Cadillac CTS radio install

[ElroyJetson]

Currently in planning stages:

Interior:

Radio going in: Harris M5300 remote mount model

The head will be going into the space at the bottom of the center console. It's just a change pocket and power
receptacle in there. I've acquired a spare piece and will modify it to take the control head. I will then move
the power receptacle to the right side of the console housing.

The nice thing about this radio is that the control cable is very compact, about the size of a piece of
RG58 coaxial cable.

The radio unit will mount in place of the OnStar unit (which doesn't work anyway, being an analog
cell phone based unit, and analog OnStar was retired several years ago) so the install will be
all but completely invisible.

For an antenna I'll use the OnStar antenna. It's a suitable 800 MHz whip and since this is a receive
only installation, I don't even have to worry about SWR.


I may need professional help to figure out how to run the power cable to the trunk, though. Or maybe
it would be just fine to tap the OnStar power connector. Regardless, the control cable from radio to control head still has to be run and I need to provide power to the control head.


I'm very retentive about how I do a vehicle radio install. I insist on it being completely reversible,
so you'd never know a radio had been installed in the car.

And I do NOT drill holes for antennas.

 

[CommJunkie]

I thought OnStar used 1.9 Ghz?

Also, if I spent that much on a nice car, I wouldn't be putting radios in it, but that's just me.

Good luck with it. Post pics when it's done.

 

[scottyhetzel]

Mount the antenna on the rear deck inside... Like the feds do... Or up side down under the rear tire. It works .Ram mount in the cup holder...

 

[ElroyJetson]

The earlier years of OnStar worked off analog (AMPS) 800 MHz cellular service. That system has been retired since 2008. Installing the radio unit in the spot where the OnStar module was located makes for a very nice, clean, and easy install.

Later years of OnStar service use more modern cell equipment.

This car is a 2004.

Since I can use the original glass mount OnStar antenna and it's already the right band, 800 MHz,
this convenience is what I needed in order to decide to put a radio in the car.

Putting the control head in the change tray location, using another change tray/lid assembly which is to be custom machined to take the head, makes for as neat and clean an installation as I think is possible.
Something I'll actually do.

I would not clutter up this car with multiple radio installs or even one install if it wasn't very unobtrusive.

It MIGHT even be possible to hide the control head behind a cover that looks just like the stock one, giving a 100 percent stealthy appearance.

The cup holder is not an option for radio mounting on this car. It's in the center console, not on the dash console, and the way it's shaped I just don't see an easily workable solution if I wanted to use that.

 

[ofd8001]

There may be a question of whether the power wiring to the old On Star unit is of the correct size for the main radio unit. While receive only may not draw much power as would the transmit mode, it's probably safer to have a larger size wire.

I'm sure there has to be some wiring harnesses which you could follow from the battery area back into the trunk area. I agree with the reversible and neat workmanship method of radio installs. Takes time, but gives you a good sense of pride.

 

[ElroyJetson]

I'm planning to run heavier power wire anyway. Why not, since the control cable has to be run? Might as well do it all at once.

 

[Skypilot007]

I'd bet you're good power wise with the existing onstar wiring since that is a transmitting radio and would probably draw more current than the Harris radio on receive.

I like your plan for the control head and mounting point. When is the install going to happen? Post up the pics when finished.

 

[ofd8001]

Just another thought on the merits of running a bigger power wire. You never know what other electrical/electronic stuff you might add in your trunk down the road and having a power point available becomes a bonus.

 

[Tom_G]

There are usually grommets in the firewall that you can run the power cables through to the battery.
From there, just remove the kick panels on the floor where the doors close and you will be able to tuck the cables under the carpeting and then under the rear seats to the trunk.
Assuming you are mounting the radio base there...
Thats usually a quick process and very easy to remove later.
Best of luck...

 

[ElroyJetson]

I have a replacement coin tray coming to me now. Once that's in hand, it will immediately get modified
to carry the control head. (I will place the original in storage to restore the interior to original condition when the radio is removed at some unknown future time.)

I'm having a custom radio mount adapter fabricated as I write this. This will adapt the M7300 radio mount to the OnStar unit's mounting studs.

Once all those parts are fabricated and ready, I'll run the wires and then install will be plug and play.
This might be done as early as this coming weekend.

The OnStar module is located in the trunk on the right side (as you face the trunk) behind the trunk liner. The radio will be installed in
that location and will thus be completely invisible with the liner reinstalled.

If I go the extra mile and place a false cover over the control head, the whole install will be COMPLETELY stealthy.

 

[krokus]

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (Android 2.3.4; Linux; Opera Mobi/ADR-1309251116) Presto/2.11.355 Version/12.10)

Where are you placing the speaker?

 

[bonez01]

Hi,

Super plan on the install. Should be a slick setup once complete. Eager to see the final pics.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[mrweather]

A couple of months ago I installed a Yaesu FT-8900 in my 2010 CTS-V. Mounted the head to the headliner above the rear view mirror and the drawer under the rear deck on the driver's side. The speaker is mounted on the B-pillar about halfway up from the floor. The battery is in the trunk so grabbing power was simple. The antenna is a Comet SBB-2 antenna (yeah, no 6m or 10m but I can live with it for now) on an NMO mount on top of the passenger side quarter panel.

A fairly stealthy install and it works well for my needs.