Fitting UHF to GU Patrols
Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 11:26
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12
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Kaza
Hi all
This questions for all you GU Patrol owners,has anybody found a way of installing a
UHF radio without having to drill holes in the centre console or dash(i know its a silly question)but i'm really at pains to go drilling holes in a 2 year old vechicle.My only other option is to get a roof console from www.4wdinteriors.com which by the look of them are a pretty tidy unit.
Any ideas folks.
Reply By: Member - Chris - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 11:57
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 11:57
Kaza,
I've no idea on the drilling holes issue, 'cos I have a troopy you see, but I bought a dashboard pod from 4wdinteriors and found it to be extremely
well finished. The unit I got fits on the dash and is finished in the same material/colour as the orig stuff. A good product and I got prompt service from my internet order as
well.
AnswerID:
14830
Reply By: Member - Melissa - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 12:03
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 12:03
Hi Kaza,
We've been researching the same thing for our GU. Options we considered viable were purchasing a remote head unit such as Uniden UH013 or GME TX3400. Remote head can be mounted in the recessed area just in front of gear shift lever just under the audio unit. We've been advised that the remote head is light enough to be fixed in place using sticky double-side velcro. On the other hand, you could drill some holes there (carefully) and they would be out of sight when you remove the remote head down the track. Main unit can go under one of the front seats.
Other option is the GME TX3200, touted as being the smallest CB available. Dimensions are 128W x 117L x29H (mm). This is small enough to fit in the narrow space beside on the passenger side of the centre console. Just remove the plastic facier to fit the CB. A car audio specialist will make a face plate so there are no gaps.
There is also another option depending on what options you have on your GU. Remove the plastic cover from the middle of the dash just below the audio system and where the cigarette lighter is. You may find that you have a large space here (I've actually seen a large air brake control system fitted in here). If so, you could mount a CB through a hole in the plastic cover. It would look very neat but if you remove it you would have to get a new cover from Nissan or a wrecker. This is not our preferred option.
Unfortunately, whichever way we look at it, we can't fit the UHF from our old 4WD without it looking untidy or drilling/cutting at the dash so we are up for a new one. We have decided to go with the second option so it'll be a GME TX3200.
Hope this helps. Modern cars don't make this sort of thing easy do they!
:o) Melissa
AnswerID:
14832
Follow Up By: Member - Raymond - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 13:21
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 13:21
Melissa,
Don't throw the old radio away, just fit the roof mounted console. Our one holes the UHF the head of the Barrett, the VHF 2meter radio two great map lights, much better than the ones Nissan provide, and next month will have the roof mounted video screen fitted for the maps from the GPS and computer
Ray
FollowupID:
8966
Follow Up By: Member - Melissa - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 14:42
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 14:42
Hi Raymond,
We decided against going with a roof mounted console at this stage. Might look at it again when/if we permanently fit a HF though I don't ever see the day we'll go to video screens etc. In the meantime, we gave our old UHF to a friend whom we owed a favour...time for an upgrade anyway.
:o) Melissa
FollowupID:
8971
Follow Up By: Raymond Charlton - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 15:08
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 15:08
Melissa
Michelle and David can take part of the blame for the LCD monitor, the maps on the CD were so good with the GPS I wanted to use them while travelling. Finding some where to put the laptop in ute where you could read the screen was too hard so the viseo screen was the solution.
The HF comes with a remote head so it should not be too hard to fit in. Sue could not see over the dash pod so roof mount was the only way for 3 radios
Ray
FollowupID:
8973
Follow Up By: Member - Melissa - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 15:13
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 15:13
Ray,
I can see where you're coming from. We had a look at some fancy set-ups at the
Perth 4WD show and they were pretty impressive. We're still using a borrowed GPS though so I reckon it'll be years before we graduate to moving maps, LOL.
:o) Melissa
FollowupID:
8974
Reply By: Steve Mc - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 12:10
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 12:10
Kaza, Electophone UHFs with the remote head fit great, the guts fits neatly under the passengers
seat the head fits neatly in that spot just in front of the gear stick, u will have to fit a remote speaker
mine is mounted under the front of the passenger
seat on top of the floor pan brace & can still hear it alright, this will save hacking holes & looks neat, will cost a few bucks to change sets. Cheers Steve
AnswerID:
14835
Follow Up By: bruce.h - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 13:39
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 13:39
Gday Kazza/ steve
just aquick tip if you go with steves optoin of under the
seat
,dont bolt it down perminatly make it so it is easly & quickly removable as i have seen lots of people loose cd stackers & radios when crossing creeks ect becauce their cars leaked
Regards bruce
FollowupID:
8968
Reply By: PeteG - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 12:20
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 12:20
Kaza,
Not easy and I am interested in the replies received.
I am talking about a GUII.
Some options may be:
1) Have been told that a Din Mount UHF will fit in the slot (pocket) that is below the CD Player Console switches.
2) Consider a UHF with a remote head and attach head with double sided tape
3) Have heard of a second glovebox being fitted where the passengers side airbag goes - if you dont have the airbag fitted. This way the radio is hidden fron sight. Think there is a commercial conversion for this.
4) Have seen one fitted through dash in this location
5) On back of the console - hard to see what you are doing
6) I have mounted a AM/UHF on the slope in front of the gearstick (as the unit is bigger than a DIN). This does mean 4 holes though.
7) Have heard of retro fitting a thinner CD/radio unit and fitting a UHF in the space gained
Personally I am not keen on options under dash, under seats, on side of console as either you knock you knees or cant see what you are doing.
Suggest you have a look at the Uniden and GME sites for the radio details. Have an idea that the glovebox conversion is done by someone like Department of the Interior. Think this info has been on this
forum in the last 6 months.
Cheers
Pete G
AnswerID:
14836
Follow Up By: Darrin - Saturday, Mar 15, 2003 at 11:44
Saturday, Mar 15, 2003 at 11:44
Can you remember who does the second glove box conversion?Not a lot of room behind there but it would be good for the radio.
regards
darrin
FollowupID:
9283
Reply By: Member - Andrew O - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 12:48
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 12:48
Kaza,
I've got a GME TX3200 fitted just in
the spot in front of the gear lever, just under the cigarette lighter. I did drill a couple of holes, but I think its a great position - easy to see & reach, with the speaker facing out too. The microphone lies in the gear stick boots.
A mate of
mine, also with a GU, has the same unit, he mounted it in the sunglass holder near the rear vision mirror. There is power in their from the map lights & also for a sunroof. He made a small bracket which attaches to the screw easily visible there, and attached the radio to the bracket. No holes, the sunglass holder can be re-fitted at sale time, and no expense/danger of roof consoles. Can't quite recall what he did with the microphone, but it is mounted near the radio somehow.
Cheers
Andrew
AnswerID:
14839
Reply By: Member - Kevin - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 13:01
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 13:01
Kaza,
I have a 2002 GUII to which I have added a TX3200 - but not without drilling two small holes. The unit is mounted above the cup holders by 4 screws into the centre console surround -
the gap between the outer surface and the inner box is great enough to contain the screws. I drilled two small holes into the bottom of the driver's side cup holder and run my power and antenna cables through them. The microphone sits neatly in the 4WD selector boot. An easy job and I can see and hear the radio perfectly. It doesn't bother me that I have lost the cup holders - they seemed pretty useless to me anyway.
Cheers
Kevin
AnswerID:
14841
Reply By: Marty and Sam - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 13:06
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 13:06
We have a 2002 GU and we had the GME TX3400 fitted. The remote head mounts just in front of the gear stick and the main unit fits under the dash above the drivers legs you do not need a remote speaker as you can hear it clearly. We looked around at different units but everybody that we spoke to recommended the TX 3400 for the ST or TI Patrol as you do not have much room in the dash with the cd player, any unit can be fitted in the DX. Don't worry to much about the holes as there are very good plastic welders out there that will make it look like new again.
AnswerID:
14843
Reply By: brian - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 19:29
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 19:29
Kaza,i have 2002 gu and fitted an am and uhf in a dash pod on the dash it is held in place with commercial grade double sided adhesive tape NO HOLES.works fine very neat and professional finish,matches dash colour perfectly,advertised widely in 4wd mags.easily removed at time of sale,
AnswerID:
14861
Reply By: BM - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 20:18
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 20:18
I recently installed a GME 4400. I removed the stock double DIN cd player and replaced with a single DIN sony cd head unit. The 4400 then bolts into place using the bracket and the screws from the original unit. Mircophone holder is then mounted on the plastic surround using commercial grade double sided tape. This is of course a great solution if you also want to replace the standard cd player.
cheers
Brendan
AnswerID:
14864
Reply By: Kaza - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 20:28
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003 at 20:28
Righto,thanks everybody for getting back so quickly and with so many good ideas.I think i can put the console on hold and probably go with a remote unit,in hindsight,whats a couple of holes if i'm going to keep the Patrol for 5-whenever years.
Anyway,thanks to all the people who replied.
P.S -Bruce,good idea with the quick release thingo but now that it doesn't rain anymore(W.A) i probably wont be doing any river crossings :)
AnswerID:
14865
Reply By: fred - Wednesday, Mar 12, 2003 at 16:03
Wednesday, Mar 12, 2003 at 16:03
Fitted AM/SSB radio in GU I on passenger side of console
50mm X 3 mm steel - front end fixed by console attaching screw - need hard rubber spacer
Steel follows line of console and small bracket welded on rear end to allow fixing to passenger
seat bolt beside console
Radio mounting bracket bolted to 50 X3 steel to allow
seat to be in the forward position if necessary
Cheers
AnswerID:
14961
Reply By: FNQer - Thursday, Mar 13, 2003 at 21:22
Thursday, Mar 13, 2003 at 21:22
Raymond,
Can you tell me more about the roof console with the LCD display from your laptop. Did you do it yourself, or purchase it from somewhere. Really interested because I looking at how I can fit my GU out with the same sort of setup.
AnswerID:
15140