PT Cruiser 1.0...
A brand new install for the XYL!
Radios:
Yaesu FT-7800R
Antennas:
Comet SBB-7
Mounts:
Maldol PRM-T w/Comet CK3M5
Pro-Fit LoBoy
Speaker:
Uniden ESP5
Here is my latest mobile install, the 2002 PT Cruiser!
I started with the antenna and mount, the mount is pretty simple, just attached by four set screws. The door on the PT is curved slightly so I took the metal piece that goes under the set screws and pushed it against the door to make it the same shape, then I just lightly tweaked the mount by hand as well so it would slip over the door. Once the set screws were tightened it formed it to the shape of the door without any problem as the base of the mount is just flexible enough to allow variations in the surface.
The coax was routed in through the door, cable tied to the factory door harness to make it follow that when the door closes, and then the foam tape supplied by Comet was applied to the factory weather-stripping to help seal it up. The coax then goes behind the interior trim panel, down the back corner and behind the interior panels to the front drivers side seat, it is completely hidden except for at the door and under the seat. When the door closes the coax loops downward, this forms a drip loop so that any rain water that follows the coax down between the door and body will drip off and run down the rain trough on the outside edge of the door weather-stripping.
The next job I tackled was installing the radio under the seat. The seat is very easy to remove, slide it all the way forward and remove the two large bolts on the rear footrest area of the front seat, and then slide it all the way back and remove two smaller bolts that come up from underneath in the two front corners. This allows removal of the seat leaving the lower frame to mount the radio and route the wiring. The radio bracket was attached to the crosspiece at the front of the lower seat frame, its exactly the width of the Yaesu mounting bracket with a downward lip on the back edge, I just clamped it to the top of it, drilled holes, and then flipped it underneath and bolted it up, simple as can be. The wiring was bundled and tied up to the seat frame for now, at a later and warmer date I will likely shorten the coax to remove the three extra loops of it and further refine the wiring, it was too cold right now.
Next was to install the speaker, which was just mounted to the bottom left edge of the dash below the fuse panel access. This provides more then enough audio for the entire interior.
After reinstalling the seat and tidying up the wiring between the side of the seat and the interior trim panel with some split loom tubing...
On to the control head! I used a ProFit LoBoy mount for the head bracket. However let me point out that application of this mount was also done a couple days ahead of time after thoroughly warming the interior and dash to assure it would stick correctly. According to the instructions you should wait 72 hours before using the mount, since the control head is so light I didn't see this as a problem installing it after a couple days, also I planned on the vehicle being in the driveway a couple days further as well. If you use this mount just follow the directions for surface prep and installation. The control cable goes down behind the center of the dash, across and down by the speaker location, and then under all the interior trim to the drivers side seat. Removing this was easy, the power window switch panel pops out, disconnect the wiring plug, remove the four knobs from the temp and fan controls, and then just pull the entire piece off. The panel below the steering wheel is latched at the top and hinged at the bottom, simply pull down on it and it swings down to the floor giving you access to the underneath of the entire drivers side of the dash. A light notching of the plastic edge where the cable goes behind it was done so that the cable would be held snug but not pinched. A dremel tool and a die grinder bit proved perfect for this task.
The microphone was installed using a Motorola mic clip, I like these because they have a much better spring loaded capture and the mic won't jump out on the bumpiest of rides. Two small screw holes were pre-drilled and installed. The only holes I drilled for the entire install except for those in the seat frame for the radio bracket. I had thought about extending the mic cable down with the control cable and plugging the mic in elsewhere to keep the mic cable out of the way as I did on our other mobile install but this seems to be fine for me for now. A cable anchor or another cable tie to keep the mic cable going down and to the left would be more than sufficient but I think with time as the cable stretches and softens with use it won't be a problem. Its plenty long to reach the driver or passenger without straining the cable and the only thing it gets in the way of is the window switches and air vent, it doesn't interfere with any of the regularly used controls that would make it a nuisance.
I was not able to get any pictures of the under hood wiring as I was in a hurry to finish putting everything back together and go warm up, but it was pretty simple. On the drivers side fender there is a bonding cable from the battery and a second group of grounds attached with another bolt. I used that second group, removed the bolt, installed a ring terminal on the ground wire from the radio and just bolted it back together. The power was taken from the under hood fuse panel, this requires removing the air box for easy access but is quite simple, loosen the hose clamp on the hose from the throttle body to the air box, unclip the two metal latches and remove the top half of the air box. Then grab the bottom half of the air box, the piece that holds the filter, and pull straight up to remove it. Then just unlatch and remove the cover from the under hood fuse panel. There is the jump start terminal on top, a large bolt that could be used for a power source as well by adding a nut, but I opted to use the internal terminals that the wire from the battery attaches to. First disconnect the ground cable from the battery for safety, then remove the nut holding the power cable at the fuse box, install a ring terminal on the radios positive lead and put it on that stud and reinstall the nut. From that point on you just have to reinstall everything in the reverse order. Routing the power cable from the interior to under hood was simple as well, there was a large wiring harness grommet as well as a couple unused ones in the same area, mine doesn't have all the power options installed so I would guess these unused grommets with rubber plugs were uninstalled options. A quick and easy installation!
I plan on adding a relay under the dash
with a circuit tap as I used on the other mobile to have the radio follow the
ignition, at this time I don't have the parts, it was too cold, and so it can
wait for a later date, I will update as necessary later.
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This site was last updated 02/07/08