Radar Detector Hardwire

[bullitt_2620]

I just got a whistler radar detector and want to hardwire it so i dont have to turn it off all the time because the stupid cigarette plug is hot all the time. There is a kit to wire it to the fuse box which will be easy, im not worried about that, but how easy is it to get the wires down the vent by the windshield? Am i gonna have to drill a hole or something?? I havent looked yet, i was just wondering if anyone had done it before and if it was easy. Thanks

 

[2000fordstanggt]

http://www.corral.net/tech/electronics/permradr.htm

it explains in there how to remove the interior pieces.

 

[bullitt_2620]

Interesting, i was just going to mount it on the dash but i think i might buy the mount to put it up on the headliner. Thanks for the link. Anyone done this themselves?

 

[DTNODYA]

I don't have one in my car anymore but I hardwired the one in my truck. I just cut the plug off, figured out +/-, spliced some longer wire and ran to a switched fuse (like radio or power windows, etc.) It turns off when I turn the truck off and vice versa. Pretty easy to do ..

 

[Wolvrin704]

Sounds like my next project. Good idea on the headliner, I currently keep it on the visor which sucks when its bright out.

 

[astronut1885]

I did it. I had a Cobra on my 87, and I replaced it with a brand new Cobra 12 band when I got the 04. My old car was hard wired, so I took the wires out, ran them down the defroster vent (that was a pain, had to use a coat hanger with the wires taped to it to get it past the little gap between the dash vents and the ducting), to the back of the center console, and wired them into the harness where my traction control should be. My car was a no-options car, so no ABS or TC, but the harness was still there and live. It's an ignition controlled 12v with a ground, so I put two connectors on the wires and plugged them into the harness, and bam, good to go and clean looking. You see about 2" of the wire going from the unit on the dash to the defroster vents.

 

[bullitt_2620]

So there is a big enough gap between the defroster vent and the dash to get the wires through? I havent had a chance yet to go check it out to see what im looking at. Im still on the fence about mounting it up on the headliner or the dash. The kit to wire it in the fuse box just requires a ground and a little plug into one of the spare fuse plugs that is hot when the car is on, it will be easy, im more worried about trying to get the wires through the vents underneath the vents.

 

[astronut1885]

It can be done. Pull the center console trim, and look up inside toward the windshield. If you see a glimmer of light, that's what you're shooting for. That's from the defroster vent.

 

[whyask]

i hard wire it right next to my gauges on the left, ran the wires on the side of the weather stripping. Got a "extra fuse thingy" with a hot wire run off it and pluged right in ! On my car domain page its one of the few last pictures on there you cansee it clear as day

 

[bullitt_2620]

Oh i see where you mounted it whyask. I never thought to mount it there, as of now it sits in the middle of the dash with the wires running to the cigarette lighter. Ill have to throw it on the other side and see how i like it. Thanks for the idea