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Well-Known Member
I am installing an interior antenna for my car, because the previous owner removed and shaved the antenna. This is being installed in my DB8 (foor door integra). A different method of routing would be necessary for a 2 door. Antenna used was the Metra electronics amplified antenna, part number 44-UA20.
Lets Begin!
Heres the package. Purchased for on Sunday, received two days later, on Tuesday. Definitely shipped quicker than I expected!
In the package is the antenna, obviously, and some extra parts to help install. These peices include a small pry bar, some clips to guide the wire which have sticky foam on the reverse side, and an alcohol wipe. The extra peices are unnecessary. I used one of the clips to route the wire around a sharp edge.
Next you need to clean out your trunk! You need to be able to access where the seat belt enters the cabin so you will need to be practically laying in the trunk.
BEFORE
AFTER
Now that our trunk is clean, go into the back seat of your car. The pillar along the driver side rear door needs to be pulled away. It is held in with small clips much like the rest of the panels. A firm tug will pop the panel free. The rear seat prevent the entire panel from coming out, so pull it out as far as you can. Be careful not to damage the rear defrost strips on the rear window, or to scratch tint if you have some there. The corner of the panel will rub on the window when you move it
With the panel pulled out, we are able to run the wire. This is the tricky part. I was under the impression the wire could be ran the length of the pillar, but found it too difficult to fish the wire through. There is a hole near the seat belt that I used. Push the wire under the carpeting to the right of the seat belt.
Then go into the trunk. With a flashlight, you will be able to see an oval hole with the wire behind it. Take yourself a coat hanger and curl the end to make a hook. Use this to fish the wire through the opening.
Once through the opening, you have a lot of excess wire to feed into the trunk. Work it slowely in because you are pulling it across some sharp edges in the trunk. Its a time consuming process. It would be easier if you had two people, one to feed it into the hole, and the other to pull it out in the trunk.
Once you have all of the excess pulled through, you get to mount the antenna. Pull all the wire through until you have about an inch to an inch and a half hanging out of the top of the pillar panel. This will leave you some play in the wire to tuck it in under the panel. Remove the film covering the sticky tape/foam, and press onto the window.
--- You may want to take a clean rag with some cleaner that wont leave any residue to remove any debris that may be on the mounting area. I did not do this, but it would most lokely promote adhesion to the window. Dont use anything harsh that could damage the "dot matrix" at the top of the window
Once this has been attached, clip the panel back in, and move back to the trunk. The 12v wire for the antenna is very thin and flimsy once the ruber coating is removed. Solder the 12v wire to the YELLOW wire with the green stripe. This is the power wire that feeds your power antenna. After I wrapped the new conection with electrical tape, I wrapped a small thin peice of plastic to it to act as a splint, to prevent the wire from flexing around the trunk.
Zip tie as much of the excess as you can, and plug in the antenna jack.
And we're all done!
Lets Begin!
Heres the package. Purchased for on Sunday, received two days later, on Tuesday. Definitely shipped quicker than I expected!
In the package is the antenna, obviously, and some extra parts to help install. These peices include a small pry bar, some clips to guide the wire which have sticky foam on the reverse side, and an alcohol wipe. The extra peices are unnecessary. I used one of the clips to route the wire around a sharp edge.
Next you need to clean out your trunk! You need to be able to access where the seat belt enters the cabin so you will need to be practically laying in the trunk.
BEFORE
AFTER
Now that our trunk is clean, go into the back seat of your car. The pillar along the driver side rear door needs to be pulled away. It is held in with small clips much like the rest of the panels. A firm tug will pop the panel free. The rear seat prevent the entire panel from coming out, so pull it out as far as you can. Be careful not to damage the rear defrost strips on the rear window, or to scratch tint if you have some there. The corner of the panel will rub on the window when you move it
With the panel pulled out, we are able to run the wire. This is the tricky part. I was under the impression the wire could be ran the length of the pillar, but found it too difficult to fish the wire through. There is a hole near the seat belt that I used. Push the wire under the carpeting to the right of the seat belt.
Then go into the trunk. With a flashlight, you will be able to see an oval hole with the wire behind it. Take yourself a coat hanger and curl the end to make a hook. Use this to fish the wire through the opening.
Once through the opening, you have a lot of excess wire to feed into the trunk. Work it slowely in because you are pulling it across some sharp edges in the trunk. Its a time consuming process. It would be easier if you had two people, one to feed it into the hole, and the other to pull it out in the trunk.
Once you have all of the excess pulled through, you get to mount the antenna. Pull all the wire through until you have about an inch to an inch and a half hanging out of the top of the pillar panel. This will leave you some play in the wire to tuck it in under the panel. Remove the film covering the sticky tape/foam, and press onto the window.
--- You may want to take a clean rag with some cleaner that wont leave any residue to remove any debris that may be on the mounting area. I did not do this, but it would most lokely promote adhesion to the window. Dont use anything harsh that could damage the "dot matrix" at the top of the window
Once this has been attached, clip the panel back in, and move back to the trunk. The 12v wire for the antenna is very thin and flimsy once the ruber coating is removed. Solder the 12v wire to the YELLOW wire with the green stripe. This is the power wire that feeds your power antenna. After I wrapped the new conection with electrical tape, I wrapped a small thin peice of plastic to it to act as a splint, to prevent the wire from flexing around the trunk.
Zip tie as much of the excess as you can, and plug in the antenna jack.
And we're all done!
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