GPS 175 Rack Trim Front Side Tabs?

[rpigeek]

I planning out the cut for my panel where I mount the racks from behind for a GPS 175, GMC 507 and an old GTX 320A. I was planning the width of 3.25" following the greatest cutout width from each installation manuals.

However, there is conflicting information in the GPS 175 installation manual Rev 4. On page 6-11 Option 3 shows to make the cutout 6.25” wide, and on page 9-3 it shows to mount the edge of the top tabs flush to the face of the instrument panel. However, if you notice on 9-1 there are side tabs on each side of the GPS 175 rack. My rack for the GPS 175 matches this diagram, and so do the CAD files. If I were to mount the top tabs flush to the face of the instrument panel then the side tabs would conflict with the cutout as the rack width, at the side tabs, is 6.3" (page 9-1). Interestingly, neither page 9-2 nor 9-3 show the side tabs, only 9-1 and the CAD files.

My plan is to cut the side tabs on the front of the GPS 175 rack as page 6-11 says "if the front lip of the mounting rack is behind the surface…connectors may not fully engage". Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to do this without making the cutout 6.3" which would be quite wide.

Has anyone else chosen to cut the side tabs on the front of the GPS 175 rack? Did an older GPS 175 rack not have the side tabs? I noticed all the other racks don't have side tabs, or it's like the GMC 507 where the side tabs are offset inwards to fit 6.25".

 

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I had the same issue a month ago when I added the 175 to my RV10 panel, my Garmin trays are mounted from the back with the 6.25 opening. I opted to trim .062 off the face of the tabs so I didn’t have to make the opening wider. The GPS 175 bottoms out on the pins before the bezel touched the panel face. Long story short, trimming the tabs the thickness of your panel works just fine.

 

[rpigeek]

Thanks, I'm still debating cutting the tabs, or just add a notch around the tabs when I get it laser cut. The nice part of just cutting the tabs is you won't see the gap.

 

[bruceh]

I would not cut off the tabs. If the rack doesn't fit, then file the opening in the panel as needed. There is guidance somewhere from Garmin about how to install the unit in the rack. Push it in until it touches the pins enough to power on the unit, then use the allen screw to pull the unit in all the way. I think they mentioned 3 full turns of the screw is all that is needed. Don't over torque the screw.