Want to upgrade my 97 Explorer radio

[Blackbox19]

Want to be able to either blue tooth or use a AUX cable to play songs from my phone or I pod..

This is for my daughter. I dont listen to the radio and never cared to even change the one in it. The one it has is the cassette. That part is starting to go out so this is a emergency to her that I get it changed.

I hate modifying the radio wiring so I want something that I can plug in and play. Also want it to mount pretty much like stock, I dont like crappy looking installs and loose radios.

What would be the cheapest bet on getting something like I want?

 

[DjDom]

This is your best and cheapest bet:

 

[partsman48210]

just like DjDom said but i noticed you said the cassette part was going out. either go grab one that works or you can get aftermarket radios with an aux input on craigslist pretty cheap. as far as wiring a connector i think is about $12 at walmart. wire to the new radio and plug into the factory harness

 

[Blackbox19]

Yeah the cassette part is going bad.. Thats what she uses to play the Ipod
So walmart has the adapter plug I need to put a radio in?

 

[DjDom]

To connect up a new radio, you need a dash kit and a wiring harness. For the harness, you'll actually have to connect up the new radios harness to that one via butt connectors or solder them.
If you don't know how to do this stuff, I recommend you just get a shop to do it.

 

[Blackbox19]

That dash kit, you know of a GOOD one that will look right and mount right? I can wire up a adapter as long as it comes with a diagram.

 

[DjDom]

In all honesty.. I absolutely HATE how Explorers look with Single Din aftermarket radios.
It looks very out of place.

Whereas a double din looks much better..

 

[Blackbox19]

How do those mount in there? I like how the ford radios have the 4 holes that release and lock it in place. I dont see them on those radios.

Also not sure what single and double din mean.

 

[DjDom]

Single din is the first radio, it's a 180x50 mm panel, whereas double din is double that.. 180x100 mm panel.

They use special mounting kits, with metal brackets. They do not use the Ford 4 hole removal tool.

 

[Blackbox19]

so "din" has nothing to do with the wiring?

 

[Scorpion8]

so "din" has nothing to do with the wiring?

School call. DIN is short for Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN) where the "standard" was specified. What it means is that any radio that mounts into a DIN mount will fit any other DIN mount because they are set to be the same dimensionally. Single DIN means 1 unit high, double DIN means two units high. If you're into computers think 1U, 2U or 4U blade server rack sizes, etc.

As for wiring, go to www.crutchfield.com and enter your rig and details and they'll tell you each radio that fits. Crutchfield will also sell you (or give you if you buy a radio) a wiring harness that connects up to the new unit and plugs right into the factory wiring harness. The good thing is since you have you OEM radio/tape unit it means the wiring hasn't been butchered.

I just changed the radio in my daughters Contour, and since the wiring was still factory and the radio had been replaced with a DIN mount, the new install took less than an hour all total.

Crutchfield is my go-to place for car audio since we don't have many specialty installers here.

 

[Blackbox19]

Now that there was some quality info... Thanks... Gonna go and check that site out and get what I need.

 

[Scorpion8]

Now that there was some quality info... Thanks...

Glad to help and share.

 

[Blackbox19]

here is pic of what I got now.. Gonna be swapping it soon. Thing is its says CD on it, but there is no CD player.

 

[DjDom]

here is pic of what I got now.. Gonna be swapping it soon. Thing is its says CD on it, but there is no CD player.

Ahahah, you've got the exact same deck as me.

It's horrible.. CD is optional.

Have you tried a cassette head cleaner before swapping it out? It may not be worth it.

 

[Steeda04SVT]

I have the same head unit as you guys and it is terrible. I looked up double din kits but the wiring harness is my real problem. It's showing up multiple wiring kits. So I have no idea which one to order. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Blackbox19]

The wiring kits can be got at walmart.. So take back the one you dont need.. But when I look up the kit there it only showed one wiring harness for the double.

But the clutchfield has all the harnesses for free if you get a radio from them.

My only issue is how to mount the radio. I dont want some loose fitting crap.

 

[Steeda04SVT]

The wiring kits can be got at walmart.. So take back the one you dont need.. But when I look up the kit there it only showed one wiring harness for the double.

But the clutchfield has all the harnesses for free if you get a radio from them.

My only issue is how to mount the radio. I dont want some loose fitting crap.

I haven't bought anything yet but was looking up the harnesses on the Metra website. But yeah when I mounted my double din on my other 97 Ex I had to dremel the corners a little bit for the mounting kit to fit and it's a pretty snug in there.

 

[Blackbox19]

Yeah I am not going to modify the dash, so I am going with a bluetooth single din radio.
The prices are not as bad I as I thought and sure it cheaper than a new car..

 

[DjDom]

The double din will fit with barely any modifications. You just have to sand off the little lip and it fits..