How To: do a clean radar detector install.

nsogiba · 2008-07-22 22:36:45

Tools needed:

Phillips head screwdriver.
Electrical tape or equivalent.
Radar detector.
Spec V.

Difficulty: 2.5/10

Job time: 30 mins.

Cost: assuming you have all the above stuff, free.

Purpose:
-to be able to use your radar detector with the existing power jack and not block your cupholder at the same time
-hide the annoying cable that powers the unit

start by pulling the storage bin towards you.

rest it sideways so that it doesn't get in your way. it's not necessary to unplug it and move it, but it makes it slightly less of a pain in the ass.

reach down by your leg and pull the bottom trim piece towards you. it should come off very easily.

after unscrewing the shift knob and unbuttoning the shift boot, reach into the shifter trim and pull up and towards the e-brake. don't yank the hell out of it, because the power output is plugged in without a huge amount of slack on it.

unclip the power output clip and place it aside.

after removing the cupholder/shifter console, now you can work on it pretty easily in your lap.

push the back of the power output into the console (it would be towards the shifter if it were installed). push hard, but don't break the black plastic ring the holds it in place. you'll need that later.

once you push it out, you're left with this baby:

and once you separate the two, you've got this:

plug the power output (white thing) back into the electrical clip you just undid and set it aside.

get back up top and undo the 6 screws that hold in the AC/radio unit. slightly pull it towards you to give you some room to work with.

feed the smallest end of your radar detector power cord through the dash, starting from the lower area where the shifter is, and working all the way up to the vents.

squeeze the end past the defroster vents. it's damn near impossible to see in there, so just shove your fingers in there and feel around. there's a plastic lip that you need to get past; this is the hardest part of the install and took me about 5 minutes.

now that you have the big aux power end of the radar power cord just chillin around the shifter area, plug it into the aux power (white thing) and wrap it with electrical tape so that it doesn't slide out.

take the excess length of radar power cord and twist tie it so it's not flopping around by the shifter; you don't want it getting caught up around the shift cables or getting pinched anywhere.

tuck it away WAY forward of the shifter. at this point, turn the key to ON and check if the radar detector works.

check if there are any wires pinched anywhere before you put it all back together.

put all the shit back together exactly as you took it out.

-tighten 6 screws for radio/AC
-shifter/cupholder trim
-lower trim
-storage bin

i don't ever plan to use the front power jack for anything but the radar, so i don't care that the socket is empty. besides, i have another one by the e-brake.

now you can use your cupholder and stay on the lookout for the fuzz at the same time. enjoy.

Last edited by nsogiba (2008-07-23 17:09:11)

illestfob · 2008-07-22 22:43:13

not bad. i never thought of running the wiring through teh defroster vents

psyk0tic · 2008-07-22 22:47:52

illestfob wrote:
not bad. i never thought of running the wiring through teh defroster vents

plus, you've got some hairy legs.

RedDragonV09 · 2008-07-22 22:48:15

I would go a step further and splice the wires into the back of the receptacle so that its still usable with another device.

blkspec_v · 2008-07-22 22:48:53

RedDragonV09 wrote:
I would go a step further and splice the wires into the back of the receptacle so that its still usable with another device.

+1

Fenderscratch · 2008-07-22 22:49:56

Radar detectors are more effective mounted higher, like next to or under the mirror. I think it looks much cleaner to have it there, run a wire up into the headliner, across to and down an A-pilar, and back over to be turned on by the acc wire behind your radio. That way is very easy and you don't have to mess with your 12v jack by the cup holder.

psyk0tic · 2008-07-22 22:50:41

not sure if its just me, but i haven't gotten a single speeding ticket since i got rid of my radar detector... though it probably saved me a few times when i had it, i still got nailed once by laser, and got rid of it after that.... 2+ years no radar detector, no speeding tickets.

but good write up nonetheless.

Last edited by psyk0tic (2008-07-22 22:51:35)

nsogiba · 2008-07-22 22:52:16

psyk0tic wrote:
illestfob wrote:
not bad. i never thought of running the wiring through teh defroster vents
plus, you've got some hairy legs.

uh...thanks. polish pride...

illestfob wrote:
not bad. i never thought of running the wiring through teh defroster vents

thanks, got the idea while fucking around with my old T--Bird.

RedDragonV09 wrote:
I would go a step further and splice the wires into the back of the receptacle so that its still usable with another device.

like i said, i wasn't trying to go crazy. i only use those outputs for my radar so it makes no big deal if one is gone. it'd be taken up anyways, and would make my morning coffee spill all over my knees.

nsogiba · 2008-07-22 22:54:12

psyk0tic wrote:
not sure if its just me, but i haven't gotten a single speeding ticket since i got rid of my radar detector... though it probably saved me a few times when i had it, i still got nailed once by laser, and got rid of it after that.... 2+ years no radar detector, no speeding tickets.

but good write up nonetheless.

the little clip that holds the unit to the suction cup bracket broke a while back, and i drove for like 6 months without fixing it and without radar detection. no tickets. i believe that the main way to avoid a date with the cops is to not speed, learn what cop cars look like from great distances, and memorize where they like to hang out and when. the detector is only a supplement.

oh, and don't fucking speed.

Last edited by nsogiba (2008-07-22 22:55:00)

RedDragonV09 · 2008-07-22 22:55:02

nsogiba wrote:
RedDragonV09 wrote:
I would go a step further and splice the wires into the back of the receptacle so that its still usable with another device.
like i said, i wasn't trying to go crazy. i only use those outputs for my radar so it makes no big deal if one is gone. it'd be taken up anyways, and would make my morning coffee spill all over my knees.

Yeah, I know, just saying thats what I would do. I usually have a DC/AC power converter plugged in there and I use the passenger side cup holder for my drinks.

illestfob · 2008-07-22 22:55:15

only thing i dont like is that theres a hole where the cig lighter is. im afraid things will fall in there (even though its highly unprobable) i also have no other use for teh front power outlet. and i hate splicing

nsogiba · 2008-07-22 22:57:21

grab a cover...mine just never had any. they're all compatible.

http://www.hopkins-carter.com/images/ma … MYK-99.jpg

Last edited by nsogiba (2008-07-22 22:57:47)

illestfob · 2008-07-22 22:59:05

a cover isnt gonna do it for me.. maybe some sort of switch.. but anyway, nice write up

nsogiba · 2008-07-22 23:00:02

how would a switch stop stuff from falling in there dude?

r1riderdds · 2008-07-22 23:03:16

illestfob wrote:
a cover isnt gonna do it for me.. maybe some sort of switch.. but anyway, nice write up

oooo, nos purge!!!

nsogiba · 2008-07-22 23:04:28

NOS purge switches: stopping pennies from falling into your console since 08.

darsondriss · 2008-07-22 23:04:44

illestfob wrote:
only thing i dont like is that theres a hole where the cig lighter is. im afraid things will fall in there (even though its highly unprobable) i also have no other use for teh front power outlet. and i hate splicing

picky picky

psyk0tic · 2008-07-22 23:04:45

nsogiba wrote:
the little clip that holds the unit to the suction cup bracket broke a while back, and i drove for like 6 months without fixing it and without radar detection. no tickets. i believe that the main way to avoid a date with the cops is to not speed, learn what cop cars look like from great distances, and memorize where they like to hang out and when. the detector is only a supplement.

oh, and don't fucking speed.

heh, i don't speed, i got nailed by the laser because i was passing a landscaping truck that had debris flying off the back onto my freshly washed car. i got nailed for doing 51 in a 40. it was a highway trooper with nothing better to do than sit on a back country road no more than 2 miles from my house. he said flat out if i didn't have the radar detector he probably wouldn't have written the ticket.

additionally... if you're not speeding, then why would you need a device to notify you when theres another device making sure you're not speeding...

but yeah, don't speed.

nsogiba · 2008-07-22 23:05:36

i shouldn't speed, but i do. who the fuck doesn't...

specDR · 2008-07-22 23:06:17

this is how my tom tom is set up

nsogiba · 2008-07-22 23:07:53

specDR wrote:
this is how my tom tom is set up

oh yeah, forgot to mention. interchangeable with any device.

illestfob · 2008-07-22 23:08:03

darsondriss wrote:
illestfob wrote:
only thing i dont like is that theres a hole where the cig lighter is. im afraid things will fall in there (even though its highly unprobable) i also have no other use for teh front power outlet. and i hate splicing
picky picky

yea i know lol. well i would just cut some plastic and make the switch stay in the hole by some ghetto method. ghetto but clean. and no, not nos related.. prob the tune drift wire cut reset switch. but thats splicing, which i dont like

03Blackout · 2008-07-28 22:28:31

i just ran the wire for mine along the top and down the A pillar.
i have to mount mine high because its a V1 and needs to look out my back window.

keelay · 2008-07-29 01:24:34

blkspec_v wrote:
RedDragonV09 wrote:
I would go a step further and splice the wires into the back of the receptacle so that its still usable with another device.
+1

+eleventy

PsychoZX · 2008-07-29 01:43:56

Is there anyplace to mount the radar detector where it can remain hidden without screwing up its effectiveness? They are illegal to have in my state.

keelay · 2008-07-29 01:50:51

PsychoZX wrote:
Is there anyplace to mount the radar detector where it can remain hidden without screwing up its effectiveness? They are illegal to have in my state.

you can take the detector apart and mount the guts behind the grill, and mount the screen and speaker inside somewhere....shouldnt be that hard. just give it power, and lengthen the wires to the screen and speaker to reach the cabin. u could mount it behind the instrument panel lens, thatd be cool

PsychoZX · 2008-07-29 02:04:56

Thats an interesting idea.

nsogiba · 2008-07-31 18:54:10

lol someone do it.

xbrandonx · 2008-08-16 05:13:50

PsychoZX wrote:
Is there anyplace to mount the radar detector where it can remain hidden without screwing up its effectiveness? They are illegal to have in my state.

Thing is some radars come with radar detector detectors. When they hit you with it they'll know you have it. Now when they get up there and don't see anything they may think there was a mistake but just something to think about. My old detector had a warning for radar detector detector so I would know if they were using it. Being that they're legal in my state didn't make it a big deal but just giving you a heads up

Csmoney28 · 2008-08-21 04:29:07

I just bought the hard wire kit for mine and hooked it up to my battery and the ground under a metal screw and ran the wire into my car it was so easy

Last edited by Csmoney28 (2008-08-21 04:30:17)

bn04specv · 2008-09-10 00:23:13

thanks for the write up it was help full. i did mine the other day and it was easy. i put my radar on the upper left side of the window.

nsogiba · 2008-09-11 13:17:15

for the guys that mounted it by the rearview mirror, did you have to lengthen the wire at all?

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2008-07-22 22:36:45 (24 weeks 21 hours 19 minutes 29 seconds) #1815192 | | view posts since this #1

How To: do a clean radar detector install.

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psyk0tic wrote:

illestfob wrote:

illestfob wrote:

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