Listmates,

I bought a used 911, and found it has a K40 installed. Nice install, but the detector doesn't seem to notice Ka band! I am going to the dealer tomorrow, but don't hold out much hope.

I have an Escort 8500 x 50 which works great, and am planning to hardwire that in. Anyone have any nifty install that they have done? I hate to fall back on taking it out all the time, but without some sort of concealment, that is the plan.

Thanks in advance.

 

I mount my Escort 8500 using the suction cups...right next to the rear view mirror. Mine is hard wired too.

No other way IMO....you cant really "hide" it...then it wont pick up the stuff...right?

 

My V1 is hardwired, and also cup mounted just to the right of my mirror. I think up high like that (IMHO) is the only way to go for good distance, especially cresting hills....etc. (But my hardwire runs down to the fusebox area using the hardwire kit that came with my unit........ the power wire tucks quite nicely around the windshield edges)

 

This is correct. There are a lot of misconceptions about mounting. The higher, the better (but below the tint strip) on the front windshield. People that mount them right above their dashboard are killing their range. Forget cute, go for function.

 

thats interesting, there are many articles on radar sites advising mounting them just above the dash...

 

Before you toss your K40 unit, give K40 a call at 800-225-8695 and ask for Ron in the Technical Dept. Most likely, your K40 is on older unit that was removed from an older car and reinstalled in yours. I had an older unit (from 1996) in my BMW and found out that it did not pick up Ka (by getting a ticket) at all. I called K40, and for $125 plus my old head unit, they sent me an updated one. I did the swap myself. Your head unit is most likely under your front bumper.

Oh, and I hired a traffic lawyer and got the ticket completely dismissed!

 

I will look into it. Cheaper to replace that one head than to get the whole system removed.

I went ahead and had an Escort laser shifter installed. This uses my Escort 8500 x50 as well, so that is hardwired in now. I didn't like the suction cup mount, so i built a bracket that goes in under the headliner. Love the Dremel tool! It holds the Escort 8500 up above the mirror, and from outside the car, it is not visible. I stole the idea from another forum, and it doesn't work quite as slick as it did for the Miata, but for our cars, it works well.

If there is any interest, i will take pictures. It isn't pretty, but it does the job, and, along with a wee bit of velcro, makes the system look installed. Hopefully, it won't be as prone to theft as the suction cups. Most of all, it is hard to see from outside the car!

 

I would be interested in seeing your set up....having a cab...I would something more secure than the suction cups. TIA!

 

I know very little about mounting Escorts but have V1s with remotes in 2 AMGs and 3 Porsches (one is a cab)......none use suction cups......in all cases the remote is center (on top of column or under dash lip).......head unit is high & not readily visable from either the front, rear, or through the driver window (bear view).
Personally, I would not take the time and effort to custom mount a unit unless it was a V1.......just my opin.