Help with 2021 Axis Axxera Radio Mounting

[DavidEM]

I have been struggling with the Axxera radio and display mount on my newish Axis 24.1 for more than a year. I need some help with someone with that display that hopefully was mounted correctly at the factory.

Look at the attached pic to see the bigger display that was kind of tacked on by Thor. The display snaps into some plastic surround pieces. But the bigger problem is that the radio box below has virtually no mounting. It is only supported by its face. Whenever you hit a bump, the radio shakes up and down and eventually will pull the display down.

I came up with a kludge- I epoxied the display into its plastic surrounds and strapped the radio down with wire cable and padded it with a sponge to keep it from bouncing. That worked for about 6 months until a big bump killed it.

I am sure that Thor didn't mean to install it that way. Something is missing. So I contacted Thor customer support and after almost a dozen emails they sent me a bracket. You can see the bracket, the cables and the sponge I installed in the second pic. There is no way that bracket fits inside and supports the radio. It was for something else.

So, can someone with a solid radio installation open the top, look inside and send me a pic of whatever supports that radio. It is easy to get to: you remove the black mat on top and unscrew the two screws holding the cover in place. The plastic cover pulls out and the radio is right below.

Thanks for all that can help me resolve this.

David

[ducksface]

A DIN mount(not really needed but maybe easier since it's your first time)and plumbers tape will mount that head in just a couple of minutes/half-an-hour. It's a tried and true and semi-standard install procedure for non-standard installs.

https://www.amazon.com/LASCO-13-1601...s%2C791&sr=8-9



I'd take a picture for you but honestly, chasing some bracket is a long time and many more phone calls away.
There is slim chance Thor had custom-made brackets made.
And
I'm pretty sure mine has a plumbers tape mount.

[DavidEM]

I thought about doing that. I could tie that tape from the radio case down and screw it to the side walls. That would keep it from bouncing up but not down and the sponge does that already. The radio is too high to run the tape up to keep it from bouncing down. My cables wrapped around it keep it from bouncing sideways.

I think the OEM mounting bracket would be the best of all, which would hold it in three dimensions. That bracket that Thor sent me that I am holding in the pic is custom, right? But it is the wrong bracket.

My display is larger than the one on your 2018 Axis, right? That probably doesn't affect the radio case mounting but I suspect that display is set into the dash so it won't bounce around like mine does.

David

[ducksface]

Mine had been changed to a 10.1 screen.
I had a stereo shop do the install.
I've installed 50 and supervised another fifty.

The shop had tools and splices and tricks I'll never have and I didn't want to do the axxera to Eonon change.
$100 and an hour while I had a burger at Denny's...done.

And a sideline:
I'm about to pull mine out entirely and just use an android tablet there.
The head unit is kinda worthless except to dial local radio and I think there's an app for that.
100,000 radio stations available on the web. My internet signal is almost always vastly stronger than radio signal(we haven't had the radio on in a vehicle 25 times in 25 years)

[javelin]

Since you have easy access to the top of your radio, would a heavy gauge metal hanger strap mounted across the rear of the radio chassis and fasten to the wood side box on either side work? The main issue might be how to fasten the hanger strap to the rear of the radio. Maybe you can use a “non-critical” metal screw already on the radio to attach the hanger. (I assume there is not already a threaded post on the back of the radio chassis). By non-critical I mean a screw used to hold down a part of the radio metal chassis (radio guts access lid?) as opposed to a transistor heat sink or cct board etc.

[Chateau_Nomad]

I second the plumber's strapping. It's versatile, but the main thing is be sure it's attached by screws to something solid - like plywood. Styrofoam packing is another handy item to use for "packing".

[DavidEM]

I think I will try the plumbers strap suggestion. I found something in 22 gauge and at 1/3 the price by searching further on Amazon. That thickness will give me some up and down support. May be harder to bend though. There are some screws on the side of the case that look like they are for attaching a bracket.

David

[ducksface]

The tape manipulates easily.
The key to a good sharp bend is to use a hammer along with the pliers.
Double it up if you can't get a perfectly straight shot and single allows wobble,
And
Keep the roll of it in the rv with some drywall screws.
It'll tie up a black tank or muffler or tie down a battery, mount the mirror that tree ripped off, three wraps under duct tape and it'll hold a wiper on....

[Chateau_Nomad]

I have a roll of both weights. The thicker stuff is harder to work with, but if you can bend it into a workable shape, IMO it might be a better choice for lateral support. Both types are VERY handy, and each has advantages.

[Philo Gemstone]

I'd love to hear from anyone who does have a bracket supporting their radio - mine doesn't.

[DavidEM]

Originally Posted by Philo Gemstone

I'd love to hear from anyone who does have a bracket supporting their radio - mine doesn't.

After starting this thread a week or so ago and no one claiming to have a bracket in their Axis, I have to agree- there is no bracket.

What a lousy way to install a radio. The entire weight of the radio is supported by the display on the front and there is nothing at all supporting the weight of the radio forward. All of it rests on the bezel. Every time you hit a pot hole the whole assembly shakes up and down and after a few of these, it pops out of the bezel holding the display/radio in place.

I have epoxied (for the third time) around the bezel and put wire cables inside to dampen the bouncing. There are two screw holes in the back of the radio and I will find a screw that fits and then maybe I can do some cross bracing to the sides.

That radio installation is a total POS!

David

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by DavidEM

After starting this thread a week or so ago and no one claiming to have a bracket in their Axis, I have to agree- there is no bracket.

What a lousy way to install a radio. The entire weight of the radio is supported by the display on the front and there is nothing at all supporting the weight of the radio forward. All of it rests on the bezel. Every time you hit a pot hole the whole assembly shakes up and down and after a few of these, it pops out of the bezel holding the display/radio in place.

I have epoxied (for the third time) around the bezel and put wire cables inside to dampen the bouncing. There are two screw holes in the back of the radio and I will find a screw that fits and then maybe I can do some cross bracing to the sides.

That radio installation is a total POS!

David

You don't have a cage for the radio?

[DavidEM]

Yes there is a cage. The radio slips into the cage which covers about half of the radio aft. The problem is that the cage is attached to the display which is only supported by a thin plastic bezel in front. All of the weight of the radio bounces up and down when you hit a bump. The only thing to constrain it is that #$%& bezel which supports the display.

David

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by DavidEM

Yes there is a cage. The radio slips into the cage which covers about half of the radio aft. The problem is that the cage is attached to the display which is only supported by a thin plastic bezel in front. All of the weight of the radio bounces up and down when you hit a bump. The only thing to constrain it is that #$%& bezel which supports the display.

David

Seems like you need better cage support. On our ace we also just have a cage for the radio but as I recall when I had the radio out a few years ago, the cage was pretty well attached to the front panel. The radio was attached to the cage, and the front bezel hung on the exposed front of the radio.

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by DavidEM

Yes there is a cage. The radio slips into the cage which covers about half of the radio aft. The problem is that the cage is attached to the display which is only supported by a thin plastic bezel in front. All of the weight of the radio bounces up and down when you hit a bump. The only thing to constrain it is that #$%& bezel which supports the display.

David

That is the way my 2015 Challenger was. Thor didn’t secure the radio cage to anything.

Here is the link to my Challenger thread and explanation of how I fixed the issue.

https://www.thorforums.com/forums/f1...nger-1351.html

[DavidEM]

If I can’t secure the radio using the plumbers tape tied to the back of the radio and then over to the two side panels, I’ll try fabricating a plywood bracket like you did.

Thanks,
David

[pearcec]

Originally Posted by DavidEM

If I can’t secure the radio using the plumbers tape tied to the back of the radio and then over to the two side panels, I’ll try fabricating a plywood bracket like you did.

Thanks,
David

Take a picture. I am in the same position. I can't believe they would basically float the unit in the bezel. I was thinking of some sort of plywood piece mounted against the existing wood. I have a strap holding it in but I also added some tiny L shaped brackets with one side of velcro to keep it from rubbing the finish. The unit sticks out about 2 inches. It hasn't fallen out, but looks terrible. I do plan to upgrade the unit but won't until I get it secured better. Of course the touch screen is toast.