- First Name
- Kraig
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2021
- Threads
- 32
- Messages
- 872
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- 1,610
- Location
- US - Alabama
- Vehicle(s)
- 2014 F150, 2014 Focus, 1973 Bronco
- Your Bronco Model
- Wildtrak
Nice work!
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- Thread starter
- #33
Most of the Plywood is cut and ready for assembly now, I also added a bracket and shock cord to this baby space heater so it can be hung in the rooftop tent. The hanging bracket is cut out of .040 aluminum and blind riveted trough the plastic shell to steel rivet backers to (hopefully) prevent splitting the plastic.
- Thread starter
- #35
Here is the initial install of the cabinetry electrical hooked up. Everything checks out and works as planned.
aux 12VCD to the front of the cab is always on
aux 12VDC to the fridge is always on
aux 12VDC to the cargo area on when the vehicle is off, relay opens when the vehicle is on
110VAC switches on with the remote panel at the hub, outside extension into the tent all works
power from aux 6 goes to the rear aux fuse box and through a relay. 2 wires come out to the bottom of the vehicle for future rear facing lights to turn on with aux6 and switch modes with the reverse light.
trigger wire from inside the cab triggers the compressor, this will be set up with a timer circuit later.
bottle jack kit and tool bag fit perfectly in the shelves.
table light is perfect, overhead light is either too bright or needs a glare shield.
water pump and faucet to be installed later, waiting for bracket fabrication.
charger automatically detects when the alternator is active and charges the battery at 45-50 A.
problem: my ham radio wont fit in either location I scoped out as candidates so I will probably have to open up the giant side interior panel again and put it somewhere in there.
aux 12VCD to the front of the cab is always on
aux 12VDC to the fridge is always on
aux 12VDC to the cargo area on when the vehicle is off, relay opens when the vehicle is on
110VAC switches on with the remote panel at the hub, outside extension into the tent all works
power from aux 6 goes to the rear aux fuse box and through a relay. 2 wires come out to the bottom of the vehicle for future rear facing lights to turn on with aux6 and switch modes with the reverse light.
trigger wire from inside the cab triggers the compressor, this will be set up with a timer circuit later.
bottle jack kit and tool bag fit perfectly in the shelves.
table light is perfect, overhead light is either too bright or needs a glare shield.
water pump and faucet to be installed later, waiting for bracket fabrication.
charger automatically detects when the alternator is active and charges the battery at 45-50 A.
problem: my ham radio wont fit in either location I scoped out as candidates so I will probably have to open up the giant side interior panel again and put it somewhere in there.
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- #36
Well, the radio install turned into an epic saga...
After some forum research, I found various examples of radios being mounted both above the glove box on an M2M bracket and under the steering column on an existing removable plate. Since the space seems more open above the glovebox than under the steering column, I planned to install the bigger ham radio on the M2M bracket and smaller GMRS radio under the steering column. I re-drilled the bracket for the Kenwood TM-V71a to let the radio sit lower and riveted it to the M2M bracket only to find out that there was no friggen way it was going to get in there.
that's ok, I'll just swap them and proceeded to mount the Midland MXT275 on the M2M bracket and installed it above the glovebox. Problem is, there was also no way the Kenwood would fit under the steering column either. I went back to the forums for some more ideas and found at least one person had mounted their radio behind the inside fusebox with plenty of room to spare. So with a fresh plan and a new day I grabbed the radio and crawled under the footwell to discover that all that extra space behind the fusebox is an option that only comes packaged with the rental car transmission. I have all sorts of clutch related stuff stuffed back there.
the backup plan to all this would have been to take the big right side interior trim back out and make another custom bracket to mount the radio somewhere in there and run longer cables all over the cab to make it all work. That would be really unpleasant and burn through even more time I wasn't expecting to spend so I decided to go back to the glove box area and try harder.
I removed the Midland again and drilled its mount back off the M2M bracket and started fiddling with the Kenwood up there. After a lot of temporary tests which included accidently dripping a ball of hot glue on my face, I ended up discovering that the radio was running into a plastic shroud that is hidden from view and there was probably enough space beyond that to make it fit. In order to cut it, the entire dash would have to be removed..... so I removed the entire dash. There was other wiring I needed to insert back there anyways so I gathered those items and got them routed as well.
The end result is the controller and external speaker for the ham radio on top of the dash. My Carlinkit module also on top of the dash. The mic for the ham radio by the steering column. The speaker-mic for the GMRS in the passenger footwell. the USB programming cable for the Ham radio in the glovebox. The Mobilinkd modem above the passenger footwell and powered by the OEM USB plug just like the Carlinkit. That OEM USB module has been unmounted and tucked back in the console so those wires are all routed internally. I made a temporary bracket to mount the ham radio control head and external speaker to get the system usable for now.
the remaining items to wrap up are to install additional USB charge ports that are always on and powered from the large auxiliary battery. Install a custom wireless charging pad also powered the same way. Design and 3D print a shroud for the janky pile of stuff on top of the dash. Set up a Mashtastic node with screen behind the OEM USB port cover. It also turned out that my 7 year old Mobilinkd modem isn't connecting right so I ordered a new one and will have to switch out one of the micro-USB cables I ran for a USB-C cable.
After some forum research, I found various examples of radios being mounted both above the glove box on an M2M bracket and under the steering column on an existing removable plate. Since the space seems more open above the glovebox than under the steering column, I planned to install the bigger ham radio on the M2M bracket and smaller GMRS radio under the steering column. I re-drilled the bracket for the Kenwood TM-V71a to let the radio sit lower and riveted it to the M2M bracket only to find out that there was no friggen way it was going to get in there.
that's ok, I'll just swap them and proceeded to mount the Midland MXT275 on the M2M bracket and installed it above the glovebox. Problem is, there was also no way the Kenwood would fit under the steering column either. I went back to the forums for some more ideas and found at least one person had mounted their radio behind the inside fusebox with plenty of room to spare. So with a fresh plan and a new day I grabbed the radio and crawled under the footwell to discover that all that extra space behind the fusebox is an option that only comes packaged with the rental car transmission. I have all sorts of clutch related stuff stuffed back there.
the backup plan to all this would have been to take the big right side interior trim back out and make another custom bracket to mount the radio somewhere in there and run longer cables all over the cab to make it all work. That would be really unpleasant and burn through even more time I wasn't expecting to spend so I decided to go back to the glove box area and try harder.
I removed the Midland again and drilled its mount back off the M2M bracket and started fiddling with the Kenwood up there. After a lot of temporary tests which included accidently dripping a ball of hot glue on my face, I ended up discovering that the radio was running into a plastic shroud that is hidden from view and there was probably enough space beyond that to make it fit. In order to cut it, the entire dash would have to be removed..... so I removed the entire dash. There was other wiring I needed to insert back there anyways so I gathered those items and got them routed as well.
The end result is the controller and external speaker for the ham radio on top of the dash. My Carlinkit module also on top of the dash. The mic for the ham radio by the steering column. The speaker-mic for the GMRS in the passenger footwell. the USB programming cable for the Ham radio in the glovebox. The Mobilinkd modem above the passenger footwell and powered by the OEM USB plug just like the Carlinkit. That OEM USB module has been unmounted and tucked back in the console so those wires are all routed internally. I made a temporary bracket to mount the ham radio control head and external speaker to get the system usable for now.
the remaining items to wrap up are to install additional USB charge ports that are always on and powered from the large auxiliary battery. Install a custom wireless charging pad also powered the same way. Design and 3D print a shroud for the janky pile of stuff on top of the dash. Set up a Mashtastic node with screen behind the OEM USB port cover. It also turned out that my 7 year old Mobilinkd modem isn't connecting right so I ordered a new one and will have to switch out one of the micro-USB cables I ran for a USB-C cable.
- Thread starter
- #37
I should have taken more pictures of the radio install to show the mic locations and antenna stuff which I'll get soon, for now I have some photos of the compressor install. I want to be able to use it without messing with the hood so I routed a hydraulic hose to the compressor fitting and a custom stainless bracket on the front crash bar mount. The bracket is shaped so that it blocks some of the mud that the top of the tire can sling forward in that area.
- Thread starter
- #38
I designed a mount for a RAK WiseBlock radio that will fit inside the stock USB port and run a Meshtastic node. Off to the printer to see how this goes!
tag @UncleBrad
tag @UncleBrad
Thanks for documenting all the work you've put into this and sharing with us!I should have taken more pictures of the radio install to show the mic locations and antenna stuff which I'll get soon, for now I have some photos of the compressor install. I want to be able to use it without messing with the hood so I routed a hydraulic hose to the compressor fitting and a custom stainless bracket on the front crash bar mount. The bracket is shaped so that it blocks some of the mud that the top of the tire can sling forward in that area.
- Thread starter
- #40
Put together my Meshtastic module today. Installing will have to wait since it is raining and I do all the work on the actual Bronco outside. The insert had to be printed a second time since several features didn't work right the first time around. That really wasn't surprising considering how much geometry I crammed into a 3 inch part without good design data on the components going into it. the result turned out great. The attached antenna in the photos is for testing, when installed, that will be a coax cable to an antenna outside.
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- #41
the LoRa radio / Meshtastic node is in the car now. I also added a pair of charge ports to use but unlike stock, they are wired to my big auxiliary battery and are always on for charging overnight with the car off. The button on the right is connected to a digital timer module that activates my compressor for 10 minutes and then turns itself off. The stock USB ports is tucked in the back and directly connected to a Carlinkit Android module and my Mobilinkd packet radio modem. Those 2 items shut down with the car but the modem has an internal battery so I have the option of manually switching it on if desired. The Carlinkit is only useful with the infotainment on. I hacked apart a 15W wireless charger and packed its guts into the panel in the phone cubby as well. It is powered by the 20W USB port in the front of the GMRS radio under the steering column and its indicator LED is light piped through the panel so its visible from the vehicle cab.
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Outstanding work! I posted this on a Mestastic Signal group consisting mostly of hams that aren't afraid to replicate what you've done.the LoRa radio / Meshtastic node is in the car now. I also added a pair of charge ports to use but unlike stock, they are wired to my big auxiliary battery and are always on for charging overnight with the car off. The button on the right is connected to a digital timer module that activates my compressor for 10 minutes and then turns itself off. The stock USB ports is tucked in the back and directly connected to a Carlinkit Android module and my Mobilinkd packet radio modem. Those 2 items shut down with the car but the modem has an internal battery so I have the option of manually switching it on if desired. The Carlinkit is only useful with the infotainment on.
- Thread starter
- #43
Testing out various settings across my plethora of coms after work today. Here is the view with all 4 antennas now.
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- #44
Now I'm getting into finishing touches for my first year major mods. I added a couple little hooks to keep my mic cables off the floor when they aren't being used. And I also removed the battery and shelving to finish up a few things. One of which is I'm concerned about chaffing between the cab body and 2AWG battery cables where they barely fit through so I couldn't fit any rubber in there. I'm trying to make a single layer kevlar epoxy cuff for the pass through by molding a patch of material around some left over wire. I started with a wrap of Teflon tape, then the kevlar-epoxy wet layup, then peelply & breather, then tightly wrapped it all with electrical tape. We'll see how this comes out tomorrow, might take a few tries to get this to work without wrinkles.
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