New FAQ topic - Radio Install Aftermarket and others (5 Viewers)

[Chris FJ80]

Year of truck: 1995

Radio installed: Kenwood DNX8120 with Garmin Nav

Removed factory Amp yes/no - Yes. Originally kep connected to factory amp, but removed it this month. Sound quality is better without the factory amp, but slightly less power/volume

Cable harness - bought the Scosche TA02BCB for $8.99 on Amazon. This is the harness needed to bypass the factory amp

work with existing speakers - Yes, but I've since upgraded all speakers except the rear uppers. I disconnected these and now have much better sound quality. They were fried and messing up my subwoofer sound quality, which pulls signal from the same circuit.

If you have an LX450 - work with stock sub woofer N/A

Ease of install and steps. e.g., use factory bracket, connected to cable behind radio or removed amp and wired to those connectors, etc.-- I had a car stereo store do the original install, so can't comment on the difficulty. I recently pulled it to switch over from using the factory amp to now using the headunit amp. This was easy as was removing the factory amp

How's it sound? Sounds good. Wish I had just a little more volume. Would have to install a new amp to get this

If single din, what did you put in the empty space. N/A - double din

Pic of finished product -- see below

After thoughts, what would you do different, go for one with aux input? MP3 capability? other? All good. Route the USB connection and the IPOD connection into the glove compartment

Pics below of the Scosche wiring harness and the (re)install

 

[Chris FJ80]

More pics

1. The two Scosche connectors spliced to the connector that came with the head unit

2. Back of the unit

 

[Chris FJ80]

Close up pics of the R1 and R3 connectors - these are the gray connectors that you use to bypass the factory amp. If you want to use the factory amp, you use the 20 pin white R2 connector

 

[Chris FJ80]

Pics of the finished unit/installed

 

[gtfour43]

Got pics of your seats? What leather kit is on it and the armrest? Looks good.

 

[Chris FJ80]

Look for a thread called "Seat Heater Switches". I used Shane's leather kit (two tone). Quite a few pics of the leather in that thread. PM me if you want a close up pic of anything specific

 

[AATLAS1X]

I so need to bite the bullet and do this, I just hate parting with that kind of coin as I don't own one CD...


Love me some brown leather.,.........MMmmmmmMMM

 

[Eagle Scout]

Year of truck: 1997 LX450

Radio installed: JVC KD R330 single din with pocket attachment (attempted)

Removed factory Amp yes/no -Yes because I wanted the setup to be as simple as possible

Cable harness - Started with the one Crutchfield sent and hooked it up according to Master Instructions sheet that came with purchase. Utilized the instructions for bypassing the amp before discovering the cable sent to me was intended for use when the amp is retained. Did I mention that I removed the factory amp because I wanted the setup to be as simple as possible . Talked to Crutchfield rep on the phone and he is happy to send me the correct one in the mail that bypasses the factory amp because I wanted the setup to be as simple as possible . It will be here by Friday.......today is Sunday.

work with existing speakers - retained existing speakers for now, minus the subwoofer as I intend to install an 8 inch Tuffy box in the console area. Figured removing the subwoofer and retaining the stock speakers for now would be a good idea because I wanted the setup to be as simple as possible

If you have an LX450 - stock subwoofer removed Yes, because I wanted the setup to be as simple as possible

Ease of install and steps. e.g., use factory bracket, connected to cable behind radio or removed amp and wired to those connectors, etc.
Your honor and members of the court, I'd like to start by saying that I'm not a stupid guy. I'm 54 years old, I've developed a handful of private practices/businesses including one with over 100 staff, I deal with difficult patient situations everyday at the hospital with delicate equipment and people scared fresh off a surgery or some sort of crisis, and I have a doctorate degree. People actually think I'm pretty smart.......

It was a friggin nightmare, likely because I had the wrong cable? I've spent a healthy chunk of my weekend trying to pull off what looked to me like a relatively straightforward, almost "plug and play" situation. I could have been having fun. Instead, I'm ready to set my dog on fire.

How's it sound? Very very quiet.

If single din, what did you put in the empty space. Nice little box for my iPod.

Pic of finished product. Alas.......

After thoughts, what would you do different, go for one with aux input? MP3 capability? other? Start with the nice stereo install people at Best Buy. Like I'm going to do this afternoon right after I finish my sandwich. "Hey, Tommy, look here, another do it yourselfer we can stick with the 'didn't buy the unit here' install charge."

Post up your solution. Pay money to the nice people at Best Buy or Circuit City and cover that out of pocket cost by pulling a couple of hours of overtime doing work at the hospital where people appreciate what I do and even think I'm good at it - instead of doing what leaves me feeling like a 10 thumbed dropped on my head as a baby can't follow printed instructions in my native tongue dumbA$$.

 

[Eagle Scout]

one more thing

The Crutchfield version of a sympathy card just delivered to my inbox to accompany the order for the new cable. If you look closely between the lines, it says "we're sorry you're an idiot."

On behalf of everyone here at Crutchfield, please accept our apologies for the problem you had with your order. Even with the best intentions, sometimes things don't go as planned and we hope this shipment takes care of it. As promised, we are preparing the shipment listed below. We'll contact you again when it has been accepted and processed.

 

[IanB]

'91 HDJ81

Pioneer Premiere DEH-P7000bt - bluetooth, ipod/iphone control via rear mounted USB

Removed factory Amp - No, used the 2 unused plugs behind the factory deck

Cable harness - used the same harness I had from my Hilux Surf install, still attached to the deck

Work with existing speakers - Yes, but the sub doesn't appear to work

Used factory bracket, connected to unused plugs behind radio

Sounds much better, but the speakers are old and tired, and will be replaced shortly, really nice to have more media options again

Single DIN deck, used a dash pocket I had in the Surf, OEM Toyota, has a hinged door on the front

 

[BCR4619]

'91 HDJ81

Pioneer Premiere DEH-P7000bt - bluetooth, ipod/iphone control via rear mounted USB

Removed factory Amp - No, used the 2 unused plugs behind the factory deck

Cable harness - used the same harness I had from my Hilux Surf install, still attached to the deck

Work with existing speakers - Yes, but the sub doesn't appear to work

Used factory bracket, connected to unused plugs behind radio

Sounds much better, but the speakers are old and tired, and will be replaced shortly, really nice to have more media options again

Single DIN deck, used a dash pocket I had in the Surf, OEM Toyota, has a hinged door on the front

After my install using the other plugs for the radio behind the dash my sub did not work either.... Its pretty much useless anyway

Upgrading to Sailors speaker setup next

 

[IanB]

What's Sailor's speaker setup? Link? I've got 4x Sony 6.5" speakers I'm going to put in the doors when I get a chance.

 

[BCR4619]

https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/330003-front-speakers-under-stock-grilles-more.html

 

[IanB]

https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/330003-front-speakers-under-stock-grilles-more.html

Thanks!

 

[raynyc]

anyone know any good installers in Brooklyn? i can do this but i am living in a place where keeping tools is not an option, i have tried walking into a few places in queens and bk but they all seem shady and just bent on selling me something i don't want.
sorry to hijack the thread

 

[DIGLERZ]

Have you tried Proline Car Stereo.. 790 Utica Ave ? If not give them a shot.

 

[retrofive]

anyone know any good installers in Brooklyn? i can do this but i am living in a place where keeping tools is not an option, i have tried walking into a few places in queens and bk but they all seem shady and just bent on selling me something i don't want.
sorry to hijack the thread

What tools? Screwdriver and some connectors?

 

[raynyc]

What tools? Screwdriver and some connectors?

I can do,the speakers , I need the head unit and amp done . I looked up proline they have a bunch of great reviews I'm going to check them out. Thanks for the advice.

 

[huge]

That was the least complicated and easiest post to understand out of all of the threads I've read so far. Thankyou, you've given me the balls to dive in!

 

[enterconnect]

Did you have to make any adjustments for the speakers to fit?

1997 Land Cruiser

Sony XAV-W1 (Double DIN Touchscreen DVD HU w/5.1 Surround)

Unplugged Factory Amp behind dash and removed factory sub and amp from rear quarter panel.

Bought Toyota plug and play harness from Circuit City and soldered/heatshrunk all connections to the HU's harness.

It played through the factory speakers and the sound was night and day difference from the factory Toyota HU.

I later replaced the factory door speakers with Pioneer TS-G1643R's and kept the stock front and rear tweeters and it sounds even better.

The installation was straight forward and a direct bolt in with no modification to the dash, however, I did have to slice the lower part of the factory wood trim as the fit was too tight for the tilt screen to operate without binding (see the "A/V" link in my sig for more details)

The sound is incredible!!

I added a pair of 10" KEF KAR subwoofers and a Clarion 7 speaker center channel unit behind the dash.

I also added a pair of 9" LCD monitors in the rear, auxiliary inputs for games, a mic input for Karaoke/Electric guitar and a stand alone DVR unit that records my driving from multiple cameras.


Some photos:












Short video showing how the DVR works.

YouTube - Near miss caught on Cruiser cam


If I had to do it all over again, I don't think I would do anything differently other than the placement of my subwoofer controller.

I have it mounted below the ignition right in front of the hand throttle hole....

Now that I want to install a hand throttle, I have to relocate the controller somewhere else