Ford Fusion Install - FINALLY

[wuzafuzz]

After several months I finally installed some toys in my 2010 Ford Fusion. With any luck I'll pick up a dedicated scanner soon. I'm thinking about the Home Patrol but haven't decided yet. Until then my PRO-106 will suffice.

The radio is a Yaesu FTM-350AR. The transceiver is mounted in the trunk, with the control head up front. I used CAT5 cable instead of the provided cable, so I had to dress that up with some split loom where the tan cable was visible. It looked nasty until I did that.

The control head is mounted with a Lido mount. That worked out quite well. It puts the control head in a great spot for easy viewing and handling. The gooseneck for the microphone has been used at various times for a GPS, phone carrier and now a home for the microphone. I might decide on a different option in the future. That depends on where I put a scanner.

For now I'm running a trunk lip mount for the antenna. I've always drilled holes in the past so this is my first go at a trunk lip mount. I don't care for it so far and may go ahead and drill a hole.

 

[KC0CSE]

Nice job!!! looks like if you wanted to ...you could have installed a Troy Console in the front for your radios...but anyway way to go!!! another nice Ford install!!!

 

[bgav]

Very nice install, well done!

 

[mmckenna]

Wow, that looks good.

I see a lot of installs on here and occasionally there are a few that just make me shudder. This is NOT one of them. I like the goose neck mount for the mic. I might have to copy that design in my truck.

 

[wuzafuzz]

Thanks for the kind comments.

If I could find a console for the Fusion I would go there. Unfortunately the floor shifter and parking brake location take up all kinds of prime space where a console would go.

BTW, the mic clip on the gooseneck is also a Lido product. Sometimes the gooseneck wiggles on hard bumps and tosses the mic out. In those cases I click the mic down into the detente on the mic clip, but it doesn't come out easily.

Here are the products I'm using:

Mic clip, I'm not using the stick on portion
http://www.lidomounts.com/catalog/item/1478816/8942819.htm

Gooseneck, purchased with Yaesu mount:
http://www.lidomounts.com/catalog/item/1478816/4979410.htm
Incidentally, the Yaesu ball mount also fits my Garmin Nuvi 255 GPS.

Finally, I bought the dash mount for the control head from ProClip USA. The mount base combines with a ball mount for...the Garmin Nuvi 255. Happy coincidence since ProClip didn't have a mount just for the Yaesu FTM-350.
http://www.proclipusa.com/?sectionp...lder=false&have_mount=false&p_pageid=1&dtype=

In case that last link didn't work, it was for Item #: 854362 at http://www.proclipusa.com/home/home.aspx

I hope all the info helps others with their install ideas.

 

[Skypilot007]

Nice neat job. I find the fusions very radio friendly cars. I have an older 06 model with a 2 radios in it adding a 3rd when the weather gets better.

 

[Rt169Radio]

Neat looking setup.

 

[russellmaher]

Very nice job on the installation. Thanks for sharing with us.

Russell

 

[n9mxq]

Super clean.. Nice install..

 

[wuzafuzz]

Thinking about drilling some antenna holes in the trunk lid. Does anyone know if the trunk lid liner will come of and reinstall gracefully? It is held in place by plastic "bolts" but I suspect they are those one way things that are only good for one use. I could just start rippin' and tearin' but prefer to get some info first.

 

[mmckenna]

Most decent auto parts stores will have those push in fasteners. I've been lucky in reusing those without any issues. If you do get a few that fail, they are easy enough to replace.

 

[wuzafuzz]

Drilled for an antenna

I got tired of the trunk lip mount antenna. It kept pushing on the weather seal between the trunk lid and the window. Plus the allen screws were starting to leave little marks on the window. So I drilled the hole, put an NMO in there, and got a nice shiny Tram antenna on there.

The trunk lid liner came off easier than expected, which simplified measuring for antenna hole placement.

 

[russellmaher]

Good job, Eric! That's a neat look on the trunk. How's the performance on the new antenna?

Russell

 

[62Truck]

Very nice install!! Plus I love those cup holders!!!

 

[mmckenna]

As I said before, Nice Install. Thank you, thank you, thank you for following it up with a proper antenna install! I'm a firm believer that a properly installed permanent antenna looks a million times better than a mag mount, any day.

 

[Rt169Radio]

Looking good, nice and clean.

 

[ShawnInPaso]

Don't know how I missed this the first time; great looking install (I may be a bit biased as a fellow 350AR owner).

 

[ridgescan]

smart looking install-those Fusions are nice mid cruisers too. Good match for the radios.

 

[wuzafuzz]

Good job, Eric! That's a neat look on the trunk. How's the performance on the new antenna?

Russell

The antenna performance is great, and I no longer wonder if the trunk lip mount will break my rear window.

Fairly soon I will do something different with the stalk the microphone currently lives on. The current placement is too wobbly and intrusive for my liking. Stay tuned!

 

[SkyFoxx]

I'm trying to install my FTM-350 in my Fusion. I've been looking at the ProClip mounts but am unsure of what to get. I'm looking at your pictures and have no idea how the ball mount would connect to the 350. Can you provide more details on that?