General Index
[1 - Overview] [2 - My wreck!] [7 - Crazy Robin!] [9 - Candy's Ranger] [10 - Keypad entry system]

Meets and Outings
[11 - Centralia adventure Part I] [21 - Centralia adventure Part II]

How-To Articles
[3 - Overhead Console Install] [4 - Overhead Console Wiring] [5 - MAF mod] [6 - LED switch mod] [8 - Homebrew Remote Bass Control] [12 - Headlight/4x4 Switch LED Mod] [13 - General LED tutorial] [14 - EATC install how-to (pages 14-19)] [20 - IAT Resistor Mod (older engines only)] [22 - Automatic Power Windows] [23 - Cruise Control Pod LED's]

Overhead Console Installation Notes

I thought I would share some of my experiences installing an overhead console. These consoles are not available in Rangers, but are optional equipment in 95+ Explorers and Moutaineers, and now SportTrac's. 95-97 consoles have a blue display, and 98+ have a green display. Most come from wrecked junkyard vehicles and if you don't want to go dig for one, someone who has will sell you one either on eBay or one of the many Ranger forums. Typical prices range from $60 or so up to $120 or more depending on many factors including whether or not it comes with the auto-dimming mirror option or not. Mine had no mirror and was well under $100. You need the console, the bracket, a piece of the wiring harness (the more the better) and the temperature sensor.

I did not remove the headliner to install mine as some how-to's have done. I used my method on mine and a friends (Buckgnarly) Rangers and got GREAT results. Lot's of folks have asked for some pictures and notes and here they are.

First here is the mounting bracket from the side. As shown, the orientation is as it will mount -- that is, the top of this picture represents up, and left represents the front of the truck. The first bend you find, moving left to right, is to clear a brace (which I will show you).

Next, here's the bracket seen from the bottom -- as you'll be seeing it when you look up at it when it's mounted. The small tab at the top goes towards the front of the truck. The two slots receive snap-in tabs, and the outer two holes towards the bottom receive screws that hold the console to the bracket.

In order to cut the hole in the headliner, I unsnapped the connector from the console and let it dangle, to make the bottom as flat as possible. Then I held the console up in the proper position, and pushed the tabs on the front HARD into the headliner leaving dents. I then cut a hole from dent to dent, and extended it back towards the dome light about 5 inches. This gave me a window to see the brace that goes from side to side (see pictures below). I then held the bracket up in approximate alignment and marked the width of it with small razor cuts.

Now I extended my hole to the side and in length. You only need a few inches to be the full width of the bracket and that should be near the middle to back of the bracket, but not too far. If you make the hole too wide, or too long, it'll show at the edge of the console. The hole doesn't have to be NEAT, just adequate to get the bracket up and mount the console.

One note: the headliner material is a composite consisting of decorative foam (what you see), a paper/fiber layer, a structural foam layer, and another paper/fiber layer. That paper/fiber lay er is TOUGH and will dull you cutting tool. I used "scraper blades" that are like straight razor blades with one edge covered. It still takes 3 to 4 of them before you're done.

Below are two views of the hole I cut in the headliner and the two slots that you need to cut, and the two small holes the bracket mounting screws screw into -- which you must also drill. What you'll do is cut several times, slowly expanding it and possibly doing some trim cutting when you finally go to fasten down the console to make sure the tabs slide in easy and the mounting holes are clear.

I did all the fitting by eye, relative to the headliner and when the console is mounted it's straight and even. Yet the slots and holes don't appear centered relative to the bracing.

My fitting method was to slide the bracket in towards one end until I was able to pop in the other end, then center the bracket and move the first bend up against the brace. The tension of the headliner will hold it pretty firmly in place, and you can try the console up against it and use it to figure out the final position of the bracket so the console will be straight and centered. Once you have it in that alignment, carefully drill the in the roof brace without removing the bracket. Then screw the bracket down.

Important note on drilling: Put drill stops or sleeves on your drill bits to allow them no more than 3/4" depth so you don't go through the outer roof!

The screws that came with the console were too short, so I used #8 sheet metal screws about 3/4" long. Even then, the bracket will bend some as you tighten it down.

The holes were drilled and the bracket screwed down before the slots were cut. I just cut mine by drilling multiple holes the width of the slots and then connecting them by angling and putting side pressure on my drill.

Here's what it looks like screwed down, with the slots cut, and the wiring harness nearby. My wiring harness was only 6" long, so I had to splice it. Note that I used a mounting screw for ground and this works fine for this application.

To mount the console to the bracket, just plug in the connector, and put the mirror end in first. The two tabs with spring clips need to be put in first. Hold the console up, and feel for when they are engaged. Now "bump" them into place from below. They tend to pop out, but when the screws are in place it puts tension on them and they stay. So, put the screws in. There are two of them, they are usually black, and they go in from the compartment at the domelight end of the console.

When you mount the console to the bracket, you may have a small gap near the domelight end of the console. Just pull the console down (you'll have to pull the spring clip end straight down pretty hard) and get a nice sized scrap of headliner that you cut out. Slide that scrap of headliner between the domelight end of the bracket and the headliner to bow the headliner out slightly. You'll have to push it in pretty deep. Now re-mount the console and you should be okay.

And here's the final result!

Notes and photo's regarding wiring issues are on the next page (page 4).