98 MACH Head Unit in 97??

[shadowless127]

Can I use the nicer AM/FM/Cass/Sgl CD Mach HU in my 97 Mounty with the Mach system??

 

[Joe Dirt]

Plug and play? No. They have different wiring systems, as the Mach unit has an internal amp. Your '97 Mounty has an external amp mounted in the rear of the truck...

Some have done it, but it requires changing a bunch of wiring. Doable, yes. Practical? Not when a good aftermarket deck is to be had for under $100... Just my thoughts...

 

[shadowless127]

So then when I install an aftermarket deck, I have to run wiring to the amp just like if it was an aftermarket amp, correct?

 

[617ricky]

Well it depends which route you go.. You could do it the easy way where you just connect the 2 wires on the stock harnesses for the amp, and you'd be using the new deck AND the amp together.. It's not technically ideal since you're amplifying an already amplified signal, but as long as you're careful with the volume and eq, it will sound fine..

The other route is bypassing the stock amp, which is a little project where you have to get access to it under the rear passenger quarter panel, and plug a "bypass cable" in, at which point you're just using the new deck.. That's what I did after I added my own amp/sub..

Something to note tho - the stock amp is honestly more powerful than most aftermarket decks at 20w RMS per channel.. My aftermarket deck is advertised as 45w "max" per channel, but after looking at the fine print, it's only 16w RMS.. The difference isn't that noticeable since I have the treble high and bass low on the door speakers (since I have the amp/sub), but if I was using it normally without the amp/sub, I don't think it would have sounded quite as good as the stock amp, as far as bass..

There's actually another option which at this point I wish I would have done.. And it's actually easier than bypassing the stock amp since you don't even have to do anything with it in the back.. You connect the 2 wires for the stock amp, and what it is basically, is a little device that you plug the speaker wires into on 1 end, and it has output speaker wires on the other end.. It has gain knobs for each speaker, so you can adjust the "already amplified signal" I was talking about earlier.. And then it just goes behind the deck with all the other harnesses and whatnot..

I'm now realizing you said you have the mach system, which I believe is the 1 that has a sub, and though some of this info would apply, I'm not positive about how you'd wire up that stock sub since I don't have it in mine.. But it's still a basic rundown of the options that are there with the notorious stock amp that has caused problems for many, many people lol..

 

[shadowless127]

I think I'm just gonna suck this up till I get my system.

I have 2 10's, an amp, and a flip out LCD Head Unit with my name on it; Just need the $400 to pay for the stuff and installation. It's great to have hook ups.

 

[617ricky]

Yea, it's not worth the extra hassle you'd have to go thru to put a 98 deck in.. But when you do throw in the aftermarket deck, you're still gonna have to deal with that stock amp in the back, using 1 of those options I ran thru.

 

[shadowless127]

Yea, it's not worth the extra hassle you'd have to go thru to put a 98 deck in.. But when you do throw in the aftermarket deck, you're still gonna have to deal with that stock amp in the back, using 1 of those options I ran thru.

I have to run a bypass cable even if I don't use the stock amp and sub????

 

[617ricky]

Here's the deal - the speaker wires go thru the amp (from the deck, to the amp, to the doors).. So if you put a new deck in and don't want to use the stock amp, you gotta bypass it, otherwise you get no sound from the door speakers.. You could also integrate it into the system with 1 of those other options I mentioned, in which case you don't even touch it..

Your other option that I didn't mention is running your own speaker wire from your new deck to the door speakers, but that is gonna be a huge pain that would take you hours.. You'd have to take off all the door panels, and then run the wire thru all the door jambs.. If you're just gonna be using a deck to power the door speakers, it's just not worth doing since the stock speaker wires are more than adequate to begin with.. If you were gonna be running a high power amp for the door speakers you may want to consider it, but otherwise not worth it IMO.

 

[shadowless127]

meh, screw it. I'm gonna pay someone to do this, it's much more of a PITA then I anticipated.

 

[617ricky]

My experience went as far as just stereo installs, so I did that myself.. Bypassing the stock amp in the back was a pain, but I was able to pull that off as well.. When I got the amp/sub, I had the install kit and wanted to do it myself, but I decided to just pay to have it put in cuz I'd never done it and was impatient.. With that, you gotta run the power cable from the battery thru the firewall, and ground the amp to the chassis, also the fuse and RCA's..

 

[shadowless127]

My experience went as far as just stereo installs, so I did that myself.. Bypassing the stock amp in the back was a pain, but I was able to pull that off as well.. When I got the amp/sub, I had the install kit and wanted to do it myself, but I decided to just pay to have it put in cuz I'd never done it and was impatient.. With that, you gotta run the power cable from the battery thru the firewall, and ground the amp to the chassis, also the fuse and RCA's..

The guy I'm buying the system from is a friend of mine and a mechanic/audio guy, so I'm just gonna pay him to install the new deck, amp, and subs.

 

[617ricky]

Yea it is gonna be a hassle with everything.. What I would do tho is buy your harness and bypass cable on ebay - I got them in a combo set for $10 shipped.. The bypass cable is an obscure part, and if you went to an shop they'd charge big money.. Before I knew I had to bypass the amp, I called Best Buy and told them I had my stereo installed but had no sound, and they told me like $80 or something like that.. They were gonna be using a different, more expensive part too..

 

[shadowless127]

Yea it is gonna be a hassle with everything.. What I would do tho is buy your harness and bypass cable on ebay - I got them in a combo set for $10 shipped.. The bypass cable is an obscure part, and if you went to an shop they'd charge big money.. Before I knew I had to bypass the amp, I called Best Buy and told them I had my stereo installed but had no sound, and they told me like $80 or something like that.. They were gonna be using a different, more expensive part too..

crutchfield has the bypass cable for like 15$ i believe. I'll deff check out ebay though.

 

[617ricky]

Scosche FDK8B is the combo - it has the stereo harness and bypass cable.. I bought the harness 1st on ebay, and then a few days later when I realized I needed the bypass cable, I saw they came together, so I have an extra harness now.. I just checked ebay and they're going for a little more than what I paid, but you should definitely be able to get it for no more than $15.. Some guy is trying to charge almost $40 haha..

EDIT: Here's a link for ya from sonicelectronix - http://tinyurl.com/yapvgpq $4.99 + $4.95 shipping

 

[Joe Dirt]

Here shadowless- maybe my thread here would help...

CLICK ME

I think the Scosche kit ricky linked is the same style as teh METRA kit in my thread. I got that one at Best Buy for $13 if you wanted to get one in your hand from a store. Need to get it from the audio installers garage though, they don't keep them on the racks by the stereos.