I put an alarm in XB, and these wagons are so easy that I was thinking about marking to fellow owners complete with instructions and and installation hardware.The only tools that you would need is screwdiver, drill and bit, and a pair of crimpers. You wuold only have cut one wire. Interested? let me know at scionspecialistvegas@yahoo.com? I might be able ready to market in a couple of weeks,

 

sounds cool. how much would it cost?

 

Sounds good. One of the nice things about these forums is that it gives the little guy a chance to compete with the big aftermarket guys. Go for it!

George

 

So you'd sell the alarm and install instructions?

How cheap are we talking? Because usually you can find a tint and alarm place to give good package deals since your tinting your car as well. I would like to be able to pop the rear hatch remotely as well and then just lift it (the rear doesn't have to lift on its own).

 

Ummm, last time I checked, my Scion was already tinted! One of the nice things about Scion!

I like the idea of a hardware kit for do-it-yourself installation. It lets the owner do a good job and keeps him away from the Scotchlock Bandits.

George

 

After removing the top of my dash to do my alarm, I would like to see what kind of alarm you are going to install by just cutting one wire. I assume that would be the starter. If you are using T-Taps or scotch locks I guess I could see how you would do that, but I would never use them.

In my opinion, xB's are much harder to do than the average car simply because you cannot get to the wires easily. I guess it depends on how clean and how hard to get to vital wiring.

Most wires are on the factory keyless box that is under the top of the dash. Not that easy to get to, so I don't think a xB alarm done well will ever be that easy. Maybe not hard, just time consuming.

There is a wire for this at the keyless entry box. I was gonna do that but since you need to lift the hatch anyway you are always pressing the switch. I just figured it was kinda useless.

JT

 

I did my Xb I soldered the 12v constant, ignition, and used but connectors for all others, for some it might be a little daunting all the wires. I will provide the instructions. The only wire thatI have found hard to locate is the tach wire. The window rolls up are also easy but require eight connects due the reverse polarity rest at ground. modules are available. you can also the same same modules and roll the windows down using the second channel. When I unlock the doors and I only have to hit unlock button once, the rear hatch unlocks. I have also did a horn honk and headlight flashing along with siren. I have plans to add strobe lights on interior. While this all sounds extreme it will deter a thief if he decides to visits my micro van. Any way The alarm when it is eady to market will cost under a hundred and have 3m hard ware for butt connections and t-taps for those who might find it easier to use. MOST people don,t keep thier cars for more than years, a good quality connection is more important than type. I do not advocate the scotch lock in anyway shape or form. those truly are the mark of a hack and cut shop.

 

Can someone explain to me what a scotch lock looks like

 

scotch lock:



the keyless entry is under the dash. but everything else can be found under the glove box where the ECU is. it's all right there. the keyless entry wiring probably goes to the ECU too, but i don't have the wiring for it so i don't know. does anyone have the xB or bB wiring for the ECU? all i know is that they're the same.

 

Sounds like you did a great job but far from "do it yourself". I like to have dual stage unlock without relays so I went to the keyless module. Many customers like their alarm remote to work just like the factory one. Yes, it is very easy just to get the doors to lock and unlock all at once.

Tach wire is black at the obd connector.
Here are some wires you can get at the keyless module.
Pin1 Headlights Red
Pin3 Hazard lights green/orange
Pin5 Rear Hatch Pop Brown/yellow
Pin6 Door Lock Brown/Yellow
Pin7 Door Unlock Green/ Black
Pin8 Door Lock Blue/White
Pin9 Priority Unlock Yellow/Black
Pin10 Door Unlock Blue/Red
Pin11 Horn
Pin 21 Passenger Door Trigger

Notes:
You should not have to wait for the domelight to go out for the alarm to be active.
There are multiple lock and unlock.

 

so is priority unlock the one that unlocks just the drivers door, and the other one unlocks all the doors?

thanks for the wiring info. very useful.

 

Yes, priority just unlocks the drivers door. Your alarm still needs to have an output for this but most DEI alarms have it.

JT

 

Also known as "Corrosion Promotion Devices"

They're the reason that cheap stereo and alarm installers can work cheap. Scotchlocks work fine for a few months, then a little corrosion sets in causing intermittent connections. If the connection carrys much current it will get hot and destroy the insulation. If you're lucky, it'll make a bad smell, if not it'll start a fire.

George

 

i do not recommend using scotch locks. i just wanted to post a picture because someone asked for it. i solder everything because i feel butt connectors are just as bad as scotch locks. you're just crimping a piece of metal on a bare wire and it's not that great of a connection. one hard tug it is out of there.

you don't have to be a physics instructor to know that soldering is fast, cheap and stronger than the wire itself in most cases.

 

I feel that I have sparked the quandry argument about which is better, They both have thier merits. I have yet to see a well done aka good butt connection come apart just by tugging., in that instantce either it was a poor quality connector but more than likely, an inexperianced person making the crimp. Military and FAA regs alloow for butt connections as tempory repair, Till the whole wire for star to finish can be replaced. Neither the military or the FAA allow soldering, for temporary or any electrical repair. The solder joint's biggest liability is prone to brakage due to vibration and heat. Solder is combination of silver, tin and cleaning materail flux. Heat is used to apply solder to wire. so by the same token heat can also solder to come loose. I also have don't high current high voltage work, both in U.S. and oversea. We were installing Cell Sites and repeater sites for radio transmitters. WE did not use any, not one solder connection in theses applications. The reason why I=VxR. In grounding these curciut networks we used #4 on each poly faser then tied them into a stainless steel bus and grounding the bus with 4\0 looped and butted to 2" diameter 10' long ground rod. Our resistance readings were about.01 ohms resistance, not bad but with a lighting bolt stirke of 1 million volts of more equals 10,000 amps, no solder joint can stand that kind of heat. Solder joints are fine in static applications, were vibration, current loads are low. In car audio if you have equipment that is over three to four years olds the solder joints have probaly come lose and this mainly by vibration. I still state the installation makes all the difference. Good solid butt connection, will last as long as the car. These are ours cars and this our form. so feel free to state what you feel and do the work as you please.I do still solder some conection mainly for be able to hide easier. With this forum we can all learn from one another. I am not your typical scion owner. I am 37 and have been working in electronics for past 20 years to include military time. thanks for being patient with long windedness.

 

Very true. In fact, factory connectors are attached by crimping the metal around the wire without solder. The big difference is that the factory crimps (and professionally done field crimps) are done with special and expensive crimping tools, not the simple crimping pliers from the FLAPS. The crimps produced are so tight that they actually deform the wire strands and produce a nearly airtight joint. If you want to see the good tools, look at http://www.mcmaster.com and go to page 670. Scroll down to the ratchet crimpers ($42.29) and the bench press crimper ($448.15!).

Also true. I don't advocate unsupported soldered connections The best way to do it (short of the expensive crimping tools) is to make a simple crimped connection, then to flow solder into that connection. This gives you a good mechanical connection combined with a good electrical connectiion. It also excludes moisture which causes corrosion If a connection gets hot enough to melt the solder, there is something else wrong besides the solder joint!

Someone had better tell the 12-year-old soldered connections in my '71 VW that they need to fail, along with the 30+-year-old soldered connections in my father's '72 Chevy. Soldered connections do not come loose unless they were improperly made to begin with. Same thing with crimped connections. The only difference is that it is much easier and cheaper for the average person to make quality soldered connections than it is to make good crimped connnections.

Youngster! (I'm 46)

Yes, there are a lot of ways to do it right. Unfortunately there are even more ways to do it wrong, and hopefully we'll guide folks away from them. In these days of "quick, fast, cheap" some of the shoddiest work is coming from so-called "professionals" who undercut each other on installation work. I maintain that there is a special place in hell for the person who invented the scotchlock connector! :)

George

 

thanks for the info you guys. i'm coming from an electronics background and do not know the industrial electrical side of things in heavy duty applications. i just better pray my xB doesn't get hit by lightning, or my radio might stop working when the solder melts and all the wiring falls apart.

come on you guys, there is solder all over the car. lots of OEM stuff is soldered. i know there is a risk of cold solder joints and problems with heat melting and degrading the connection, but i use only good quality weller soldering irons and the best quality solder available. but i guess crimp connectors are better if you have the right tools.

 

That's another good point. Use good solder (I prefer Kester brand), not the junk that Radio Schlock sells. Use good technique when soldering (heat the connection, not the solder, and make sure that the connection is hot enough for flow and stays undisturbed while cooling) and you really can't go wrong. Weller makes a good quality soldering gun which works well for automotive wiring. Get some heat shrink tubing to insulate the new connections neatly and you're in business!

George

 

I would like that everyone for the added input and we can help each to do great jobs all the added information is much need and even I learned a thing or two go figure. Let keep helping each and sharing info.

 

this was an amazingly informational thread, thanks guys