VHF Installation
Posted: 16 Sep 2015 11:07
I received a new VHF unit from F_D a couple of weeks ago. However, since I've been killing myself work-wise and thesis-wise, I've not installed it yet. Since my conference presentation went super well, I thought I'd spoil myself a little and start installing the unit - especially since I've got the dune trip coming up shortly.
Now the thing is : when I installed a similar unit in the Hardbody, the bit I battled with most was getting the unit to fit properly in the second DIN slot above the factory FM radio. I've still not worked out why vehicle VHF radios have also not adopted DIN standards, as this would make things so much easier, but that is beside the point. In any case, I learnt a lot from the last exercise with the Hardbody, and managed to get the unit installed without many problems.
As far as the Patrol goes, I'm stumped with two issues:
Firstly, I have sort of decided that the best place to mount the antenna will be on the fender-flare on the right hand side. Sadly, this area is pretty much sealed - meaning that I've got to work out how I'm going to tighten the antenna once I've got the 19mm hole cut.
Secondly, I'm battling in terms of where to run cables through the firewall. With the Hardbody, there was an unused electrical gland just above and to the left of the steering wheel, and routing the cables through was trivial. Also, the Hardbody is a 2.4, and the space in the bonnet is fantastic - you can get just about everywhere around the engine. This is not the case with the Patrol. The 4,5 straight six, electrical harness, air pipes and similar take up pretty much all space in the engine bay, and there is very little room to work and similar. Also, I've yet to find an unused cable gland through the firewall. The other glands are all chock-full of the harness, and I'm not sure that I will be able to safely route the antenna and electricity cables through them... :(
So, in short : has anybody done an installation like this by themself ? How / where is the antenna mounted ? If it is on the fender, how did you tighten the unit ? Where are the cables routed ? Is there an unused gland between the firewall and the engine bay ?
Sorry for all the questions, but after peering around the engine bay for hours last night, I haven't been able to work out a thing about installing the unit...
Now the thing is : when I installed a similar unit in the Hardbody, the bit I battled with most was getting the unit to fit properly in the second DIN slot above the factory FM radio. I've still not worked out why vehicle VHF radios have also not adopted DIN standards, as this would make things so much easier, but that is beside the point. In any case, I learnt a lot from the last exercise with the Hardbody, and managed to get the unit installed without many problems.
As far as the Patrol goes, I'm stumped with two issues:
Firstly, I have sort of decided that the best place to mount the antenna will be on the fender-flare on the right hand side. Sadly, this area is pretty much sealed - meaning that I've got to work out how I'm going to tighten the antenna once I've got the 19mm hole cut.
Secondly, I'm battling in terms of where to run cables through the firewall. With the Hardbody, there was an unused electrical gland just above and to the left of the steering wheel, and routing the cables through was trivial. Also, the Hardbody is a 2.4, and the space in the bonnet is fantastic - you can get just about everywhere around the engine. This is not the case with the Patrol. The 4,5 straight six, electrical harness, air pipes and similar take up pretty much all space in the engine bay, and there is very little room to work and similar. Also, I've yet to find an unused cable gland through the firewall. The other glands are all chock-full of the harness, and I'm not sure that I will be able to safely route the antenna and electricity cables through them... :(
So, in short : has anybody done an installation like this by themself ? How / where is the antenna mounted ? If it is on the fender, how did you tighten the unit ? Where are the cables routed ? Is there an unused gland between the firewall and the engine bay ?
Sorry for all the questions, but after peering around the engine bay for hours last night, I haven't been able to work out a thing about installing the unit...