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2010 F150 Lariat Install

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ERICMYERS

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Just completed the install in my truck - these trucks with the flow through consoles are a challenge, and I took an approach that is quite different than any other ones I've seen. There's not much info out there to help with installing radios in these trucks, so I hope this may inspire/help other radio/scanner junkies out there!

Years ago I had a 1994 F150 with a similar overhead shelf - loved that setup, but unfortunately, nothing is made for this truck/model year. I used a Shelf-It from VDP, which is supposed to be for an F250 and definitely did NOT fit my truck out of the box. Fabbed up some custom brackets out of some aluminum barstock and solved that. Color match is quite nice.

I park this truck in my garage, so overhead clearance is important - this is why I went with the toolbox solution. I picked a steel toolbox with gullwings - bought it at Tractor Supply with their logos (debadged it), but it's made by Delta. Gullwings so that the antennas don't bang the cab when the lids are opened, and steel so that I could mount NMO's easily vs the difficulty with Diamond Plate. Also, since this truck is painted in the White Platinum Metallic Tri-coat, I thought it would be nice if the toolbox were painted to match (better than contractor white), so the white base on the toolbox saved me some time. Painted it using 3 coats of Duplicolor Paintshop metallic clear midcoat, and then 4 coats of clear. Put bedliner on the bottom to make the toolbox look less huge.

Radios are an Icom 2200H 2 meter, a BCD996T scanner, Cobra 29WXNWST, all powered via Powerpoles. Coax is all run through the headliner, down the back corners, through the vents, and up into the box grommets through the big oval grommet on the front wall of the bed. You can't see a single wire inside unless you REALLY try to. Power goes to the battery through the grommet behind the glovebox.

Antennas are a Maxrad for the scanner, a short 2/70 for the 2 meter - Opek brand I think, and a Firestik 2 for the CB. The CB antenna is on a mount I fabricated out of Aluminum, connected using a taillight bolt, and then the stud is on a store bought bracket. I don't like the way I had to do the coax on the CB, and the ground plane sucks, so I may rework that later - clearance overhead challenge is making this tradeoff.

Scanner and CB audio is routed via a hand built 1/8 mini stereo wire that has been split to 2 mono's at the radio end, which then terminates at the Sync Aux input, sending Scanner audio to the Right and CB audio to the Left. 2 Meter Audio is through the Icom for now - being right by my head, I think it's fine. Scanner needs more audio clarity than 2 Meter, and I listen to scanner more than I'm on 2 Meter - it's easy to reconfigure by just swapping wires. One nice thing about using the Aux input is that if a call comes in, the audio mutes automatically.

I also have done the power mod for my radar detector taking power off the rear view mirror camera. I hate unnecessary cords dangling - the mic cords aren't bad, but may get reworked if I can find a better solution.

Enjoy the pix - feel free to ask questions.
 

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ERICMYERS

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A couple more pix - first one of the toolbox in 'virgin' state, the second shows the coax going up to the toolbox, and the last is an upward shot of the overhead console - Used all allen head (cap head) bolts just to make it look cool, and got lucky that my garage door opener fit perfectly in the place where you're supposed to re-mount the visors (which I didn't do - would be too low in my field of vision.). You can also see the tint strip I put in the windshield's first few inches - had to do this so that you couldn't see the back of the radios from outside the truck.

The sunglasses holders both still work perfectly fine, and the lights overhead still shine down on the dash with maybe 25% reduction in effectiveness.
 

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jonesyxvii

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Bloody brilliant! I'd like to see a pic or two of the back side of the radios and their connections to power, if possible. I'm looking to install a BC996XT and BCT15 in my Ford Escape and I'm starting to lean toward hard-wiring direct to the battery rather than using the 12v accessory outlets (both of which are in completely the wrong place).

Well done, nice setup.

Rob
 

AK9R

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Your approach to antennas was similar to what I did on my 2011 F-150. However, I drilled one large hole in the bottom of the box and ran the split tubing into the box. Individual coaxes then break out of the split tubing inside the box.

Those plugs in the front of the bed are handy and almost line up perfectly with the vents in the back of the truck cab.
 

ERICMYERS

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Your approach to antennas was similar to what I did on my 2011 F-150. However, I drilled one large hole in the bottom of the box and ran the split tubing into the box. Individual coaxes then break out of the split tubing inside the box.

Those plugs in the front of the bed are handy and almost line up perfectly with the vents in the back of the truck cab.

- the limitations of my step drill's size and the grommets I had on hand, coupled with attached PL259's on the NMO mounts I sourced made 2 holes necessary at this stage. When/If i have the right drill and a larger grommet, I will be routing it straight up from the bed plug. Would look much nicer like yours.

It's a tight fit to route that way thru the bed grommet to vent, but doable unless you have bear paws for hands. Would have been a LOT easier if my NMO's didn't have the PL259's attached already. Why I didn't source unattached ones!!....made fishing thru headliner a pain too. Lesson learned.
 

ERICMYERS

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Bloody brilliant! I'd like to see a pic or two of the back side of the radios and their connections to power, if possible. I'm looking to install a BC996XT and BCT15 in my Ford Escape and I'm starting to lean toward hard-wiring direct to the battery rather than using the 12v accessory outlets (both of which are in completely the wrong place).

Well done, nice setup.

Rob

really not much to see - used the molded 3 prong cables that came with the radios and put PowerPoles on the opposite ends with the cable cut to length to get to the PowerPole distribution panel on the far right end. All wires run under the radios along the shelf, which has a lip - so you really don't see any wires other than the little hooks going downward. Coax runs through headliner, so you only see about 2 inches of that too.

Power feed to the battery runs down the A-pillar, through a firewall grommet to the battery. Stay clear of (behind) the airbags, and that part was surprisingly easy to fish through. I have a photo of the Shelf-It with the radios all mounted prior to putting it in the truck - will see if I can find it for you tonight.

Thanks for the compliment!
 

jonesyxvii

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Power feed to the battery runs down the A-pillar, through a firewall grommet to the battery.

Is it a switched circuit (on and off with the ignition) or did you install a separate switch before/after the Powerpole distribution panel? Or do you just turn the radios on and off individually?

I'd like mine to be switched, and was looking at installing a battery isolating solenoid (DC battery isolator and split charge relay for RV, car, and truck applications) to do the job. Scares the hell outta me, though, because anything electrical scares the hell outta me. I'm trying to summon the courage to do all this.
 

ERICMYERS

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Is it a switched circuit (on and off with the ignition) or did you install a separate switch before/after the Powerpole distribution panel? Or do you just turn the radios on and off individually?

I'd like mine to be switched, and was looking at installing a battery isolating solenoid (DC battery isolator and split charge relay for RV, car, and truck applications) to do the job. Scares the hell outta me, though, because anything electrical scares the hell outta me. I'm trying to summon the courage to do all this.

Not switched at the ignition. I've always kept things simple and am used to turning radios off. Even when one is left on overnight, in receive mode, not much power is drawn, so the likelihood of draining a battery is pretty remote, even over a few days. A better solution to 'dead battery fear' than going with switched ignition relays (IMO) is this Automatic Power Off Switch
 

ERICMYERS

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really not much to see - used the molded 3 prong cables that came with the radios and put PowerPoles on the opposite ends with the cable cut to length to get to the PowerPole distribution panel on the far right end. All wires run under the radios along the shelf, which has a lip - so you really don't see any wires other than the little hooks going downward. Coax runs through headliner, so you only see about 2 inches of that too.

Power feed to the battery runs down the A-pillar, through a firewall grommet to the battery. Stay clear of (behind) the airbags, and that part was surprisingly easy to fish through. I have a photo of the Shelf-It with the radios all mounted prior to putting it in the truck - will see if I can find it for you tonight.

Thanks for the compliment!

Here is the shelf w/ the radios and Rigrunner just before mounting in the truck.
 

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ERICMYERS

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I'm definitely not pleased with the microphone setup - have plans to run extensions down each A-pillar under the dash and out the front - should get that done this week if I can get the parts needed.
 

ERICMYERS

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Redid how the mic's connect - a custom panel jack and extension cord for the CB mic and ran a lan cable extension for the 2Meter. I like how this came out! No more dangling cords in my field of view!
 

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KM4WLV

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I've always really liked the idea of the radios on an overhead shelf. I've seen this done a time or two before.

What I really like is how you ran the extensions down for the mic's. That is awesome, especially if you disconnect the mic's you'd really never know they were there.

Awesome !!
 

mikie_mike

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Custom Brackets for Overhead Shelf

A definite well done project - kudos! I am highly interested in the brackets you fabricated for the shelf - even willing to pay for a set. Is there more details you can provide about them?
 

gewecke

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Nice job! ;)
I would have done the same but went direct with the mics. Simply install a clip on the ceiling to keep the cords up out of the way.

73,
n9zas
 
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