Phatbox installation

[jimbof]

Just got a phatbox in the post.  Works a treat - came with the right cable to connect directly to the factory loom in the boot where the factory CD changer was.  What a great gizmo!

 

However it is marginally too deep for the hole where the changer goes... I can fit it in the hole, and the door over the cubby hole will just about close with a little gentle persuasion.  If I feel around the rear of the unit I can feel that the cable exiting the phatbox is pushing up against the rear quarter panel inside.

Just wondering what the rest of you have done about this?  I see a few alternatives:

1) live with it, hope it doesn't damage the cable, the phatbox, the panel or the door over the cubby hole

2) relocate the phatbox elsewhere (for this reason I believe there was a different bracket to mount the phatbox to the boot floor)

3) cut a hole in the door over the cubby hole for the cartridge to protrude through

4) run the car with the door off the cubby hole.

5) remove all the CD changer holder brackets from inside the cubby hole, and mount the phatbox vertically in the space freed up.

 

What do you guys do?

[Nackuk]

This is going to be an unhelpful comment in that mine fitted perfectly right where the cd player was.

 

There is more than one model of phatanoise box though.

[jimbof]

Mine is this one.

Indeed it seems to fit, but you can tell the cable is pushing right up against the inner panel, and the cartridge touches the door of the cubby hole.  My concern is something mobile in the boot knocking the cartridge and damaging something.

I've removed the PCB from the aluminium extruded chassis at the moment and have it mounted sideways.  I'm going to do a bit of hacking and see if I can upgrade to a SATA SSD for storage.

[Nackuk]

It should fit fine then.

 

See my photos.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nackuk/sets/72157629528296032/

 

What ever your doing to it keep us posted. Changing it to an SD card of some kind would be more intresting.

[Nackuk]

Having checked, mine is right against the door too. Never had an issue though. The modern hard drives are good at taking knocks now, and I've got one in my MX5 with hard as nails suspension. Works a treat in there too.

[jimbof]

Wasn't so worried about the drive, more pressure on the drive pushing the cable into the inner wing.  Mine didn't have brackets with it so I have to come up with something else mounting wise.  Did yours have brackets with it - or did you mod the CD Changer bracket?

[jimbof]

Ok, </dummy mode off>...

So one of the holes on the CD changer brackets does line up well enough to be used to hold the phatbox.

I think I will do that.  The cable strain relief is under a little stress at the back of the phatbox, but I think it will probably be Ok.  At least it isn't going to fall out...