Getting ready to install a new stereo head unit - tips, tricks?

[SteveRosenow]

So, I bought the inexpensive Dual $69 Dual-DIN XVM286BT head unit at Walmart tonight, almost identical to the same one we have at work for almost double.

I also bought a Scosche harness kit. Since I have the JBL Ford Premium sound amp, am I correct in that I also need to pick up a special harness kit for that?

Since this is the first time I've ever done my own audio upgrade, I could appreciate some tips and tricks. And some general how-to from those that have done it. How long does it take? What wire goes where? (I know that the kits are color coded/tagged for ease of install, but a little bit more advice helps)...

I plan on eventually upgrading this to a full-on Android setup in the near future with integrated navigation, and this is a trial run. Any advice/help/suggestions are much appreciated.

 

[410Fortune]

super easy install with the wiring adapter kit
I am not sure if you need additional wiring harness for the factory JBL amp

Did you get a dash install kit for the single din unit also? Makes it a plug and play snap in deal into your dash?
It has been a long time since I did a gen I truck....
I always Check Crutchfield.com and see what they recommend for your truck as far as installation accessories, speaker sizes, etc

 

[drdoom]

If you have to put in an amp bypass, that is most of the work.

Solder, don't crimp.

 

[96eb96]

super easy install with the wiring adapter kit
I am not sure if you need additional wiring harness for the factory JBL amp

Did you get a dash install kit for the single din unit also? Makes it a plug and play snap in deal into your dash?
It has been a long time since I did a gen I truck....
I always Check Crutchfield.com and see what they recommend for your truck as far as installation accessories, speaker sizes, etc

Not super easy for a 96 w/JBL. You need a special harness and the trim has to come apart because wires have to be run to to the rear.

That radio was quite ahead if its time. The front unit is pretty much a keyboard and display(except for the tape deck). The radio is located in the rear. I think Tape and CD audio was sent as a digital signal to rear unit.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

I'm mostly here to ask if there was any trimming or anything that needs doing to install this exact unit in a 2nd gen, I've got one too and I'm familiar with wiring but not with how a double din goes in the place of stock.

 

[gmanpaint]

For the dbl Din to fit, you have to shave off a little off the bottom of the opening. I used a dremel with a cutting bit, and took off a little at a time until the HU fit snug.

Something to keep in mind about the HU harness adapter kit & the amp bypass wire harness. When I went to Best Buy for the adapter, they didn't have the right one on the shelf. They sent me back to the install dept, and a tech was able to get me the right one from the supply they have in the back, which is different then whats sold to the public in the store. They stock more specialty items, for the installers to do their jobs properly.

 

[96eb96]

I'm mostly here to ask if there was any trimming or anything that needs doing to install this exact unit in a 2nd gen, I've got one too and I'm familiar with wiring but not with how a double din goes in the place of stock.

Yeah, GMan is right on the ball. Don't go crazy, I used a file to remove a bit of the stock at the bottom. If you are creative with the 96 JBL you can use the sub as well. The harness don't come with the wires but it is easy to add a power on wire(think antenna enable) and the out while you run the other wires. The Amp (well it is the radio, the antenna goes in) becomes a paperweight with the new radio.

 

[SteveRosenow]

UPDATE:

I bought the Scosche harness kit FK106SD from Walmart tonight after exchanging the previous one. Everything on the harness kit wired up perfectly, however I have no sound.

The head unit works as it should as well.

Any suggestions?

 

[drdoom]

Is that an amp bypass harness or a head unit adapter?

 

[SteveRosenow]

Head unit adapter. It said it was for Ford vehicles with factory premium sound.

 

[gmanpaint]

You need to install the amp bypass harness to get sound using the stock speaker wires. The amp is in the rear passenger side, behind the big panel.

If you don't bypass the factory amp, you can run new speaker wires.

 

[SteveRosenow]

You need to install the amp bypass harness to get sound using the stock speaker wires. The amp is in the rear passenger side, behind the big panel.

If you don't bypass the factory amp, you can run new speaker wires.

Where would I find one? The Scosche kit I have says I need to order one but the part no. they give doesn't show up on searches.

I feel like it's almost unobtanium.

 

[drdoom]

Crutchfield. Where you should have went in the first place.

 

[SteveRosenow]

Crutchfield. Where you should have went in the first place.

I tried looking for one but the only one I saw was a Ready-Made harness. In order to get that I would have had to buy a head unit from them. All of the units they had were well beyond my budget.

 

[gmanpaint]

1996 Ford Explorer OE Wiring Harnesses & Stereo Adapters — CARiD.com

 

[96eb96]

This is about 18 feet of cable! That is what I bought for mine. This assumes you have the premium JBL (your radio will have a DSP button I believe). I think there is a JBL version that does not have an amplifier, it would use a different harness. Do you have an antenna cable running to the front head unit? If not, you need this (premium):

https://www.amazon.com/Metra-70-5601-Wiring-Harness-Bypass/dp/B0002BETAY

 

[Shane Rogers]

So, I bought the inexpensive Dual $69 Dual-DIN XVM286BT head unit at Walmart tonight, almost identical to the same one we have at work for almost double.

I also bought a Scosche harness kit. Since I have the JBL Ford Premium sound amp, am I correct in that I also need to pick up a special harness kit for that?

Since this is the first time I've ever done my own audio upgrade, I could appreciate some tips and tricks. And some general how-to from those that have done it. How long does it take? What wire goes where? (I know that the kits are color coded/tagged for ease of install, but a little bit more advice helps)...

I plan on eventually upgrading this to a full-on Android setup in the near future with integrated navigation, and this is a trial run. Any advice/help/suggestions are much appreciated.[/. Okay well I’ve been reading all the posts so far and I’m here to tell you it sounds like what you have is actually called the Mach Audio system. What you’re looking for is the wiring kit from Metra it has 3 plugs in it. With that one (only available on line) and the pdf I’m gonna give you you’l be able to do everything that you are trying to do now and also be so far ahead when you’re ready to upgrade to a double din head unit. I personally have a Dual DV695MD in my 2000. I chose this one because after about 2 1/2 months of research I found this one does everything you could want and more. I keep seeing ppl posting the word digital. Yours is like mine and all signals are analog. I have all my steering wheel controls and the remote cd changer working without any type of interface at all. I ordered everything that I wanted from amazon,radio,wiring kit,door speakers,adapter wire kit for speakers and a 1000 watt 8” shallow mount sub speaker for less than $400 dollars. I also didn’t use any type of mounting kit for the radio either. Just got a little creative (did have to shave the stock opening about an 1/8 inch) but this radio came with a trim ring. Any further help I can give you,would be more than glad to provide. Just pm me and I’ll give ya my phone number so we can talk directly.

 

[SteveRosenow]

The only steering wheel controls I have are for cruise control. I don't have any radio controls at all.

I managed to fix the main issue I was having post-install and that was that the new head unit kept on blacking out with a "NO SIGNAL" screen every time I turned the headlights on. A simple snip of an orange wire solved it.

One of my friends had mentioned that it is possible to merely jump the amp signal wire to get teh sound to work. If that is possible, I'd like to know what wire it is.

I've tried researching to no avail, the wiring plug pinouts for my rig. Everything I see on a Google search doesn't match what I have, and on the back of my OEM head unit there are only two plugs which plug into the back. One of them is an 8-terminal socket about 2" long by a half inch wide, and the other is a small black socket about 1" by 1/2" and it has sixteen terminals.

I've supplied pix of both plugs.

I also have no antenna wire going to the back of my OEM head unit, either, because I have the factory power retractable antenna (which I'd like to keep functional). Also, when I check the back of my rig at the subwoofer trim panel, it says "JBL" on the "Ford Premium Sound" decal on the speaker grille mesh.

I am at my wits end because I'd really like to get this functional again, but at the same time not get stuck buying one part and it end up being the wrong one. I already did that with a wire harness kit. I'd just like to be done with this, and I really cannot understand why manufacturers like Scosche can't supply a direct plug-and-play kit without the need of extra stuff. It's obscene that I can get the main harness, but the amp bypass kit is seemingly only available online (and I can't even find the one I need). It sucks because I feel I should be able to go and buy the stuff I need to get the job done the first time from a single source, be it a box retailer like Walmart or online.

And I forgot to add to my other reply... When I tried Crutchfield.com, I was also dismayed to find that their dual-din setups were not full-screen units like I wanted, at least within my budget. All of the ones I found had a giant volume knob occupying the bottom center of the unit.

 

[gmanpaint]

Did you click the link I posted? It takes you to a page with plenty to choose from. Everything on that page is for your 96. Read the descriptions for those items until you see which one works for you.

 

[SteveRosenow]

Did you click the link I posted? It takes you to a page with plenty to choose from. Everything on that page is for your 96. Read the descriptions for those items until you see which one works for you.

I did, but even the aftermarket amp bypass plugs that I see, don't appear to match the plug I have on the back of my OEM unit. The ones with the squarish teal-blue plug look close, but I even have that plug on the one I have now and it doesn't fit. Nor are the pins right in it.