I used Mr. Attacks 'V1' posting as a guide to install my Bel up by (and powered from) the mirror....

The screws where tough, and the lights/glasses unit needed a LOT of force to come out. Then a foot of straight cord, (from an old 'passport' detector) used one of the bracket bolts inside as a ground (M8 mm) and the black switched wire to the Homelink as power.

The mount was just the glass suction cups as high as they could go - I had intended to fab a U shaped metal bracket to hold the unit snug against the roof, but no need, the stock suction mount fits really well up behind that little sunshade above the mirror. There is no way it can be seen from the front! Bonus!
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doc

 

Hmm.... I can see it from the front in your picture...

---jps

 

Am I seeing wrong or is your RD aimed directly through the black shading material on the top of the windows behind the RV mirror? Won't that drastically reduce sensitivity?

 

O.K. Sputguy, lets just say that compared to the previous visibility, with the whole thing hanging from the centre windscreen by two big suction cups - it is now VIRTUALLY invisible!

No the shade doesn't block radar, most glass and plastics are transparent to the signals.
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doc

 

I really liked that idea. I didnt get a homelink mirror, but do you know if the wiring will be up there anyways? if so I will be able to do the same and get the BEL nice and invisible :D

 

Radar dectectors are illegal here in California. Regardless, I will, of course, be getting one (almost definitely the Valentine). Anybody have any creative ideas for mounting it a little more discreetly? I was considering the storage in the center console, but that would render the directional arrows useless...

 

Hi - you may want to check your facts - I'm no expert on the subject, but a quick google turned up multiple references that radar jammers are illegal in Calif but that Radar Detectors are just fine in Calif.

Dave

 

radar detectors ARE NOT ILLEGAL in california.

 

Well slap me and call me Susan! :p Thanks fellas. Guess I had misread....

 

Welp, without the homelink option the only wiring up there is for the lights. Hopefully they are 12 volt, if not it's going to take some rigging.

Anyway, I wanted to ask, what did you use as a bracket for mounting the detector? Also, isnt it a bit hard to get to the buttons now? I know you probably wont be using them too often, but I was just wondering.

 

You are correct, the buttons are now hard up against the roof.

As I said, I planned on building a 'U' shaped bracket to mount between the glasses holder and the Bel, with the Bel unit upside down, (buttons down), but I have the buttons set as I want them now and it fits just SO nice on the original glass suckers, to the space above the mirror....

To get the laser detection (for what its worth!) working, you should probably go for the upside down option. The sensor is on top, now also eating head-liner.
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doc

 

But they are ILLEGAL in Virginia and Washington D.C.

This may not matter to left coast folks, but it does matter to those of us in less wacky parts of the world!:D

 

have you guys think of using the power from the sunroof? or dome light?

wouldn't the wire be more consealed that way?

 

I all my cars I like having the detector on the dash - less people see it, less people want to break into the car and steal it. Alos, with it on the dash - it is easy to run the wires along the base of the windshield directly to the fuse box.

 

Sunroof would probably be a better idea since it has "switched" power. Meaning with the ignition switch off, the power is off. The lights would have a constant power supply, so you can turn them on and off whenever you want to. If you tap onto this power, then you always have to manually turn your detector off when you get out of the car. The best option is to run your hardwire down the A pillar to the fuse box instead of cutting and pasting other wires.

 

Yer just envious :D

 

Here's some pics of the Solo2:
.....and BTW, how do you post multiple pics?

 

#2

 

#3

 

#4

 

I believe Valentine sells a remote display accessory, which would give you additional mounting configurations.

 

I have been reading up on the wireless / cordless radars using 2 AA batteries. Some of the stats on useage seem reasonable. Why not look at those. They say battery power for four months.

I am thinking about radars for the first time and thought I would just get a cordless and place it just over the mirrior like these pix.

 

mmjames:
My sentiments exactly. I've put one pair of Duracell batteries (replacing the factory shelf - delivered ones) since I purchased it the first week of August; They haven't worn out yet.

The thing definately works. There have been times it went off and I saw nothing - slowed down, and finally saw the radar equiped police car go past me.

...I believe in the "kis" principal: "keep it simple".

 

Time to revive this thread.

I tried to get my detector (Escort Solo2 cordless) mounted up above the rear view mirror, but found that there was no way I could get the suction cups to stick to the painted-on sunshade up by the mirror. Eventually got it mounted using the visor clip, hooked to the headliner.

Problem was, I found, that I couldn't clearly see the display when it went off in that location. Also, it partially blocks the sunglass holder. And finally, it was hard to get to the MUTE button, which is on top of the detector, and was pressed into the "headliner" in this location.

Determining that I wanted to move it, I tried several things. First was to fabricate a bracket that hung off the mirror's windshield mount, and put the detector directly under the mirror. Problem with this location was that (a) the mirror mount was lose and would rattle going over bumps, and no matter how many different lengths of screws I tried, I couldn't get it snugged up. Second problem was that my wife didn't like it there - said it blocked some visibility, and I tended to agree.

So I spent some time pondering where to put the detector. Above mirror was out, unless I could make some sort of a bracket to permanently mount it to the headliner/sunglass holder console. I may still do this. Sun visors were out, as cliping the detector there eliminates their use. Stuck somewhere on the windshield was out, as I hate the way suction cups look, and I've found they don't hold over time. They're also not very stealthy. So this means it needs to go somewhere on the dash. Hmmm.

Best location I could find was the lower left corner of the windshield and dash. I therefore made up a bracket, and along with the help of a little bit of velcro, the detector now rides very securely there. This location also puts the detector right in my field of view, and yet does not block anything. Finally, because of the state-mandated emissions sticker, it's pretty durn stealthy too. Perfect!

Pics follow... but I'd love to hear about any other ideas people have come up with. I'm always open to ideas!

 

Outside view 1