RAV-4 Install ?

[kjfswkr]

Hi all,
Has anyone ever done an install on a Toyota RAV-4? As much as I hate to I am selling my Tundra p/u and gettinga RAV-4. Gas prices with commute is killing me.

kevin

 

[mass-man]

Not my personal vehicle, but helped a friend put a dual band mobile unit in a RAV4. Rig went under the dash right in the center...antenna mount on the spare tire mount. Pretty painless, seems to work fine. I do not remember how we got power to the rig.

 

[kjfswkr]

Thanks

kevin

 

[macrr]

I stood by while the car-audio guy popped open the plastic to install a Motorola Spectra...

He ran the fused power to the battery and back to the storage bin in the trunk through the plastic foot plate guards by the driver side door. The radio head is in the front cubbyhole with a hole drilled through to access the HVAC space and send the control cable to the back. I never installed a permanent antenna, so when I'm in the RAV I put a magmount out the back door.

 

[kjfswkr]

any pictures by chance?

kevin

 

[macrr]

Dirty after a Canadian winter For the dash, check out this YouTube video , or RAV4World.com

 

[kjfswkr]

Thanks for posting the pics MACRR

kevin

 

[WatnNY]

That's a very nice job!!!

Mike

 

[macrr]

I like it- The Spectra can really get out, with something like 110 watts and receive audio is plenty loud and clear. I'd recommend it if space isn't too tight and you don't need to change your 255 or so channels too often.

 

[macrr]

One thing you can't see - there is some velcro stuck to the radio in the trunk; this does a nice job of keeping everything in one place.

 

[RRSINC]

I just did one yesterday... very easy to work with, plenty of room to run wires. pics are posted on my face book page: Recent Installations | Facebook

 

[clementrw]

The RAV4 provided me some challenges, but I have been able to squeeze an IC-706, TM-D700, and a PRO197 in the car. I removed the factory radio, and installed an aftermarket single-din radio with the scanner in the same spot. I bought a splitter so that the regular AM/FM antenna also serves as the scanner antenna. As for the ham equipment, I installed the bodies of the radios in the trunk, and mounted the heads up front. I use the included mount for the D700 in the center of the dashboard. The IC-706 head I mounted from a floor mount. Speakers are beneath the seats. The antennas for both are lip mounts on the back door.

Unfortunately, I do not have pics, but I hope this gives you some ideas.

Rickey/AE6QE

 

[kjfswkr]

Maybe there is hope for me afterall.

kevin

 

[bfpdb]

Sounds like a great Install. W5CI

 

[macrr]

Sounds great - I'd love to see pics if/when you get a chance.

 

[70cutlass442]

I just did one yesterday... very easy to work with, plenty of room to run wires. pics are posted on my face book page: Recent Installations | Facebook

What type of glass mount antenna is that? how does it work compared to lets say a normal 1/4 on the roof?

 

[RRSINC]

The window mount is a Larsen KG Series. We use a lot of these and have yet to have any issues. A lot of our customers lease their vehicles and have an issue with drilling a hole in the roof for an antenna so we found these to be a good alternative.

I find them to perform very well pretty close to a regular 1/4 wave.