I really want.

http://www.ltmelectronics.com/vr182g3.html

But the thing is I want to be able to move my radio from one car to another if I need to. Having to pay for a subscription and all.

yeah that's why I still use my inno, I can use it in the house, on my bike, in the garage, in my truck, in my car... where ever