Hi power radio install cautions in Toyota Tundra !!!!!!!!!

[Richard Collier]

Item (1) Install the antenna as far away as possible from the ECU and sensors of the vehicle's electronic systems. Emissions Control Unit

Item (2) Install the antenna feeder at least 20 cm (7.87in.) away from the ECU and sensors of the vehicle's

Item (3) Do not wind the antenna feeder together with any other wiring from the vehicle. Also advoid running the antenna feeder PARALLEL with any other wire harness from the vehicle.

Item (4) Check that the antenna feeder are correctly adjusted IE SWR.

Item (5) Do not install powerful mobile communications systems.

I have a 110 watt spectra and had not any problems as of yet. This information was from a Toyota Factory repair manual for the 2003 Toyota Tundra volume 1. This is just update to be used in helping with the installs on these vehicles. Rich Collier

[apco25]

now if they had properly EMI/RFI designed their ECM and wiring harnesses in the first place it wouldn't be an issue.

[Richard Collier]

That is true.

[wa2zdy]

now if they had properly EMI/RFI designed their ECM and wiring harnesses in the first place it wouldn't be an issue.

Sure, but that would cost money and time, ie: profits.

So better to just tell you "don't do it" and when you do, they say "hey, not our problem. We told you not to do it."

See how easily the world works now in the modern age of "it's someone else's fault, why are you blaming ME????"

[apco25]

I know, it still doesn't excuse piss poor design and engineering.

[KitN1MCC]

Very simple Buy American

[apco25]

and that's why I do buy american.

Bad thing is the wife drives an infinity...UHG!

[SlimBob]

The American manufacturers are known to do wacker things too, yanno.

Aside from the 94-96 Caprice, I would rather have a car with a VIN that started in "J" than any other car. American auto workers are apathetic at best.

[aaronp]

My Tundra was made in Indiana by U. S. Americans. Where was your "buy American" car or truck built?

In Canada or Mexico?

Oh, I guess you meant "buy North American!"

Those guidlines for mounting radios are good practices for any car with an ECU (which is about all of them).

[c17loadsmasher]

It wasn't designed in the US...it was merely assembled in the US. So Japan sends the puzzle pieces in from elsewhere....and we put them together... big whoop. Most of the money ends up in Tokyo anyways...and my money I prefer to stay CONUS.

[GroundRat]

Those guidlines for mounting radios are good practices for any car with an ECU (which is about all of them).

I agree.
I've heard "horror" stories of keying up the radio and having the car just die.

I get a good chuckle out of those.

[wx4cbh]

Don't read any hostile attitude into this post BUT......Buy American? How do you "buy American?" How do you explain how over 60% of my Toyota Tacoma was SOURCED in the US from US manufacturers? Like the GM/Harrison AC equipment and cooling system pieces, the TRW suspension and driveline components, the CV axles built in Burlington, NC, the Delco electrical pieces, the bedliner, the tires, the rack and pinion steering box, the tie rod ends, the guage cluster, the wiring harness, the bumpers, the lighting equipment, THE FRAME, the sheet metal, etc, etc, all assembled at the NUMMI plant in California, a joint venture between Toyota and GM. How do you explain it? The Tacoma is basically an American market vehicle, that's why, and so is the Tundra. Toyota elsewhere in the world sells a different truck.

Now explain how my Chevy Blazer company vehicle that's built in Mexico, that practically everything on it has "Assembled in Mexico", Made in Mexico", or "Made in Canada" on it, can be called "American." In fact, it states on the MSRP sticker that "more than 58% of the vehicle components are sourced in the US," and that "qualifies" it as an American vehicle, but it was still assembled in Mexico. You can spell that NAFTA.

And oh yeah, in my experience as a comm shop manager, the worst vehicles for RFI are Dodge trucks. A low band Syntor or Maratrac can stop a Dodge truck with the mere flick of a PTT switch, and a Maxtrac VHF can make the ABS do the hanky panky as well as lock or unlock the doors. Chevrolets follow behind at a distance and Fords give very little trouble at all. Never had any problems with Toyotas or Nissans in that regard. And no, we didn't use any bracket mounted antennas, these were all roof mounted or body mounted, especially the low banders.

[RidgeRunner]

Here we go....this is one topic that us men get into pissing contest about and there is never a winner. I am not gonna say american this or forgien that, but I would like to comment on dodges being the worst RFI wise I have a 03 ram with a 110 watt kenwood low band rig and a roof mounted nmo mount antenna I have had no problems what so ever, I also work in a comm shop and seen many dodges get low band set ups even the state uses a few on low band. I have heard the stories although havent personally seen it. I do remember hearing about the late 90's rams has a problem with the computer going "teets up" because of poor sheilding and grounding.

[wx4cbh]

I guess that was the point of the first part of my post - how can you tell what's "foreign" and what's "American" anymore. Seems the so-called "foreign" manufacturers have more US made pieces and more US workers involved than the domestic brands.

Anyway, the Dodges we've had numerous problems with also have a notice in the owners packet "fleet vehicle usage addendums" about contacting DC about installing the correct ECU in the vehicle to combat RFI according to frequency range and power output. We've been told by some factory engineers that they don't recommend using anything over 25 watts. What I can tell you is that what affects one truck may not even make the next one blink, and that watching the door lock mechanisms on another chatter like a Briggs & Stratton at full tilt is a real trip.

What we've done is to keep all the cables (control and power) away from ALL the vehicle wiring and to ground the radios' power ground lead both at the radios and run a line to the battery negative post, then we make sure the antenna match is as perfect as possible and that there is no excess feedline stashed anywhere. In addition, we run a separate heavy ground lead from the battery to the engine block and from the engine block to the firewall/cowl area to make sure that ground really is ground.

We recently found that the frame and the body of a new Tahoe that was "eat up" with gremlins had virtually no ground connection to the frame except back through the wiring harness. Adding the grounds from the battery to the engine, engine to battery, then from the body to the frame eliminated the radio and siren gremlins, so we went back and retro-fitted the entire fleet ,and Voila! the mysterious radio/siren/lights problems disappeared, even on the Dodges, whoopee!. Guess all that "road vibration isolation" in the new cars and trucks has also resulted in electrical isolation, too.

[RidgeRunner]

My truck was put together in the US cant remember which state but most of the parts say mexico or canada. Its a damn shame its to bad someone doest come along and have a henry ford vision and build a reasonably priced durable all american made and built truck for the "every man" It would seem to me that there would be a market for it...problem is it would probably cost close to a 100 grand.

[ricciticcitembo]

My truck was put together in the US cant remember which state but most of the parts say mexico or canada. Its a damn shame its to bad someone doest come along and have a henry ford vision and build a reasonably priced durable all american made and built truck for the "every man" It would seem to me that there would be a market for it...problem is it would probably cost close to a 100 grand.

That Homer Simpson vehicle comes to mind......