If you install like this - PLEASE STOP.....

WhelenTech · Post by **WhelenTech** » Sat May 14, 2005 7:25 pm

I have been doing installs - cleanups / etc for many years - my buddy - owner of a local shop called me to show me what he found under the dash of a Audi he was working on....

All I have to say is - if this is you or anyone you know - please stop installing or shoot your friend...

PS: it was not actually anchored to anything - it just fell out ont he drivers feet a few days before..

There are 16 relays in this setup...

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Sat May 14, 2005 7:56 pm

Let me guess... Remote starter installed by a stereo shop or Best Buy? Yuck. I'd rather buy a new car than fix all that.

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Sat May 14, 2005 8:03 pm

QUICK RUN THE WIRE BOMB IS GONNA BLOW........

Too late. it did already

We had a department that had a Tow truck company do their installs apparently they thought they could do a good job becuse the tow trucks have lightbars..

The result was about the same as the picuture.. We ripped it all out and started over....

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Sat May 14, 2005 8:41 pm

OMG

How much stuff is in that car? I hope you don't mind but i'm going to save that picture and send it to a buddy of mine that is thinking about having a local so-called "installer" do his vehicle.

I'll tell him to bring the picture with and tell them don't do it like this crap! LOL

Seriously though, that is a mess. I don't envy anyone for having to spend the time cleaning it up. But, i would be damn sure to charge the owner for it and let them deal with the previous bone head that did that.

Maybe they could take the bill to small claims court and go after the previous installer.

Ouch is all i can say!

WhelenTech · Post by **WhelenTech** » Sat May 14, 2005 8:52 pm

From what we could tell..

Autostart..

Seperate remote operation of all interior window shades

Remote operation of Seat Adjustments

Normal alarm

Pager notification..

We were lucky - all the tie in were pretty much under the dash...

But these projects are nutty - who knows where all the tie ins are...

And feel free to use the photo - since I took it I can release it to anyone..

EC-7 · Post by **EC-7** » Sat May 14, 2005 10:19 pm

That is the reason that I take "too long" on my installs and I charge more. Do it right the first time.

Hey at leaast there's one "good" thing about that. If someone tries to steal and hotwire the car, they will give up and move on.

jnglmassiv · Post by **jnglmassiv** » Sat May 14, 2005 11:10 pm

Remote operation of Seat Adjustments

Talk about more trouble than it's worth.

Imagine one of those relay packs slipping under the brake pedal at an inopportune time.

commtek · Post by **commtek** » Sun May 15, 2005 1:05 am

Looks like the work of most of the shops around here, including the "M" shop. Just pull back the passenger floor mat on most any police car, and that's what you see. If you would look at how they are butchering the installs on the new Greathundred system, it would make you puke. But, what do I know, anyway

Sun May 15, 2005 4:39 am

WhelenTech wrote:From what we could tell..

Autostart..

Seperate remote operation of all interior window shades

Remote operation of Seat Adjustments

Normal alarm

Pager notification..

We were lucky - all the tie in were pretty much under the dash...

But these projects are nutty - who knows where all the tie ins are...

And feel free to use the photo - since I took it I can release it to anyone..

Who the F&$K needs remote operation of seat adjustments and pager notification??? Wait, let me guess. This car does or did belong to a homeboy.

Jay911 · Post by **Jay911** » Sun May 15, 2005 8:05 am

Maybe that was done by that Speed TV show, Unique Whips! Anyone seen their 'handiwork'?

RadioSouth · Post by **RadioSouth** » Sun May 15, 2005 8:10 am

I'm done with all that non factory crap in totality (except for 2 ways of course that I put in). When I got my Dodge Ram I let the dealer put in
a 'Silencer'. I was getting it for the remote entry feature but it also has a ignition disabler. I heard this BS of how 'secure' this Silencer was and how it couldn't be disabled if the remote was lost and it would have to be towed in blah, blah.... Well as you probably guessed I go to unlock the car at 2AM 50 miles from home and nothing. OK I use the key to get in but sure enough the ignition is disabled. Figure the remote's battery took a crap. Wake up a buddy and wait for him to go get my spare keys and bring them. Push that remote and again nothing. So after after a few choice explectives I go diving under the dash. Found the Silencer module and I'm looking at a fused wire that leads to the module. Can't be this easy can it ? I pull the fuse out and try the ignition and it starts right up.
Total under dash time about 20 sec. Yup, very secure indeed.

AVFD2922 · Post by **AVFD2922** » Sun May 15, 2005 8:14 am

Hmmm, a little gas, a match, no problem.

davkenrem · Post by **davkenrem** » Sun May 15, 2005 8:29 am

Station House Products wrote:

Who the F&$K needs remote operation of seat adjustments and pager notification??? Wait, let me guess. This car does or did belong to a homeboy.

Your comment is out of line and belies your bigoted thinking.

WhelenTech · Post by **WhelenTech** » Sun May 15, 2005 8:46 am

Well I think the previous owner to the car was Asian... for whatever that is worth....

THe worst part is that the Dealer replaced the body computer a few days before becasue things were not working right and since the computer is not under that side of the dash never saw that mess.

The new owner was like - JUST TAKE IT ALL OUT...

Station House Products wrote:
WhelenTech wrote:This car does or did belong to a homeboy.

WhelenTech · Post by **WhelenTech** » Sun May 15, 2005 8:47 am

Thats about how long it takes to install also.....

RadioSouth wrote:Total under dash time about 20 sec. Yup, very secure indeed.

WhelenTech · Post by **WhelenTech** » Sun May 15, 2005 8:52 am

Well it might be "out of line" but look at the world - every culture has its pet peeves and stearotypical likes and dislikes...

I have friends of every make and model and all of them basically justify what is seen in general....

Black = Bling
Hispanic = Low Rider
White = Big Trucks or Super Expensive cars
Asian = Big Tail pipes and Tricked out mini cars...

Do I have issues with any of these - NOpe - I sure as heck have an issues with the way these crap installs are done...

And you guys missed the most important thing - this car has remote WINDOW SHADES - and you can control each window seperate... figure that out.....

This is not the most dangerous install I have seen - but it was sure scary the ammount of stuff there...

ITs when i see unprotected double ot running through the firewall with no circuit protection.... now that is scary....

davkenrem wrote:
Station House Products wrote:

Your comment is out of line and belies your bigoted thinking.

commtek · Post by **commtek** » Sun May 15, 2005 1:58 pm

Links to some pix from some of the "professional installations" we see every day.

The "wall of shame album"

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/commtek_7 ... .dir=/6e40

And Chuck is not a bigot. Some people need to get a life

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Sun May 15, 2005 2:13 pm

The pictures titled typical cluster, number 12, and cluster 2, number 14, look like some crap i had to help clean up once.

I especially like how you got a shot of the console pulled out with all the spaghetti hanging from it to the car.

I challenge anyone to do that with my installs. You will have to dissasemble the console and disconnect all the wiring first. But, that's because i cut everything to length with maybe a few inches or so to spare at the most for future changes or repairs.

I think the biggest problem is that most people don't know enough to just cut the wiring to length and be done with it. Maybe they are worried about resale value, or future use. For crying out loud, a power cord is cheaper than replacing everything after a fire from wires getting rubbed through because they were bundled under the carpet.

One of these days i need to take some pictures of my van's install. But, it isn't finished just yet. Still tweaking everything.

WhelenTech · Post by **WhelenTech** » Sun May 15, 2005 4:02 pm

Ok some of those are pretty bad...

If you have high resolution jpegs of those you are willing to email to me I will use them in my next Install / troubleshooting class...

commtek wrote:Links to some pix from some of the "professional installations" we see every day.

The "wall of shame album"

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/commtek_7 ... .dir=/6e40

And Chuck is not a bigot. Some people need to get a life

mr.syntrx · Post by **mr.syntrx** » Mon May 16, 2005 8:56 pm

WhelenTech wrote:

When I was getting off the bus at home just 15 minutes ago, I noticed a mess of cable like that hanging out from under the dash, from their Tait 2040 radio and T630 MDT installation.

I wish I had a camera to snap a picture of it.

1STOPCOPSHOP · Post by **1STOPCOPSHOP** » Thu May 19, 2005 7:09 pm

All of the pics look like the install jobs of my competition here. the worst part is they also use scotch locks or quick taps for remote starts and wire ties around the connection if they only tape wrap stuff. The pics of police installs look like my motorola dealer here, You think they might be "TRAINED" or something, In my shop its all solder, or quality crimp connectors and rolls and rolls of split loom (or conduit, in some parts of the country). i have a few pics of under carpet wire spider webs too. if interested you can email. jraudio@wbsnet.org

1STOPCOPSHOP · Post by **1STOPCOPSHOP** » Thu May 19, 2005 8:54 pm

well heres my pics and competitors
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jraudiogc ... /my_photos

Fri May 20, 2005 3:21 am

davkenrem wrote:
Station House Products wrote:

Who the F&$K needs remote operation of seat adjustments and pager notification??? Wait, let me guess. This car does or did belong to a homeboy.
Your comment is out of line and belies your bigoted thinking.

Are you for real???? Take off the rose colored glasses my friend and take a look around you. Like Whelen Tech stated, typical cars or "toys" can be associated with typical groups of people (either by race or nationality) it's as simple as that. If you think my comment "is out of line", then I guess you don't get on the board that often.

Oh yeah, and by the way. I'm not a bigot either. I hate everyone equally!

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Fri May 20, 2005 6:55 am

Station House Products wrote:
davkenrem wrote: Your comment is out of line and belies your bigoted thinking.
If you think my comment "is out of line", then I guess you don't get on the board that often.

Don't get on the board? Hell, I don't think he gets out of the house, let along on the board if he thinks that was out of line. Sounds like reality to me.

jeremycharris · Post by **jeremycharris** » Fri May 20, 2005 12:30 pm

Man, Geeeeeeeez!!!!

Looks like it was done by a group of coked up howler monkeys.
we see stuff like that alot with the local p.d.
They let trustees do their installs. Iluck out and have to clean it up.
theres no room for rommex and duck tape .

KE4NYVJR · Post by **KE4NYVJR** » Wed May 25, 2005 5:16 pm

Wow, this thread is bringing back some bad memories of install horrors. I'm primarily a Moto portable bench tech now days, but back when I first started I was elboe deep in the shop installs. We took over Salem, Va. PD's two-way service. The shop before us had piled, twisted and clumped INCREDIBLE ammounts of extra wire and "clusters" of sh** under the mats of these crown vics.

After we went through the whole fleet, we managed to get everything uniform in how they were installed and physically setup in each car. The officiers immediately noticed that the floor mats were lower to the ground

I wish I had some pictures of what we found!

Thanks for the trip down memory lane jerks! KIDDING!

giguchan · Post by **giguchan** » Thu May 26, 2005 9:56 pm

I don't mind being called a "homeboy" - if it was 1995... Way back in the day we ALL called each other that... all kinds of folk... white,black(me),MY homey was Jewish!So it did not make a difference. guess it was a different time then..I'm not really sure of the current slang is....
But when i find out i'll be sure to let everyone know.
Just to keep everyone up to date.
Gig
Go ahead...Fire at will.... Mods too..

KitN1MCC · Post by **KitN1MCC** » Fri May 27, 2005 2:21 pm

i am a homey and proud

homey the clown ruled

Sat May 28, 2005 3:33 am

Hell, I STILL call people "white bread" when the mood so strikes me.

JAYMZ · Post by **JAYMZ** » Sat May 28, 2005 5:22 am

Station House Products wrote:Hell, I STILL call people "white bread" when the mood so strikes me.

I love getting those voicemails from you like that...

Regardless... let's steer the topic back towards what the subject is about. And as long as the stereotyping doesn't go farther than where it has. I really don't want to have to knock a post out because of any major racial profiling, etc.

KitN1MCC · Post by **KitN1MCC** » Sat May 28, 2005 3:18 pm

i had to do some removal/upgrade to the truck today

he is taking the sander out of a single wheel into a dullie

well the sander wiring was ok not the best/plow ok/
but he had remote door openiner installed. and it was a hack job done one of the local stero guys the thing never worked correct so i tore it out

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Sun May 29, 2005 6:52 pm

Here is a good one... Just follow the red wire..

007 · Post by **007** » Sun May 29, 2005 8:12 pm

OMFG!

Is this one that you got to redo?

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Sun May 29, 2005 8:31 pm

redo..gut and start over...

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Sun May 29, 2005 8:32 pm

FFParamedic571 wrote:redo..gut and start over...

Correction. Redo - BURN and start over.

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Sun May 29, 2005 8:54 pm

It just about burned ..thats why it came to us. The driver smelled a burning smell..It was under the hood..The 8G from the battery wasnt fused..The selenoid was stuck open and it melted about 3 ft of insulation .This was a job done by a local tow company.

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Mon May 30, 2005 7:48 am

Didn't they tell you what the console is for? That's a wire storage compartment because if you cut wire it won't work right. They give you 17ft of cable for a reason right?!

The installers friends

Cables Ties
Split Loom Tubing
Heat Shrink

Most tow companies man handle cars anyway, why would they do quality wiring?

KE4NYVJR · Post by **KE4NYVJR** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 8:06 pm

Holy shi*! That IS the worst I have ever seen!

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 6:56 am

007,

I guess since it was" an inside" deal ..AKA someone on the PD's brother in law owned the tow company.

Tow trucks have lights ..police cars have lights.. yea thats it ...

007 · Post by **007** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 8:42 pm

Ha! That's funny

I'd hate to see how they handle the cars they tow.

Post some pics of the redone console, if you can.

ESDA20 · Post by **ESDA20** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 4:35 am

I can't imagine having to spend time to fix that. Thats one of those projects where you just disconnect everything from the wiring, pull everything except the main lead from the battery out... and start over.

Good gods.

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 6:16 am

That is what I get paid the big bucks for.. that is about what I had to do..Gut it from the battery back

KuhnElectronics · Post by **KuhnElectronics** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 7:35 pm

Only to add to the misery....I had a guy call me and ask why his lightbar wasnt working.. ended up talking him into a full REDO!! This car needs it, and I will post my result...

http://kuhnelectronics.com/installpic/1.jpg

http://kuhnelectronics.com/installpic/2.jpg

http://kuhnelectronics.com/installpic/3.jpg

http://kuhnelectronics.com/installpic/4.jpg

http://kuhnelectronics.com/installpic/5.jpg

http://kuhnelectronics.com/installpic/6.jpg

http://kuhnelectronics.com/installpic/7.jpg

Post by **akardam** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 9:47 pm

*shudder*

Poor ol' CV...

Sat Jun 25, 2005 3:40 am

OK, we had a truck come in here yesterday with a problem. It belonged to a local city and was the fire chief's 2003 Ford Expedition. The complaint was that they couldn't run the siren and lights when using the radio since the whole shooting match would shut down for a few seconds each time you did. Come to find out, the radio (110 watt Kenwood low band), the light bar (MX-7000 with just about every option) and the siren/switchbox combo were all wired to a.... 50 amp circut breaker!

It gets even better though. Besides the fact that it looked like a rat's nest, there weren't any fuses other than the ones that came as part of the equipment such as the siren and the radio. Also, the wire was regular 600 volt household electricl wire. Items were all wired with black (negative AND positive sides) as I guess this was the color of the week. I have some pics at the shop and will post them on Monday. Just never ceases to amaze me how people work and what they will try to get away with just to save a few bucks.

007 · Post by **007** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 9:46 am

akardam wrote:*shudder*

Poor ol' CV...

I'll second that...what a ghetto install. I esp. like the trailer light wiring run up to the front of the car, as shown in pic #6.

Tech225 · Post by **Tech225** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 11:37 am

I really dislike those Pro-Copper consoles.

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 1:28 pm

I really like the PA-400 interceptor mounted UPSIDE DOWN....

KuhnElectronics · Post by **KuhnElectronics** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 9:30 pm

Finally got it cleaned up today... We gutted and re-did it all...and yes FFParamedic571, just for you I mounted the siren the right way!...lol..

The End Result... They almost $hat their pants when they seen it this morning...

http://www.kuhnelectronics.com/installpics/8.jpg
http://www.kuhnelectronics.com/installpics/9.jpg
http://www.kuhnelectronics.com/installpics/11.jpg

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 5:19 pm

Thanks... Galls wigwag system.. Accckkkkkk....a 537 can flasher and a switch, what a joke..

If you install like this - PLEASE STOP.....

If you install like this - PLEASE STOP.....

Well...

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Holy crap...

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