Roof mounted Uhf for GU

[WOWzers]

Has any one got a roof mounted setup for a uhf in their patrol. I was thinking about getting one for mine but was unsure as to whether or not its a space saver of a waste of money. there was one i found OUTBACK 4WD INTERIOR ACCESORIES (http://www.4wdinteriors.com.au/roof_console.html) but its about $400
any ideas would be great, even pics if available.
Are they worth the money, does it weaken the structure in the roof or anything like that. any opinion would be great. (also any advise on which uhf to choose would be great)

[Peter @ Aawen4x4]

The Outback Interior Access unit is a pretty good unit. They are a space saver, and they work well without damaging or weakening the roof structure. They normally mount in pre-existing holes like those made for the window visors, rearview mirror, and interior light. Well worth considering. As a slight issue, if you are over about 5'8" you WILL hit your head at some stage! Things hanging down in the middle of the car can become annoying, so you want to be sure that you can live with it!

As far as other manufacturers go, the only others that I know that are really worthwhile are the Custom Consoles people! They make a unit that will LOOK like it was made by Nissan to go just there!! They cost pretty much the same price tho'! And you'd hafta search, I don't have any contact details. There are a few others, but nothing really as impressive!

Re the radio choice, GME won't see you wrong at all, they are a good reliable and capable unit and they'll make a model to suit wherever you want to place it. In an overhead console, the TX4400 with a front face speaker is a good choice, or the TX3400 with a bottom mount speaker and a remote head unit if space is more of a premium. Either of those will work well with a remote speaker if you want, but the TX4400 can be sited so that it's built in speaker is aimed staight into the driver's ear!

Enjoy the searching and the fitting!

[paul2131]

I just fitted the outback console into my GU last Friday, and had my first run at the weekend with it in.

Although is costs a fair few bucks I am really pleased with the fit and how easily it went in.

I have mounted my UHF i the front slot in the console using the interior light loom as the power source and it works a treat.

When I purchased mine the supplier told me that it was the last one in OZ and the manufactuer had none available until September.

Not sure how true that is but call Outback direct and they might be able to help you.

When I went to install it I was short of a bracket and the Outback could not be anymore helpful when the supplier called them on my behalf, and the bracket arrived two days later with no hassles at all.

The lights are excellent and really light the cabin up, and after getting stuck on a slope for 7 hours on Sunday night near Jenolan caves, I really needed the internal lights to see what I was doing with all my straps and stuff and they were excellent.

I can post some photos up if you want but I would highly recomend the outback.

[WOWzers]

Yeah pics would be great. Are you tall yourself? do you have a problem with bumping your head as i am approx 6" 1 so i'm bit iffy about the sore head.

[paul2131]

I will get some photos up for you later.

I am 6ft 1 and had no problems on Sunday, although we spent most of the day winching rather than driving, so it might be a different story on bumpy roads.

Although unless you drive whilst sitting on the centre console or gear stick..., I cant see how you can hit your head, as the roof console is bang in the middle of the roof line, and no where near your head once you are sat in the drivers seat.

[Peter @ Aawen4x4]

It's the getting in and out that makes the head sore, or leaning across to read the map etc, and/or turning to get something from the back. I also spend a lot of time doing some of the more 'difficult' 4Wheeling, and when you start getting bounced around inside the vehicle, both front seat occupants end up with heads that hit the console! Never had any hassles with heads hitting the window, apart from very occasionally, but that damnned console! Admittedly my vehicle is a GQ, but every GU that I travel in whilst conducting training (and that is a heap of them) that has an overhead console still has the same problem, largely impacting (pun intended) the people taller than about 5'8"!!

I'm lucky, I've got a GQ so I have plenty of opportunity for working on the dash, and I no longer have an overhead console, rather I have an on-dash console that takes the same gear, and also provides a good base for the GPS, Tyre pressure monitor, Telephone, etc. GU's don't have quite the ease of fitting that GQ's have, but there is one on-dash console that I know of, from Custom Consoles. On top of that, I'm not sure that Outback aren't doing one too! Worth a look if you have the slightest issue. I believe that it would be worthwhile finding someone with an o/head console and sitting in it for a bit. Test it out so to speak!

Cheers

[WOWzers]

Might be the go.......but now my partners dad is trying to get me to buy a set of lokkers (i think thats how its spelt). I'm probably gonna get one of the two.
Are they worth the money on a gu 2000?

[Peter @ Aawen4x4]

If you are talking about the cheapies, they are spelt Lokka; and while there are some on here that absolutely lurve them, I'm not one of them! If you are going to go the auto locker route, try Lockright - the Powertrax Extreme Traction solution is a much better option - WELCOME TO POWERTRAX® BY RICHMOND GEAR (http://www.powertrax.com/)

But the one that all the others try to be as good as is the Detroit Locker! Unmatched traction and no more impact on your daily driving than that you'd get from a quality LSD! Locked Drive Systems (http://www.locked-drive.com.au/)

Any Locker (not necessarily any Lokka!) is a great investment, but in my experience and with almost all that I've seen fitted, the cheapies have been borderline too much of a pain to bother, or they've caused expensive damage as they've failed. Others on the forum seem to have had far better results, but it's been a 100% hit rate for me and those I know personally! The Powertrax are a better version (I believe the original of this type) and the Extreme Traction Solution has the damping spring packs that makes the Detroit Soflocker such a smooth operating device. They range from about $400 for the Lokka (then way more than that for the replacement and repairs); about $550 for the Lockright PowerTrax but you hafta do the importing; on to about $1200 for the Detroit, but it does give you a 100% improvement in your 4WD ability with no more impact than a good LSD - I know more than a couple of people who either don't even know they have one, thru tom people who were only convinced that it HAD actually been fitted when they saw the results, 'cos they couldn't tell it was there! Personally, I'd got the Locker first, a Detroit in the rear will make a fantastic improvement in both your 4WD AND your 2WD ability and driving; while one up front will only improve your 4WDing but it's still a GREAT IMPROVEMENT!! The Console is only creature comfort stuff, you can do the same thing with velcro if you really need to!

Enjoy the selection process, I'm glad it's you having to make up your mind; just remember that things that are so cheap it's almost too good to be true, usually AREN'T that cheap in the long run!

[BIGDAVET86]

I was going to make a roof console for my uhf and 6x9 speakers to go in m y GQ coil cab. after making a few cardboard cutout and takng many measurements i came to the realisation that the dash pod was a much better use of space. I will be building my own or possibly getting one from custom consoles. I am still building a roof console but a slimline one to house the 6x9s only. I found that my vision was obscured to much and i felt i would bash my head far to often hoping in and out and on the track as well.
I was thinking of putting the uhf and stereo head unit up in the dash pod and getting a couple of the little hidey holes that usually sit underneath the stereo to replace the stereo and uhf, should be handy for phone wallet and other odds and ends. by the way i am 6'3 and 115kg so having a bit of space around me is important to me,plus as coil cab drivers with long legs know with the seat as far back as possible the back is quite upright and exagerates the vertical aspect of the equation. my head is only a few inches from the roof and when im wearing my hat (which is all the time) it just touches the roof. thats why i decided against the roof console
Heres a link to the page with all of the different designs offered by Dept. of the Interior
Car Consoles & 4WD Storage Drawers - Department of the Interior - overhead consoles, roof consoles, custom built consoles, 4WD interiors, dashboard restorations, storage systems, vehicle consoles, radio console, dashboard repairs, dashboard pod, four (http://www.consoles.com.au/console_designs.htm)

Cheers
Dave

[WOWzers]

A locker might be the best bet then. but there are sooo many different ones out there i'm a little bit worried about any damage that it would cause to my new toy. Does anyone know of any 4wd stores in vic, in southgippsland or just on the east side of the city that sell lockers.
Do you have them installed on yours peter?

[Peter @ Aawen4x4]

A locker might be the best bet then. but there are sooo many different ones out there i'm a little bit worried about any damage that it would cause to my new toy. Does anyone know of any 4wd stores in vic, in southgippsland or just on the east side of the city that sell lockers.
Do you have them installed on yours peter?

I can see that you haven't researched the locker side of the equation before now, or you'd know that I have Detroit Lockers fitted!

There are skads of threads on this subject: do a search on 'Lockers' and stand back! I'd guess about 500 replies just initially, and covering every aspect of the subject you can think of!

Enjoy the reading!

[GUJohnno]

I found that the outback console that I had in my Bravo rattled and really gave me the ****'s

In the GU I put in a console from Department of the Interior Car Consoles & 4WD Storage Drawers overhead consoles roof consoles custom built consoles 4WD interiors dashboard restorations storage systems vehicle consoles radio console dashboard repairs dashboard pod four wheel drive (http://www.consoles.com)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/GuJohnno/100_0156.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/GuJohnno/100_0157.jpg

[sudso]

I got a Car Consoles one in my Rodeo and a GME TX4400 in the front din aperture, which is going in the Patrol soon. (not the console)
Got maplights/interior light combo from an old Pulsar or something from a wreckers for 5 bucks and put in and it's great.
Have bumped my head a few times but not when wheeling, they're padded enough not to leave a bump on my head.