Just finished the install on the Alpine iLX-F511 on my 2011 Tundra. What a huge upgrade to the stock JBL Head unit. The 2011 has the old style dash and head unit which was god awful. Truck feels much more modern now.
The install was pretty straightforward. I bounced between 3 or so manuals and some internet vids to get it all tied in together correctly (Crutchfield install manual, Maestro manual and the Alpine Manual). I got the entire kit from Crutchfield and they were great to deal with over the phone. The Maestro kit made it pretty easy. No sodering at all, came with all the connectors needed. There are a few left over connectors with the kit but I’m assuming those are for varying models of Toyotas. The kit I bought came with everything I needed except for the USB/Aux to dash cable and second USB (power only) to dash cables. I bought those on Amazon. The only thing that bummed me out is that the separate remote control doesn’t work. Once you tie into the steering wheel controls the IR receiver isn’t usable by the remote any longer as the steering wheel controls need that receiver module to work. Not the end of the world but my 11 year old loves the remote in my 85 Land Cruiser FJ60’s Pioneer Stereo system. She likes being able to control the radio from the backseat. I did get the blue tooth volume knob as well which is pretty awesome. I velcro’d it to the console right behind the shifter for now. I may utilize the mounting bracket under the center console lid eventually for that controller.
There was some slight modifications I had to make to the old stock head unit bracket to make it fit but nothing crazy. I had to file out the stock brackets mounting holes to make them a bit wider. I also had to use some Dremel persuasion on the stock accessory blanks to make the secondary USB cable fit but again… Nothing too major.
I also added Alpine front and rear license plate cameras. I was worried that this would override my stock backup camera that lives in the tailgate that displays in the mirror but it didn’t. That one still works and still displays onto the mirror and the new one displays on the head unit. I leave my bike pad on the tailgate often so I wasn’t able to utilize this camera much. I’m really glad both work. I ran the front camera cable through the fire wall grommet (cut with round tip Exacto Knife and straightened out coat hanger) on the driver side and the rear cable right behind a floorboard grommet under the driver seat.
I didn’t change any of the speakers or amp out at all. I just swapped the head unit. The stock JBL system sounds 100% better with the new head unit. Highly recommend this unit.
*One thing to note is you have to flash the Maestro unit on a computer before install. Would have really sucked to get it all plugged in only to find out you have to do this first.
All in I’m right around $2k in costs. Can’t imagine what labor would run to do this. I would guess it took me about 12 hours total over 3 days to get it all in. My Tundra isn’t my daily so I could take my time doing it. I’m just a weekend wrench and by no means a pro by any stretch. A little patience and some YouTube vids and some understanding in how to read a wiring diagram, anyone could do this I would think.
Hopes this helps someone who’s interested in installing this unit.
Breaking the dash down
Coat hanger through the drivers side fire wall grommet
Pulling the front camera cable through the fire wall grommet through with the coat hanger.
Wiring the head unit up in my living room.
The install was pretty straightforward. I bounced between 3 or so manuals and some internet vids to get it all tied in together correctly (Crutchfield install manual, Maestro manual and the Alpine Manual). I got the entire kit from Crutchfield and they were great to deal with over the phone. The Maestro kit made it pretty easy. No sodering at all, came with all the connectors needed. There are a few left over connectors with the kit but I’m assuming those are for varying models of Toyotas. The kit I bought came with everything I needed except for the USB/Aux to dash cable and second USB (power only) to dash cables. I bought those on Amazon. The only thing that bummed me out is that the separate remote control doesn’t work. Once you tie into the steering wheel controls the IR receiver isn’t usable by the remote any longer as the steering wheel controls need that receiver module to work. Not the end of the world but my 11 year old loves the remote in my 85 Land Cruiser FJ60’s Pioneer Stereo system. She likes being able to control the radio from the backseat. I did get the blue tooth volume knob as well which is pretty awesome. I velcro’d it to the console right behind the shifter for now. I may utilize the mounting bracket under the center console lid eventually for that controller.
There was some slight modifications I had to make to the old stock head unit bracket to make it fit but nothing crazy. I had to file out the stock brackets mounting holes to make them a bit wider. I also had to use some Dremel persuasion on the stock accessory blanks to make the secondary USB cable fit but again… Nothing too major.
I also added Alpine front and rear license plate cameras. I was worried that this would override my stock backup camera that lives in the tailgate that displays in the mirror but it didn’t. That one still works and still displays onto the mirror and the new one displays on the head unit. I leave my bike pad on the tailgate often so I wasn’t able to utilize this camera much. I’m really glad both work. I ran the front camera cable through the fire wall grommet (cut with round tip Exacto Knife and straightened out coat hanger) on the driver side and the rear cable right behind a floorboard grommet under the driver seat.
I didn’t change any of the speakers or amp out at all. I just swapped the head unit. The stock JBL system sounds 100% better with the new head unit. Highly recommend this unit.
*One thing to note is you have to flash the Maestro unit on a computer before install. Would have really sucked to get it all plugged in only to find out you have to do this first.
All in I’m right around $2k in costs. Can’t imagine what labor would run to do this. I would guess it took me about 12 hours total over 3 days to get it all in. My Tundra isn’t my daily so I could take my time doing it. I’m just a weekend wrench and by no means a pro by any stretch. A little patience and some YouTube vids and some understanding in how to read a wiring diagram, anyone could do this I would think.
Hopes this helps someone who’s interested in installing this unit.
Breaking the dash down
Coat hanger through the drivers side fire wall grommet
Pulling the front camera cable through the fire wall grommet through with the coat hanger.
Wiring the head unit up in my living room.
