New FAQ topic - Radio Install Aftermarket and others (4 Viewers)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

1990 HDJ81

Pioneer DEH-7000BT (bluetooth, USB input, single DIN)

Removed factory Amp - no, may try in the summer

Cable harness - bought a Toyota adapter harness from Canadian Tire

Worked with stock speakers but sounded like crap. New Pioneer 4" speakers front and rear made a huge improvement even for the size. Totally stock looking.

Stock sub seems to work but needs replacement - it farts low frequencies. I have a powered 10" Bazooka Tube that I may install into a set of drawers in the hatch.

Basic straightforward install.

Sounds very good, even with a loud diesel. The microphone for the bluetooth telephone is not great. I have it installed at the lower centre of my instrument cluster. Other callers have troubles hearing me, especially when I'm actually moving. I haven't experimented with alternate locations yet. I stream Slacker Radio via bluetooth all the time and the sound is very clear. I almost never listen to FM radio and I haven't carried a CD in my truck in years. I have an 8GB flash drive that I keep loaded.

If single din, what did you put in the empty space? My gauges.

Afterthoughts: I'd look for a stereo with the volume control on the right side so it is easier to reach from the driver's seat. I'd also place my gauges in a different location as they make it difficult to access the faceplate tilt button. This is mostly due to the DIN mounting plate for the gauges not fitting in the dash very well.

DSC00587.jpg
 
97 fzj80

Used a scoshe harness and scoshe install kit
Radio is a vintage Philips DC777 shortwave radio cassette

Nothing amazing to report really..po had installed a scion pioneer radio...oem amp unplugged
Radio has great SW coverage...

Will wind up doing a bit of noise suppression..
Have an iSimple direct fm modulator for my iPhone and a Wilson ar1a cb/stereo antenna splitte on its way so I can eliminate the oem antenna and install my factory snorkel and use my cb antenna for radio duties and cb duty.

08495495920-vi.jpg
 
just a note for this thread, I am a HUGE FAN of www.crutchfield.com, these guys are great with customer service and technical help on anything you purchase from them, they have spent plenty of time on the phone helping me with the installs I have done. Just a great company to deal with. Their directions, harnesses, etc that they include with their radios are usually spot on and are a great help when doing the installs.

Noah
 
What is the difference between plugging straight into the 2 normally un-used connectors behind the radio and un-plunging the amp, and running a jumper wire to the 2 connectors that plug into the factory amp?
 
@cruiserfj45, I was wondering exactly the same thing.

I've been poring over many many posts, and the impression I get is that using the gray plugs behind the OEM HU location will result in only 4 speakers being driven (the ones in the doors), while instead extending the Metra 70-1761 harness over to the amp's disconnected connectors will drive all speakers except the subwoofer (doors plush dash plus rear overheads).

If true, then doing the extra work to extend over to the amp's plugs is worth it. If not true, then you might as well save some time by just using the gray plugs (closer - no wiring extensions needed).

Can anyone confirm or deny?
 
Maybe this simplified drawing will help clear things up.
You can see that the amplifier's output is tied together with the wires from the two gray plugs.
All speakers are active with either configuration.
I've posted it before but I think the FAQ is a good place for it.

Radio Diagram.jpg

Radio Diagram.jpg
 
I have been reading the various threads today but am still a little unclear about bypassing the stock amp. Has anyone found a youtube video showing a full instal? I am considering this Pioneer unit http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EEO4X24/?tag=ihco-20

Currently there is no head unit in the truck but all 3 sets of wires (two grey one white) are still in place. I do not believe the amp has been bypassed yet but I will check on Wednesday when I get it back from the shop.

Does anyone have experience with the above mentioned pioneer model? I am partial to pioneer but open to suggestions especially if it makes the instal easier. The features I need are Bluetooth for pandora and hands free calling.

Any clarity about the wiring harness and amp bypass would be appreciated.
 
I installed a Kenwood ddx9903s ,2 polk db 5.25 in front and 2 polk db 4 inch in the back , a polk mm 1240 400 w 12 inch woofer,and amp and front and rear camera's in my 97 lx450 . You can scroll through some photos I took if you click on the photo . The only problem I'm having is there is a pop sound from the speakers on the radio being shut down . I have read on here that its happening on other radio's with and without using the factory amp so its not the amp or the radio's . If anyone knows why the radio is causing a pop sound through the speakers will you let me know . [url=https://flic.kr/p/XGCE2z] IMG_2139 by myridevlx600, on Flickr[/URL]
 
Last edited:
Wow, thank you! When I bought the ‘91’...someone made off with stereo and speakers, so I will be starting from scratch. This was a good read.
 
stevenmichael said:
I installed a Kenwood ddx9903s ,2 polk db 5.25 in front and 2 polk db 4 inch in the back , a polk mm 1240 400 w 12 inch woofer,and amp and front and rear camera's in my 97 lx450 . You can scroll through some photos I took if you click on the photo . The only problem I'm having is there is a pop sound from the speakers on the radio being shut down . I have read on here that its happening on other radio's with and without using the factory amp so its not the amp or the radio's . If anyone knows why the radio is causing a pop sound through the speakers will you let me know . IMG_2139 by myridevlx600, on Flickr
Click to expand...
Did the Polk dB 5.25 drop right in? Inside factory grill?
 
I was just testing the stock headset, amps and wiring in my '97 and can add some info on removing/bypassing the amp and the gray vs. white plugs. Unfortunately I didn't take pictures as I didn't expect to see a sound system post on mud this evening.

To disconnect the amp shouldn't take more than a few minutes if you know where it is, removal doesn't take much longer than that:

1. Pull the glove box, the easiest way probably being to remove the two screws below the glove box near the hinges. Once you remove the two hinge screws, unlatch the glove box and it should drop forward a little and down. You may have to wiggle it a bit to get it totally free but it's possible to remove it without spilling the contents.
2. Put your head down in the passenger footwell area and look through where the glovebox used to be towards the passenger side of the truck. You are looking in the area behind the passenger dash speaker (behind in this case means on the engine side of the speaker). The amp lives here and it's shoe-horned in pretty tightly. The amp is a silver gray metal box roughly 6" x 4" x 2". To disable the amp so that it doesn't interfere with a new, powered headset pull the two plugs that you can see going into the side of the amp.
3. If you want to remove the amp altogether you can do so pretty easily by removing the passenger dash speaker, unplugging the two plugs from the amp, removing the amp mount screws and then working it out. It's a bit of a puzzle to remove but I did it earlier without removing anything else or stressing the dash/etc. so it can be done if desired.

Regarding the gray vs. white plugs, I was testing my front door speaker wiring as my front door speakers don't work. All 7 of my other speakers work so I thought that perhaps there was a wiring issue in one of the front door speakers, like a broken wire at the door pivot. I tested continuity from the front door speakers to the gray plug near the headset that is not in use from the factory and then also to the white speaker wire plug at the factory amp behind the passenger side dash speaker. The front door speaker wires were color coded the same at both plugs and tested out with continuity at both plugs. Depending on what you want to do there may be other setups to consider but for the speakers connected to both the white and the gray plugs seem equivalent. This also explains why unplugging the factory amp is probably a good idea, to remove it from the speaker circuits once the new amp is running the show.
 
Last edited:
jpoole said:
I was just testing the stock headset, amps and wiring in my '97 and can add some info on removing/bypassing the amp and the gray vs. white plugs. Unfortunately I didn't take pictures as I didn't expect to see a sound system post on mud this evening.

To disconnect the amp shouldn't take more than a few minutes if you know where it is, removal doesn't take much longer than that:

1. Pull the glove box, the easiest way probably being to remove the two screws below the glove box near the hinges. Once you remove the two hinge screws, unlatch the glove box and it should drop forward a little and down. You may have to wiggle it a bit to get it totally free but it's possible to remove it without spilling the contents.
2. Put your head down in the passenger footwell area and look through where the glovebox used to be towards the passenger side of the truck. You are looking in the area behind the passenger dash speaker. The amp lives here and it's shoe-horned in pretty tightly. To disable the amp so that it doesn't interfere with a new, powered headset pull the two plugs that you can see going into the side of the amp.
3. If you want to remove the amp altogether you can do so pretty easily by removing the passenger dash speaker, unplugging the two plugs from the amp, removing the amp mount screws and then working it out. It's a bit of a puzzle to remove but I did it earlier without removing anything else or stressing the dash/etc. so it can be done if desired.

Regarding the gray vs. white plugs, I was testing my front door speaker wiring as my front door speakers don't work. All 7 of my other speakers work so I thought that perhaps there was a wiring issue in one of the front door speakers, like a broken wire at the door pivot. I tested continuity from the front door speakers to the gray plug near the headset that is not in use from the factory and then also to the white plug at the factory amp behind the passenger side dash speaker. The speaker wires were color coded the same at both plugs and tested out with continuity at both plugs. Depending on what you want to do there may be other setups to consider but for the speakers connected to both it the gray plug seems equivalent to the white plug at the amp. This also explains why unplugging the factory amp is probably a good idea, to remove it from the speaker circuits once the new amp is running the show.
Click to expand...


Thank You!
 
Year of truck: 1997 Lexus LX450
Radio installed: ATOTO A6 series quad core Android head unit
Removed factory Amp yes/no - why if no: Yes
Cable harness - buy the Toyota one from BB or Circuit city or other: 2x Metra 70-8112, 1x Scosche TA02B
Work with existing speakers - even if you upgraded speakers: Yes, upgraded to slim Pioneer speakers (other thread for details)
If you have an LX450 - work with stock sub woofer: No. Removed for space for inverter.
Ease of install and steps. e.g., use factory bracket, connected to cable behind radio or removed amp and wired to those connectors, etc.:
1. Take OEM radio out, take OEM amp out (from behind glovebox). Do not cut any factory wires.
2. Make wiring harness according to picture below.
3. Connect new harness to OEM plugs behind glovebox, connect to oem plug behind stereo.
4. Install new head unit, GPS puck, Wifi antenna, dash cam, etc.
What I'd do differently: Add an independent higher gauge PWR (constant +12v) wire to the head unit. The Metra adapters etc the wire is fairly thin and I don't trust it to take the full current of the head unit. I will likely add this next time I'm in behind the dash.
Pic of finished product:


IMG_20180223_121658.jpg


IMG_20180226_163738.jpg


IMG_20180226_171805.jpg
 
asutherland said:
Year of truck: 1997 Lexus LX450
Radio installed: ATOTO A6 series quad core Android head unit
Removed factory Amp yes/no - why if no: Yes
Cable harness - buy the Toyota one from BB or Circuit city or other: 2x Metra 70-8112, 1x Scosche TA02B
Work with existing speakers - even if you upgraded speakers: Yes, upgraded to slim Pioneer speakers (other thread for details)
If you have an LX450 - work with stock sub woofer: No. Removed for space for inverter.
Ease of install and steps. e.g., use factory bracket, connected to cable behind radio or removed amp and wired to those connectors, etc.:
1. Take OEM radio out, take OEM amp out (from behind glovebox). Do not cut any factory wires.
2. Make wiring harness according to picture below.
3. Connect new harness to OEM plugs behind glovebox, connect to oem plug behind stereo.
4. Install new head unit, GPS puck, Wifi antenna, dash cam, etc.
What I'd do differently: Add an independent higher gauge PWR (constant +12v) wire to the head unit. The Metra adapters etc the wire is fairly thin and I don't trust it to take the full current of the head unit. I will likely add this next time I'm in behind the dash.
Pic of finished product:


View attachment 1648507

View attachment 1648508

View attachment 1648509
Click to expand...

Gotta say thats cool. Nice of you to provide information on the harness. Doesnt look toooo intimidating.
 
TomOsborne said:
Gotta say thats cool. Nice of you to provide information on the harness. Doesnt look toooo intimidating.
Click to expand...

It wasn't too bad. Got most of the details from LX450 Stero wiring

In retrospect, I probably should have bought ONLY the Scosche adapter, and then extended ALL lines from the factory amp plugs over to the new head unit. I had to extend the speaker wires, so why not just extend the others too. Simpler that way, rather than using the factory wiring as a path for SOME of the wires.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

DodgeH8TER
80 series aftermarket radio
Replies
2
Views
867
DodgeH8TER
DodgeH8TER
G
Wouxon GMRS Radio Install - 3D Printed Solution
Replies
6
Views
927
Outsane
Outsane
L
  • Question
New Manta Exhaust install questions
Replies
1
Views
678
AussieHJCruza
AussieHJCruza
Tennessee80
Aftermarket power steering pump and leak
2
Replies
23
Views
2K
Tennessee80
Tennessee80

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 5 (members: 0, guests: 5)

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom