Moving Stereo to Cubby box

Buxton

Active Member

Posts

101

Location

Mancunia

• Jun 20, 2014

• #1

Ay up,

Has anyone moved their stereo/radio to the cubby box? I want to move it out of the dash so's it doesn't stick out as bait to the local scroats. Is there a way to extend the iso block thingy from the dash to this location, or is it a case of tapping all the pretty coloured wires at the back?
As I am a complete car audio noob, I've already purchased a fire extinguisher.........
1994 300tdi 90 btw.

Ta

 

Station House

Well-Known Member

Posts

3,960

Location

Fife, Scotland

• Jun 20, 2014

• #2

Don't think i've seen an 'off the shelf' iso block cable longer than a few inches

What is your setup?

If simple I'd be tempted to take a new fused link and negative straight off the battery and re-run speaker cables from the cubby, cutting into the existing speaker cables where you can access them.

Only potential downside is it would no longer be ignition switched so you'd need to remember to turn it off, unless you run a single ignition switched feed from the existing iso plug

 

Jonnyb1990

Well-Known Member

Posts

2,013

Location

Gloucestershire

• Jun 20, 2014

• #3

The stero amp with get hot,

Cubby box would need to be lined with Fire retardant material, metal would be a good shout,

Going off the battery like Station House said would be a good idea, would need an isolator switch like you would need on a winch set up, so its not always on,

In theory its easy, but work to a Land Rover is never easy.

 

PaulMc

Active Member

Posts

640

Location

Kent

• Jun 20, 2014

• #4

Making an ISO extension is easy, and your head unit will work the same as when it was in the dash.

No faffing around with fused links, isolators, or re-running speaker cables.

Most 300Tdi Defenders had only 1 pair of speakers in the front (4 x cables) + permanent live, ignition-switched live, and earth - a total of 7 x cables.

You could use 7-core trailer cable to make the extension - it's a little too large, but would work.


Personally, I would use individual cables in PVC sleeving -

4 x 1.0mm² for the speaker cables

3 x 1.5mm² for the permanent live, ignition-switched live, and earth


That way, they will lay flat under the floor covering over the transmission tunnel.


Male and female ISO connectors with terminals can be bought on eBay -

16 Pin Male ISO Terminal Block Socket Connector Repair Kit | eBay

16 Pin Female ISO Terminal Block Socket Connector Repair Kit | eBay

They've got their connector genders round the wrong way - but, that doesn't really matter, as you want a male pair and a female pair.

.

 

Last edited: Jun 20, 2014

J

jabber

Active Member

Posts

107

Location

Colorado

• Jun 21, 2014

• #5

Paul's advice on wiring it, is sound. And it's going to be the easiest for you.

The radio in the cubby was standard for NAS spec D90s. They poke through the seat box plate, grommet and follow the harness up to the bulkhead. Over the tunnel is by far the easiest.

I'm getting ready to do the same thing on my 86 110.

 

Buxton

Active Member

Posts

101

Location

Mancunia

• Jun 21, 2014

• #6

Thanks fellas, food for thought.
I lashed out on an fcx radiobox which is solid steel with loads of space below the din socket for cooling. I'm sure I've seen 2 metre iso extensions on fleabay.
Would love to use the original dash speakers location and upgrade. I've also grabbed two 6x9 speakers in boxes for a song.
Just don't fancy setting the old girl on fire.....

 

Buxton

Active Member

Posts

101

Location

Mancunia

• Jun 21, 2014

• #7

Also many Thanks Paul for the comprehensive reply

 

PaulMc

Active Member

Posts

640

Location

Kent

• Jun 21, 2014

• #8

Buxton said:

Also many Thanks Paul for the comprehensive reply

Click to expand...

You're welcome

The FCX cubby box is a good bit of kit, you won't go wrong there

The ready-made ISO extension off of eBay is a good idea.

Although, you will probably have to release the terminals from the female connectors, in order to thread the wires down the duct from the upper dash to behind the fuse box, where you take them under the matting to the cubby.

They're very easy to release - give me a shout if/when you do it, and I'll sort out some pictures of how it's done.

.

 

Buxton

Active Member

Posts

101

Location

Mancunia

• Jun 24, 2014

• #9

PaulMc said:

They're very easy to release - give me a shout if/when you do it, and I'll sort out some pictures of how it's done.

.

Click to expand...

Cheers Paul , will do.
Was going to have a go this weekend but it was too bl**dy hot for an old git like me.