Where did you mount your radio?

[Buffalobwana]

This is quite a resourceful crowd, and I know there are some awesome ideas out there about where to mount your boxes on a VIC-1 or VIC-3 system in a 5 ton or deuce.

I have a NOS hard top in my garage and was placing boxes in different places in the truck to see what's best so I could mount a bracket on the top or back before I put it on the truck.

My truck has seats removed, two single seats installed and the center wall is occupied by an AC unit.

My options are ceiling mount or back wall mount above AC.

Where did you put yours?

 

[twisted60]

Not a VIC but I made an overhead to mount a Dinn 2 radio in my 5 ton.



Rails are 3/4" aluminum with 16 gauge sheet metal hooked into "J" hooks in front and 1" posts attached at rear of the rails that fit nice and tight into lip of hard top. I was able to mount my dome light at rear and still have plenty of room to add more items later.

Hope you find this helpful.

 

[Buffalobwana]

I have two options that I am considering. Overhead in the center, or mounted on back wall above AC.

I also have a mechanical oil pressure gauge and half a dozen or so switches to mount to a panel around the gear shift. I will likely build a center console to house the two group 31's and my electrical panel I made for all the toys. Back up camera, radio, and various lights.

Just want to see where and how you guys mounted yours.

 

[JDToumanian]

I mounted mine on the back cab wall up high between the seats, with the crew boxes at the same height in the corners. The three units are all mounted on a 1/4" aluminum plate so that it is removable. If I were going to mount them permanently, I'd probably still chose the same location, but that is just my personal preference... I've seen other great installations.

Jon

 

[Buffalobwana]

That looks nice. I have a big piece of 3/8x8" aluminum plate staring at me from the corner of the garage after a boat project that I could use. I was actually thinking of making different accent plates out of aluminum with a unique finish on it that I used on the boat. Came out real nice. Thanks for the idea.

 

[Buffalobwana]

Not a VIC but I made an overhead to mount a Dinn 2 radio in my 5 ton.

View attachment 679291View attachment 679293View attachment 679295View attachment 679296View attachment 679294

Rails are 3/4" aluminum with 16 gauge sheet metal hooked into "J" hooks in front and 1" posts attached at rear of the rails that fit nice and tight into lip of hard top. I was able to mount my dome light at rear and still have plenty of room to add more items later.

Hope you find this helpful.

thanks. That's the other option I'm considering. It's awkward if you mount them flat. They would need to be canted at an angle so the faces were toward you. But, I suppose that is possible as well.

I may do this for overhead light and possibly some switches. So many options. So little money!

 

[Shark Bait]

 

[JDToumanian]

Thanks for the compliments... One thing that I like about my installation is that I didn't drill any holes in the hard top or cab, and it's easily removable without any tools, though it's easier with two people. On the hard top back section, where it bolts to the cab, there is a lip pointing up. On the cab right below, there is a lip pointing down. There are two bolts going through my aluminum mounting plate, you can see them in the pics where the cables dip down. On the back of those bolts is just a stack of washers and a nut.... a fender washer, then a regular washer, then another fender washer, tightened up with the nut. The upward lip on the hard top forks into the space between the fender washers, so the whole plate with VIC is just hanging there. It's quite secure, but to keep it from falling off if the truck bounced badly, there are two wing bolts, one on each side of the AM-1780... Those wing bolts are threaded into the aluminum plate, and the protruding part on the back side extends just barely below the downward facing lip on the back of the cab, locking the whole assembly in place.

I made a little sketch. The plate touches in a number of areas, so there is no problem with it putting undue stresses on the lip it is hanging from. It's very stable.

Jon

 

[Buffalobwana]

View attachment 679381

is that in your HET? Sweet setup. Not familiar with the inside of a HET, do they have that area built out like that stock? Thanks for the picture. Looks cool.

 

[Buffalobwana]

Thanks for the compliments... One thing that I like about my installation is that I didn't drill any holes in the hard top or cab, and it's easily removable without any tools, though it's easier with two people. On the hard top back section, where it bolts to the cab, there is a lip pointing up. On the cab right below, there is a lip pointing down. There are two bolts going through my aluminum mounting plate, you can see them in the pics where the cables dip down. On the back of those bolts is just a stack of washers and a nut.... a fender washer, then a regular washer, then another fender washer, tightened up with the nut. The upward lip on the hard top forks into the space between the fender washers, so the whole plate with VIC is just hanging there. It's quite secure, but to keep it from falling off if the truck bounced badly, there are two wing bolts, one on each side of the AM-1780... Those wing bolts are threaded into the aluminum plate, and the protruding part on the back side extends just barely below the downward facing lip on the back of the cab, locking the whole assembly in place.

I made a little sketch. The plate touches in a number of areas, so there is no problem with it putting undue stresses on the lip it is hanging from. It's very stable.

Jon

Oh, I see. That's a good idea.