removing radio help!?

[joox31]

i recently bought a neon light and i need access to a wire behind the radio. then i realized that i couldn't remove the radio or anything around it for that matter!
I have a '95 Eddie Bauer edition with the stock JBL sound.

Please could anyone tell me how i go about getting the radio off? and possibly the the black plastic around the whole thing?

this isnt my car but its what i need to do

thx.
-joe

 

[aldive]

There is a special tool required.

I got mine at wal Mart for less than $10.

Good luck....

If someone has a pic, please post it.

 

[Lemondrop]

Go to autozone or discount auto parts and buy some radio remval tools , they look like a U bolt and are for FORDS . Should eb in the radio section , or ask a clerk . Put them in the 4 holes on your radio face and push them outward to release the retainers . Then slide the radio out the dash .

 

[cnapierala]

I think if you are talking about the same radio that i have, you can just take a couple of nails that are the same approx. size as the holes in the stereo and cut the pointed end off. Then just stick them in and gently push away from the stereo on these while pushing from the back (if possible) or just pull on the nails.

Good luck!

 

[Lemondrop]

yeah , you can do that but for the easy way , get the tools . If you feel like dickering with it , use nails . There is just 4 different "locking tabs" which have to be released to let the radio slide out . id say if there is 2 people there go for it with nails . If by yourself , get the tools . If you plan on taking the radio out alot ... get the tools . The explorer and I believe rangers use a rubber coating on the plastic peice that surrounds the radio and holds the rear wiper switch / 4wd switch and all . The rubber coating nicks easy and looks like crap once nicked ,if your nails should slip or have some sort of mis-hap .

 

[joox31]

got the goods

ok thx a lot you guys for tellin me the part i needed. i now have that. now i need help on the following..

do i need to disconnect anything after the HU slides out? or can i just let it dangle there while i connect to its hot wire with my neon.

thx in advance,
-joe

 

[Lemondrop]

Id disconnect the radio if your hacking into the wiring . if you short something it might toast the radio ........
Worst that happens is you have to reset all your setting and radio pre-sets . I dunno if Id hook a neon bulb to my radio wiring though ... the neon might toss some buzz back into your radio .

 

[Lemondrop]

There should be access to the cig lighter once the radio is out , Id tap into that for my 12v source . If your looking for a switched source(comes on with key) , youll have to search around or wire in a relay . Id stay away from the radio wires itself though , just to keep noise out .

 

[itzbinnice]

The easiest way to pull it without any special tools is to remove the 2 (5/16) screws hiding right above the heater/ac controls. Once they are out just grab the radio by sticking your fingers in the cassete slot and pull back. This will remove the whole assembly that you describe that you want removed. Once the assembly is away from the dash, to make things easier take a phillips screwdriver and take the two screws out holding the rear wiper and fog light switch in. Once that is off you have more clearence and can disconnect the remainder of the wires. To remove the radio from the housing simply push in on the two springloaded clips on each side. The job should not take more than 10 minutes and you have the entire cavity exposed.
I've pulled mine out about 5 times already and it gets easier each time. I read on some of the threads that those radio removal tools sometimes don't work.
I guarentee with this method it works. Good luck in your quest.

 

[joox31]

post to come

thx so much for all the help everyone. I'm gonna try to do this thing tommorow and i'll try to post the results.

thx again for all the help!
-joe

 

[cnapierala]

Nails cost $0.05 and most people have them in the garage. The special puller was said to have costed $10.00 not to mention the gas and time it takes to get to the store. I would say that it is easier to use the nails. I have done this many times and not had any problems.

 

[fixer]

the radio removal tool is $2.99 at AutoZone (just checked theie website)... and i think its about the same price at Wal-Mart.

 

[joox31]

hmmmmmm

well i started working on it today and i couldnt quite get it working. the guy at auto zone said that i am using the wrong wires behind the radio. so i went to check for the POWER and GROUND wires but theres nothing that says which is which. does anyone here know?

also, i was going to use the cig lighter as the source but i didn't know how. any info on that would be appreciated.

thx
- joe

 

[rydinhigh]

first thing you better do is get a 12 v light tester. then start poking around in the prongs looking for a power. if you are looking for a acc. wire (one that shuts off when the truck is turned off) keep turning the truck on and off and when the light goes on when the truck is on and off when the truck is off you found your wire.

 

[DarkMan]

I power my CB through the Cig Lighter power. MUCH better way to go. You don't interfere with the radio at all, and you have power all the time, even when your key is off. The Cig lighter on ly has two wires, so it's real easy to figure out. Don't futz with the radio wires. That's my advice.