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View Full Version : Car Alarm Installation on 98 Jeep Cherokee


Mudderoy
09-14-2009, 04:59 AM
This is the opening post on how I installed a car alarm in my 1998 Jeep Cherokee.

http://xjtalk.com/images/special/xjtalkcommando1.jpg

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http://xjtalk.com/images/special/xjtalkcommando8.jpg

96xj, Rob, recently became a member on xjtalk. In "chatting" with Rob I found that he worked at a Internet company that sells car/suv goodies.
Always an interesting subject. They have several websites, however slickcar.com was the one I initially looked at.

When we bought the XJ I was happy that it had a key less entry system, however I wanted to get an alarm system.
I never did, and I guess it was good I didn't. That alarm system would have been much more expensive and not had all the features that are available in 2009.

Now you might ask, "Why would I want an alarm on my off road rig?" Well my off road rig is my daily driver. I have also installed a BUNCH of stuff on it, and since it is 11 years old I just have liability insurance. I would be very sad indeed if the XJ came up missing. More importantly I would be out a lot of money. Even with full coverage it wouldn't cover nearly what I would lose. I feel an alarm system is just one more level of protection. It won't be the only level of protection I have/will be putting on this vehicle.

This is cheap insurance, and I only have to pay for it once, instead of monthly. At $179.98 (current price listed on commando.com) that is about 2 months of full coverage insurance for me, hell maybe only a month!

slickcar.com carries several alarm systems, but I had my eye on the top of the line, the Commando FM-870. Later I found out they also have a site called CommandoCarAlarms.com.

http://www.commandocaralarms.com/images/logooff.jpg (http://http://www.commandocaralarms.com/itemdetails.asp?ProductID=1457)


FM-870 2-Way Car Alarm, Remote Car Starter with LCD Pager Remote & 5 Button Remote. 6 Channel System. A small and innovative Remote Transmitter Pager with Alarm and Remote Car Starter. The FM-870 will instantly alert you should your vehicle be violated. Remote Start and Monitor your Vehicle from 2500+ ft away. The bright LCD display on the Transmitter accurately monitors doors open/closed, hood and trunk open/closed, and hard impacts to your vehicle. It even advises whether the vehicle's engine is running.

Other than Rob (96xj) the second most impressive thing about slickcar is the information they have freely available on their site. They have Vehicle Wiring Diagrams (http://www.commandocaralarms.com/wiring/Jeep/Cherokee/) for every year of the Jeep Cherokee. If I had NOT had this information the installation time would have easily tripled!

The information was 100% accurate! Still I used a multi-meter to verify action/activity and voltage.

I received my Commando FM-870-TK 2-Way Car Alarm, Remote Starter, LCD Pager w/Temp Sensor & Driver Paging Sensor via UPS about a week ago. I opened up the box and it was full of wires, black boxes, and relays!

I have never installed a car alarm system before, so looking at this mass of electronics, and OMG the wires, it was very intimidating. I could tell this wouldn't be something that I just dashed outside and installed with a crowbar, and tape.

In this "how to", I intend to show you how to remove the center console cover, the under steering wheel covers, and where to find the wires that you will need to splice into.

Check back!
96xj
09-19-2009, 11:28 AM
do you have any pics ???
and how is it working ?
Mudderoy
09-19-2009, 11:36 AM
do you have any pics ???
and how is it working ?

Yes just busy this week. It's working well. I need to go out and adjust it again. Engine start doesn't run long enough to start each time, and the shock sensor is too sensitive. Get alerts with cars driving by in the parking garage. :rotfl2:
2000XJ
09-20-2009, 04:01 PM
Wow Mudd, please do post this up when you get a chance!!!! I'm dying to put 2-way alarm in my DD XJ but I don't want to pay someone to do it like I did on my TR XJ some years back when it was my DD then.

In the TR I have the Clifford RSX 2.5 or something like that. It's pretty much identical to the alarm that you ordered, and I love it. The only downside was that it cost me a kidney, arm, and leg to buy and have it installed.
Mudderoy
09-21-2009, 02:11 AM
Wow Mudd, please do post this up when you get a chance!!!! I'm dying to put 2-way alarm in my DD XJ but I don't want to pay someone to do it like I did on my TR XJ some years back when it was my DD then.

In the TR I have the Clifford RSX 2.5 or something like that. It's pretty much identical to the alarm that you ordered, and I love it. The only downside was that it cost me a kidney, arm, and leg to buy and have it installed.

I was going to do this today but got side tracked. I need to take a few more pictures, and get my ducks in a row. Sorry it's taking so long guys.
2000XJ
09-21-2009, 03:39 PM
No rush on the write-up, I know it can be difficult to get a good write-up done without missing any key points.
afbond03
10-03-2009, 05:01 PM
Any updates?
Mudderoy
10-03-2009, 08:30 PM
Any updates?

I missed a few pictures I wanted to take. My step-son is having some alarms delivered Monday, so I'll get those pictures then.
Mudderoy
10-05-2009, 10:39 PM
:sign0178:
Audio222
10-05-2009, 11:07 PM
People laugh because I have scratched and dented 1996 Cherokee with alarm - autostart, bluetooth, Satellite radio, GPS and I've added all electric keyless. That is why I have dual red tops under the hood and four farad in the rear.
96xj
10-06-2009, 11:42 AM
:wow: great pic and step by step info thank you , now you need to go into witch wires you cut into and where you mounted the brain ect but good write up so far
Mudderoy
10-06-2009, 11:45 AM
:wow: great pic and step by step info thank you , now you need to go into witch wires you cut into and where you mounted the brain ect but good write up so far

Thanks! lol, yeah. It's not done yet. :popcorn:
Mudderoy
10-06-2009, 11:47 AM
People laugh because I have scratched and dented 1996 Cherokee with alarm - autostart, bluetooth, Satellite radio, GPS and I've added all electric keyless. That is why I have dual red tops under the hood and four farad in the rear.

What is the big cap for? Voltage drops?
Audio222
10-06-2009, 12:35 PM
What is the big cap for? Voltage drops?

Not one but four singles, faster and more powerful. Actually caps are old school and have been replaced for years. When you build any 12volt system correctly you don't have the problems that some people have. The fuses under my hood had been there for over 12 years because my power base has never been pushed to it's limits. What I do with four old one farad caps can now be quadrupled by one $150 powercell.
Now I don't use the cheapo import caps but the high power US designed ones and am still under powered in some cases. The biggest benefit from a cap is not power but filtering. A cap will let DC pass right through but will shunt AC to ground, therefore giving us the cleanest and most powerful 12volt signal we can get. Garbage in garbage out on any 12 volt device.
My stereo system is about 12 to 15 years old and still wins awards because it was built right the first time not thrown together because of what ever, from this my base for all 12volt items is derived. Good clean power make your 12volt devices last longer and work up to their full potential (CB, GPS, Alarms, Autostarters, Any and all lighting, Stereo system, Gauges and has been proven to eliminate electrical fires).
Ruinator
11-21-2009, 12:07 PM
:poke: Bump.....goodstuff

When and where do yoy guys install cap?

More pics of the install?
Ruinator
01-14-2010, 01:16 PM
Bump...or is it dead?:sniper:
Mudderoy
01-14-2010, 02:45 PM
Bump...or is it dead?:sniper:

Nope, just lazy after the holidays. I'll get it done. :boohoo:
Ruinator
01-31-2010, 11:14 AM
:sick0004: :rotfl2::rotfl2::rotfl2:
Mudderoy
05-01-2010, 04:22 PM
Installing the microwave motion detector:

First I needed a good place in the center of the XJ to mount the transceiver. I thought under the center console.
Remove 4 screws that hold the lid and inner box, then removing the 2 screws that hold the bottom of the box to
a couple of posts I removed the inner box and mounted the transceiver.
Ideally you want this flat, but after testing it in this configuration, it seemed to work fine.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_b0ViaGso2Ko/S9yYtg7V9aI/AAAAAAAAAKo/Vkyf_PtaPGA/s512/2010-05-01%2014.33.25.jpg

I mounted it just far enough forward so it would not impact with the inner box when I reinstalled it.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_b0ViaGso2Ko/S9yY0CJ2gjI/AAAAAAAAAKw/OI_XxUy-s3c/s512/2010-05-01%2014.33.35.jpg

Here is a view further back, the transceiver is out of site here, as it is towards the front of the console.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_b0ViaGso2Ko/S9yY4xCHFGI/AAAAAAAAAK0/22dmIibQ3DU/s512/2010-05-01%2014.33.46.jpg

Here is how I mounted the shock/motion detector. Both the microwave transceiver and the shock/motion detector are wired into the same plug on the alarm system.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_b0ViaGso2Ko/S9yZDs-NEfI/AAAAAAAAAK4/yD_TXsyZ7yU/s512/2010-05-01%2014.50.08.jpg

Metal plate bolted back in place.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_b0ViaGso2Ko/S9yZIXPXYfI/AAAAAAAAAK8/p8UPEqxMEt4/s512/2010-05-01%2014.50.41.jpg
ArmyGuy45
09-15-2013, 01:35 AM
:thumbsup: