alright i got a new head unit for the cruiser it's a pioneer deh-p3600. I got the regular wiring harness that comes with the unit and the celica harness that you can get from crutchfield. I'm hoping to install it myself with the help of my brother who is very good with car stereo stuff. So how hard is it to install a head unit in these beasts and is there anything i'll need to do or look out for?
Installing a head unit
- Thread starter cruiser60
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what are you installing it in?
If its a 60, then its a PITA to do it right. You should remove the entire top half of the dash and fab up an appropriate mounting bracket. If you dash is already shot or you're lazy, just shove it in the front and jam some speedy screws through the front of the dash.
where are you mounting it. if it's in the dash, you'll be fabricating mounting brackets since they are nla. (unless you can find one at an old vw shop...bus' used the same set up, but those kits are also nla).
that's what i did after someone broke into my wagon and stole it. i used a peterbilt radio blank to fill the hole.cruiser60 said:
There are four threaded studs on the under side of the dash. My bracket is basically a sheet of aluminum bent into an L shape. The studs go through the horizontal part of the L while the vertical part has a rectangle cut out to fit the DIN box of the radio. I also left a tab on the rear of the L bracket to secure to the rear mounting stud on the back of the DIN box. With the dash lid laying upside down on the bench, its not hard to work out the fit. I also painted the front of the aluminum bracket black so it dissappears around the radio bezel.
Gee I sure wish there was a way you could draw me a picture or send one. If not, Where do you mean "under side of dash" are these threaded studs? I will have to take a closer look to see what you mean. I am looking for some way to securely mount the din box. I thought about attaching the box to the radio brackets somehow. I really need to get the dash off to figure it out I think. How difficult is that task? Any helpful hints? Thanks for the reply.
Maybe Im retarded, but I had no trouble getting the Kenwood CD player into the dash of my 60. The head unit slipped right in, sits nice and level, and the plastic rim covers the entire opening. I dont know what is different about mine compared to others, but mine couldnt have been easier. I fought way worse to get a head unit into my FJ55.
Hodag
Hodag
Take off the dash, use a metal saw to cut the holes in the brackets that mount to the top of the dash into slots. (So you can widen the size of where the radio fits in.) Screw Bend the metal tabs on the radio brackets to match up with the holes on the new unit and screw the radio to the brackets. Then mount the brackets to the top of the dash. You can get more space width-wise due to the notches you cut in to the top mount points of the brackets. If someone can post up a pic of the brackets I can photochop in some instructions on where to cut and bend.
What I did was took a rectangular piece of 3/16 steel. Drilled four holes in the center that match the four studs mentioned by 60wag. I then drilled four more holes on the outer edge of the plate. I drilled and countersunk these holes so I could install some flat head allen screws. I then made a "C" shaped braket out of sheet steel. Think I took about a 6"x6" steel sheet and bent the edges up so that the radio would fit in between. This piece was then bolted down to the 3/16 plate on the flat head screws. Drilled a few holes in the side that the radio bolts to. It looks really great and was free (not inluding my time). I can send you something that would explain what I did in more detail if you like. PM me if you need something.