Installing overhead console - Page 3

**compcrasher86** · 07-09-2009, 11:50 PM

Alright, I finished my install. Here is my general commentary (I will be making a complete photo guide later but this will do for now)

Having the template headliner piece from a stock OHC headliner made the cutting process easy.. I held the template, alligned the front screw holes with the removed visor clips, screwed them on over it and held it up while cutting my existing headliner. The pieces popped right out and voila, near-factory accuracy

2 Drilling out the old bracket was easy BUT, it was held on by globs of foamy glue in the front part. I ended up jabbing a screwdriver in there (DONT DO IT) and my friend later pointed out to me the exterior of my roof above that was all marred and jagged. I was heartbroken the perfect finish of my XJ was destroyed by my own stupidity (the screwdriver reverse dented the metal) but I am over it now because A. it is on the roof, B. It could have been worse, at least I didnt pierce it and C. I can sand it down and paint it and it will dissapear for the most part The only reason it looks bad is because the factory paint cracked when the metal dented.

The wiring harness, not a problem, went right in and it turns out the only connector I had to swap was the RKE one. Did that but the donor harness had two extra wires (I think they were grey and navy blue with some color stripe) that did not have a space in my existing setup. I'm guessing the donor had a factory alarm system (I have just the RKE) So I just capped those wires off.

In the end, as I was finishing, I realized I mounted the bracket incorrectly, and the console wasn't snapping into it... it really did not look bad without it so I ignored it and will fix it later. The biggest problem that happened right now was that my RKE is no longer working... hmmm any suggestions? The wires have continuity (I checked) and match up to the old harness. I am scared that I may have shorted it out because I stufed the RKE into the little gray drawer it has molded into the OHC for a plugged in test and when I pulled it out I realized there was a metal mounting screw in one of the holes, hopefully it did not hit it and fry something...

(Maybe this is a sign I need an aftermarket alarm system)

Oh and what most of you probably want to see:

Notice the big box and the template headliner on the left...

It works! reads my fuel economy too!

99Greenmachine · 07-10-2009, 12:04 AM

NICE!!!! heading to the JY tomorrow

99Greenmachine · 07-10-2009, 09:51 PM

Could you get some pics of the wires on the console itself? Not the HARNESS

Went to the J/Y today and acquired the console but decided to not get it. I could not pull out the wiring harness because there was a wasp nest in the jeep's door and everytime I opened the passenger side door literally 30 wasp would come out mad. I said screw it cause they were about to close anyway.

As an added bummer, the temp sensor just happened to be unable to come off cause this XJ ran into a tree lol

The good news is that all the plugs and things were there. I need to get the harness and take it to my jeep and plug it in to make sure it works still. The only thing missing were the lenses, all four. Why would you pull it for that

but I also found that ZJ overhead consoles lenses are the same ones (thankfully) and every ZJ i looked in had one. I will go back over there and get it next week after vacation armed with bee spray of course

Jon00XJ · 07-10-2009, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by compcrasher86

Neither have I and neither did the man at the pull n' pray! But if compatible and hooked up correctly it will not only show you compass and temp, but also theres a timer(count up) an avg and instant fuel economy readout in mpg, a distance to empty to give you a rough idea of how much more you can drive on your tank and also a blank display (kinda pointless). The XJ console is functionally just like the ZJ one and provides every option the ZJ one does, but the computer has plug and play compatibility with the bus and it fits the headliner better than the ZJ one.

wow, I am definitly gonna do this. Tomorrow its off to every JY in town to find one that is awesome!!!!

**compcrasher86** · 07-12-2009, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 99Greenmachine

Could you get some pics of the wires on the console itself? Not the HARNESS

Went to the J/Y today and acquired the console but decided to not get it. I could not pull out the wiring harness because there was a wasp nest in the jeep's door and everytime I opened the passenger side door literally 30 wasp would come out mad. I said screw it cause they were about to close anyway.

As an added bummer, the temp sensor just happened to be unable to come off cause this XJ ran into a tree lol

The good news is that all the plugs and things were there. I need to get the harness and take it to my jeep and plug it in to make sure it works still. The only thing missing were the lenses, all four. Why would you pull it for that

but I also found that ZJ overhead consoles lenses are the same ones (thankfully) and every ZJ i looked in had one. I will go back over there and get it next week after vacation armed with bee spray of course

Pics of the wires? Sure, theres alot of them so I may need to borrow a nice camera and take some pics so its not blurry and useless...

Good thing you got it at least, just get a stupid friend and pay him $20 to deal with the bees for you hahaha. As far as the temp sensors go, I believe you can actually find them at a reasonable price at the stealership, or at least thats what I've heard. The lenses are easy, grab em from a ZJ console, theres enough of them jeez. Good luck with the bees!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon00XJ

wow, I am definitly gonna do this. Tomorrow its off to every JY in town to find one that is awesome!!!!

Thanks! Don't assume they'll be there haha these things are kinda tough to get your hands on. Also, make sure you specify that its a cherokee, not a grand cherokee, because I was seconds away from signing a check and decided to ask what kind of car it came out of. He assumed when I said "Cherokee" I meant "Grand Cherokee" pshh some people are very very intelligent

99Greenmachine · 07-12-2009, 09:27 PM

I haven't gotten it yet...I hid it in one of the 100s of ZJs there lol

I need a pic of the wires that go to the rear courtesy lights

MaskedMallard · 09-06-2009, 11:42 PM

I just completed this upgrade option feature. It pretty much is a plug & play, BUT, I needed to repin the Overhead console ( 9 Wires ) into the body wiring of my 2000 Sport.

The issue that stopped me from completeing this 100% is the fact that the Overhead Console wires running to the Vanitity / Sun-visor mirror was a single power wire.

My original wiring harness in the 2000 XJ had 2 wires to each Sun-visor. I'm assuming the second wire is a ground & it must ground out back down near the fuse block.

Does anybody know if I can just use a 6 inch wire or so & ground out the wire to one of the 3 Sun-visor screws that hold the Sun-visor to the roof? I ran out of time tonight & didn't have my VOM / Test light readly available.

**compcrasher86** · 09-07-2009, 10:27 AM

yes, just ground it to the sun visor screw. Originally, like in my 98, theres a single pink wire going into the vanity mirror and it grounds itself with the roof on contact. Just do a mini ring terminal and small wire hooked up to one of the mounting screws

I needed to repin my connectors too haha you're not alone

bryceman · 01-10-2010, 08:49 PM

I just installed an overhead console in my XJ today .. thanks for the great writeup. The biggest pain was getting to the wires going down the right trim peice .. had to take off the entire dash to get to it

But ... with everything installed .. i get all of the computer info now! woohoo!

I took some photos of mine while I did the install as well:

Picasa Web Albums - bryce.billing - Jeep Overhead...

**compcrasher86** · 01-10-2010, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bryceman

I just installed an overhead console in my XJ today .. thanks for the great writeup. The biggest pain was getting to the wires going down the right trim peice .. had to take off the entire dash to get to it

But ... with everything installed .. i get all of the computer info now! woohoo!

I took some photos of mine while I did the install as well:

Picasa Web Albums - bryce.billing - Jeep Overhead...

100% true, the hardest part was running the harness hands down. I apologize to anybody expecting pictures or documents from me about this, I've been searching both my computer and my phone but I think the only place my pics can be found are on the camera that was stolen out of my backpack in NYC

As for the PDF, its around here somewhere. Before I go off to college I'll be reorganizing my drive, maybe it'll show up

**koolaid5** · 01-10-2010, 11:52 PM

Hey CC - the OHC looks SWEET, but I need one that I can use with the sunroof

bryceman · 01-11-2010, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koolaid5

Hey CC - the OHC looks SWEET, but I need one that I can use with the sunroof

There was one on ebay that just sold a few weeks ago .. keep your eye out .. there will be another.

bryceman · 01-11-2010, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bryceman

There was one on ebay that just sold a few weeks ago .. keep your eye out .. there will be another.

Here is another .. looks like someone just cut this one up rather than the previous which had the ASC tag on it and was factory:

99 Jeep Cherokee OEM Digital Overhead Console LKQ:eBay Motors (item 190364173996 end time Feb-09-10 10:51:12 PST)

**koolaid5** · 01-11-2010, 11:34 AM

thanks for the link. I don't believe they want $65 for that hacked and scratched up thing

Bull****....

Right now I have a rigged up front OHC and then another piece that is behind the sunroof and runs to the back with lights for the rear seats. The problem is that I had to rip the rotted headliner off of it and now I'm trying to clean off all the old glue and it doesn't look the greatest. I think I'll just stick with this stuff, try to get it cleaned up good enough, and be done with it. Also, the digital display worked when I got it and not doesn't.....except I got in the other day and it was lit up and semi worked until the next time I got in

oh well

**compcrasher86** · 01-11-2010, 03:00 PM

Heres my idea for an OHC and sunroof, hear me out...

For people who bought a ZJ with a sunroof, they made a smaller modified ceiling console much like the WJ's You could try to swap out the electronics board so the XJ would be compatible, and then it would be mounted up with that single screw in the center the ZJ's use. That might take some intuition.... Plus, it includes a switch for a power sunroof if you have it. You probably would be able to re-use the factory visor clips instead of having them clip into the console like they do on the XJ console because I believe the ZJ console is more narrow...