Raptor placement...
10-24-2006, 01:46 AM
#12
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location:
Posts: 454
RE: Raptor placement...
I was just planning on pulling off the vent cover...mounting the raptor in there and I figure that I am a pretty handy guy and can get the wires to get down into the dash so I can send them where they need to go....then put the cover back on...so you wont know it is there unless you look in the vent or it comes on to tell me to shift.....
I am putting the light on my x-mas list for the wife...so if I get it then I will definitely do the DIY pictures thing for it.....
I'm planning on doing some more indepth looking at it this weekend....
I am putting the light on my x-mas list for the wife...so if I get it then I will definitely do the DIY pictures thing for it.....
I'm planning on doing some more indepth looking at it this weekend....
10-24-2006, 02:12 AM
#13
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Longwood, FL
Posts: 2,899
RE: Raptor placement...
Yes, but how are you planning to hide the wires exactly when the shift light is in the AC vent. I get mine sometime this week and just don't know where will be an efficient place where NO wires will be seen while keeping the shift light concealed.
10-25-2006, 12:01 AM
#14
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location:
Posts: 213
RE: Raptor placement...
Well guys...I got the light in today...just ran into a problem...my digital camera is back home at my parents house 
... Anyways this is what I did on my install:
1. Looked at the register removal page mentioned above... There is two pieces to the A/C vent, the register barrel, which just pops off. Then there is the register housing, which has 3 tabs. I used a flathead screwdriver to pop those tabs up enough and slid the register housing out...The housing has some foam glued to it, be careful not to rip it off.
2. I took the raptor light and stripped all of the black outer cover, so that the red, green, and black wires were exposed. I stripped all but an inch or so of the black cover off. This enables you to spread the red, green, and black wires out flat, instead of the big round bundle. Pull the shift light thru the register housing, and put the register housing back in. The three wires are thin enough to fit between the a/c ducting and the register housing without any problems.
3. I ran the ground and power cable to the passenger side of the car. There is a fuse box in the passenger side kick panel. You have to pull up the sill plate, and then pull the kick panel off. Pull out from the the side of the car towards the center consol first, then pull the kick panel towards the back of the car. I used a Add-a-circuit here and plugged it into the no. 9 or no. 11 fuse spot (look in the manual, it was one that has a 5v fuse in it, but isn't used.). There is also a bolt right below the dashboard that seems to be supporting the dashboard. I took this out and grounded the light here.
4. I ran my lead for the coil pack thru the grommet that is off to the left of the clutch pedal. There is a huge bundle of wires going thru there. I poked a small hole thru there, and used a wire clotheshanger to pull the wire thru. I connected it to the coil pack (if your looking at the motor from the front of the car) that was on the drivers side farthes back. I didn't see the point in running the wire any further than neccessary. All the coil packs have a solid red wire running to them, and another wire of a different color. That is the wire you need to hook the light to. I believe it would be wise to avoid the red wire
.
5. Used some electrical tape to clean up the connections and hide wires behind the existing bundles of wire. The install came out very clean and you would never know its there unless your looking for them.
The only problem I have is trying to keep the light in place... I only had double sided tape at the time, and that didn't hold very long...A friend said velcro worked well with his when he had it in the vent...So I believe that is what I will end up with. Ill try to take some pictures when ever I can get ahold of a camera.
... Anyways this is what I did on my install: 1. Looked at the register removal page mentioned above... There is two pieces to the A/C vent, the register barrel, which just pops off. Then there is the register housing, which has 3 tabs. I used a flathead screwdriver to pop those tabs up enough and slid the register housing out...The housing has some foam glued to it, be careful not to rip it off.
2. I took the raptor light and stripped all of the black outer cover, so that the red, green, and black wires were exposed. I stripped all but an inch or so of the black cover off. This enables you to spread the red, green, and black wires out flat, instead of the big round bundle. Pull the shift light thru the register housing, and put the register housing back in. The three wires are thin enough to fit between the a/c ducting and the register housing without any problems.
3. I ran the ground and power cable to the passenger side of the car. There is a fuse box in the passenger side kick panel. You have to pull up the sill plate, and then pull the kick panel off. Pull out from the the side of the car towards the center consol first, then pull the kick panel towards the back of the car. I used a Add-a-circuit here and plugged it into the no. 9 or no. 11 fuse spot (look in the manual, it was one that has a 5v fuse in it, but isn't used.). There is also a bolt right below the dashboard that seems to be supporting the dashboard. I took this out and grounded the light here.
4. I ran my lead for the coil pack thru the grommet that is off to the left of the clutch pedal. There is a huge bundle of wires going thru there. I poked a small hole thru there, and used a wire clotheshanger to pull the wire thru. I connected it to the coil pack (if your looking at the motor from the front of the car) that was on the drivers side farthes back. I didn't see the point in running the wire any further than neccessary. All the coil packs have a solid red wire running to them, and another wire of a different color. That is the wire you need to hook the light to. I believe it would be wise to avoid the red wire
. 5. Used some electrical tape to clean up the connections and hide wires behind the existing bundles of wire. The install came out very clean and you would never know its there unless your looking for them.
The only problem I have is trying to keep the light in place... I only had double sided tape at the time, and that didn't hold very long...A friend said velcro worked well with his when he had it in the vent...So I believe that is what I will end up with. Ill try to take some pictures when ever I can get ahold of a camera.
10-25-2006, 12:02 AM
#15
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
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Posts: 454
RE: Raptor placement...
Okay...so I went out and did a little looking....
I took the vent cover off and I think the vent is deep enough to fit the shift light. I didn't measure, but it looks like it should be.....I just looked the dimensions are (.75 inch diameter x 3.125 inches long)...I think I had atleast 4 or 5 inches of linear space....
I was able to reach up under the dash and put my hand (NOT just the tips of my fingers) on the duct. This leads me to believe that I can get a drill up there an put a small (probably 1/8" is all that is needed) in the bottom of the duct to thread the wires under the dash...then you can run them to through the firewall and then connecct them where they need to go....
Yes, I think this could actually work!!!!
I took the vent cover off and I think the vent is deep enough to fit the shift light. I didn't measure, but it looks like it should be.....I just looked the dimensions are (.75 inch diameter x 3.125 inches long)...I think I had atleast 4 or 5 inches of linear space....
I was able to reach up under the dash and put my hand (NOT just the tips of my fingers) on the duct. This leads me to believe that I can get a drill up there an put a small (probably 1/8" is all that is needed) in the bottom of the duct to thread the wires under the dash...then you can run them to through the firewall and then connecct them where they need to go....
Yes, I think this could actually work!!!!
10-25-2006, 12:45 AM
#17
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location:
Posts: 213
RE: Raptor placement...
read above post...its alot easier than yall are tryin to do....and as far as drillin a hole...you can pop the register housing out and drill a hole that way...be a whole lot easier (no pun intended). The register housing is long enough that you can mount the light to it and drill another hole and run the wires thru if your absolutely into drilling holes into the a/c vents. I just don't like drilling unneccesary holes.
10-25-2006, 01:09 AM
#19
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Join Date: Aug 2005
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Posts: 454
RE: Raptor placement...
Tex,
That was a great write-up....we must have been writing at the same time (I kept getting distracted by stuff)....Some pictures would definitely be great!!!!
Thanks for doing some leg work....
3M tape might work really well, make sure you get GOOD velcro...and it should work as well....
That was a great write-up....we must have been writing at the same time (I kept getting distracted by stuff)....Some pictures would definitely be great!!!!
Thanks for doing some leg work....
3M tape might work really well, make sure you get GOOD velcro...and it should work as well....
10-25-2006, 01:25 AM
#20
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location:
Posts: 213
RE: Raptor placement...
Yeah the double sided tape i had was some crappy stuff...Ill try to get some pictures posted tomorrow....I dunno how they will be but Ill try to add some arrows and stuff to make it easier to understand.