My adventures in F6B Audio Upgrade

[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]

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.

Nice , mine looks similar with buttons above the PMX 1 r. My PMX 8bb should arrive tomorrow.

[Papa Tater]

Would like to see pics on how you mounted the 8bb unit. You mentioned it was where the factory audio unit was?, did you put it inside the plastic housing - etc.?

[Jimmytee]

Would like to see pics on how you mounted the 8bb unit. You mentioned it was where the factory audio unit was?, did you put it inside the plastic housing - etc.?

Well this is a pic of it just sitting in the box. Now it is in the box and I pulled all the connectors that I am not using back into the box. There are four complete sets of preouts, 2 sets of auxillary inputs, plus CAN connectors not used and a thing or two else, I am not using. I stuffed the unused stuff back into the box. I also ran a 1/4" x 20 screw on each side with nuts capturing the unit to mount it through the bottom. Also the steering wheel adapter from PAC is in that box with the stereo as well. This was just the initial pic I took when I set it in there.

[Papa Tater]

Well this is a pic of it just sitting in the box. Now it is in the box and I pulled all the connectors that I am not using back into the box. There are four complete sets of preouts, 2 sets of auxillary inputs, plus CAN connectors not used and a thing or two else, I am not using. I stuffed the unused stuff back into the box. I also ran a 1/4" x 20 screw on each side with nuts capturing the unit to mount it through the bottom. Also the steering wheel adapter from PAC is in that box with the stereo as well. This was just the initial pic I took when I set it in there.

That's what I had pictured in my mind, as far as the factory harness that went into the box. Did you just leave under the seat secured and some kind of cap or cover on the ends, I know you said you had tapped into it for the steering wheel adapter.

[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.

[Jimmytee]

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.

No problem. will have to upload pictures to photobucket to put them on here though. Just let me know when you get to that point.

[Papa Tater]

Got the dremmel out tonight and sat the 8BB inside the stock audio housing box. Wishing the unit did not have all those extra zone out connections LOL, little on the bulky side. I know you mentioned tucking all the unused connectors back into the box, did you put the lid back on? or did you leave it off?. You also had put the PAC inside the box? I did a temporary hook up to test things out and liking so far.