Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General Question on taking apart a radar detector

I am wondering what, if any, problems would arise if I took my radar detector apart in hopes of mounting different parts of it in less noticeable places. I am trying to achieve the stealth of expensive radar detectors that get mounted on.in the car. (note: I would be mounting all of the parts inside the vehice) Has anybody ever thought/done this?

Chances are you will ruin it. I took mine apart to glue a loose piece, and everything was attached to a single circuit board. Unless you know small electronics and circuit boards very well, the chances of doing this properly are very slim.

You can buy radar detectors that have the sensors mounted up front and the reciever in the car, but they are expensive.

a few years ago there was one that mounted 4 sensors at each corner of the car. you mounted the computer under the dash or in the glove box. and you could put the display pretty much anywhere after that and you could say it was anything. a few VA ppl i know had it but it was less accurate. breaking one open on your own would be a bad idea without the wiriing diagram

One of the modular ones is the Escort Passport SR7. It's usually around $800-1000 w/o installation fees. Modular ones are expensive, but even a cheap detector isn't worth trashing attempting to make it modular. I believe there's enough room between the headliner and the rearview mirror (if it's pushed down) to mount there. I'll find out tonight after I install my ZR3 "shifter" kit

Yea I have seen the modular ones and the price is just too much for me. I do have a tint strip on my windshield so mounting mine up there wouldn't do any good. I appreciate the input!!!

The sensor horn needs to be very close to the circuit board. Once you seperate them, you lose TONS of signal quality. You would only be able to take the switches, buttons, and lights off the circuit board and extend those wires. Then you put the main unit remotely.

Too bad no one makes a USB version. That is unless you want to delve into something like this:
http://www.exitzer0.com/

even moving the LEDS and momentary switches ALONE (which is all you can really relocate) isn't worth it.. the LEDs voltage and current draw are so close to what is put out that the added length of cabling to the front of the car, etc (where you mount the main board) will likely cause erratic behavior, if any activity at all... been there, tried that.. and I am a miniature and micro-miniature level soldering technician (trained in the Navy).

Even WITH the knowledge to PROPERLY remove and resolder those components, it still was just too borderline to work, with the supplied voltages.. I had to make seperate amplifiers for EACH led (each band) just to get them to light.. WAY too much time was invested in that!