Sirius satellite radio and antenna install -- complete and unabridged
03-16-2005, 06:47 PM
#1
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Sirius satellite radio and antenna install -- complete and unabridged
We've seen quite a few posts recently on installing satellite radio, which I finally did this week, so here's my how-to.
First of all, I've been looking at satellite radios for quite a while trying to decide what I like and what is the best option for the TTs interior. Here were my requirements:
--Sirius (I listen to Stern and Sirius also has Maxim radio)
--Has a direct output (I wanted better sound quality than RF)
--Retains the stock head unit
--Fits somewhere nicely in the TTs interior. This was the most important as well as toughest requirement. I didn't want to have to remove the ashtray, block any vents or have something sitting on the top of the dash.
My gf actually bought me a Sportster for Christmas, but it requires a special car "docking cradle," and I couldn't find a good spot for it. (If it didn't require that cradle, it would have worked great.) So I ended up with the Starbase, which requires a "permanent" install, so I lost the portability factor. That would have been nice to have, but it wasn't the most important.
<img src="http://www.mmxpress.com/dei/images/SC-fm11.jpg">
I decided I wanted to mount the antenna where the existing cell phone antenna was. So first I had to take that out. (Btw, my TT is a spring 2001 build. I believe that earlier TTs have a different antenna style.) Here we go:
First, remove the rear headliner trim piece. It unclips (with a little force). This picture is from the rear:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0459.JPG">
Then you can pull down the headliner slightly, and you can see the underside of the antenna:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0468.JPG">
The bottom of the antenna has a little round clip that you have to pry out. You can stick a flathead screw driver up there and work it out. Here's the clip:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0478.JPG">
Next, pry off the outer antenna cover. The Bentley manual says "use a suitable plastic wedge," whatever that means. I used my fingers to roll it up, and eventually it came loose:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0471.JPG">
The inner antenna has to go in through the hole. Push around the edges until it works its way in. (Again, the manual says to use the same "plastic wedge," but I just used my fingers with no problem.)
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0480.JPG">
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0482.JPG">
Here it is, pushed into the interior:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0483.JPG">
There is enough room between the headliner and the roof, so rather than disconnect and completly remove the antenna, I just left it in there.
Here is where I ran into my first problem. My initial thought was to use the hole to run the Sirius antenna wire through. However, the wire comes directly out of the BACK of the antenna, not the bottom, so there is no way to route it through the hole and place the antenna directly over the hole. So I was forced to run the wire back through the hatch instead, placing the antenna over the hole. The antenna is magnetic, and that sucker is one strong magnet and sticks very securely to the roof. But even though it holds tight, I was still concerned about water getting underneath there. So as a precaution, I used a small piece of electrical tape to cover the hole. With the magnet over that, it should seal it up pretty well.
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0488.JPG">
Next problem: The tolerance between the rear hatch and the rear roof line is so tight, that if I routed the wire straight back, the hatch would pinch the wire and lift it up whenever I opened the hatch. (I don't know if that space is adjustable by somehow adjusting hinges, but I didn't want to fool with that.)
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0489.JPG">
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0492.JPG">
So what I decided to do was route it in that groove between the roof and the hatch, over to the side where there is more clearance when the hatch opens:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0495.JPG">
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0496.JPG">
Then I used the plastic wire cover and attached that to the roof:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0530.JPG">
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0532.JPG">
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0534.JPG">
Here's how I routed the antenna up to the front of the car:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0497.JPG">
From the inside now, looking back:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0499.JPG">
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0500.JPG">
From there I went to the outer window weatherstripping, down to the door hinge:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0503.JPG">
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0505.JPG">
Now to the Sirius receiver. It needs three wires for the electricity: switched, always on, and ground. I added fuse taps into the cell phone fuse (#8) for switched, and the central locking system fuse for always on (#5 I think?). For ground I hooked on to the upper screw in the fuse box (same one for my radar detector). I ran the wires under the driver side dash panel, behind the center tunnel, and then to the Sirius receiver. The audio-out cables I have connected through a Bipes adaptor, with the cable going through the center tunnel. Here's a shot of everything hooked into the receiver:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0511.JPG">
Here is where I put the receiver. I didn't want to screw it into anything (like the floor). You can pull back this foam cover and it fits nicely shoved up here. I put a strip of velcro hooks on the back to hold it to the carpeting:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0512.JPG">
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0515.JPG">
It can't be seen from the passenger seat and my feet don't touch it:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0517.JPG">
The remote display:
I stuck it to the front of the dashboard (well below the airbag seam) with 3M mounting tape, and tucked the cable between the radio and the glove box.
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0527.JPG">
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0525.JPG">
Put everything back together, and that's it! The whole job took me about 4 hours, but I took my time, dealt with these issues, dropped some screws here and there and had to hunt for them, etc. etc. etc.
First of all, I've been looking at satellite radios for quite a while trying to decide what I like and what is the best option for the TTs interior. Here were my requirements:
--Sirius (I listen to Stern and Sirius also has Maxim radio)
--Has a direct output (I wanted better sound quality than RF)
--Retains the stock head unit
--Fits somewhere nicely in the TTs interior. This was the most important as well as toughest requirement. I didn't want to have to remove the ashtray, block any vents or have something sitting on the top of the dash.
My gf actually bought me a Sportster for Christmas, but it requires a special car "docking cradle," and I couldn't find a good spot for it. (If it didn't require that cradle, it would have worked great.) So I ended up with the Starbase, which requires a "permanent" install, so I lost the portability factor. That would have been nice to have, but it wasn't the most important.
<img src="http://www.mmxpress.com/dei/images/SC-fm11.jpg">
I decided I wanted to mount the antenna where the existing cell phone antenna was. So first I had to take that out. (Btw, my TT is a spring 2001 build. I believe that earlier TTs have a different antenna style.) Here we go:
First, remove the rear headliner trim piece. It unclips (with a little force). This picture is from the rear:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0459.JPG">
Then you can pull down the headliner slightly, and you can see the underside of the antenna:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0468.JPG">
The bottom of the antenna has a little round clip that you have to pry out. You can stick a flathead screw driver up there and work it out. Here's the clip:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0478.JPG">
Next, pry off the outer antenna cover. The Bentley manual says "use a suitable plastic wedge," whatever that means. I used my fingers to roll it up, and eventually it came loose:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0471.JPG">
The inner antenna has to go in through the hole. Push around the edges until it works its way in. (Again, the manual says to use the same "plastic wedge," but I just used my fingers with no problem.)
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0480.JPG">
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0482.JPG">
Here it is, pushed into the interior:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0483.JPG">
There is enough room between the headliner and the roof, so rather than disconnect and completly remove the antenna, I just left it in there.
Here is where I ran into my first problem. My initial thought was to use the hole to run the Sirius antenna wire through. However, the wire comes directly out of the BACK of the antenna, not the bottom, so there is no way to route it through the hole and place the antenna directly over the hole. So I was forced to run the wire back through the hatch instead, placing the antenna over the hole. The antenna is magnetic, and that sucker is one strong magnet and sticks very securely to the roof. But even though it holds tight, I was still concerned about water getting underneath there. So as a precaution, I used a small piece of electrical tape to cover the hole. With the magnet over that, it should seal it up pretty well.
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0488.JPG">
Next problem: The tolerance between the rear hatch and the rear roof line is so tight, that if I routed the wire straight back, the hatch would pinch the wire and lift it up whenever I opened the hatch. (I don't know if that space is adjustable by somehow adjusting hinges, but I didn't want to fool with that.)
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0489.JPG">
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0492.JPG">
So what I decided to do was route it in that groove between the roof and the hatch, over to the side where there is more clearance when the hatch opens:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0495.JPG">
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0496.JPG">
Then I used the plastic wire cover and attached that to the roof:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0530.JPG">
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0532.JPG">
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0534.JPG">
Here's how I routed the antenna up to the front of the car:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0497.JPG">
From the inside now, looking back:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0499.JPG">
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0500.JPG">
From there I went to the outer window weatherstripping, down to the door hinge:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0503.JPG">
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0505.JPG">
Now to the Sirius receiver. It needs three wires for the electricity: switched, always on, and ground. I added fuse taps into the cell phone fuse (#8) for switched, and the central locking system fuse for always on (#5 I think?). For ground I hooked on to the upper screw in the fuse box (same one for my radar detector). I ran the wires under the driver side dash panel, behind the center tunnel, and then to the Sirius receiver. The audio-out cables I have connected through a Bipes adaptor, with the cable going through the center tunnel. Here's a shot of everything hooked into the receiver:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0511.JPG">
Here is where I put the receiver. I didn't want to screw it into anything (like the floor). You can pull back this foam cover and it fits nicely shoved up here. I put a strip of velcro hooks on the back to hold it to the carpeting:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0512.JPG">
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0515.JPG">
It can't be seen from the passenger seat and my feet don't touch it:
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0517.JPG">
The remote display:
I stuck it to the front of the dashboard (well below the airbag seam) with 3M mounting tape, and tucked the cable between the radio and the glove box.
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0527.JPG">
<img src="http://www.msu.edu/~lytleric/IMG_0525.JPG">
Put everything back together, and that's it! The whole job took me about 4 hours, but I took my time, dealt with these issues, dropped some screws here and there and had to hunt for them, etc. etc. etc.
03-16-2005, 07:42 PM
#5
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I did an xm install and the antenna wire was very thin like the one in the first pic
You might be able to get that antenna if you were having clearance problems. Not sure if you tried it, but I put the antenna inside the the back window on my friend's A4 and it works prefectly, just a thought. Nice install!
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03-17-2005, 04:19 AM
#8
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nice I still have to install the sportster
which I plan on keeping in the ctr storage area...the first unit actually died on me before I finished the install so I already have the wires run...did you us a inline fuse when you hardwired the unit into the fuse box?
03-17-2005, 05:21 AM
#9
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Well done and nice documentation! One comment on antenna...
The electrical tape may not seal out the water. After the next rain (or car wash) reach up and feel the headliner directly below the antenna hole--if the headliner is cooler on that spot relative to elsewhere on the headliner, than you've got a leak.
I have a different setup, but I had to use a gasket to prevent leaking where my antenna wire is threaded through the hole.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/55263/sxm_antenna_back_dside.jpg">
Also, by placing the magnet base over the hole, you don't have a good ferous base for the magnet to grip on to. May want to get another magnet that is bigger than the hole and place it inside the vehicle just under the hole. This way the magnet on top of the car will grab the magnet underneath.
Nice job. Enjoy!
I have a different setup, but I had to use a gasket to prevent leaking where my antenna wire is threaded through the hole.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/55263/sxm_antenna_back_dside.jpg">
Also, by placing the magnet base over the hole, you don't have a good ferous base for the magnet to grip on to. May want to get another magnet that is bigger than the hole and place it inside the vehicle just under the hole. This way the magnet on top of the car will grab the magnet underneath.
Nice job. Enjoy!