2008 Ford Expedition SSV build

[avdrummerboy]

Well, after 5 faithful years, my 2005 Ford Focus has done me well and seen almost 80,000 miles with me. It was a nice setup but I've been looking to upgrade for a while and after A LOT of searching found a great deal, a 2008 Ford Expedition SSV with only 82,000 miles. It was previously used by a fire department locally and sold off at auction. It's a dream come true for a radio install too.

These are three basic photos, I'm hoping to chronicle the buildout on here as it happens. So far, I have the radios that I want in, a Kenwood TK-7180 TK-8180, a Kenwood TM-V71a, and a Uniden BCT15X, maybe more in the future I'm going with Troy products and have already ordered faceplates and am now in the process of choosing a console that will work well for what I want.

Hope you all enjoy and any comments, suggestions, questions are welcome!!

 

[madrabbitt]

So existing NMO's in the roof already, or sealed holes at least?

 

[N5TWB]

Nice blank slate - think I'll follow this one for a while...

 

[vascanner]

I used to have a 2008 expedition SSV.....no spotlight, but it was a great vehicle. I really miss it. have a 2013 Tahoe now...which is nice too.

 

[PACNWDude]

Wow, must have come from a great department. Barely looks used. And no hack job done on the removal of equipment.

You could put a whole console in between the seat, computer on top an all. Good luck with the build.

Nice starting point though.

 

[avdrummerboy]

So existing NMO's in the roof already, or sealed holes at least?

Unfortunately no, there is one patch that was spot welded on that used to be where the control cable for the light bar went, and one filled hole on the front right in a place I am not planning on putting an antenna, so it's a blank slate for me with NMO's and antennas, hopefully be punching those in Monday sometime, with pictures to follow of course.

It is a nice blank slate lol, have my console picked out and now have to wait the lead time from troy so hopefully this can all be done in 4-6 weeks!! As Tom Petty said, the waiting is the hardest part!

 

[avdrummerboy]

Quick update on the install, have the main power cable run through the firewall with 40A fuses at the battery, now still just waiting for my console and faceplates to arrive. Hopefully will drill and install NMO mounts and antennas next week when all the mounts and the hole saw arrives.

 

[scottyhetzel]

Always run a circuit breaker on the main that way you can reset it...time is priceless . Plus in a pinch your not looking for a fuse...lives depend on it... Feed timer module from ram mounts, set for 1 hour or two... Trigger timer module from ignition source with a fuse...feed output of timer module to spst relay . #30 connects to battery feed... #87 output feeds bluesea fuse block 6/12 fuse type.. #85 is ground...#86 goes to output of ram timer module. Fuse size is 20% higher than load...blade circuit breakers are a plus..

Ground devices on paint free metal...bolt and nut with star washers... Super tight. Upsize ground for great connections...love moles or Phoenix connectors...

Battery>>>circuit breaker>>> timer module and relay feed>>> fuse block >>> devices in car..

 

[avdrummerboy]

I'm going almost that route. Running the main fused battery connection to a havis chargeguard then splitting to a separate fuse block for accessories and a rigrunner for the radios.

 

[avdrummerboy]

Update, I now have the power ran and the antennas in place, just waiting on the console and floor plate so that I can put everything in and be done with this finally haha.

Antennas, front to back, are, scanner, 900MHz, 150/450 commercial and county, and 2M/440 ham.

 

[avdrummerboy]

Got the order from Troy in and have it installed, photos are uploading weirdly and slowly but I'll try to get one of the final install sometime today. These two are the order from troy and the floor plate installed in the rig.

 

[firetaz834]

Looking forward to more photos of your installation. This is since you are using a TROY console, waiting for mine to be delivered.

 

[avdrummerboy]

Not sure what I'm doing wrong but RR isn't uploading my photo files, so I'll throw them in a photosharing site tomorrow and do it that way, kinda rube goldberg but it works!!

 

[firetaz834]

Could it be the size of your pictures? RR will only accept photo in jpg format of 197kb or smaller (think I have the size correct) But, on the page that you upload your pictures it will give the sizes it accepts. I had that happen on a couple of the pictures I was trying to upload. They seemed like they would not upload and when I checked they were larger than RR would accept. Just a thought

 

[avdrummerboy]

Well, still never could get the photos to upload to RR, but made a flickr to any who are interested in the final install. 4 antennas, scanner, 900MHz, VHF/UHF commercial, and 2M/ 440 ham. Two speakers for the quieter radios, and a dash cam just for good measure.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/134862902@N03/

 

[03msc]

I'm no expert but is there a reason you mounted the antennas so close together instead of spreading them out more? Maybe it's just the picture but it looks like they are all crowded toward the front half of the roof. Just wondering! I seem to remember posts in other threads about the need for separation of antennas and all that...

 

[flythunderbird]

That's a great-looking installation! Well done!

 

[avdrummerboy]

@03msc I could have spread them out more, but in all reality, you have to get antennas 1/4 wavelength apart at least to avoid the worst interactions, there's just not that much room on a vehicle roof. The scanner is the front one and as far away from the ham antenna (the one I'd most likely use on any given day) to avoid destroying the front end. The rest are commercial radios, which are build with rather strong receiver front ends.

@flythenderbird thank you, it was a bit of work but that's where all the fun is for me.

 

[richfell]

I saw the pictures that you put on flickr too...nice tidy install there, great job! After seeing several installs on this site using the consoles I have to admit they make a great place to put radios and/or faceplates. Enjoy it and 73.

 

[avdrummerboy]

Thank you, it's pretty neat, and I finally have it the way I like it.