Hi everyone,
This is my first post but I've been lurking for a while. I wasn't sure whether to start a new thread or just add to this old one, so I flipped a coin.
I too have been disappointed by the 700IDT's nonstandard dimensions. The
product page on Xenarc's website states, "This monitor would fit perfectly into a 1-DIN dash opening." However, upon receiving my 700IDT yesterday, I found this is clearly not the case.
If you set it next to your 1-DIN head unit, the 700IDT is visibly larger in all dimensions. It is definitely too wide to fit between the stock mounting brackets for my X-Trail's 2-DIN head unit without hammering the "locating dimples" around the screwholes flat.
As the previous posters mention, the screw holes provided in the case have nothing to do with the standard mounting brackets. Normally these would be recessed a bit and centered between top and bottom on the sides of the unit, but holes here would interfere with the sliding mechanism.
After a couple of hours of fiddling with various mounting possibilities last night (and after scratching up the case's paint to the point of "no return") I have arrived at a plan that I think will work.
1. I'm going to check on the price of the stock mounting brackets and order a new set of them, because I am definitely going to ruin the ones I have. I need to return my car to stock when the lease is up.
2. The big, bulky, plastic face plate that's on the 700IDT snaps off with relatively light effort and no tools. Without this piece attached, the very front of the unit will poke through my dash bezel, up to the 700IDT's case lid, with no mods. This is far enough for the screen to slide out and flip up. With the faceplate removed, you can actually see how much unused room is in the case.
3. The original 700IDT faceplate won't fit if I do this, so I'll have to make a new one. There are actually some convenient steel tabs with screw holes at either corner of the case that can be used to attach it. There's lots of vacant space in the case: about an inch height, full width, all the way to the small power supply at the back, never in the way of the monitor's travel. It seems a shame to not use this, so I'm considering mounting a slim DVD drive or a USB/firewire hub in my new custom faceplate.
4. The X-Trail model I have has a double-DIN opening for the stock radio at the top of the dash, and a separate single-DIN opening for a storage pocket just below it. I'm mounting a single-DIN Alpine head unit where the pocket was, removing the factory radio, and relocating the pocket to the top of the 2-DIN opening. The 700IDT will go in the lower half so it doesn't interfere with the X-Trail's center-mounted gauges when it's open.
5. I'm going to hammer the dimples flat on the lower screw holes on the mounting brackets. I'm not going to grind the dimples because this would enlarge the holes to the point where I'd need to use washers. I'm still not certain I'll use these holes, though, as they'd line up with an undrillable part of the 700IDT's case. Just keeping my options open.
6. I'm going to position the single-DIN pocket and the brackets relative to the 700IDT in the way I want (depth, angle, etc. so that the monitor's front slides through the dash bezel properly).
7. I'm then going to clamp them in place, mark my drill holes and drill new holes in the bracket or the case, whichever seems to work best.
8. I bought a tap-and-die set when they were half price, and I'll put it to good use creating new threads if I need them in the case.
9. If all goes according to plan, everything should screw together at this point, and the brackets will be only slightly wider apart than before. The X-Trails's mounting point for the brackets should flex enough if needed, without any outward appearance of ill fitment.
I'm taking pics of the process, and can post them if anyone's interested.
Cheers!
Linear Mode
