Relocating Electronics Under the Helm

[houstonshark]

I posted this question in the stereo discussion but I don't think it gets as many reads as the general discussion. Maybe someone here can help answer my question or point me in the right direction.

Last week we cut out the wall under the captain's helm in order to prepare for building the subwoofer enclosure. We just cut right up to the board that all of the electronics mount to. This only gives about 10" of height. In order to simplify the sub enclosure and to be able to build it in 1 piece, I need to get about another 6" of height.

I had several other projects I was working on so I really didn't look at relocating a couple of the boxes that are mounted there. It looks like I really just need to move the long Medallion box (I think that is what it is) on the left and the fuse box that has all of the manual switches on it.

I thought about just using some spacers and relocating these 2 pieces up higher on that board so that they would sit over some of the existing components mounted there. I also thought about mounting them on the top of the sub enclosure but didn't know if the constant vibration would cause any problems.

I just want to make sure they are still accessible and hope to relocate them without much, if any rewiring. I'll build a cover that will trim out the sub and ports and clean everything up and allow access to the electronics.

I'm sure it won't be a big deal once I lay down there and start on it but any insight would be greatly appreciated!

[Wakeman22]

I don't have any experience in this area but it sounds like you have it well thought out and doable. The hard part is over and thats the for thought into it and getting ready to do it. Take your time and work out each item as you go. Good luck.

[Bruizza]

Our local dealer cuts out that wall and relocates the electronics all the time on new boats. Here is their number. They will be open at 11am Houston time tomorrow. Ask for Nick. I'm sure he can give you some guidance.

WWS 303-430-0202

[hyphen79]

You don't need to move the electronics under the helm. See my install pics below. Brief history... The first install by one of the "professional shops" in town didn't do so well. So my sub through hole was hard to make perfect. So I built a "beauty panel". to help give the sub something to bounce off off

Testing the fit of the box before I coat with resin, and seal it.


The box after I applied the resin. Notice that it's tall. it's basically following inner part of the helm wall:


Sub box install and prepared for the kick panel:


The completed project. I ran out of carpet that matches the rest of the boat cause I didn't have enough after I did the amp rack:

[houstonshark]

Thanks for the pics Hyphen79! My boat has considerably more electronics mounted to the wall than your boat does. I assume the majority of this has to do with the Tige Touch.

The opening I currently have cut out below the electronics is 10" (H) x 21" (W). I'm doing a Wet Sounds XXX V2 in a ported enclosure under there which is quite large and requires an incredibly long port. I could make it work the way it is but it would require a much more complicated enclosure which would actually need to be removed in order to service most of the electronics mounted to the helm wall.

It's important to me to be able to access everything there, especially the box with all the circuit breaker reset buttons and manual switches. The sub itself is right at 12.5" in diameter so no matter how i build the enclosure it will block some of the electronics unless they are moved.

[hyphen79]

I know we have different boats, but just wanted to give you something to think about. You have options!

[Timmy!]

Hyphen, you do need to move stuff on the RZR to fit a good sized box. TJ, I sent Corey that used to work at WWS a message to see if he can chime in and tell you what you need to do. He is the one that has the 15" Kicker in his RZR. Nick (from WWS) and Corey have done it a few times now so they should be pro's at it.

[houstonshark]

Sweet! Thanks Timmy.

[NickWWS]

Hey everyone,

SOOO

On my 2012 RZR, we did have to re-locate the all of the electronics under the steering wheel (fuse panel, Viper Module, and some other stuff).

What we did was we pulled both (top and bottom) false kick panels out. Then all of the electronics are mounted to a piece of grey "pro board". We unscrewed the pro board with the electronics on it and moved it up as high as we could.

Then we cut the wall out.

Built a box to fit in the opening space and the rest is history.

We have done this in a few RZ2's, but my boat was the test dummy for the RZR. Tight fit, but we made it happen.


I should have taken pictures of the whole process when we were doing it, but I didn't...

Here are some of the finished product.

[NickWWS]

Hyphen, you do need to move stuff on the RZR to fit a good sized box. TJ, I sent Corey that used to work at WWS a message to see if he can chime in and tell you what you need to do. He is the one that has the 15" Kicker in his RZR. Nick (from WWS) and Corey have done it a few times now so they should be pro's at it.

Corey's boat is one of a kind.

His RZR was one of the first RZR's ever built (number 3 I think). This being said, all of the electronics for the touch screen were mounted on the the side all of the boat, under the throttle by the drivers right knee.

This was awesome for the fact that we were able to fit a 15" sub in this space.

This was before tige built the "false" kick panel where they now mount the Factory XS-10.

I don't think we could have put a 15 in my boat due to the space available (I would have had to loose leg room.

I didn't go with the XXX because it required a bigger box and quite frankly I am more than impressed with the XS-12 in the ported box powered by a SYN2.

Just my

[Bruizza]

Btw Nick I'm going to need my 420 mounted like yours!

[houstonshark]

Ok, so I had a brief break today so I ran down and did a little cutting and relocating today. Here's a pic of everything in the stock location, cutting just up to the electronics mounting board. This opening is right at 23" wide and just over 10" high.




I unscrewed the grey board so that I could get a better look at what needed to be moved. I ended up moving the Medallion fuse box on the left up to the top of the board and then moved the manual switch box/circuit breaker box on the right up as high as it would go and remanaged the wires. Here's a pic with the whole board remounted up as high as it will go on the wall, prior to cutting the remainder of the wall out.




There's a stud that was at the top of the grey board that distributes power from the battery to the dash that I had to move down. I need to find some sort of cover to protect this connection or just replace it with something that conceals the connection. I don't like that it is exposed. This is not a great pic but you can see it towards the top.




Here's the final pic after cutting as much as I could. I had to cut the right side up a little higher since the floor starts to slope up.




The minimum height I was able to get was 16". I'm pretty sure without some major reworking that this is about the max you can get under there. It ends up being the perfect amount of space for the new Wet Sounds XXX V2 in their recommended dual slot loaded enclosure. I'll have a little bit of room left over to install some rubber feet to level the enclosure and keep it off the floor.

I'm going to dynaglass the gap in the floor where the helm wall used to be and recarpet it. Does anyone know where I can get the factory Tige carpet?

[Timmy!]

That's looking good TJ! Thanks Nick for posting up some info, I had sent Corey a message too but I think you covered it and TJ is on his way now! BTW, Nick's XS-12 sounds awesome! He did a great job on it!

[NickWWS]

Ok, so I had a brief break today so I ran down and did a little cutting and relocating today. Here's a pic of everything in the stock location, cutting just up to the electronics mounting board. This opening is right at 23" wide and just over 10" high.




I unscrewed the grey board so that I could get a better look at what needed to be moved. I ended up moving the Medallion fuse box on the left up to the top of the board and then moved the manual switch box/circuit breaker box on the right up as high as it would go and remanaged the wires. Here's a pic with the whole board remounted up as high as it will go on the wall, prior to cutting the remainder of the wall out.




There's a stud that was at the top of the grey board that distributes power from the battery to the dash that I had to move down. I need to find some sort of cover to protect this connection or just replace it with something that conceals the connection. I don't like that it is exposed. This is not a great pic but you can see it towards the top.




Here's the final pic after cutting as much as I could. I had to cut the right side up a little higher since the floor starts to slope up.




The minimum height I was able to get was 16". I'm pretty sure without some major reworking that this is about the max you can get under there. It ends up being the perfect amount of space for the new Wet Sounds XXX V2 in their recommended dual slot loaded enclosure. I'll have a little bit of room left over to install some rubber feet to level the enclosure and keep it off the floor.

I'm going to dynaglass the gap in the floor where the helm wall used to be and recarpet it. Does anyone know where I can get the factory Tige carpet?

Looks Great!!! I am excited to see this when its done!

[NickWWS]

Btw Nick I'm going to need my 420 mounted like yours!

We can make it happen!