Install times?

This forum is dedicated to helping people with questions about installing radio equipment in vehicles. This can include antenna installs, electrical wiring questions/problems, and mounting systems. Pictures of installs are welcome.

Note: Discussions regarding lighting, sirens, and other equipment now has its own forum in the 'off-topic' section below.

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Tech225
Posts: 123
Joined: Fri Oct 10, 2003 3:16 pm

Install times?

Post by Tech225 »

Just looking for some comparisons. How long is the average time for a ground up install on a Crown Vic? Lightbar, console, siren, speaker, radio and video. No cage or pushbar. I've been averaging about 12 hours, by myself, working at a comfortable speed, including some BS time.
The last Durango I did took about 16 hours, don't know what happened there, other than the "Vehicle Specific" console I used.
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wx4cbh
Posts: 337
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2003 6:01 pm

Post by wx4cbh »

12 hours is about right for an NCSHP CV getting new "minimum equipment" such as you listed (rare for us), but add time for the corner strobes, walkie charger, vehicular repeater, two more radios, e-ticket printer, computer and data radio modem, radar, and TDS (VASCAR or Tracker) units. If the equipment is from an older CV being replaced, cut that to about 8 hours since it's already configured "ready to install." If the equipment is from a vehicle that is physically different from the CV it's being installed in, add time for revisions/fabrications to the mounting systems and the wiring. Two of us can knock one of those out in about 12-16 hours, depending on the vehicle. Our Camaros required way too much time since they're not exactly factory configured for all the equipment toted around in an SHP car. Trust me, they're "full."

Last Durango required about the same as yours, and it got only minimum equipment that the exec officers require. New vehicle (to us) and variances in what's required to mount it all prolly accounts for the time.
curmudgeon.....and I like it.
BDB
Posts: 281
Joined: Fri Feb 22, 2002 4:00 pm

Post by BDB »

12 hours is pretty good. A big help is having vehicle specific consoles and bracketry rather than having to fabricate and chase parts. I find that to be my biggest time consumer. Of course I do fire apparatus primarily and light vehicles on occasion.
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