!! Headunit ??

[Rob2000XLT]

Okay, I just called my local car audio store and they said it would cost 125 dollars to install a double din headunit in my explorer. This seems WAY to much. How hard is the install? I am a novice to all of this stuff, could I do it. Is there any modification needed to install a double din. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Rob

 

[Rob2000XLT]

Okay I just called around and they said 18 for the dash kit, 16 for the wiring harnesses and ****. Then 45 for the install/labor. They said they would have to rewire and go around the factory amp. What is this? Is this all true. Because this installation is sound tremendous! Oh, I have the premium sound if that matters. Please advise.
Rob

 

[JTang]

You should just do it yourself. Even if you're getting a good deal, this is the most common trick that discount car shops use to recoup their costs and make some cash. If you went through Crutchfield.com, they'd give you the instructs, harness, and dash adapter for free, as well as the bypass harness that the audio shop you're dealing with supposedly needs to rewire the car with. The "rewiring" of the factory amp is an amp bypass harness that should come WITH the harness you get for your radio. Any discount you think you're getting is being leeched away.

Installing the radio is straight forward enough, and the amp is behind the rear panel on the passenger side. You have a wire cluster going into the amp, and out of the amp. All you need to do is disconnect both of these, and use the amp bypyass harness to connect them and get the amp out of the loop. To get to the amp, you can check out this site with pics so you can see how straightforward it is:

http://www.3drant.com/about/jay/Mountaineer/

Good luck,

Jon

 

[Houston at NCSU]

Hey, check this link out, i follow this guys wiring diagram, and it was accurate. Good luck.
Dead Link Removed

 

[Exploder99]

first off, $125 is insane. i would love to coach you through it but i have a killer headace and a paper to finish but the other day someone poseted this link. Dead Link Removed i checked it out and its rather informative with pictures too. IMHO you would no only enjoy your new head unit if you install it yourself, i know that you and i both can thinkg of many other things that we can do with $125. good luck man.

 

[regassert]

$125 should be illegal to charge for this. A DOuble Din stereo is actually a bit easier than a single size install. The amp by-pass is a breeze, and I agree that Crutchfield is a good place to buy from. Not only do they offer the harnessess, many for free, but their technicians will walk you through the install.

 

[Rob2000XLT]

So if I buy a double din from crutchfield, they will send me the wiring harness, the dash adapter, and the amp bypass harness. When I called some of the local shops they mentioned than an airduct would stop me from installing a double din. That I would run into that and couldn't install the double din. Is this true. Oh and the amp bypass harness, does that plug in underneath the back truck panel or in the dash. I would like to not take off that back panel or else I will probably wait to do a custom enclosure sub at the same time.

These are my plans right now:
Nice Double Din Headunit
3 way pioneer speakers all around
Custom enlosured 10" all ready amplified.

So I should get the double din at crutchfield because they will give me all that stuff needed to do the install? But what is this stuff about the air went in the way? Oh and are speakers hard to install?
Thanks for your input,
Rob

 

[Rob2000XLT]

Okay check this website: Dead Link Removed
It has quite a few wiring harnesses. I know I want to bypass the amp because I will get a high powered headunit, but can you guys figure out which one exaclty I need. If you could that would be great. I also emailed them to see if they had a double din dash kit. Hope this helps you if you are seeing a double din will work for you too!
Thanks
Rob

 

[newbz]

I'd say just do it yourself too, I didn't know absolutely anything about wiring or anything electrical but the wiring harnesses make it so simple. Besides if you get stuck you can always post on the board, it'll help you save some $$$, and trust me you'll need it


Never good enough......never

 

[regassert]

I have a 1997 XLT, and I have a stacked two Din size setup, and it fits fine. If you wanted to be certain before you did anything, you can call Crutchfield and their tech guys will tell what fits your explorer

 

[Rob2000XLT]

I just found out all of the information.
You can buy a double din dash kit for scocshe ind. part number: FD1330
Then in my case since I have the premium sound the wiring harness is: FD16.
These are special order items, so you can either purchase directly through scosche or order then at walmart. The wiring harness intergrates with the factory amp and wiring.

Only one little, hold up, on the dash kit you have to cut a piece of plastic out if you want a double din versus two single din.

If you have any questions talk to jeff@scosche.com or his number is 1800-621-3695 ext.125.

This answers all my questions. hope it answers others too!