Jeff@QuadShop
Explorer
Sorry, I thought you were talking about the outside ones, I've never really paid attention to the ones on the inside.
I've left the Toyota Fold, AKA my Montero Build Thread
- Thread starter red87
- Start date
off-roader
Expedition Leader
I don't think any of them came with chrome exterior handles. If they are chrome, it was either dealer installed or modified by a prior owner, not from the factory.
Lookin' good! How are the 10.50s working out for you?
red87
Adventurer
Can't complain too much. Freeway mileage is decent and they give me the clearance I need. I have yet to wish I had wider tires EXCEPT in some deep, soft sand. And even then, airing down pretty much fixed that issue. Last time I went out I didn't bother airing down (forgot the compressor, haha) and I didn't get stuck or anything. I've yet to try them out anywhere other than that place but I expect them to be fine. The next test is Mojave Road in a couple of weeks.
Cool. Yeah if my 12.50s weren't so cheap, I would have probably ended up with 33x10.50 BFG KM2s. But, I've been satisfied so far. The only time I don't like the wide tires is around town (reduce MPGs)....
red87
Adventurer
Something tells me that extra width may have been helpful this weekend...
Turns out that wet sand was actually soft stinky mud. Oops.
I didn't even air down my 12.50s last weekend when we were doing the tests in the sand.... I would bog the rear tires down in 2wd and try to get out with the MAXTRAX and Smittybilt elements. If the devices didnt help, I'd just put in 4wd and crawl out of the sand.
At one point I bogged myself to the point of my front drivers side tire lifting off the ground.
At one point I bogged myself to the point of my front drivers side tire lifting off the ground.
red87
Adventurer
Ham/CD player install
When I sold my old Toyota I made sure to keep the HID lights and my ham radio as they were the only things that would really swap over to the Montero. I got the lights on pretty quickly but it took until last week to get the ham it. I really didn't want to remove the factory CD/radio/tape deck as it sounded just fine and looked nice in the dash. Unfortunately, there was no place to put my ham radio other than below a single DIN CD player. So that led me to this point.
In the past I've just used butt connectors when making wiring harnesses for CD player installs but this time I decided to do it the best way and use solder/heat shrink tubing. I must admit, I'm very pleased with my results.
I then tackled the removal of the stock radio. I went into this blind so imagine my surprise when it was painfully easy. First you remove the top two screws holding the radio trim in, then gently pop off the bottom where two metal clips hold it in. Then remove the 2 screws on either side of the radio, unplug it, and you're done. You may notice I removed one of the screws before I remembered I had a build thread to keep up
Once you get the deck out, you'll notice the four screws holding each nice little bracket to the deck. These are VERY VERY tight. I manged to ruin one and had to resort to using a dremel to remove the head of the screw.
Mitsubishi was thoughtful enough to put a divot right where I needed to drill a hole to get my Yaesu FT-2800M radio to line up perfectly with the front of the new CD player. I marked it with a blue sharpie for easier viewing.
Here you can see the ham/cd player combo bolted up ready for installation. The second hole is 2" on center back from the first.
My old Toyota came with both a tape deck (that worked) and a CD player (that did not work). So when I put the ham in that guy, I just hacked the CD player apart and used it's case as a mounting bracket. I ended up reusing that same case piece as I had some durability concerns about just hanging the ham from a couple of bolts on the sides. It isn't as wide as a CD player so I had to use some long bolts on one side to get the factory brackets to work. The old CD player case acts like a cradle and supports the ham from the bottom so the bolts don't apply any leverage to the ham radio.
At first I tried to run the power wires for the ham though the same grommet used for every other wire that passes through the firewall but the wires were just too big and I didn't want to damage the connectors on the end. I ended up just passing them through the fender and around the door frame. Not super clean but it is better than drilling extra holes in the firewall.
Sadly, the trim that came with the new CD player is too wide to cover the gap left between it and the lovely fake wood surround so I have that nasty gap. Also, I need to source something to fill up the gap to the right of the ham radio. I was a bit rushed during the installation as I had to leave for the Mojave Road the day after I got it installed so I haven't had a chance to figure that problem out yet.
The new CD player connects directly to my iPod and lets me control it which I LOVE. I had a tape deck adapter before and I didn't like having that wire just hanging out the front. Sound seems to be clearer but that is probably just because the iPod is plugged directly into the stereo now, not through the tape deck.
The one problem I have after the install is that my ABS light is on sometimes and my front wheel drive lights flicker or flash on occasion. I never had these problems before but I don't see how a radio would cause them. Any ideas?
When I sold my old Toyota I made sure to keep the HID lights and my ham radio as they were the only things that would really swap over to the Montero. I got the lights on pretty quickly but it took until last week to get the ham it. I really didn't want to remove the factory CD/radio/tape deck as it sounded just fine and looked nice in the dash. Unfortunately, there was no place to put my ham radio other than below a single DIN CD player. So that led me to this point.
In the past I've just used butt connectors when making wiring harnesses for CD player installs but this time I decided to do it the best way and use solder/heat shrink tubing. I must admit, I'm very pleased with my results.
I then tackled the removal of the stock radio. I went into this blind so imagine my surprise when it was painfully easy. First you remove the top two screws holding the radio trim in, then gently pop off the bottom where two metal clips hold it in. Then remove the 2 screws on either side of the radio, unplug it, and you're done. You may notice I removed one of the screws before I remembered I had a build thread to keep up
Once you get the deck out, you'll notice the four screws holding each nice little bracket to the deck. These are VERY VERY tight. I manged to ruin one and had to resort to using a dremel to remove the head of the screw.
Mitsubishi was thoughtful enough to put a divot right where I needed to drill a hole to get my Yaesu FT-2800M radio to line up perfectly with the front of the new CD player. I marked it with a blue sharpie for easier viewing.
Here you can see the ham/cd player combo bolted up ready for installation. The second hole is 2" on center back from the first.
My old Toyota came with both a tape deck (that worked) and a CD player (that did not work). So when I put the ham in that guy, I just hacked the CD player apart and used it's case as a mounting bracket. I ended up reusing that same case piece as I had some durability concerns about just hanging the ham from a couple of bolts on the sides. It isn't as wide as a CD player so I had to use some long bolts on one side to get the factory brackets to work. The old CD player case acts like a cradle and supports the ham from the bottom so the bolts don't apply any leverage to the ham radio.
At first I tried to run the power wires for the ham though the same grommet used for every other wire that passes through the firewall but the wires were just too big and I didn't want to damage the connectors on the end. I ended up just passing them through the fender and around the door frame. Not super clean but it is better than drilling extra holes in the firewall.
Sadly, the trim that came with the new CD player is too wide to cover the gap left between it and the lovely fake wood surround so I have that nasty gap. Also, I need to source something to fill up the gap to the right of the ham radio. I was a bit rushed during the installation as I had to leave for the Mojave Road the day after I got it installed so I haven't had a chance to figure that problem out yet.
The new CD player connects directly to my iPod and lets me control it which I LOVE. I had a tape deck adapter before and I didn't like having that wire just hanging out the front. Sound seems to be clearer but that is probably just because the iPod is plugged directly into the stereo now, not through the tape deck.
The one problem I have after the install is that my ABS light is on sometimes and my front wheel drive lights flicker or flash on occasion. I never had these problems before but I don't see how a radio would cause them. Any ideas?
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red87
Adventurer
Thanks :26_7_2:
Jeff@QuadShop
Explorer
I mounted my CB in a similar way in my Mazda. I used thick black foam tape to fill in the gaps, it turned out great. I'll try to get some pics soon.
When I get around to installing a CB in my Montero, I plan on mounting it in the space below the factory head unit where the fake woodgrain block off is. The factory head unit is actually a very nice system that sounds great!
When I get around to installing a CB in my Montero, I plan on mounting it in the space below the factory head unit where the fake woodgrain block off is. The factory head unit is actually a very nice system that sounds great!
red87
Adventurer
Don't get your hopes up. I had that same idea but once I got in there, I found that space to be full of all kinds of stuff. IIRC, it was airbag and ABS things and the associated wires. Thanks for the tip about the foam tape though