Forward Parking Assist - Circuit 3/9 (optional component)

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Major System Category: Electronics
Task: Run cables for forward parking assist sensors
Parts: Optional part (parking assist sensors)
Power Cell: 3
Circuit: 9 - ORANGE
Master cell: TAN/GREEN
Prerequisite Tasks: Mount the body
Additional Costs: $50
Time Requirement: 1 hour
Date Started: September 1, 2012
Date Completed: September 1, 2012
The forward parking sensors are an identical setup to the rear parking sensors. They came in the same kit. The differences are as follows:

• Wired into the brake switch.
• Mounted on the inside of the hood.

Forward parking sensors staged on the radiator aluminum box. There should be enough slack to route easily to the hood once it is mounted. Orientation: front of the car.

I currently, do not have the hood mounted on the chassis. I decided to stage the sensors inside the radiator aluminum. This is an area I reinforced for strength earlier in the build. I enclosed the sensor cables in wire loom, and ran the loom under the radiator aluminum wall through the steering rack mounts. I snaked the loom around the battery tray and behind the lower rear mount for the front control arms on the driver's side. I believe I can mount the control box to the inside of the body shell below the hinges for the hood. I have temporarily mounted the control box here.

Sensor control box mounted inside the body shell behind the front tire on the driver's side. There is  plenty of room to run the speaker cable up the pillar and into the headliner. Orientation: driver's side wheel well, taken from beneath the car.

I can route the speaker cable up the pillar and mount forward on roof under the head liner. There is a vendor that has created additional fiber glass pieces that for mounting gauges on the driver's side pillar and over head   parallel to the center tunnel. Even if I do not mount additional gauges, I can see the utility for these pieces.

Permanent home for the front parking sensor. The master cylinder are at the bottom of the photo. The red is part of the  body shell and the black angle piece is the wiper motor arm.

Update April 10, 2013: I got around to finding a permanent home for this module.I cut a 5 x 5 inch acrylic square (I have been working with acrylic to mold some pieces for a center console compartment.) I mounted the sensor module on the acrylic using 3M double sided tape, then I mounted the acrylic ahead of the wind shield next tot he master cylinders. I had to be careful not to cause interference with the wiper rocker arm. Once I am certain I have handle all the other issues related to the hood, I will mount these sensors on the hood. Right now they are on the reinforced section below the radiator.

Fabricated mount for parking sensor. This sits above the front grille on the ledge/ This is a great place to run wires/

Update August 10, 2013: Most of the summer was spent working on the body. The hood and body shell are at the point where I finished up most of the wiring associated with Power Cell #1. The front parking assist sensors are designed to attach to a surface using 3M automotive tape. This works fine for the outer sensors, but not for the two middle sensors. I entered up fabricating a mount from angle aluminum and 3M tape. I used the Loctite Epoxy designed for fiberglass and aluminum.