Copying ehart814's Pioneer 500 thread and DG Rider's Pioneer 700 thread - if you did something to (or with) your Talon and don't want to start a new thread for one or two posts, here's the place. Ideas, mods, best photos, stucks, recoveries 😳 - whutcha got?
Cigarette lighter accessories are the go-to for plug in electrics, we've all used them for most of our lives but they suck in a rougher environment, they keep unplugging themselves. When I was (much) younger, I'd cut the ends off and replace with a 1/8" phono plug, more secure and less bulky. There were three reasons I quit - 1. I got tired of it because I was always adding to my plug-in accessories. 2. A converted accessory wouldn't work in someone else's vehicle. 3. My first GPS had the step down circuitry from 12v to 5v in the plug, you couldn't cut it off.
The Talon's cig plug is key controlled, every time I stop, the GPS shuts off so I needed an always hot cig plug. When I got the replacement socket, it was so loose that the small spring in the end of plug would push it out, losing contact almost immediately.
(no matter how I rotated the plug, there was no secure position)
This is what I came up with and although it looks like a 7 year old made it, 🤫 it works pretty well and I can plug/unplug it with one hand. It's far enough forward that it's water protected by the dash but not so far under that it's hard to reach. It's almost a foot in front of the passenger's knee (which I'll rarely have) so shouldn't be (too) dangerous. The circuit is controlled by a toggle switch so I can shut it off if necessary, like when washing.
Studs clamped for welding -
View attachment 211269
View attachment 211274
View attachment 211271
I'll probably have to make more of these depending on each cig plug, but it's just for the GPS for now. I always round my corners - 1. I won't gouge myself on them later. 2. It looks
much better and only takes a minute on the bench grinder.
Another non Talon project -
View attachment 211413
Nylock nuts hold their position and are infinitely adjustable (and why the studs are a bit long).
View attachment 211272
View attachment 211273