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440volt
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Port Orchard
Washington
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 Posted - 03/28/2006 : 8:47:36 PM
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Written by Frank (pastfinder)
Please direct all questions to the author
This installation is for the Ford Explorer full length console, which will only work if you have stock bucket seats or have performed the 60/40 bucket seat mod.
This is just for the installation. If you want info on painting the console, please consult other threads. Please read through this before attempting this, just so you have an idea of what to do and what you chose to or not to do.
Precautions:
- Disconnect the battery if you are going to wire up the 12V outlet
- Wear safety glasses if you are going to use a rotary tool for cutting any metal
- If painting, make sure to do it in a well-ventilated area
Tools Needed:
- Ratchet set
- Phillips head screw driver
- Flathead screw driver
- Hacksaw
- Dremel/rotary tool
- Safety Glasses
- Hammer
- Pliers
- Power drill
- Titanium/Metal cutting drill bits (1/8 or 5/32 will work)
- Radio removal tools
Parts Needed:
- 12V power outlet (if replacing the original unit)
- 2 Tap connectors (blue)
- 30 AMP inline fuse
- 16 gauge wire
- Electrical tape/heat shrink tubing
- Zip ties
- 2 Butt connectors (blue)
- 4 washers, if possible rubber or neoprene sealing washers
- Silicone/QuikSteel (may not be needed)
- Whiteout (may not be needed)
Procedure
1. Remove the passenger side seat by removing the four torx bolts and disconnecting the seat belt tensioner connector at the rear of the seat (if applicable)
2. Remove the plastic mini console/cupholder assembly. This removes by turning two large plastic screws at the bottom of the cupholders. A quarter will do this quite easily.
3. Unscrew the plastic mounting plate for the small console. Using sealing washers, insert each screw in a washer and reinsert in the holes in the metal flooring. You could seal these holes up with silicone or quiksteel if you like as well.
4. Remove the ashtray or plastic insert from below the center bezel. Remove the retaining screws with a ratchet.
5. Using a flathead screwdriver, gently pry off the plastic cover on the passenger airbag disable switch.
6. Remove any additional screws holding the black plastic insert for the airbag switch and ashtray guides.
7. Using a flathead screwdriver, gently pry off the black plastic trim piece. Disconnect the passenger airbag disable switch.
You should now see this:
Ignore the EATC and rat nest of wires. The radio remover tools are to be used IF you wish to remove the bezel and the AC/Heater controls. I did this to check to ensure I had all the screws out holding the trim piece in place.
In this photo, you see a piece of metal with four holes.
Two of the holes will align with the front bracket of the console, and the other two are for retaining bolts. The small clip to the right of the left most holes is for the passenger airbag disable switch assembly.
This is the front bracket on the console with the metal pins:
8. Once you have removed all of these parts, you can test fit the console. First, remove the two black bins in the front. Remove the front portion first. This is the section closest to the front bracket with the pins. Gently tug and it will pop off.
Next, remove the other portion with the cupholders. This will allow you to see the front of the main metal bracket where you can mark where you need to drill.
9. Position the console on the “hump” between the seats, and slide it forward until the two pins slide into the holes pictured above. If the pins do not slide right in, you may have to slightly bend the metal bracket.
The console will not be flush on your floor, but it should be aligned on the hump.
Bolt the front of the console into place. This is just to ensure you mount the console in the right location.
10. You can use whatever you want, but I find whiteout works great for this part. You will see back by the armrest the front of the main metal bracket. There will be two oval holes. Using the whiteout, paint the areas of these holes.
11. Unbolt the front of the console and remove it from the vehicle.
12. Using a 5/32 or 1/8 drill bit (or a bit smaller than the diameter of the bolt you are using; the 5/32 or 1/8 size will work if you have the original bolts), drill into the flooring centered on the whiteout oval. You only need to go through one layer of steel. I went through two, but I can assure you, if you have the original bolts, you only need to go through one.
If you did drill through two, use some of the QuikSteel to fill in the holes underneath. Insert bolts and tighten.
13. This next part is if you wish to get the console lower to your floor. Lay the console on its side or unbolt the main metal bracket. This will involve more or less dismantling the entire console, so really, this step should be performed WAY back in the beginning.
This is the main bracket:
The front oval holes are to the left of the image. The right end of the bracket has a long flat piece that points up. The three holes are the top are where the armrest screws into. The part we are concerned with is below this piece.
If you flip the console over, you will see two metal feet or paws.
In the photo below, you will see these “paws” are rounded in the left of the photo:
]
The item in between the two metal attachment points is the blower motor housing for the ventilation ductwork for the Explorer.
You don’t need this, or the part that goes behind this, so chuck it. The paws are designed to slide into a third bracket, but this piece is usually left behind at the salvage yard. If you have it and wish to install it, then kudos to you.
To get the console to lie flat, you will need to cut out part of your carpeting so this bracket will mount flat to the floor. I chose not to cut out a chunk of my floor, so I did not use this bracket.
Instead, using a hacksaw and Dremel tool, I cut off the two metal paws. Make sure you ONLY cut off the feet, not the whole darn piece of metal or you will damage the main bracket. If you leave the feet on, the console will still work, but will have the tendency to wobble because the feet prevent the bracket from lying flat on the floor, and the rear of the console will sit slightly higher.
13 A. This step is optional but I found (after not being able to make it work) that you do not need it to secure the console to the truck. This step is only if you want the console to be super secure.
Note, this step will require two people and precision. Remount the main bracket on the front holes. Ensure the whiteout ovals line up and the bracket is as straight as possible. At the rear of the bracket in the corners are three holes, two in the corners, one in the middle.
Using white out, mark these holes.
Remove the bracket and drill down through this area.
Now for the REALLY hard part. The only way to mount the console this way is to bolt the bracket from underneath the truck. This takes two people. Insert the bolts for the holes from underneath the truck. Have another person above using nuts to lock the bracket into place.
Unbolt the front of the main bracket and do not overtighten the rear of the bracket. You will not have to squeeze the console over the bracket, and line up the pins in the front.
This is a REALLY tight squeeze and as I write this, I can say I was unable to do this on my own (on account of the misdrilled holes) but this SHOULD be possible.
If the console does not want to mount, you may need to use the Dremel tool to cut out a wedge of the front plastic ductwork. This ducting is plastic riveted to the console and should not be removed.
Cut about 1/2 inch of the plastic away in a wedge shape. This should allow the console to slide into place on the vehicle. If you have been able to do all of this, then awesome, your console will now take a sumo wrestler to remove it (or a five year old who is curious).
NOTE: I did not do this, but this is merely based on attempts, frustration, and observation.
I find that mounting a single bolt in the middle hole in the rear of the metal bracket would work, but if you performed the 60/40 mod, the console will sit tightly between the seats, and cutting off the metal “paws” lets the console sit flat on the floor, with the combined effect of having a strong secure console.
13 B. Now bolt up the front end of the main bracket and the pin bracket in the front.
Reassemble the console.
Word of warning: if the main bracket was twisted, you will find that the holes for say, the armrest, do not line up. It is recommended that you not tighten all the screws until you have most of the parts back on the console, just to ensure it will all fit back together. The pair of pliers is listed in the tools section in case you need to bend the brackets slightly to make the console come back together.
14. If you want to wire up your power port, then continue on to step 16. Otherwise, reattach the passenger airbag switch to the connector and attach it in place. I was able to carefully wedge the switch in the gap between the bracket and the dash, so it sits in the middle and does not shift around.
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15. Reattach the two front black plastic inserts, starting with the cupholder section first, then the front bin piece. Be gentle with both of them as they have small plastic tabs that are easily broken.
Wipe the console down with your plastic cleaner/shine, reinstall the seat you removed and enjoy!
16. For the power port, I removed the old port as I pulled my console out of an Explorer that was very chewed up. I disassembled the entire console, painted it and reassembled it.
My recommendation is to find a console in great shape if you can so you DON’T have to repaint it!
Anyways, the power port. Wal-Mart and Autozone sell a 12V power port with a spring loaded cover. This is a very durable 12V plug and the spring loaded cap ensures it will not pop open when you don’t want it to.
Note: There are two styles of consoles out there, one with a power port that consists of just a little black plastic insert cap, and another with a color matched door that flips out.
On the latter model, you can remove the mounting bracket for that port to replace it using a cigar lighter replacement for Fords found at any auto parts store.
This mod to replace the 12V plug is for only the style with the black snap cap 12V port. My replacement port had these two plastic “wings” to mount it to something. I cut these off with a razor blade.
Next, position the port over the hole in the console where the old plug used to be.
I then used a dremel tool to whittle away the plastic to the point where the plug will fit snuggly inside the console. Once in place, I used Quiksteel epoxy putty to seal up both sides of the area around the plug.
Since I painted the console, I just painted over the Quiksteel (which is white) after it had cured. If you don’t want to paint the console, you can always get a touchup paint pen at an auto parts store and just color it that way so the putty is not as obvious. Once the port is installed, wiring it is really easy.
Remove the center bezel to expose the wires for the 12V power port on the RIGHT side of the bezel. There will be two wires, one black, and one black/dark brown with a pink stripe.
The power port I used has a red and a black wire. I extended both wires with 16 gauge wire using blue butt connectors.
I then attached the 30 amp inline fuse to the red wire. Using a blue tap connector, tap this wire to the black/pink wire from the 12V port on the bezel. The black wire is tapped the same way but to the black wire from the 12V bezel port.
Use zip ties to secure the wires as needed.
Test the port with something. I plugged in my cell phone charger to see if it worked. The reason for the fuse is just a backup to prevent the system from going fizzle.
The other reason is because I picked up a 400/800 watt inverter to use up front and I want to be extra careful of frying anything.
17. Reconnect the passenger airbag switch to the connector, zip tie it in place, then reattach both black inserts, the cupholders first, then the front trim piece. Enjoy your new console!
Closing
I hope and trust that these instructions have helped you with your console install. I found the console to be just what I was looking for in terms of storage convenience. My Edge has a CD6 system, and the console afforded me the perfect place to store my FM modulator for iPod integration. I have the modulator mounted inside the console and run the input jack through the ashtray box. When I use the iPod, I open the lid, plug in the iPod and it sits snuggly in the compartment. Some people also mount power inverters inside the console, or PS2s, CD changers, or even personal computers. The options are limitless, so have fun moding!
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Edited by - 440volt on 05/28/2007 06:23:16 AM |
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