iNSTALLING A NEW RADIO

[Da SHo sToPpA]

HOw hard is it to replace the radio? I just bought a pioneer deh 43. I was wondering if i could do this myself or should i justhave it installed. I would rather do it myself because im strapped for cash. Also can you use a wire hanger to get the factory radio out? Anyone have any help on this.
thank you

 

[underdog1924]

Yea it's very easy. You just need the correct wiring harness. You can get it from Circuit City. It's a little more expensive because of the stock amp. It cost me like 45 bucks for it. It's very easy to install it...all you have to do is connect the wires by following the diagrams and then plug in the connectors. The pins to remove the stock radio can be found at Walmart. I don't think that a coat hanger would work because there are notches that are used to pull them out.

 

[DavidT]

with a little effort you should be able to use a small screwdriver? (something that will fit in the holes)to get your factory unit out. Work one side at a time. My brother got mine out for me.

 

[DavidT]

oh yeah. I replaced my factory unit because my factory amp was bad. I had to get from C. City a wire harness to bypass my amp ($15.99) and a wire harness adapter that would make for an easy installation (connects the new head unit to the factory harness ($15.99).
If your amp is still good and you want to use it to run your speakers, rather than your new head unit, then they have a special harness adapter for $45, I believe. It even has gain controls on it.
Just tell C. City what you are wanting to do and they will tell you what you need to get and do.

 

[underdog1924]

If you plan on keeping everything else, unfortunately you will need the 45 dollar harness. I found that out the hard way when I installed my cd player.

 

[Nakolo]

underdog1924:
If you plan on keeping everything else, unfortunately you will need the 45 dollar harness. I found that out the hard way when I installed my cd player.

I finally got my mitts on my wife's SHO (she's now driving the '02 SS LX Honda Odyssey) and want to add a CD player. If you use the OEM harness adapter, do you still have use of the on-dash/convenience controls (volume, scan, memory)? If not, are there Ford OEM "combo" decks from other models that are "plug & play"? Other recommendations?

Also interested in adding remote entry to power doors in SoCal area. Know of any shops? I'm not real mechanically-inclined.

TIA!

 

[undertow07]

I picked up a harness for mine at the local wal-mart for like $10. It keeps the factory amps in use.

 

[shocruzin]

to jump in here, What's the difference between the $15 harness and the $45 harness??? Does this bypass the factory amp so you use the one in deck? Wouldn't these be the best way to go? I wouldn't need both right? Thanks

 

[shocruzin]

whoops...I'm talking about the $15 as the one that by passes the factory amp.

 

[Guido]

1. I have had bad experiences wich Circuit City. I would not go there.

2. I got a package of harnesses from a local car stereo shop that included the two regular wiring harnesses as well as an amp bypass harness. What this option does is makes the speakers run off the internal amp in the headunit. That's what I did and it sounds fine. Total cost of all three harnesses: about $20.

3. The "$45 option" is an amp integration box much like the one CC tried to sell me. They also told me that all the speakers would have to be rewired. My BS detector going crazy, I left the store. The amp integration box lets the speakers run off the stock amp instead of the one in your new HU.

4. As for installation, you're in luck. Installing a car stereo in a Ford such as the SHO is about as easy as it gets. Go for it and buy the DIN removal tools at Wal-Mart. They're only three or four bucks and it'll be worth it to have them on hand if you ever need to take the lower storage compartment out (or cup/coin holder if you're so equipped)...

5. Nakolo: The redundant controls next to the instrument cluster cannot be used with most aftermarket decks. There is a seperate wire that connects these controls to the stock headunit and it will "hang loose" when you get a new deck. I have heard that some Sony headunits can support these controls, but, then again, if you're buying a Sony HU, you really don't care about quality sound...

6.I apologize for any poor grammar or spelling. I am buzzing off an empty stomach and two Coronas. thumbs_u
-***** (Loves this shit...)

<small>[ August 12, 2002, 09:37 PM: Message edited by: ***** ]</small>

 

[naval-avi8or]

You can buy the ford radio removal tool at wal-mart or many other places. I bought mine out of my closet I think its called a clothes hanger.

 

[NiNeTy Fo SHO]

I agree with *****, thats what I did. Much cheaper, and usually a louder system when you run the internal amp of the cd player.

As for taking it out, the easier way I found to do it is to get 4 nails about 3" long. Push them all in, grab a pair of pliers and a small screwdriver. Pull on the nails with the pliers and carefully(not to mess anything up) pry the side of the old headunit and it will pop right out. Just make sure you push the nails in almost all the way so it disengages the clips that hold the unit in. thumbs_u

 

[91 SHOplus]

Hey John,

All due respect to the other posters, but forget all that ghetto stuff with nails and hangers and use the DIN tool. Nails, hangers and prybars will only scratch the $hit out of the rest of your dashboard. Do it right, the first time.

With that said, I ordered my CD player from www.crutchfield.com. It came with the harness and the DIN tool. With the tool remove the radio. It pulls straight out. Unplug the harness, plug it into the new deck and slide it in. I'm no stereo geek, but I did my install myself in about 15 minutes. thumbs_u

 

[RickieFrat]

*****:

5. Nakolo: The redundant controls next to the instrument cluster cannot be used with most aftermarket decks. There is a seperate wire that connects these controls to the stock headunit and it will "hang loose" when you get a new deck. I have heard that some Sony headunits can support these controls, but, then again, if you're buying a Sony HU, you really don't care about quality sound...

I must be the "only" dealer that carries the interface so you can still use the dash controls with most aftermarket head units. thumbs_u I tried getting a group buy way back in the day but no one wanted one. E-mail me for info. mailto:[email protected][email protected]</a>

 

[ericwick19]

The coat hanger trick works fine...the factory amps suck ass, so go with a bypass harness instead of intergration, and add your own amp.....or if you have an ounce of intelligence, forget the bypass harness, and just cut and splice the wires that the harness jumps.

 

[NiNeTy Fo SHO]

I agree with ericwick19, its cheaper and works just the same. You done scratch anything up if you just watch what your doing. I have pulled many a factory stereo's out. I would strongly advice bypassing the amp in the trunk. thumbs_u

 

[Nakolo]

RickieFrat:
I must be the "only" dealer that carries the interface so you can still use the dash controls with most aftermarket head units. thumbs_u I tried getting a group buy way back in the day but no one wanted one. E-mail me for info. mailto:[email protected][email protected]</a>

Thanks for the tip, and I'll send you an email asking for more details and recommendations for a head unit. Unlike others in this forum, I'm pretty inept (probably why I spend the money having the dealer, etc. do stuff . . . heck, I don't even change my own oil anymore).

 

[RickieFrat]

Nakolo:

RickieFrat:
I must be the "only" dealer that carries the interface so you can still use the dash controls with most aftermarket head units. thumbs_u I tried getting a group buy way back in the day but no one wanted one. E-mail me for info. mailto:[email protected][email protected]</a>

Thanks for the tip, and I'll send you an email asking for more details and recommendations for a head unit. Unlike others in this forum, I'm pretty inept (probably why I spend the money having the dealer, etc. do stuff . . . heck, I don't even change my own oil anymore).

E-mail sent back thumbs_u