The Camano Experience

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks Gary - appreciate it!

Scrounged up some photos from this summer so hopefully this helps. I would really like to know how others have done it. I've seen a few photos of double dins in these trucks but I think the only details on an install I ever recall seeing was one where they cut through the a/c duct. That was a bit more intrusive of a change than I was willing to make (although some may say the same of my changes).

This could all be done with the dash in the truck using a flexible rotary attachment and some [a lot of] patience but definitely easier with the dash out.

Going to repeat some of what I've posted in the previous posts but makes sense to have it all together.

First off, ignore my floral shop couch . One of those pieces of furniture that has been passed around from family member to family member.

The factory radio sits on/clips to a hump in the metal framework of the dash.

Between this hump at the bottom and the a/c duct at the top, there isn't enough room for a double din unit. Since going up wasn't an option, the hump had to go.

I drilled out the rivets on either side and removed the short humped section

I don't have any photos of this but using the 3 drilled out holes on either end, I screwed the piece to a board and traced around the ends for good measure.

The two ends are in the same plane - or close enough for this to work.

I then cut the hump in half and flattened both ends.

Screwed them back to the board and marked the overlap. Unscrewed and cut off the overlap (half from each side).

Next I welded them together and ground it down.

After blasting and painting the support structure I bolted the now flat piece back in using button head bolts and threadlocker.

Once the dash was back installed in the truck I measured equal distances from both edges using the width of the double din cage and cut the bottom two holes that the factory radio mounted to as well as the lip between them so that it was a flat 'shelf'. I used a coping saw and a file.

This allowed the cage to slide it. Once in though it hit part of the rolled edge of the support on the drivers side. There is about 3/8" where the rolled edge of the mating section to the now flat piece extends further to the passenger side. This corner is what I had to remove with the dremel and file.

I also had to use the dremel to remove a little off the top of the button head bolt that is inline with that corner. This has been done in the photo above.

Now the cage can slide in and rest on the flat support. The plan once I get everything lined up is to drill two holes in the support and the cage and rivet them together. I would recommend drilling the holes in the support piece earlier in the process. I didn't because I wasn't sure how I would secure the cage and didn't want extra holes for no reason but after seeing it I am thinking riveting makes the most sense.

Once the cage was in there I test fit the head unit. The cage I bought (and they all may) had two pieces that you bolt onto the sides of the head unit with a number of slots allowing you to adjust how far in or out the head unit locks into the cage. With it all the way in, which is too far for a finished install, there is plenty of room behind it to hook up the cables.

Once I get the truck back together and running I will work on cutting the factory bezel and seeing what is needed for a trim piece to make it look professional.

Scott - Well explained. Thanks! I think I could do that. That sure looks like it’ll be clean and solid.

When you get this done maybe we can use these pics and write up to create a page on it in the Documentation section.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Jim,

I think the thread lock is in / thru metal and think has a nut / bolt set up?

If not a flat head sheet metal screw into the metal frame would work too I think.

On the part you removed, cut, flatten and welded why not use sheet metal cut & drilled to fit as that's what it sounded like you did?

Looks good

Dave ----

I guess I misinterpreted that he was bolting the plastic double din cage to the welded structure.

My bad...

[kramttocs]

I guess I misinterpreted that he was bolting the plastic double din cage to the welded structure.

My bad...

Jim - Dave's correct that the bolts/threadlocker were just to bolt metal to metal - reconnecting the dash support together in place of the spot welds but I think's it's important to make people aware of that concern when using threadlocker near plastic so glad you mentioned it. Prior to putting this truck back together and using a lot of threadlocker (switching all the bolts that I can to stainless and they need the lubrication) I'd never thought about it with plastic.

Dave - yes, it would definitely be possible to replace the humped piece with a new flat custom made piece instead of cutting and welding. At least for my own abilities, using the original piece left less room for error and ensured that the ends lined up correctly. I will say that I cut out a humped piece from a scrapped dash just in case I wanted to swap it back so if one doesn't have access to a parts truck, then custom making one would leave the original intact for that option.

 

[FuzzFace2]

I guess I misinterpreted that he was bolting the plastic double din cage to the welded structure.

My bad...

Jim not a big deal.

Also I installed my radio not long ago and before that I had to graft that area of the plastic dash from my non-ac trucks dash to the ac trucks dash I wanted to use so kind of knew of the area he was working in.

Dave ----

 

[kramttocs]

I guess I misinterpreted that he was bolting the plastic double din cage to the welded structure.

My bad...

Jim not a big deal.

Also I installed my radio not long ago and before that I had to graft that area of the plastic dash from my non-ac trucks dash to the ac trucks dash I wanted to use so kind of knew of the area he was working in.

Dave ----

Gary - I believe these are the part numbers for the spade terminals. Going off pictures and references in different listings so I can't guarantee it's entirely accurate.

*Female: E7EB-14474-EA, D8BB-14474-BA, D3AB-14474-DA, A14889

*Male: E7EB-14421-AA, D20B-14421-BB, A14890, A20815

Female: Dorman 638805/85348, E8EB-14474-VA, NAPA 725277

Male: Dorman 85349, E7EB-14421-AA, NAPA 725276

Female: Dorman 85353, E7EB-14474-CA, NAPA 725286

Male: Dorman 85347, E7EB-14421-EA, NAPA 725282

The * ones are the ones I am pretty sure are the same as the cab light connector.

I ordered the Napa barrel terminals so I am going to see if they work better than the ClipsAndFasteners.

 

[kramttocs]

Gary - I believe these are the part numbers for the spade terminals. Going off pictures and references in different listings so I can't guarantee it's entirely accurate.

*Female: E7EB-14474-EA, D8BB-14474-BA, D3AB-14474-DA, A14889

*Male: E7EB-14421-AA, D20B-14421-BB, A14890, A20815

Female: Dorman 638805/85348, E8EB-14474-VA, NAPA 725277

Male: Dorman 85349, E7EB-14421-AA, NAPA 725276

Female: Dorman 85353, E7EB-14474-CA, NAPA 725286

Male: Dorman 85347, E7EB-14421-EA, NAPA 725282

The * ones are the ones I am pretty sure are the same as the cab light connector.

I ordered the Napa barrel terminals so I am going to see if they work better than the ClipsAndFasteners.

This afternoon was getting more little pieces added to the truck but primarily installing the hood release.

I am installing a locking hood release (tumbler disabled as previously mentioned) in place of the non-locking one it had.

Unfortunately the grommet was all cracked and partly missing on the locking one as well as the end loop being pretty rusty and about to fray.

The non-locking cable was in great shape though so decided to see if I could use the cable from it.

Just now I did a search to see if anyone has done this and funny enough, I found what sounds to be a very similar process from Shaun over on FTE in 2011.

The process-

The lengths of the cables are the same so no problems there.

The issue comes with how the cable is attached to the handle. The NL (non-locking) release has the handle and cable as a single unit whereas the L (locking) release uses a small ferrule on the cable that fits into a slot in the handle.

Removed the NL handle from the housing by placing it in a vice until it cracked. I then pried it apart until the housing was gone. The cable sheathing is adhered to the housing so it took a little work to remove it but it all came off cleanly.

Next was to cut the end off the handle where the cable is attached. While on the NL unit it's a hexagon shape vs a pill shape like the L unit, fortunately it will fit in the L housing with a little filing.

Lined up the two cables with the inner cable pushed all the way in and marked where to cut the cable off the NL handle. Part of the handle will remain as this is the new ferrule. Unfortunately I didn't get any photos of this.

The L unit cable has a retaining ring piece adhered to it that we need to get onto the NL cable.

You can see it here in the vice:

My hope was that I could heat it with a heat gun while pulling on the cable and the cable would slide out of the ring piece easy peasy. No such luck. It did come apart but it left some of the sheathing in it.

I used a drill to clean it out. It was a bit of a pain because there is a fine line between the ring spinning and crushing it in the vice. Eventually it was clean.

Here you can see the ring next to the previously cut off handle (now ferrule) that it needs to go on.

I picked up some loctite plastic glue (all types) since I didn't want to rely on just a friction fit.

Even with the ring cleaned out, dry fitting it wasn't happening.

Because having some valleys (like the crimp marks in the sheathing) are a good thing for the glue to bite into I didn't want to shave the sheathing down smooth.

Instead I used a 7mm tap/die to thread both pieces. This allowed the ring to thread on there while still retaining valleys for the glue.

Applied the activator/glue and then threaded the ring so the end of the sheathing was flush.

I have no doubt the glue would have been enough but I wanted to put some adhesive heat shrink on it anyways.

While it was out I applied a few drops of oil into the sheathing.

The rest is just placing the ferrule in the housing and handle, bolting the two housing halves together, and installing it all in the truck.

I never paid attention to it before in any of my trucks but I noticed the dash flexes quite a bit when pulling the hood release.

Has anyone done anything to prevent this?

There is a hole in the dash support with a speed nut in it that I don't believe is used for anything (at least on my truck) that lines up pretty closely with the side of the brake support. I am thinking about drilling and tapping a 6mm hole in the brake support bracket close to the firewall and installing a brace.

Thoughts?

[salans7]

This afternoon was getting more little pieces added to the truck but primarily installing the hood release.

I am installing a locking hood release (tumbler disabled as previously mentioned) in place of the non-locking one it had.

Unfortunately the grommet was all cracked and partly missing on the locking one as well as the end loop being pretty rusty and about to fray.

The non-locking cable was in great shape though so decided to see if I could use the cable from it.

Just now I did a search to see if anyone has done this and funny enough, I found what sounds to be a very similar process from Shaun over on FTE in 2011.

The process-

The lengths of the cables are the same so no problems there.

The issue comes with how the cable is attached to the handle. The NL (non-locking) release has the handle and cable as a single unit whereas the L (locking) release uses a small ferrule on the cable that fits into a slot in the handle.

Removed the NL handle from the housing by placing it in a vice until it cracked. I then pried it apart until the housing was gone. The cable sheathing is adhered to the housing so it took a little work to remove it but it all came off cleanly.

Next was to cut the end off the handle where the cable is attached. While on the NL unit it's a hexagon shape vs a pill shape like the L unit, fortunately it will fit in the L housing with a little filing.

Lined up the two cables with the inner cable pushed all the way in and marked where to cut the cable off the NL handle. Part of the handle will remain as this is the new ferrule. Unfortunately I didn't get any photos of this.

The L unit cable has a retaining ring piece adhered to it that we need to get onto the NL cable.

You can see it here in the vice:

My hope was that I could heat it with a heat gun while pulling on the cable and the cable would slide out of the ring piece easy peasy. No such luck. It did come apart but it left some of the sheathing in it.

I used a drill to clean it out. It was a bit of a pain because there is a fine line between the ring spinning and crushing it in the vice. Eventually it was clean.

Here you can see the ring next to the previously cut off handle (now ferrule) that it needs to go on.

I picked up some loctite plastic glue (all types) since I didn't want to rely on just a friction fit.

Even with the ring cleaned out, dry fitting it wasn't happening.

Because having some valleys (like the crimp marks in the sheathing) are a good thing for the glue to bite into I didn't want to shave the sheathing down smooth.

Instead I used a 7mm tap/die to thread both pieces. This allowed the ring to thread on there while still retaining valleys for the glue.

Applied the activator/glue and then threaded the ring so the end of the sheathing was flush.

I have no doubt the glue would have been enough but I wanted to put some adhesive heat shrink on it anyways.

While it was out I applied a few drops of oil into the sheathing.

The rest is just placing the ferrule in the housing and handle, bolting the two housing halves together, and installing it all in the truck.

I never paid attention to it before in any of my trucks but I noticed the dash flexes quite a bit when pulling the hood release.

Has anyone done anything to prevent this?

There is a hole in the dash support with a speed nut in it that I don't believe is used for anything (at least on my truck) that lines up pretty closely with the side of the brake support. I am thinking about drilling and tapping a 6mm hole in the brake support bracket close to the firewall and installing a brace.

Thoughts?

The part about the retaining ring is interesting, I couldn't recall what I did to fix that, nor can I even recall writing the how-to that you mentioned. :nabble_anim_confused:I'm glad I did though, and I'm glad it was able to help you. I wish the pictures weren't broken, I've lost all of them by now.

[kramttocs]

The part about the retaining ring is interesting, I couldn't recall what I did to fix that, nor can I even recall writing the how-to that you mentioned. :nabble_anim_confused:I'm glad I did though, and I'm glad it was able to help you. I wish the pictures weren't broken, I've lost all of them by now.

Yeah, I wish a lot of the FTE photos were still around-lost a lot of good info. For example I would be interested in seeing the threaded piece you talked about.

I didn't even think to search for another post on this before I dove in but should have if nothing else to know what was inside the plastic non locking housing. It would have helped with the "oh, I sure hope this works and I didn't trash a good part" feeling after I heard that first crack in the vice

 

[Gary Lewis]

Gary - I believe these are the part numbers for the spade terminals. Going off pictures and references in different listings so I can't guarantee it's entirely accurate.

*Female: E7EB-14474-EA, D8BB-14474-BA, D3AB-14474-DA, A14889

*Male: E7EB-14421-AA, D20B-14421-BB, A14890, A20815

Female: Dorman 638805/85348, E8EB-14474-VA, NAPA 725277

Male: Dorman 85349, E7EB-14421-AA, NAPA 725276

Female: Dorman 85353, E7EB-14474-CA, NAPA 725286

Male: Dorman 85347, E7EB-14421-EA, NAPA 725282

The * ones are the ones I am pretty sure are the same as the cab light connector.

I ordered the Napa barrel terminals so I am going to see if they work better than the ClipsAndFasteners.

Scott - I'm not sure I understand. Please explain so's I do understand.

Looking in the MPC I'm seeing stuff I'd not seen before. Here's an example. Would this help in the documentation?

[Gary Lewis]

This afternoon was getting more little pieces added to the truck but primarily installing the hood release.

I am installing a locking hood release (tumbler disabled as previously mentioned) in place of the non-locking one it had.

Unfortunately the grommet was all cracked and partly missing on the locking one as well as the end loop being pretty rusty and about to fray.

The non-locking cable was in great shape though so decided to see if I could use the cable from it.

Just now I did a search to see if anyone has done this and funny enough, I found what sounds to be a very similar process from Shaun over on FTE in 2011.

The process-

The lengths of the cables are the same so no problems there.

The issue comes with how the cable is attached to the handle. The NL (non-locking) release has the handle and cable as a single unit whereas the L (locking) release uses a small ferrule on the cable that fits into a slot in the handle.

Removed the NL handle from the housing by placing it in a vice until it cracked. I then pried it apart until the housing was gone. The cable sheathing is adhered to the housing so it took a little work to remove it but it all came off cleanly.

Next was to cut the end off the handle where the cable is attached. While on the NL unit it's a hexagon shape vs a pill shape like the L unit, fortunately it will fit in the L housing with a little filing.

Lined up the two cables with the inner cable pushed all the way in and marked where to cut the cable off the NL handle. Part of the handle will remain as this is the new ferrule. Unfortunately I didn't get any photos of this.

The L unit cable has a retaining ring piece adhered to it that we need to get onto the NL cable.

You can see it here in the vice:

My hope was that I could heat it with a heat gun while pulling on the cable and the cable would slide out of the ring piece easy peasy. No such luck. It did come apart but it left some of the sheathing in it.

I used a drill to clean it out. It was a bit of a pain because there is a fine line between the ring spinning and crushing it in the vice. Eventually it was clean.

Here you can see the ring next to the previously cut off handle (now ferrule) that it needs to go on.

I picked up some loctite plastic glue (all types) since I didn't want to rely on just a friction fit.

Even with the ring cleaned out, dry fitting it wasn't happening.

Because having some valleys (like the crimp marks in the sheathing) are a good thing for the glue to bite into I didn't want to shave the sheathing down smooth.

Instead I used a 7mm tap/die to thread both pieces. This allowed the ring to thread on there while still retaining valleys for the glue.

Applied the activator/glue and then threaded the ring so the end of the sheathing was flush.

I have no doubt the glue would have been enough but I wanted to put some adhesive heat shrink on it anyways.

While it was out I applied a few drops of oil into the sheathing.

The rest is just placing the ferrule in the housing and handle, bolting the two housing halves together, and installing it all in the truck.

I never paid attention to it before in any of my trucks but I noticed the dash flexes quite a bit when pulling the hood release.

Has anyone done anything to prevent this?

There is a hole in the dash support with a speed nut in it that I don't believe is used for anything (at least on my truck) that lines up pretty closely with the side of the brake support. I am thinking about drilling and tapping a 6mm hole in the brake support bracket close to the firewall and installing a brace.

Thoughts?

Scott - Really good how-to on the hood release. Well done!

As for the pictures, one difference between FTE and here is that FTE doesn't house the pics. They have a link to the pics so when you load the post the pic is supposed to get loaded as well. But if the pic is gone from its original place it won't load. Fortunately on here Nabble houses the pics themselves, so when you upload one you can then remove the original and the posts will still show the pic.

On reinforcing the dash, I've not done that but have noticed the movement when I release the hood. More of a creaking and groaning than obvious movement, but it surely is moving. So anything to reinforce the dash would be welcome and surely can't hurt. Please show us how you do that.