My adventures in F6B Audio Upgrade

[Jimmytee]

Good to know you got it going, I'm just trying get those silly little buttons to look like factory and function like factory. (Driving Lights and Hazzard) not such a easy task- at least for me. More time spent on that and trimming speakers and speaker grill bezels than I care to admit.

I had already prepared the panel last year when I removed the factory stereo controls from the left side that were no longer used with the Clarion unit.

All I had to do was to mount the PMX-1R into that location. It's up to you, but after trying to fab up a couple pieces to , I ended up sacrificing the panel with the buttons. I removed all the buttons but the one for the fog lights. I smoothed/flattened off the surface of that panel with a dremmel . I then cut a piece of ABS plastic , thinking it was 1/16 thick, to the shape to fit over the panel. I cut out the square opening to fit around the fog light switch. Used a heat gun to conform it to the slight bend in the panel and glued it to the surface. Looking at it , you'd never know unless I told you,which I just did. ...lol I

[Jimmytee]

I mounted my PMX-1R using the 4 screws though the four corners and into the supplied bracket on the opposite side of the surface. As far as those 2 bolts, They are not needed unless you want to mount with that clamp , which there is no room for that. So the expedient thing to do is use a cut off wheel on a Dremmel and cut those bolts down as short as you can.

[Papa Tater]

I mounted my PMX-1R using the 4 screws though the four corners and into the supplied bracket on the opposite side of the surface. As far as those 2 bolts, They are not needed unless you want to mount with that clamp , which there is no room for that. So the expedient thing to do is use a cut off wheel on a Dremmel and cut those bolts down as short as you can.

I had planned on cutting off those 2 bolts, I don't have the guts to hack up the $450.00 control panel LOL yet. Taking a break tonight on the fabrication. I have decided I'm going to send back the PMX 2 and get the PMX 8bb, after hearing from you that I don't have to get the other controller. Wanting the same features I have, but adding the RDS for fm is a plus and hoping that you get the handle bar controls to work would be great. Now that Picts are working on the forum now, would be nice to see what it looks like and your panel mod.

[Jimmytee]

I had planned on cutting off those 2 bolts, I don't have the guts to hack up the $450.00 control panel LOL yet. Taking a break tonight on the fabrication. I have decided I'm going to send back the PMX 2 and get the PMX 8bb, after hearing from you that I don't have to get the other controller. Wanting the same features I have, but adding the RDS for fm is a plus and hoping that you get the handle bar controls to work would be great. Now that Picts are working on the forum now, would be nice to see what it looks like and your panel mod.

Pictures are working? Where?

Yeah, well sacrificing the panel was a choice I made. I figured that I will never return the bike to stock and if and when I were to sell, well she'll be sold with the goodies.

Yeah I am really digging the 8BB. I haven't got everything back in it's place yet. I did get the handlebar controls to work the 8BB. I can walk you through that, it's not hard. I did have a hiccup that got sorted out today. I bought a PAC Audio SWI-RC steering wheel control adapter. The instructions online and that came with the unit say to set a selector switch to a position categorized as "Other". This other category is supposed to cover some various brands including Rockford Fosgate. It didn't. After calling Tech support today, I was instructed to set the adapter to the position for "Clarion". That fixed it and now my handlebar controls are working. YEAHHHHHHHHH

[Papa Tater]

Pictures are working? Where?

Yeah, well sacrificing the panel was a choice I made. I figured that I will never return the bike to stock and if and when I were to sell, well she'll be sold with the goodies.

Yeah I am really digging the 8BB. I haven't got everything back in it's place yet. I did get the handlebar controls to work the 8BB. I can walk you through that, it's not hard. I did have a hiccup that got sorted out today. I bought a PAC Audio SWI-RC steering wheel control adapter. The instructions online and that came with the unit say to set a selector switch to a position categorized as "Other". This other category is supposed to cover some various brands including Rockford Fosgate. It didn't. After calling Tech support today, I was instructed to set the adapter to the position for "Clarion". That fixed it and now my handlebar controls are working. YEAHHHHHHHHH

I spoke too soon, I figured that Picts where working since your Picts have returned in this thread. I see that you can't post Picts yet- sorry. I don't have a workshop manual yet for my f6b, so I wasn't going to tackle handlebar controls anytime soon? Unless it was simple, I almost got that unit or one similar a few years back for my f150 but never did.

[Jimmytee]

I spoke too soon, I figured that Picts where working since your Picts have returned in this thread. I see that you can't post Picts yet- sorry. I don't have a workshop manual yet for my f6b, so I wasn't going to tackle handlebar controls anytime soon? Unless it was simple, I almost got that unit or one similar a few years back for my f150 but never did.

It's pretty simple. Just four wires tapped just before one of the plugs that used to plug into the "Audio Unit" Those four wires get wired in a circuit with some resistors and paralleled down to 2 wires that connect to the PAC adapter. Just some really simple soldering and heat shrink tubing. When you get the unit 8BB, I can walk you though it. I can post a schematic of the resistor circuit. Essentially the PAC is looking for a voltage drop (created by the resistors) for each button operation. I am only looking at 4 functions. So when the volume up button is pushed, one resistance/voltage drop and so on.

[Jimmytee]

This is a teaser pic. The phone doesn't really take a good picture of the display screen with glare and all. I don't have the trim pieces on the fairing. Still messing around with various projects. Hurt my shoulder a week ago and that has slowed me down.

[Papa Tater]

It's pretty simple. Just four wires tapped just before one of the plugs that used to plug into the "Audio Unit" Those four wires get wired in a circuit with some resistors and paralleled down to 2 wires that connect to the PAC adapter. Just some really simple soldering and heat shrink tubing. When you get the unit 8BB, I can walk you though it. I can post a schematic of the resistor circuit. Essentially the PAC is looking for a voltage drop (created by the resistors) for each button operation. I am only looking at 4 functions. So when the volume up button is pushed, one resistance/voltage drop and so on.

I did get the PMX 8BB , looks like I'm going to do the same and put it in the stock box where the stock audio unit was. Haven't got the PAC yet, but will be adding it soon. I would definately need the know what 4 wires to tap into. I'm running a few days behind here with other household projects, and hope to jump back on this - this week. Thanks Again for your help.

[F6Pilot]

I removed all the buttons but the one for the fog lights.

Still at it I see. Jimmy, what did you do with the sacrificial factory buttons? I'm looking at maybe utilizing an empty spot in the factory radio panel to install a factory button and control the garage door.

[Jimmytee]

Still at it I see. Jimmy, what did you do with the sacrificial factory buttons? I'm looking at maybe utilizing an empty spot in the factory radio panel to install a factory button and control the garage door.

They're in a ziplok bag....lol

I'd have to look at them to tell you whether they'd be able to be re-purposed like that.