2004 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Install

nick.dejohn · Post by **nick.dejohn** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 9:34 am

Everyone: Send me your thoughts and comments as well as other owners that have done installs similar to this. This was done by me and not by an installation shop!!!

Take a Look!!!

http://photos.yahoo.com/[email protected].

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 10:19 am

nick.dejohn wrote:Everyone: Send me your thoughts and comments as well as other owners that have done installs similar to this. This was done by me and not by an installation shop!!!

Take a Look!!!
http://photos.yahoo.com/[email protected].[/url]

Sorry, you fail it.

http://photos.yahoo.com/[email protected]

I hate to tell you this, but those TIR3s across the back aren't even close to being in a straight line.

nick.dejohn · Post by **nick.dejohn** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 10:22 am

They are pretty close. I'm not perfect!!! Give me a little credit!!

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 10:36 am

nick.dejohn wrote:They are pretty close. I'm not perfect!!! Give me a little credit!!

I'm a perfectionist, at least when it comes to vehicle installs.

Oh, and you still fail it with your editing... the trailing period, no bueno.

nick.dejohn · Post by **nick.dejohn** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 10:44 am

There was no editing involved. I took the pictures and posted them. If your such a perfectionist, why don't you post some pics. Let me go through them. I bet you I can find something not perfect!!!

min055 · Post by **min055** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 11:18 am

Although I am not a professional installer, I think your setup looks great. Nice clean install. I like the hard install kit for the Nextel too. If I used mine more I would def do that, it looks awesome. Any pictures of your truck lit up?

Post by **akardam** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 11:24 am

Nice job! I've seen so called professional installs that were nastier than that. That sure is a lot of warning power! What are the amber domes and strips on the roof of the truck?

Dsycutter · Post by **Dsycutter** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 12:02 pm

great job.... I am glad I saw this... I just ordered some amber TIR3s for my truck and was thinking of putting them on the toolbox. I was curious how it was gonna look and now I know!!!!

ESDA20 · Post by **ESDA20** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 3:00 pm

Did you take the photos down?

Post by **akardam** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 3:22 pm

nick.dejohn's original link accidentally had an extra period on the end. Here is a corrected link:

http://photos.yahoo.com/[email protected]

Post by Pj » Sat Sep 10, 2005 4:53 pm

Is that sealant goo coming thru? 0025

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/nick.dejo ... pg&.src=ph

I'd have to say those tir3's really aren't straight. One side goes uphill and the other up/down/up.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/nick.dejo ... pg&.src=ph

The underseat wiring looks pretty. However, why have the diagonstic indicator somewhere where it can't be seen? Doesn't that defeat the purpose?

Just a FYI, CT a couple of years ago adjusted the Title 14 status that makes it illegal to have a siren amp installed in a vehicle that doesn't have a permit. Not too many people know this, but the troopers do.

What else beside the Vol FD do you use the truck for?

davkenrem · Post by **davkenrem** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 6:23 pm

Pj wrote:
Just a FYI, CT a couple of years ago adjusted the Title 14 status that makes it illegal to have a siren amp installed in a vehicle that doesn't have a permit. Not too many people know this, but the troopers do.

What else beside the Vol FD do you use the truck for?

Oh boy, here it comes...

Great install, where did you get that grey trunk style carpet?

KitN1MCC · Post by **KitN1MCC** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 6:28 pm

ohh hell let me post up some pics of the future neck truck

i need to post some after i changed some stuff around

and when i did change it i used one of those nice Blue Sea Fuse panels and i did not loos the under seat storage for things like a my folding chair/Telephone tools if i get to it more pics soon

ohh and a FYI never post your damn plate

davkenrem · Post by **davkenrem** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 6:29 pm

akardam wrote: What are the amber domes and strips on the roof of the truck?

Running lights...

KitN1MCC · Post by **KitN1MCC** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 6:31 pm

ohh hell let me post up some pics of the future neck truck

i need to post some after i changed some stuff around

and when i did change it i used one of those nice Blue Sea Fuse panels and i did not loos the under seat storage for things like a my folding chair/Telephone tools if i get to it more pics soon

ohh and a FYI never post your damn plate

http://tinypic.com/bd1mh
http://tinypic.com/bd1k2

ESDA20 · Post by **ESDA20** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 7:12 pm

I'm kind of interested... whats the deal with not posting a plate? I mean, if you want to be "anonymous", then by all means, hide your plate. But if you post your ham callsign, or real name/department... People can still easily find you.

007 · Post by **007** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 8:22 pm

So you drilled the hole for the 800 NMO mount, but used a cheesy L bracket for the VHF antenna? Just drill the other NMO mount in the roof and be done with it.

As for the TIR3's....get a level next time.

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 9:55 pm

And what do you do that requires all these lights?

wa2zdy · Post by **wa2zdy** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 3:46 am

I do like the work on the mounting of the drawers and all behind the seat. The lights though, yeah, folks are right, you would have done well to use a straight line to line those lights up.

davkenrem · Post by **davkenrem** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 9:16 am

nmfire10 wrote:And what do you do that requires all these lights?

I knew it would'nt be long before the light police showed up.

davkenrem wrote:
Pj wrote:
Just a FYI, CT a couple of years ago adjusted the Title 14 status that makes it illegal to have a siren amp installed in a vehicle that doesn't have a permit. Not too many people know this, but the troopers do.

What else beside the Vol FD do you use the truck for?
Oh boy, here it comes...

Great install, where did you get t
hat grey trunk style carpet?

KitN1MCC · Post by **KitN1MCC** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 9:45 am

2 3 light dominators would have been easyer to mount

Post by Pj » Sun Sep 11, 2005 11:10 am

davkenrem wrote: I knew it would'nt be long before the light police showed up.

To squash this pretty quick...

1-I worked at a police department in Connecticut up until I moved out of state in Decemeber. Many people did not know of the change in CT CGS 14-84f. Many a volunteer have had their anal cavaties inspected by the road troopers who know this, and the DMV inspectors out there. Most city/town cops could care less (and some troops depending on where you are). Troops H,C,G are big on traffic law. Most will let the clear corner strobes slide, but many won't either.

14-80(f) No vehicle shall be equipped with, nor shall any person use on a vehicle, any siren, whistle or bell as a warning signal device, except as otherwise permitted by this section. Any motor vehicle may be equipped with a theft alarm signal device which is so arranged that it cannot be used by the driver as an ordinary warning signal. Any authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with a siren, whistle or bell, capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than five hundred feet and of a type approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Such signal shall not be used unless the vehicle is operated in response to an emergency call or in the immediate pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law, in which event the driver of the vehicle shall sound the signal when reasonably necessary to warn pedestrians and other drivers of the approach of the vehicle.

(g) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be fined one hundred fifty dollars for each offense.

2-I think like many people here, everyone is interested in what people do. It was an honest question. I happen to know, that in many urban places in CT, mega lights are frowned upon or unnesseary, and in others, its accepted. Some people set their trucks up to run dual colors for the various things they do. FD/Plowing truck, FD/EMS etc.

Either way, I was trying to give the lad a friendly heads up. We wrote people for this. Anytime I can keep money in my wallet and not give it to the state, I am happier.

FMROB · Post by **FMROB** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 12:14 pm

This is a tough crowd....

To think that a PO would write a V&T to a volley for hide-a-ways is jackassery. I can see the siren, but not the strobes.

If that :o went on around here (in LI) there would be hell to pay for the coppers.

The key swipes would be instantly shut off to the fire house, thus rendering the fact that they may have to now sleep uncomfortably for half the shift inside of the crusiers, not be able to eat and drink for free on the FD tab, spend most of the shift on the FD phone b.s.ing with there mistresses, not be able to work out in the gym while on duty, and not be able to use nice clean bathrooms.. Oh boy, actually doing work really does suck.

Remeber, everyone has to play nice in the sandbox.

nick.dejohn · Post by **nick.dejohn** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 6:38 pm

Man, these are just tough crowd here. Thanks to all that have so kindly adivesd me to get a level for the TIR3's next time. All, I can say is that Diamond Plate is not the easiest thing to drill into neither. But anyways, I can respect that. I am a volunteer firemen in Connecticut. I giess you could say that I may have went a little over board on the amount of lights. But, I like to set my vehicles up so that I have more than enough warning coverage. My father is a trooper in CT and I set up his cruiser very well also. As for the siren, I have had it for 3 years now. Haven't had any problems. I mainly use it for the airhorn portion. I know that I could just get the airhorn kit made by Whelen, but when you get the Beta series siren for next to nothing, you really don't complain.

The other reason why I have so much equipment in my truck for just a volunteer firefighter, is because when I was in the 2-way business as a tech/installer, I would use my truck as a demo vehicle of the different products available.

As for the "L" bracket for the VHF. That was my first antenna on the truck. I recently added the BC796D and I needed to add an antenna for it. The scanner is only programmed for 800 Digital use for the CT State Police. So, I opted to got with an NMO 800 MHz in the roof for that purpose. I like the "L" bracket and I really don't have a real reason to change it.

For those of you that are interested, the grille LED's are Blue/Blue. All of the Hide-a-ways in the front are clear, obviously. The Dual Talon above the rearview is Blue/Blue. The six TIR3's on the tool box are colored as follows: Blue/Amber/Blue Blue/Amber/Blue. I also have a taillight flasher in the rear as well.

jeremycharris · Post by **jeremycharris** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 7:14 am

Nick,
First off, great truck and great job.
Iam a proffesional (12 years),and ive seen so called perfectionist do worse.

nick.dejohn · Post by **nick.dejohn** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 7:56 am

Thanks Jeremy:

Like I mentioned. I am far from perfect. I tried to do the best I could. Anyone that has done a few installs would know that Diamond PLate is a real pain to line-up things on to drill.

KitN1MCC · Post by **KitN1MCC** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 8:10 pm

it also has been long standing Policy in the state police that u are not suppossed to add to or modify the Lighting systems on the Car unless u get special Permission

kb0nly · Post by **kb0nly** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 9:49 am

As far as i am concerned, those lights on the toolbox may be slightly off in alignment, but most people won't notice it anyway.

As for the rest of the install, i have seen so-called professional installers do work that looks like a bunch of monkeys put in the wiring. Your setup is really nice and clean, organized, much better than most of the stuff i have seen around here.

I made money repairing installs done by one local shop for a while last year, you would have been ill had you seen their wiring skills, or lack thereof.

There is only one thing i will nitpick on with your install, and some may disagree, but you chose a really poor location for the speakers on the bottom of the drivers side dash. That area is a known impact area for your legs in an accident. A friend of mine had a trailer brake control in about the same spot, when he got in an accident with the truck, struck a deer, his leg smashed into the trailer brake control and gashed it open. The auto manufacturers make that area the best they can to prevent damage to the drivers legs in the case of a collision. Adding equipment of any kind to that area is not a good choice in my opinion.

When he got the truck fixed up he took it back to the place that installed the trailer kit and had them move the controller to the bottom center of the dash, which of course isn't an option in your case because of the console. But i would find it hard to believe that there isn't a better place to locate them then there.

Not bashing your install by any means, just offering a bit of constructive criticism.

nick.dejohn · Post by **nick.dejohn** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 10:18 am

Hello eveyone!!1

For kitn1mcc - If ther was a ligting system installed in my fathers car, I would not have to put anything in in the first place. Ha has an undercover car because he is in a specialized unit. Plus, with 32 years on the job, getting permission to do things to his car is at his leisure, if you know what I mean.

For kb0nly - the reason why I choose to put the speakers there is because they were small enough where I would not bother them. I am a small/short guy. However, I do agree 100% with what you are saying. I would have never put one of the big Motorola speakers there.

Thanks to everyone for their opinions and replys. All will and is taken with a good heart!!!

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 10:05 am

davkenrem wrote: I knew it would'nt be long before the light police showed up.

Did I say he wasn't allowed to have them? Did I say there was ANYTHING wrong with them? He showed us his lights. Is it too much to wonder what the use is??? For all I know, they arep purple and he is funeral director. Chill.

2004 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Install

2004 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Install

Re: 2004 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Install

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