PCI Radio Install Help

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

SCMike

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2019
Posts
233
Reaction score
213
Location
San Clemente
I picked up a PCI Kenwood radio and bulletproof diesel NMO 3rd brake light mount to install on my gen 3. I had the same set up in my gen 2, and really liked it. The radio was mounted in the center console. I’m looking to do the same thing in my gen 3 (unless someone has a better idea), but I’m struggling to find any information about how to take the center console apart to route the power and antenna wires. Has anyone done a similar install and can provide some advice? I tried to find a tutorial on YouTube, but I could not find one.

Thx!
 

jm77

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2021
Posts
362
Reaction score
322
Location
USA
Please document and post your install of the radio and antenna mount here. I have a BPD dual antenna mount but waiting on a truck (might be awhile). I have a radio in the center console in my current truck, if there's space, I was thinking of mounting the radio under/behind the rear seat in the new truck. Might be hard though on a fully loaded with generator, i think they mount a lot of the electronics from factory there.
 
OP
OP
SCMike

SCMike

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2019
Posts
233
Reaction score
213
Location
San Clemente
I installed the BPD antenna mount today. I didn’t get any pics of the install, but the process was exactly the same as the Gen2. I’m still figuring out what I’m going to do with the radio.
 

Attachments

  • E924731E-83C7-4C36-8BA0-4991F8981AAC.jpeg
    E924731E-83C7-4C36-8BA0-4991F8981AAC.jpeg
    139.3 KB · Views: 159

jm77

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2021
Posts
362
Reaction score
322
Location
USA
I installed the BPD antenna mount today. I didn’t get any pics of the install, but the process was exactly the same as the Gen2. I’m still figuring out what I’m going to do with the radio.
Looks awesome. Did you run the marker lights to an upfitter switch? Did you have to pull down the entire headliner to run the wiring?
 
OP
OP
SCMike

SCMike

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2019
Posts
233
Reaction score
213
Location
San Clemente
Looks awesome. Did you run the marker lights to an upfitter switch? Did you have to pull down the entire headliner to run the wiring?
Thanks JM77!

Yes, I ran them to the #6 upfitter switch. The Gen 3 is such a pain in the *** to access the upfitter wiring. You have to remove the battery to get to the wiring, and then there is hardly any slack to make the connections. Way harder than the gen2.

The headliner part was super easy. You don’t have to pull it down at all. I just pulled out the side trim panel on the passenger side and that freed up the headliner enough to easily push the wires through.

Also, my truck did not come with any information on what color upfitter went to which switch, nor the amperage rating for each switch. The colors on the gen3 are different than the gen 2 as well. I found a write up about the new bronco and the wiring coloring seems to line up with the raptor, so I used that as a guide. Here is the article that has the wire colors referenced.

 

Attachments

  • DBD4E62D-2F08-4AF5-BD8E-38398F4B77E4.jpeg
    DBD4E62D-2F08-4AF5-BD8E-38398F4B77E4.jpeg
    171.2 KB · Views: 43
Last edited:

KevoUsmc

FRF Addict
Joined
Jun 10, 2021
Posts
1,338
Reaction score
2,856
Location
Lancaster, PA
Thanks JM77!

Yes, I ran them to the #6 upfitter switch. The Gen 3 is such a pain in the *** to access the upfitter wiring. You have to remove the battery to get to the wiring, and then there is hardly any slack to make the connections. Way harder than the gen2.

The headliner part was super easy. You don’t have to pull it down at all. I just pulled out the side trim panel on the passenger side and that freed up the headliner enough to easily push the wires through.

Also, my truck did not come with any information on what color upfitter went to which switch, nor the amperage rating for each switch. The colors on the gen3 are different than the gen 2 as well. I found a write up about the new bronco and the wiring coloring seems to line up with the raptor, so I used that as a guide. Here is the article that has the wire colors referenced.

you do realize its all in the manual?
 
OP
OP
SCMike

SCMike

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2019
Posts
233
Reaction score
213
Location
San Clemente
Thanks for sharing! I didn’t get an owners manual for some reason, and my google skills were obviously lacking because I could not find one online. I purchased my truck from a dealer in MS and had it shipped to CA so I didn’t have a chance to go through everything with the sales guy like I normally would.
 

RotorOver

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2021
Posts
434
Reaction score
688
Location
Greater Atlanta
Thanks for sharing! I didn’t get an owners manual for some reason, and my google skills were obviously lacking because I could not find one online. I purchased my truck from a dealer in MS and had it shipped to CA so I didn’t have a chance to go through everything with the sales guy like I normally would.
Yeah, you don't get a hard copy manual. You can access it through SYNC 4, the Ford Pass app or download it from Ford.
 

OEMPlus Raptor

OEM preferred....
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Posts
1,075
Reaction score
1,146
Location
Oxnard CA
I picked up a PCI Kenwood radio and bulletproof diesel NMO 3rd brake light mount to install on my gen 3. I had the same set up in my gen 2, and really liked it. The radio was mounted in the center console. I’m looking to do the same thing in my gen 3 (unless someone has a better idea), but I’m struggling to find any information about how to take the center console apart to route the power and antenna wires. Has anyone done a similar install and can provide some advice? I tried to find a tutorial on YouTube, but I could not find one.

Thx!
Can I ask how you wired the lights, did you have to source your own wire? According BPD, the leads for the lights are only 8 inches long. Where did you ground the lights. I'm thinking of doing the exact same set up.
Are the lights bright enough for chase lights? I like my oem 3rd brake light and find the GJ to expensive and not very good looking, so I really like this solution.
 
Top