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GEN 1 (2010-2014) Ford SVT Raptor Forums
Ford Raptor Audio/Video/Electronics Forum [GEN 1]
My Lowrance HDS-7 Install
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<blockquote data-quote="bigrig" data-source="post: 939038" data-attributes="member: 11383"><p><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong>Creating and Installing a Mount for a Lowrance HDS-7</strong></span></p><p></p><p>After reading one of the prerequisites for joining Raptor Expeditions on their Barstow to Vegas run was to install a Lowrance unit, I started looking around for one to install. I picked up a HDS-7 Gen3 on Ebay for $899.</p><p></p><p>Once it arrived it dawned on me that I needed a mount for it. After looking at the mounts on RPG, Outlaw Offroad and LGE CTS*Motorsports, all going for around $100, I thought to myself, "I could easily make a mount as good as this." Well, like all my projects, it took me longer than expected, and after buying some tools, ended up costing me a little more than $100. But the pride in making something myself is part the reward so here is the story if you care to know more about it.</p><p></p><p><strong>Tools I used:</strong></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Drill</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Jigsaw</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Metal Bending Brake</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">C-clamps</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Belt Sander</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dremel with cutting wheel</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Combination Square</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ruler</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Tape Measure</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Soldering Iron</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Socket Set</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Screw Drivers</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Allen Wrenches</li> </ul><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">Lowrance Bracket</span>:</strong></p><p>I first made a trip out to our local scrap metal warehouse and picked up a really clean piece of aluminum. I bought more than what I needed in case of mistakes (which turned out to be a good thing as you will see below). It ended up costing me about $8.00.</p><p></p><p><strong>Lowrance Template:</strong></p><p>The Lowrance unit comes with a template to assist with cutting (mostly for flush mounts in boats, but works perfect for this application too). </p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]251463[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>My traced out template:</strong></p><p>I used some printer paper to trace out the outline on the template page so I could reuse the template in the event I made a mistake.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]251464[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Making the cuts for the faceplate:</strong></p><p>I had to buy a jigsaw to make the cuts. I picked up one at Home Depot for $70. I drilled holes in the angled sections so I could get the blade in and cut the hole out of the center. The template worked great and the fit around the Lowrance unit was exceptional. </p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]251465[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]251466[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Bending mishap:</strong></p><p>Next step was to make the bends on the sides of the faceplate that would mount to the arms I planned to make next. I figured I could make the bends by clamping the faceplate to my workbench and bending against a 90 degree edge. Turns out that approach didn't work out so well...</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]251467[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Take two... with a metal bending brake!</strong></p><p>So I went back and repeated that process above. This time I ordered a metal bending brake from Harbor Freight for $40. This was the right tool for the job but required a C-Clamp and some other clamps to hold it in place. The bends turned out great. I used a dremel with a cutting wheel to angle the mounting points but if you were to do this, I would suggest you cut the angles before bending the sides. It would have been much easier. I just did it this way because I didn't know I wanted those sides angled until after I bent the sides. </p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]251468[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">Arms for mount:</span></strong></p><p>After I completed the faceplate, I was on to making the arms for the bracket. For the arms, I went back and forth from the truck to the garage cutting out construction paper, measuring, and shaping a template for what I thought the arms should look like. I came up with this...</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]251469[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Finishing up the arms:</strong></p><p>After a few bends with the metal brake, some drilling and some belt sanding to shore up the edges, I had the arms ready.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]251470[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]251471[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]251472[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Final assembly:</strong></p><p>I pieced it all together to make sure it fit the way I intended and then started on mounting it to the plastic speaker dash tray. To do this, I pulled the tray out and removed the speaker to make it easier to work on. I cut holes for the arm mounts and cut a hole for the wire to go through. I used a computer wire port cap to make the hole cleaner.</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]251473[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]251474[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]251475[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]251476[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]251477[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Final Result:</strong></p><p>Once I was happy with the fit of the mount I primed and painted it, wired up the HDS-7 to the last upfitter switch and voila!</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]251478[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]251479[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>I hope this post helps anyone trying to do this on their own. It ended costing me $118 (mostly because of the tools I needed to purchase) and took a couple weekends of intermittent work, but I am pleased with the result. I have taken it offroad since and so far it has handled the shock of bumps and rock crawling very well. </p><p></p><p>Measure twice, cut once, have fun, enjoy the process!</p><p>~bigrig</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="bigrig, post: 939038, member: 11383"] [SIZE="5"][B]Creating and Installing a Mount for a Lowrance HDS-7[/B][/SIZE] After reading one of the prerequisites for joining Raptor Expeditions on their Barstow to Vegas run was to install a Lowrance unit, I started looking around for one to install. I picked up a HDS-7 Gen3 on Ebay for $899. Once it arrived it dawned on me that I needed a mount for it. After looking at the mounts on RPG, Outlaw Offroad and LGE CTS*Motorsports, all going for around $100, I thought to myself, "I could easily make a mount as good as this." Well, like all my projects, it took me longer than expected, and after buying some tools, ended up costing me a little more than $100. But the pride in making something myself is part the reward so here is the story if you care to know more about it. [B]Tools I used:[/B] [LIST] [*]Drill [*]Jigsaw [*]Metal Bending Brake [*]C-clamps [*]Belt Sander [*]Dremel with cutting wheel [*]Combination Square [*]Ruler [*]Tape Measure [*]Soldering Iron [*]Socket Set [*]Screw Drivers [*]Allen Wrenches [/LIST] [B][SIZE="4"]Lowrance Bracket[/SIZE]:[/B] I first made a trip out to our local scrap metal warehouse and picked up a really clean piece of aluminum. I bought more than what I needed in case of mistakes (which turned out to be a good thing as you will see below). It ended up costing me about $8.00. [B]Lowrance Template:[/B] The Lowrance unit comes with a template to assist with cutting (mostly for flush mounts in boats, but works perfect for this application too). [ATTACH=full]251463[/ATTACH] [B]My traced out template:[/B] I used some printer paper to trace out the outline on the template page so I could reuse the template in the event I made a mistake. [ATTACH=full]251464[/ATTACH] [B]Making the cuts for the faceplate:[/B] I had to buy a jigsaw to make the cuts. I picked up one at Home Depot for $70. I drilled holes in the angled sections so I could get the blade in and cut the hole out of the center. The template worked great and the fit around the Lowrance unit was exceptional. [ATTACH=full]251465[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]251466[/ATTACH] [B]Bending mishap:[/B] Next step was to make the bends on the sides of the faceplate that would mount to the arms I planned to make next. I figured I could make the bends by clamping the faceplate to my workbench and bending against a 90 degree edge. Turns out that approach didn't work out so well... [ATTACH=full]251467[/ATTACH] [B]Take two... with a metal bending brake![/B] So I went back and repeated that process above. This time I ordered a metal bending brake from Harbor Freight for $40. This was the right tool for the job but required a C-Clamp and some other clamps to hold it in place. The bends turned out great. I used a dremel with a cutting wheel to angle the mounting points but if you were to do this, I would suggest you cut the angles before bending the sides. It would have been much easier. I just did it this way because I didn't know I wanted those sides angled until after I bent the sides. [ATTACH=full]251468[/ATTACH] [B][SIZE="4"]Arms for mount:[/SIZE][/B] After I completed the faceplate, I was on to making the arms for the bracket. For the arms, I went back and forth from the truck to the garage cutting out construction paper, measuring, and shaping a template for what I thought the arms should look like. I came up with this... [ATTACH=full]251469[/ATTACH] [B]Finishing up the arms:[/B] After a few bends with the metal brake, some drilling and some belt sanding to shore up the edges, I had the arms ready. [ATTACH=full]251470[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]251471[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]251472[/ATTACH] [B]Final assembly:[/B] I pieced it all together to make sure it fit the way I intended and then started on mounting it to the plastic speaker dash tray. To do this, I pulled the tray out and removed the speaker to make it easier to work on. I cut holes for the arm mounts and cut a hole for the wire to go through. I used a computer wire port cap to make the hole cleaner. [ATTACH=full]251473[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]251474[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]251475[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]251476[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]251477[/ATTACH] [B]Final Result:[/B] Once I was happy with the fit of the mount I primed and painted it, wired up the HDS-7 to the last upfitter switch and voila! [ATTACH=full]251478[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]251479[/ATTACH] I hope this post helps anyone trying to do this on their own. It ended costing me $118 (mostly because of the tools I needed to purchase) and took a couple weekends of intermittent work, but I am pleased with the result. I have taken it offroad since and so far it has handled the shock of bumps and rock crawling very well. Measure twice, cut once, have fun, enjoy the process! ~bigrig [/QUOTE]
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GEN 1 (2010-2014) Ford SVT Raptor Forums
Ford Raptor Audio/Video/Electronics Forum [GEN 1]
My Lowrance HDS-7 Install
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