Installing 9500Ci on ZR1.. Any suggestions?

[txturbo]

This is my first posting... My wife got me a 9500Ci for Xmas to go on our ZR1. I am familiar with car stereo and other car mods but am not familiar with the in's and outs of installing the 9500Ci.

I have read the install guide, found a good place for the modules and have scoped out paths to run all the wires, no problem.

Before reading this site my plan was to install the laser shifters into the opening of the front bumper using 3M high strength emblem tape. As I read more postings I can see that the installation and alignment of the shifters is critical. I want the units to work properly but I don't want it to look funky either.

For the Radar receiver I planed on mounting it in the middle of the grill behind the plastic egg crete mesh. It's very low to the ground so I am not sure how well this will work.

As I read I see that there is talk of not even using the shifters. Are they no good?

Any comments or help would be appreciated. I plan on starting the install this weekend.

[V1 on the go]

that is a sick car, and it was really nice of your wife to spend 1500 for your x mas present

[txturbo]

Thanks... I love her... Best ever! And the car is great too...

I just spent some time looking at the rear of the car. It looks like I can just mount the shifter to the plate but it's kinda big.... Hopefully it won't look too dorky.

[djrams80]

This is my first posting... My wife got me a 9500Ci for Xmas to go on our ZR1.

First off, that's a beautiful car and a total keeper of a wife. My woman stole my 9500ix. I need one like yours that gives RDs instead of taking them.

I am familiar with car stereo and other car mods but am not familiar with the in's and outs of installing the 9500Ci.

I have read the install guide, found a good place for the modules and have scoped out paths to run all the wires, no problem.

Before reading this site my plan was to install the laser shifters into the opening of the front bumper using 3M high strength emblem tape. As I read more postings I can see that the installation and alignment of the shifters is critical. I want the units to work properly but I don't want it to look funky either.

For the Radar receiver I planed on mounting it in the middle of the grill behind the plastic egg crete mesh. It's very low to the ground so I am not sure how well this will work.

As I read I see that there is talk of not even using the shifters. Are they no good? Any comments or help would be appreciated. I plan on starting the install this weekend.

First off, and most importantly, the shifters must be mounted very straight, very level and with a clear and unobstructed view of the road. The laser shifters are sub-par as far as laser jammers go around here, but on a car with a small lidar signature like yours, they will probably work pretty well. The use of Veil is highly encouraged for sub-par jammers like the ZR4s that come with the 9500ci. Here is where my ZR4s are mounted:



Here is a video of my 9500ci(ZR4s) without Veil against a Kustom PLII, which is a very difficult gun to jam:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxf7X4-dzrQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxf7X4-dzrQ[/ame]

And with Veil, the very next day, against the very same gun:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71Zjrj9mF-I"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71Zjrj9mF-I[/ame]

Now, most people don't like the look of Veil on their car. When I applied it myself, it looked like this(don't mind the broken headlight in this picture, there's a whole 'nother story behind that):

http://www.radardetector.net/forums/...veil-pics.html



Then professionally done:

http://www.radardetector.net/forums/...ally-done.html



Also, contrary to what you will read in the manual, the radar antenna should have a clear look at the road. I first mounted my radar antenna here and radar detection sensitivity was awful. Then I mounted it where it is in the above pictures and it performed amazingly well:



Sorry for the long post. Just trying to help.

[txturbo]

Thanks for your information...

When you placed your radar antenna behind the egg crate do you think that the egg crete caused the attenuation or the fact that it was inset so far from the front of the bumper?

The reason I ask is I just removed the egg crate from mine and found that the very center tip of the bumper is hollow directly above the lower opening. As long as the plastic bumper material and paint did not attenuate the signal too much it looks like the perfect place to put it. It would be at the leading edge of the car.

As for the ZR4's I am not sure if they have any relationship to each other or if the act independently. I understand the need to be level but do they need to point perfectly straight ahead? I was thinking about placing them behind the road lamp plastic lens at a very slight angle to the right and left.

And what is the Veil? It looks like your headlights are blacked out? Is that some sort of band pass polarizer?

Thanks again for your help!

[djrams80]

Thanks for your information...

When you placed your radar antenna behind the egg crate do you think that the egg crete caused the attenuation or the fact that it was inset so far from the front of the bumper?

The reason I ask is I just removed the egg crate from mine and found that the very center tip of the bumper is hollow directly above the lower opening. As long as the plastic bumper material and paint did not attenuate the signal too much it looks like the perfect place to put it. It would be at the leading edge of the car.

I'd say the egg crate. I've mounted radar antennas behind things before and radar reception was not affected nearly as bad as in this case.

As for the ZR4's I am not sure if they have any relationship to each other or if the act independently. I understand the need to be level but do they need to point perfectly straight ahead? I was thinking about placing them behind the road lamp plastic lens at a very slight angle to the right and left.

No, they need to be pointing perfectly straight ahead. Pointed outward will make performance drop like a rock.

And what is the Veil? It looks like your headlights are blacked out? Is that some sort of band pass polarizer?

Thanks again for your help!

Veil lessens the infrared light reflectivity of whatever it is applied to. The jammer infrared light output back to the laser gun must be greater than that of the laser guns reflected infrared light back to the gun, in order for a laser jammer to work properly and confuse the laser gun.

The ZR4s are sub-par, because they lack output power. They detect very well, which is half the battle, but because they lack ouput power, they need help. Veil is that help. I tried to apply it myself, but it looked horrible, probably mostly due to the fact that I have absolutely zero artistic skills. Maybe you could do better. But, when applied by a professional, with professional equipment, it looks pretty damn good I think.

Veil Anti Laser Stealth Coating - Laser Jammers at Radar Busters

[txturbo]

I'd say the egg crate. I've mounted radar antennas behind things before and radar reception was not affected nearly as bad as in this case.

No, they need to be pointing perfectly straight ahead. Pointed outward will make performance drop like a rock.

Veil lessens the infrared light reflectivity of whatever it is applied to. The jammer infrared light output back to the laser gun must be greater than that of the laser guns reflected infrared light back to the gun, in order for a laser jammer to work properly and confuse the laser gun.

The ZR4s are sub-par, because they lack output power. They detect very well, which is half the battle, but because they lack ouput power, they need help. Veil is that help. I tried to apply it myself, but it looked horrible, probably mostly due to the fact that I have absolutely zero artistic skills. Maybe you could do better. But, when applied by a professional, with professional equipment, it looks pretty damn good I think.

Veil Anti Laser Stealth Coating - Laser Jammers at Radar Busters

In looking at your center mounted radar receiver my bet is that your road lights had a big impact on the reception. They are typically coated with some sort metal or chrome paint. Simply moving the front of the receiver near or past the front of the lights probably had a big impact.

I am going to try and put the receiver in the nose of the bumper and mount the shifters in the egg crate. If the receiver is not working good I can always move it. Hopefully the plastic and paint will not kill the signal.

BTW... Has anyone attempted to modify the shifters for higher output?

Thanks again...

[djrams80]

In looking at your center mounted radar receiver my bet is that your road lights had a big impact on the reception. They are typically coated with some sort metal or chrome paint. Simply moving the front of the receiver near or past the front of the lights probably had a big impact.

Possible, but I doubt it, because shortly after the initial install, I had an encounter that was directly in front of me. The lights would have in no way been between my radar antenna and the LEOs radar signal. My V1 picked up the signal at 1.75 miles, but my 9500ci picked it up at about 500ft. The road was straight as an arrow.

I am going to try and put the receiver in the nose of the bumper and mount the shifters in the egg crate. If the receiver is not working good I can always move it. Hopefully the plastic and paint will not kill the signal.

If you had another good RD to compare performance, that would definitely let you know if it is working properly or not.

BTW... Has anyone attempted to modify the shifters for higher output?

Thanks again...

Not likely. The LEDs that emit the infrared light are not capable of too much output. If you tried to up the power to them, you'd probably fry them pretty quick.

By the way, where do you live, so we can get an idea of what you're up against? Texas somewhere maybe?

[txturbo]

Possible, but I doubt it, because shortly after the initial install, I had an encounter that was directly in front of me. The lights would have in no way been between my radar antenna and the LEOs radar signal. My V1 picked up the signal at 1.75 miles, but my 9500ci picked it up at about 500ft. The road was straight as an arrow.

If you had another good RD to compare performance, that would definitely let you know if it is working properly or not.

Well hopefully the bumper will not cause to much of a problem. I have an X50 that I will set up as a benchmark. It works pretty well.

Not likely. The LEDs that emit the infrared light are not capable of too much output. If you tried to up the power to them, you'd probably fry them pretty quick.
Yep...

By the way, where do you live, so we can get an idea of what you're up against? Texas somewhere maybe?
I live on the outskirts of Austin TX. Mostly I come across Leander and Cedar Park PD.

Thanks.....

[djrams80]

The 9500ci should crush your X50 pretty good. My 9500ci beats my V1 about 95% of the time and beats my 9500ix every time.

There are two classes of laser jammers on the market, LED based and laser diode based. The laser diode based jammers(LI, LPP) have a much higher output than the LED based jammers(Blinder, ZR4). Subsequently, as long as their detection is good and the pulse rate of the gun they are up against is in their lookup table, they jam very well. Here are the latest GOL Laser Jammer test results.

Radar Detector Tests and Reviews by Guys of LIDAR



The ZR4s struggle mightily against the Stalker, because it has a very strong beam. I don't think the Stalker is used in the Austin area.

http://www.radardetector.net/forums/...0-10-08-a.html