2m Mobile INSTALLED!

[Martinjmpr]

Finally got my radio installed - it's my first mobile HAM unit.

Purchased off of CL for $50, it's a pretty simple single-bander (Kenwood TM-261A) but it should work for now. When I upgrade to a dual-bander this one will probably find its way into my DD.

Trying to install this, I realized that one of the biggest changes in vehicles over the past 30 years or so is how cluttered the dash area has become! Between instruments, climate control and of course, air bags, it's hard to find a place to mount an accessory radio! Kind of makes me miss the old days of metal dashboards that you could hang a C-bracket off of!

Anyway, after looking around I realized that the only viable place for me to mount the radio was on the right side of the transmission hump, facing upwards. Not a perfect location, but it has already passed muster with my co-pilot, so that was the important part!

Started by getting a couple of self-tapping sheet metal screws and screwing in the C-bracket. After that, the radio was test-fitted to the bracket to make sure it has sufficient clearance.

Then came the difficult part (for me, anyway): Getting power. As much as I'd like to tap into a dash source, I couldn't find one that was easily accessible (really that whole area behind the dash just looks like so much multicolored spaghetti to me.) Although it looks a little bit "redneck", I figured my only solution was to go directly to the battery. Which left me with the problem of how to get through the firewall.

I ultimately decided that rather than try to find an existing hole (I couldn't find one that was easily accessible from both sides) so I would have to drill one myself. Fortunately, since my 4runner is an automatic, I had a perfect location: The place where the clutch lever to the master cylinder would go through on an MT truck.

However, in order to get clearance for my drill, I had to remove the lower dashboard assembly. Fortunately, I've done this before (it's actually quite easy except that you have to unscrew the levers for the fuel door release and hood release and these can be a PITA to get back in.) Here's what it looked like when I began drilling:

Here's the hole I drilled, looking in from the engine compartment.

I used butt connectors to connect 3' lengths of 12ga wire to the battery terminal, then passed them through the hole in the dash.

Here's the battery connection - again, I don't like this and as soon as I can find a "cleaner" way to install it, I'll remove this. But it works for now.

Wires ran somewhat messily behind the pedals...

...but I was able to tuck them behind the carpet and then run them behind the center stack to get to the driver's side:

And here she is, installed.

And if you're wondering "doesn't the shift lever obscure the display when in D?", the answer is yes. Yes it does. But the only way to avoid that would be to move the radio significantly forward (which would make it hard to reach) or move it backwards (difficult because of a curve on the transmission hump.) Having to move my head a bit to see the display isn't much of a sacrifice, and as I said above, I may be moving to a dual bander with a remote head unit later on anyway.

Still to be installed: A hanger for the mike, and a glass-mount antenna which will be my 'city' antenna. I have a rooftop mag mount, but I can't get in and out of my garage with that one. A glass mount is nice because it will work in urban areas and also it does not have any ugly wires protruding across the roof of the vehicle.

 

[Lostmanifesto]

Cheers on the new radio. Some quick suggestions. Find a way to zip tie those wires in place. If you don't easily see a place you can also drill a small screw or loop into the floor that sits almost flush so you can run a zip tie around it. I have seen unsecured wires weasel their way out of all sort of places over time. Around your pedals is the last place you want something getting in the way. Get some black silicone from your local hardware store and seal up that hole you drilled in your fire wall. Water has a mysterious way of getting in all the nooks and crannies.

 

[Tennmogger]

There's nothing 'redneck' about going directly to the battery. It's preferred practice. You did the right thing running both the pos and neg directly. Noise on the radio will be much reduced and you won't get the voltage drop that occurrs when the source comes through truck wiring. You must plan to put fuses on the battery end ASAP so you don't burn down your vehicle. Both the pos and the neg should have fuses. Another trick is to twist the wires together to reduce noise pick-up. That firewall hole should be enlarged and a grommet put in, too, but of course you said you weren't too happy with this quick install.

You got a good deal on the radio! It should serve you well.

PS, move on up to General class now and really have some fun. I just worked Isl of Man, Fernando de Noronha, and Swaziland on 12 meters, 30 Watts, PRC-320 packset. The bands are opening!!)

Bob WB4ETT (1965)

 

[1911]

There's nothing 'redneck' about going directly to the battery. It's preferred practice. You did the right thing running both the pos and neg directly. Noise on the radio will be much reduced and you won't get the voltage drop that occurrs when the source comes through truck wiring. You must plan to put fuses on the battery end ASAP so you don't burn down your vehicle. Both the pos and the neg should have fuses. Another trick is to twist the wires together to reduce noise pick-up. That firewall hole should be enlarged and a grommet put in, too, but of course you said you weren't too happy with this quick install.

Congratulations Martin, and +1 on running the power straight to the battery (and drilling a bigger hole in the firewall and using a rubber grommet).

PS, move on up to General class now and really have some fun. I just worked Isl of Man, Fernando de Noronha, and Swaziland on 12 meters, 30 Watts, PRC-320 packset. The bands are opening!!)

Bob WB4ETT (1965)

+1 again on both counts. In the last few days, I've talked (phone) to Japan, Greece, Norway, and Germany on 10 meters, with a 100-watt mobile radio and a portable antenna.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Thanks for all the advice. Luckily for me the wiring for the radio has in-line fuses on both the positive and negative sides, with an additional fuse at the radio. There's also a quick-connect at the radio that I disconnect when it's not being used. That way I can't accidentally turn the radio on and drain the battery.

Grommet - I might have to do that, although I did try to plug the hole as best I could with RTV silicone sealant.

General class: I need to get competent with what I've got before I even think about investing in more equipment or a higher license class! But I have to admit that the notion of having HF voice comms way out in the boonies appeals to me.

 

[kjp1969]

Martin,
Please take this in the most constructive way possible- that install has some issues.

You absolutely should get a grommet in the hole- while the silicon may keep out drafts and moisture, it won't keep the wire from moving and chafing against the edges of the hole. It's not a matter of whether it will short, but when. Maybe I exaggerate a bit, but not much. The fuse could save you from a fire if it was between the battery and the hole, but it isn't. That is a short waiting to happen, with no circuit protection that I can see. Move the fuse to the battery end of the wire, while you're at it.

Also, spring for some plastic loom and zip tie the wires to those screws and brackets already tied to the inner fender. It's like $5 for a spool; there's no reason not to. The duct tape you used will get gummy with the engine heat and peel off. That, and the hood may contact the wires when closed- another potential short circuit. Looks like the hinge in your last photo is already contacting the wire when its closed. Like above, I don't see a fuse protecting you there. Drill the hole in the firewall big enough to accept the whole wire loom- that plus the grommet should keep you from shorting out.

Go ahead and run the wires under the carpet, but use more wire loom and tape it down. I've had good luck with blue painters tape- its sticky and removes easily, even months later.

Lastly, there is no reason for a fuse on the negative side of the circuit. It won't hurt anything, but its useless.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Martin,
Please take this in the most constructive way possible- that install has some issues.

Don't worry, I appreciate the constructive criticicism.

I don't like the way the install looks, either, so thanks for the suggestions. Where would I get a rubber grommet and what is the smallest size I can get? Any pointers on installing it? Does it come in two pieces and attache from each end or is it a one piece that is flexed and pushed through the hole?

Also not sure what you mean by "loom?" Frm my experience "loom" and "harness" are used interchangeably but I'm not sure what a piece of loom would look like. Is this something I can get at an automotive store or do I need to find an electrical supply store?

Zip ties - I'd love to zip tie the wire but zip tie it to what? IOW, what holds the zip tie to the fender? That's why I used the tape, it holds the wire to the inside of the fender.

Also the hinge doesn't touch the wire - there's actually a fair amount of space under the hood.

Thanks for the tips, though. I really want to get away from jury-rigging or half-assing the install, especially on electrical stuff. I'd love to have a clean, professional look, I just don't know how to do it, so these tips help a lot.

 

[shane4x4]

Excellent Always nice to see a new Ham install

 

[kjp1969]

Don't worry, I appreciate the constructive criticicism.

I don't like the way the install looks, either, so thanks for the suggestions. Where would I get a rubber grommet and what is the smallest size I can get? Any pointers on installing it? Does it come in two pieces and attache from each end or is it a one piece that is flexed and pushed through the hole?

Also not sure what you mean by "loom?" Frm my experience "loom" and "harness" are used interchangeably but I'm not sure what a piece of loom would look like. Is this something I can get at an automotive store or do I need to find an electrical supply store?

Zip ties - I'd love to zip tie the wire but zip tie it to what? IOW, what holds the zip tie to the fender? That's why I used the tape, it holds the wire to the inside of the fender.

Also the hinge doesn't touch the wire - there's actually a fair amount of space under the hood.

Thanks for the tips, though. I really want to get away from jury-rigging or half-assing the install, especially on electrical stuff. I'd love to have a clean, professional look, I just don't know how to do it, so these tips help a lot.

The grommet looks like a little black Cheerio with a slot around the outside. They come in different sizes, from dime to quarter and maybe bigger. You shove it in the hole and work it around so the slot sandwiches the sheet metal on both sides. Don't get a small one, get a big one. Big enough to hold the loom with the wire inside of it.

The loom is a black plastic tube that is split down the middle. Just tuck the wires inside, and if you want to get fancy, wrap the whole thing in electrical tape. I'd suggest at least zip tying to the brackets that are already fastened to your inner fender- looks like electrical boxes in your underhood photo?

But first, see if you need to go through all this at all. Get an old cigarette lighter plug and temporarily wire up your radio to it. Then go use it and ask for input from other Hams on your sound quality. Do this engine on, engine off, a/c on and off, etc. If no one identifies engine noise on your transmissions, I'd consider just splicing into the backside of that same cig lighter circuit. It's already fuse protected and you'll run 12" of wire rather than 10'. Of course it's "better" to have a dedicated circuit, but if there's no noise either way, meh.

Browse these:

http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Gasket-3706-Grommet-Assortment/dp/B000934LBC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1322521029&sr=8-2

http://www.amazon.com/JT-Products-4306F-Flex-Guard-Convoluted/dp/B002UZXU3W/ref=sr_1_6?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1322521099&sr=1-6

 

[Hill Bill E.]

The grommet looks like a little black Cheerio with a slot around the outside............
Browse these:

http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Gasket-3706-Grommet-Assortment/dp/B000934LBC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1322521029&sr=8-2

http://www.amazon.com/JT-Products-4306F-Flex-Guard-Convoluted/dp/B002UZXU3W/ref=sr_1_6?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1322521099&sr=1-6

You can get both the wire loom and a grommet (or assortment of grommets) at most auto parts stores.

Definitely the way to go when running wires in a vehicle.

 

[1911]

Wire loom is also sometimes called "conduit".

 

[brussum]

Martin,

Congrats on passing your tech and installing the radio. You should check out Alan's website, www.k0bg.com. He's got some phenomenal tips on the site. You can also get some good info in the QRZ mobile forum. I'm getting ready to do a similar install and those forum guys have been great on sharing advice ranging from fuses on both ends of the power lead to selecting the correct wire gauge to picking a good antenna and mount. They'll definitely get you pointed on the right azimuth for a good install.

Cheers,
John

 

[gary in ohio]

add a grommet where the wire pass the firewall and put some fuses near the battery and your ready to go.

 

[Tennmogger]

Lots of great info here. One point though, the fuse is absolutely necessary in the negative lead at the battery. The failure that can happen is if your heavy factory battery ground connection to the frame comes loose, either accidentally or intentionally, and you try to start the vehicle, turn on the lights or any heavy load, that little ground from your radio will try to carry all the current, through the radio! With a fuse, the fuse will open and protect your wiring and radio.

Bob WB4ETT

 

[4x4mike]

It's been mentioned above but yes, I'd spend some time cleaning up the install. A little extra time will save you time in the long run and your radio will work really well.

I've got a MT 3rd gen so my engine compartment is a little different. I did not drill a hole because I had heard about water getting into the cab. Water likes to run off the windshield and down the firewall, you want that sealed. On the driver side firewall there is a large bundle of wires poking through in a black boot. I used a coat hanger to weasel through the boot and used the hanger to pull my wires through. It looks factory and is sealed, plus I don't have any holes.

I used to run wires under my carpet in my old truck. Problem with it is wear. You push on the carpet/mats more than you think. I wore through the wire jacket several times. On the 4runner I run the wires along with factory wires under interior trim pieces. This will make it much cleaner and you'll be less likely to have to pull everything up to troubleshoot.

I noticed you have a pocket under your stereo. I'd put your radio there. It'll look much better and less likely to tempt someone to break your window (I remember one of your past posts). I used the 2m bracket to mount to my stereo bracket. It's super solid and would be hard to get at if someone broke in.