Last week Matt finished installing the ICOM radio in our 2023 Ford Raptor! This specific unit is an ICOM ID-5100A from Keith over at LVJ Motorsports - we greatly appreciate him partnering with us, originally on the F-150 Build and now on this Raptor Build! In last week’s video (Raptor Build Ep.12) we saw Matt design and prototype a fuse block and circuit breaker mounting plate that's essential to getting this radio fully installed and operational.
Many of you guys reached out directly or commented on that video/blog post asking for us to bring this product to market. It would be simple to manufacture and solves a common, straightforward problem. We’re seriously considering it, so please chime in if you'd also like to see a F-150/Raptor Fuse Block Mounting Plate from us in the future!
In this week’s episode we cover Matt 3D printing a Mountech-compatible backing plate for the radio controller, installing a 3rd brake light antenna mount from Bullet Proof Diesel, mounting the radio's head unit to our storage panel behind the rear passenger seat, wiring up the entire system and getting everything working… There's a lot packed into this video!
No one likes drilling through their truck. While we know it's no crazy modification, punching a couple holes through brand new paint on a truck we've had for less than a year took a little bit of mental preparedness. We used a zip tie taped to the antenna mount wire to fish it down from the 3rd brake light holes past the headliner and into the truck cab - it took a bit of massaging to get the alignment and cable routing just right, but the install ended up going smoothly and we love the mount!
Regarding where we're mounting the brain of the radio, or the 'head unit' as it's referred to in the instructions, there is a perfect spot out of the way behind the passenger-side back seat that we decided on. We picked up a mounting bracket for the head unit and made sure we had room for everything and then some behind the seat.
We do make a storage panel for that location for 2015-2020 F-150/Raptor trucks, but we had heard recently that it needs some slight modification for newer trucks - so we dug in and did a little bit of research and development there, and we're now in the process of making a revision to that panel that will fit your 2021+ F-150/Raptor perfectly.
This entire installation process took at least 8 hours, from 3D scanning the location for a fuse block bracket and making prototypes to 3D printing a carbon fiber reinforced controller mounting plate, we decided to go all out and do it right. When it comes to securing the radio's hardware and wiring, we tried to be thorough and do a clean job, while still leaving it serviceable, just in case. We're excited to get out there and put this thing to use in the near future!
Thanks again to Kieth at LVJ Motorsports and the guys at Bullet Proof Diesel!
Watch the full episode on YouTube below:
'23 Ford Raptor Fuse Box Mount R&D
Answering Your Top FAQs!