tips to cut down on time

I recently went to work for a custom shop where my primary job is handling remote start/alarm installs. I've been working in Car electronics for the past 8 years w/ a lot of other custom work & general auto repair experience, so I generally don't have issues with trouble shooting or hitting a roadblock when I run into a problem, but I feel my installation times are painfully slow. Granted its been a while since I was installing alarms/rs day-in/day-out, and I'd been using Audiovox products for the most part whereas I'm now using DEI, so its going to take some time to get the alarm wire colors down pat, but at least the Xpresskit modules w/ a D2D connection are saving me a bit of time. I use 3M T-taps & Install Bay connectors, butane soldering iron for data connections, and Power Probe III & Fluke 88v/a Multimeter for testing. I feel like there are some other things I could be doing [or not doing] to reduce the amount of time my installs are taking, I'm sure much of this will come simply by way of experience, but if anyone could offer advice/tips/tricks to save time I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks - &E

I'll ask a question then offer some advice.
At what butcher shop do you work?
3M taps????
Work fast = shoddy workmanship.

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Test before boxing up.

For the most part I've never run into issue with T-taps, with the exception of older ford ignition harnesses (early 2000s and back where they used 10 gauge wires)and using t-taps on data wires in my early years (which is not something I would do again... ever). Call it what you want, but I've never met an installer that went to the trouble of soldering every connection, you simply don't have time to do that when you're trying to bust out at least 4-5 remote start installations in an 8 hr work day; its infeasible & unnecessary. That being said, if you'd like to continue being crass by saying things that don't matter then by all means go ahead as this is a public forum, but if you'd like too be part of the solution I would find that infinitely preferable.

Your line "but I've never met an installer that went to the trouble of soldering every connection," is frankly untrue, also I'll point out that doing 8 a day is a bad joke, even in a workshop with all the facilities.
Honestly if you can complete 8 a day to the customers' satisfaction, why do you need to speed up?

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Test before boxing up.

I'd be riding high on the hog if I could bust out 8 a day brother. I just started at this shop on Weds. and I haven't installed remote starts on the daily in almost 3 yrs, at that I've only done a handful in the past year, so I'm a bit rusty to say the least. That being said I had been doing a lot of in-depth electrical diag over the past six months, repairing "non-serviceable" (its amazing what you can do with a UL part number and Google), so my working knowledge & intuition when it comes to 12V systems is pretty much on point. I installed a Viper 5704 & a DBALL on an 03' Tahoe yesterday which took @ 3 1/2 hrs. and I installed the same setup on an 08' Silverado today which took @ 5 hrs. The Silverado was much simpler since the ignition is primarily controlled through the DBALL, and I'm sure it would take me less time than the Tahoe in the future, but I'm a lot more familiar with the Tahoe and I know that's where the lion's share of cutting down on time will come from; the hands on experience that allows you to work on something without thinking about it. Its the difference between 'knowing what you're doing' & 'knowing that you know what you're doing. Most of the experienced installers I've known can turn out a remote start in roughly 2 hrs. which is where I'm trying to get too. I'm not looking to cut corners; I actually got let go from my last job for getting into it with the owner after he rebuked me for not doing a quote unquote 'ghetto' install, when in reality he should've charged the customer more for labor. If you can make a living taking the time to solder every connection on your RS installs more power to yah man; I would love to be in that position, but the market here doesn't have a demand for it at the moment. That being said if you can advise me on how to install a remote start, with soldered connections in two hours or less I'm all ears... err... eyes. What I'm really trying to figure out is if there's a faster process I could be using. What I normally do is grab all the tools I know I'll need, disassemble the dash, test/tag all the vehicle connections, trim my wiring harnesses, group/twist paired wires & wrap all wires to an approximated length, install siren & antenna, make all my connections [cutting each wire to length, and running them in a manner so they can be tucked/zip-tied neatly out of the way, but the alarm module can easily be serviced at later date if necessary], flash the module if necessary, test and if all is well secure the wires/modules and reassemble. I don't see any flaws in my process, but if you, or anyone else, know a better way to go about it or have any time saving hacks, I'd wouldn't mind hearing about them. - &E

Do you "bench prep" the alarms and/or remote starters? That will help. Also, if you know what cars you are going to work on the next day or something, you have time to prepare for them. Look into how to disassemble the dash, look up wiring diagrams, check the12volt forum for tips/tricks on a specific car...etc. That will definately help. As for connecting wires faster and soldering, there is really no faster way than any one person can handle.

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I thought the butane soldering was interesting.
Except for heavy gauge power wiring, in an emergency I might use butane etc (for SMD soldering LOL), but otherwise an inverter & my Weller, else I'd make a AA cell iron.

Snap on makes a soldering iron that runs on 12VDC and has a safety tip. It's a retractable hook that heats up when a button is pressed. That might save you some time since there's no worries of burning yourself or the customers vehicle. Switching to a more reliable brand might also help. When we sold DEI stuff I ran into an issue about 2 times a week that involved a call to tech. Now that we're going with compustar and idatalink D2D works every time and I think I called tech twice all season.

I will agree with soldering EVERYTHING and bench prep. The bench prep definitely has saved me a lot of time. As for your speed, only you will be able to manage that. What works for one may not work for another. I can turn out a Tahoe/Silverado rs/keyless in roughly 2.25 hrs now. A good quality bypass helps a lot. We use primarily iDatalink bypasses and switched to compustar units.Also I switched to a corded soldering station on an extension cord as opposed to my butane torch and I find it WAY easier to use as you are not dealing with an open flame and maybe damaging other nearby wires/components.

Andrew, no arguments with your last post you got it in one about working with vehicles you know to the point that it becomes routine and you don't have to think about it.
Unfortunately all of my work is mobile and the Weller gun stays at home I use two Weller Pyropen Juniors and while they are good for the job boy does it take time but I'm paid per job so who cares especially when yesterday's was a 200 mile round trip with mileage added.

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Test before boxing up.

My opinion if its worth anything,

Speed is important but making sure the car doesn't come back is even more important, I honestly average about 3-4 hours for an alarm/starter and that includes soldering every wire and tach.

If your method works for you then so be it. Obviously doing the same car over and over again will make you faster and the fact that when you learn the color coding you will be fine. I don't know how your shop operates but if they focus on fast and inexpensive then I guess you have to do what you have to do.

Another tip, At least have them have your schedule prepared so you can do your bench prep and this will definitely help on install time.

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Eric
Audiomaxx
528 East Fordham Road
Bronx NY 10458
Compustar Top Gun Dealer Award 2012-2013

i averaged about 2-3 hours when i was installing. That is for an alarm starter, with most hardwired soldered connections.

The best thing that worked for me was spending about 35min on the bench, running wires together (if in similar location). Of course you should take pride in your work and prevent them from coming back.

with newer vehicles becoming data/can controlled, you can get a car in and out within the hour - 2 tops. I no longer install, so I cant exactly comment on what the average time is with all the new solutions.

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Ted
2nd Year Tier 1 Medical School
Still installing as a hobby...pays for groceries
Compustar Expert

if you use DEI alarms then you should get a BitWriter programmer. they cost about 80 bucks online and they give you access to extra features of the alarm and make it so much easier to program one.

my process is simple, first i find and test every wire if it is a car im not familiar with. once i know where i have to go for each connection i will mount the brain to a bench and arrange all of my wires together according to where they will go, all wires than go to about the same area i will put together and run a few bands of tape down the line to keep them neat. also i take the time to put all 12v and ground feeds together and solder them so that i only have to make one power connection inside the car.

i usually wait to wire any relays until i know where i will put them so this keeps down the amount of wire i have to hide under the dash but i will make a harness for the relays that all i have to do is cut it down to size when i get into the car. although this would probably be faster if i wired the relays too but i have a thing about being neat.

once i have the alarm prewired its off to the races, the pre wiring process might take a little bit of time but it saves you time when you get into the car because you dont have a massive birdsnest that you are constantly fighting and untangling while you are making your connections. and when you make the wires into whole harnesses like i do it also saves you time when it comes to running and hiding the wires, a few zip ties here and there and thats all it takes to make it look factory.

if you do mobile installs i would suggest an inverter and a nice soldering iron. the fastest way ive found to solder the alarm connections is to make every connection first by just wrapping the wires together where i want to connect it. then after ive tested everything ill solder it all at the same time so that im not constantly picking up and putting down the gun and waiting for it to heat up. the exception to this is that i will usually solder just the ignition harness connections first and tape them up to avoid shorting anything out. solder everything else at the same time and then tape everything at the same time, this keeps you from constantly switching out tools.

lastly i will do the hood work(hoodpin, siren, tach if i use it at all) and program the alarm and bypass. test everything a few times and its done.

if im familiar with the car im doing i can do a fully soldered remote start alarm in about 2 hours if i am going for speed, usually my time is consumed by making the install look as factory as possible but if im not too worried about how it looks then it will be faster.

of course learning all the little tricks of the equipment you are using will help out a lot too. i think the best trick i know with DEI alarms is to turn off the engine checking feature for anything newer than 2000 especially if the ignition system is totally computer controlled. this will keep you from fighting to hook up and program the tach wire. the only down side of this is that i wouldnt do this in a cold climate, i live in louisiana, because with the engine checking feature turned off the alarm wont look for tach or voltage, it only uses the crank time you set and if the car doesnt start the first time then it wont try again. this is also a helpful troubeshooting feature because it will confirm if there is a problem with the tach or voltage sense.