Hardwiring Escort 8500

Has anyone hardwired an Escort 8500 through the fuse box on a 2005 Legacy GT yet. If so, how and please post pics if possible. I'd like to see which wire you used.

Please don't cross post. I will delete the other thread as you will probably get just as many replies in here! Good Luck!

Has anyone hardwired an Escort 8500 through the fuse box on a 2005 Legacy GT yet. If so, how and please post pics if possible. I'd like to see which wire you used.

 

I semi-hardwired my Bel 980 using the 12v in the center console. I hardwired this same unit in my Audi, but the fuse receivers are different in the Subie. I figured I'd rarely use that outlet in the console anyway and it's not "hot" so this is what I did. See pics.

 

I like the placement up to my left, where I had it in the Audi. Might take some getting used to for others though. Has been working just great in this spot so far.

 

If I wasn't lazy I might try to re-route it to make it even cleaner, but so far I've had no issues.

 

Hope this helps!

The console is easy to remove. Instead of having that wire going under the armrest you could tap in to the 12v directly under the console. See this: [url]http://www.legacysti.com/viewtopic.php?t=2161[/url] NGG

[quote name='NewGTGuy']The console is easy to remove. Instead of having that wire going under the armrest you could tap in to the 12v directly under the console. See this: [url]http://www.legacysti.com/viewtopic.php?t=2161[/url] NGG[/quote] Might have to do that, when I'm not feeling so laaaazzzyyyy. :? Thanks!

Why not wire it to the autodimming mirror/compass?

[quote name='Drift Monkey']Why not wire it to the autodimming mirror/compass?[/quote] This way is easier. When do you figure you'll need to use that cigarette lighter in the console? I like the placement up to my left too. You can't see it looking thru the windshield from the front either. I'm not so sure there would be room by the mirror to have it up as high, at least for the Bel.

This installation looks like it will interfere with the curtain airbags, or turn the radar detector into a nice projectile when they fire.. Personally, I think the auto-dim mirror wire-up is far more stealth and less risky.

Hmmm... I thought the side curtains came down rather than out so much. Yes? No? Regarding positioning above the mirror, couldn't the "tint" in that section interere with laser and/or radar detection?

[quote name='eamiller']This installation looks like it will interfere with the curtain airbags, or turn the radar detector into a nice projectile when they fire.. Personally, I think the auto-dim mirror wire-up is far more stealth and less risky.[/quote] I'm sure there will be bigger issues at hand if the side-curtains deploy. Knock on wood. The Bel is soft plastic anyway. :) Anyone have any pics of the mirror hardwire install?

I want to use the dash because if you check out radartest.com (the best radar detector site), they recommend mounting the detector as close to the dash as possible to give you the best chance to detect the narrow beam of laser. The higher you mount it the less of a chance you have of detecting it. Also, my direct power cord has a smart remote in-line that I'd like to use.

[quote name='jim1969']I want to use the dash because if you check out radartest.com (the best radar detector site), they recommend mounting the detector as close to the dash as possible to give you the best chance to detect the narrow beam of laser. The higher you mount it the less of a chance you have of detecting it. Also, my direct power cord has a smart remote in-line that I'd like to use.[/quote] I've picked up radar (I have never had a true laser alert) from waaaay far away with this mounting position. Plus I think there would be more interference with the rear looking aspect if it was mounted low. Seats and bodies in the way. Seriously, here in C.O. the cops use everything from X band to Ka. There's no consistency, even amongst the same agencies. I picked up a K signal coming across an arrow straight road that I had gone over 100 on not too long ago, a stretch of road at night where I could barely make out taillights in front of me, and a state trooper was coming the other way pulling the trigger on everyone coming at him. I honestly couldn't believe I was actually picking him up he was so far away. Naturally, if I didn't have the Bel going I would've been flying across this stretch.

[quote name='brad21'][quote name='jim1969']I want to use the dash because if you check out radartest.com (the best radar detector site), they recommend mounting the detector as close to the dash as possible to give you the best chance to detect [b]the narrow beam of [i]laser[/i][/b]. The higher you mount it the less of a chance you have of detecting it. Also, my direct power cord has a smart remote in-line that I'd like to use.[/quote][/quote] Since the target of laser is your front bumper, lower mounted makes sense. For radar, there is such a big cone of radiation that hits you, location shouldn't matter too much.

I just installed (hard wired) a Passort 8500 last night. Here's what I did. 1. I have the auto-dimming mirror. I ran the hardwire from the detector (attached below the mirror with suction cups) by the mirror through the mirror wire cover and through the headliner. 2. I then pulled the tan windshield support cover (drivers side) away and ran the wire down by the fuse box. 3. I then ran it above the plastic cover above the clutch, brake and gas. The Passport 8500 has a remote unit with a mute button and warning light. 4. I mounted this unit next to the ignition against the plastic behind the key. From this unit there are both positive (fused) and ground connections. 5. So, I ran both wires behind the stereo and tapped into the positive feed to the cigarette lighter (car side of plug). Us the subwoofer instructions to remove the stereo here: [url]http://www.legacysti.com/viewtopic.php?t=2161[/url] The Passport hardwire kit comes with a self splicing wire attachment for the positive lead. 6. All I did was snap the attachment on to the positive for the lighter and plug the Passport cable into it. I then attached the ground to a screw on the stereo. Done. Sorry no pictures. I was in a hurry. However, am happy to answer any questions. Thanks, NGG

could i tap into the 12v outlet in the bottom of the arm rest? seems easier than taking apart the stereo and dash. could I splice there and are there any screws to ground to? taking apart the dash makes me nervous. I don't have any rattles and I don't want any.

Actually, when you are at the step where the armrest is disconnected. You are only one step away from getting to the cig lighter. simply unscrew the shift knob and push up from underneath the shifter console. It is held down by four clips that easily pop out. Now you can splice into the positive for the lighter. BTW the positive is the yellow wire. Tap in on the car side of the lighter plug so the shift console can be unplugged when taking in for service etc. Good luck! NGG P.S. I don't know about a ground under the armrest. I knew the one on the stereo would work be cause I installed the subwoofer using a similar ground location.

what is the "car side of the lighter plug"? Where did you mount the smart display and how did you run your wires to the dash?

[quote name='NewGTGuy']I just installed (hard wired) a Passort 8500 last night. ... The Passport 8500 has a remote unit with a mute button and warning light. 4. I mounted this unit next to the ignition against the plastic behind the key. From this unit there are both positive (fused) and ground connections. [/quote] Can we get a pic of your mounting for the remote unit? I have an 8500, too, and want to see how you handled the install of that remote unit.

I just spent some time this afternoon hardwiring my Passport 8500 X50 into my 05 LGT. I did it with the hardwire kit that is available from Escort. After a lot of looking around with my flashlight I decided the best way for me to go was to splice into one of the wires that powers the clock. I started out by removing the center portion of the dash that contains the clock and storage bin as well as the two A/C vents (just pops right out). There are two wiring plugs you have to disconnect in order to fully remove the unit. I cut a 1" slit in the lower loom to expose the individual wires. Using a tester I found a wire that only got power when the key was turned. I spliced into that wire using the simple connector that was supplied in the Escort kit, routed my wires down through the dash and reversed the process for removing the center console. Thats it. It is completely invisible and works beautifully. It took me about an hour from start to finish.

Mine is a very clean install and a stable power source. I taped power from the back of the cigerette lighter socket in front of the shifter. I mounted the remote display/mute button right in front of the seat heater buttons. The actual unit is mounted just to the right of the rearview and below the black spots. The blue tint at the top of the window will NOT affect radar detection, but it will minimally affect laser. But if you get hit with laser and your detector goes off, it's too late, you're screwed. Someone posted earlier that radartest.com said to mount the detector low on the windsheild. WRONG. I dunno who sleeps with who over there but you want you detector mounted high. Laser is a minimal threat. It's the least encountered and as I said before, if you get a warning from your detector, it's too late. You want it mounted high so that it has a greater view of the road ahead. If you are coming over a crest, you want it to see over the crest almost before you can. Also, Laser isn't really Laser. It's IR light. Which isn't a narrow beam. Its certainly narrower than radar, but at a few hundred feet it's still at least a 15 foot wide cone. pics of install [url="http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6722"]http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6722[/url]

I did my install about two weeks ago and it turned out great! I did order a hardwire kit which included the mute button/power and alert leds thing. I love having the mute button close at hand so I was going to have to find a place and a way to mount it. Here's what I came up with. You might have to look close to find it. :lol: [img]http://home.comcast.net/~christopherjoslyn/8500_install/8500_install_console.jpg[/img] While I was installing my short shifter, it came to me to install the mute button and leds just underneath and poking up through the center console (just south of the shifter). This would solve the problem of where to mount the ugly button thing and would hide all wires. [img]http://home.comcast.net/~christopherjoslyn/8500_install/8500_install_top.jpg[/img] [img]http://home.comcast.net/~christopherjoslyn/8500_install/8500_install_top_close.jpg[/img] To install the button, I took apart the button thing by removing the single screw and pealing off the front cover (the part you see in the above pics). I then used the cover to position and mark for some holes in the top of the center console. It was then just a matter of drilling and roto-tooling the holes in the correct position and size to match the button and leds. The larger half of the button housing works as a nice gauge. Be sure to cover up and protect the console...it scratches easily. To mount the button, leds and circuit board, I modified the larger half of the housing by cutting the front part off (where the button and leds stick through). This would allow the clearance for the button and leds to stick through the console. The space between the shifter and the bottom of the console is very tight. I needed to cut a piece of shifter cover frame (never visible) in order to make room. You can sort of see that in the last picture below. I then mounted the modified housing to the side of the cover frame using a couple of small screws. Finally, using the same screw that held the two halves of the housing together, I affixed the circuit board to the newly mounted housing. I then use some e-tape to kind of protect the circuit board from getting damanged during installation. All this cutting and mounting took many, many dry fittings and careful positioning. Go slow and protect your plastic parts from getting scratched. Sorry for the not so informative pics, but I didn't take any pictures during installation. That would have been smart, but anyway. Here are the three that actually sort of turned out without me having to remove the console cover...again. [img]http://home.comcast.net/~christopherjoslyn/8500_install/8500_install_connector.jpg[/img] [img]http://home.comcast.net/~christopherjoslyn/8500_install/8500_install_connector_front.jpg[/img] [img]http://home.comcast.net/~christopherjoslyn/8500_install/8500_install_connector_side.jpg[/img] I connected the power (red) wire to the cig. lighter power and grounded (black wire) to a screw just under the rubber shifter cover. Running the wire to just behind the mirror was a snap. Simply feed the rj-42 wire back through the center console and catch it just at the throttle pedal. You wouldn't have to do this, but I removed the cover on the bottom of the dash on the driver's side and ran the wire to the other side. You can easy pop off the side panel on the dash you can see when you open the door. Then just run the wire up the A-frame and across the top gently pushing in behind the covers. Good luck! CJ

Nioce! I'm flush mounting mine when I get my car back