Changes

It took me a while to decide where I wanted to mount the Face of the Radio. I rode around for a month or so with the face sitting in the tray underneath the center stack before I finally decided to undertake installing it into the center stack underneath the Stereo. When I decided to mount the Face underneath the Stereo I noticed that the single DIN gap underneath the Stereo was just about the perfect height to accommodate the Face. I thought that using the existing filler pocket might work although I knew it would take some fairly serious modification. After jumping on Amazon and seeing that I could buy a new Stereo kit with filler pocket for about $12 bucks (in case I ruined this one) I pressed on.

#The first step (and pretty much every other step!) was test fitting. I pulled the Center Stack, removed the filler pocket, and fit the radio into the opening to see if it would work. It was a tight fit, but everything in that area flexes a bit so I pressed on.<br />[[File:Yaesu_Install_Face_1.jpg|400px]][[File:Yaesu_Install_Face_2.jpg|400px]]#Next I noted how far out the filler pocket sat and about how far out I wanted my radio Face. I put the Face (with mounting bracket) on top of the pocket and drew a rough outline of the material I'd need to remove. Then I pulled out one of my favorite tools (the Dremel!) and got to work.<br />[[File:Yaesu_Install_Face_3.jpg|400px]][[File:Yaesu_Install_Face_4.jpg|400px]][[File:Yaesu_Install_Face_5.jpg|400px]]#After a lot of test fit, dremel, test fit, dremel, test fit, dremel I got to a point where the Face Assembly fit in fairly well. Once I was happy with it I cleaned up the edges with a Utility Knife, a couple Files, and some Sandpaper.<br />[[File:Yaesu_Install_Face_6.jpg|400px]][[File:Yaesu_Install_Face_7.jpg|400px]][[File:Yaesu_Install_Face_8.jpg|400px]]#Now that the radio fit about how I wanted it to I marked off & drilled a hole so that I'd still have access to the Ejection Button once everything was assembled. I tested this out a couple times to make sure it worked.<br />[[File:Yaesu_Install_Face_9.jpg|400px]]#The next stage involved actually attaching the Face Mounting Bracket to the Filler Pocket. I considered a few, more elegant, options but finally settled on a good old block of wood! After all, this component would be hidden, and any other sort of mounting solution (plastic block, right angle bracket) would mean I'd have to wait to finish the project another time. Using a pair of calipers I measured the inside height of the pocket (Note that the pocket tapers toward the rear). The whole thing flexs a bit so extreme precision isn't necessary. I then eyeballed how wide I'd need it to be (ensuring that the finished product wouldn't block the hole where the data cable connects to the face) and drew it out on a spare 2x4 that was lying around. I cut it out with a Circular Saw & test fit it.<br />[[File:Yaesu_Install_Face_10.jpg|400px]][[File:Yaesu_Install_Face_11.jpg|400px]][[File:Yaesu_Install_Face_12.jpg|400px]][[File:Yaesu_Install_Face_13.jpg|400px]]#The next step was to, very carefully, position the block of wood exactly where I wanted it to ensure that the Face was at the right depth and was level. Since the block was a tight fit, it basically stayed where it should. So I slid it in so that it was about 1/4" too far out. I then took the Face Plate Assembly and carefully, slowly, inserted it exactly how I wanted it, pushing the block to its correct position. I then carefully removed the Face Plate Assembly, flipped the Pocket over, and screwed a couple Pan Head Wood Screws in to keep the block in place. Next I screwed the Face Mount Bracket into place and, once again, test fit the entire thing.<br />[[File:Yaesu_Install_Face_14.jpg|400px]][[File:Yaesu_Install_Face_15.jpg|400px]][[File:Yaesu_Install_Face_16.jpg|400px]][[File:Yaesu_Install_Face_17.jpg|400px]]#Using a Stepped Drill Bit I increased the diameter of one of the holes in the back of the Pocket enough so that I could fit the RJ11 connector, on the Interface Cable, through it.<br />[[File:Yaesu_Install_Face_18.jpg|400px]]