instalation?

[hondarider 10+ year member]

How hard is it to install a head unit? I have never done it before and was wondering if i could do it myslef?

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[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

Well - the level of difficulty is rather vehicle-specific. Some rides have fairly easy to remove factory units and some involve a somewhat complicated process.

One tip I'll give ya is if you are upgrading a factory stereo to an aftermarket unit and you'll be installing it yourself is use a factory-to-aftermarket wiring harness adapter. This matches wire-for-wire to your new stereo's wiring harness then plugs directly into the stereo harness already present behind your dash. These adapters are available at Best Buy, Circuit City, even Wal-Mart. Pricing ranges from $10~$20 dependant on your particular vehicle and IMO they are worth their weight in gold.

Another possible help would be have a look through Crutchfield....for years they have supplied their MasterSheets manuals detailing (with pics) how to disassemble then reassemble your car with any audio gear purchase. Now they offer these vehicle-specific MasterSheets for purchase by themselves for like $5 or $6. For someone who knows more or less nothing about audio installation these might be a worthy investment as well.

 

[playa1 10+ year member]

its easy dude match up color wire to color wire basically and crimp everything good.

 

[hondarider 10+ year member]

Is this what your talking about? http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4213069

So all aftermarket head units have the same connection on the back?

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

Is this what your talking about? http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4213069

Something like that, yes. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

So all aftermarket head units have the same connection on the back?

They won't all use the same exact harness that plugs into the rear of the aftermarket stereo, no. Each manufacturer would normally have their own plug shape and port type where it plugs into the back of the deck. IIRC Pioneer is now putting their RCA preamp outputs on their own harness/plug rather than these cables being permanently attached to the rear of the unit's chassis.
Having said that - each type of radio will have the same essential group of wires on the back of it.....Red for power, Black for ground, Yellow (usually) for 12v constant, Green, Gray, White, and Purple for speaker outputs, either one or two Blue wires for power antenna and outboard component (amp, EQ, crossover, etc) activation, most newer decks will have an Orange wire that controls display dimming (when ya turn your headlights on the display on the aftermarket deck will dim slightly akin to the way the OEM radio does)

After that you may or may not have some additional wires this again being dependant on what kind of deck you end up with - cell phone mute activation, Kenwood eXcelon decks have a pinkish wire for amplifier B.M.S. control (this is a Kenwood eXcelon-specific feature) etc etc etc.

But the normal wiring as described above is applicable to pretty much any deck you might buy. Just match the stereo's harness to the adapter harness wire for wire, color for color (yes, there will likely be some on the stereo that the adapter does not have corresponding connections for) and once that's done just plug the adapter into your factory plug and viola! Done! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[sicro 10+ year member]

It isn't hard at all, all you need to know is what a specific wire is used for. Then you just have to match the wires and that`s that.

If you have a car which hasn't got a space designed for a HU and thus no wires at all(my case), you must first get 1 fairly thick wire for + and - and connect them to the car's electrical system(if you want you can connect the ignition + to the + permanent source as to be able to use the HU without the ignition switch turned on), some wires leading to the speakers / or amplifier .

After doing so, just cut off the hu harness and connect the wires, following the instructions manual and isolate the connections.

 

[Pyro_By_Nature 5,000+ posts]

Some cars the harnesses can be about $80, but it's not all that common.

If you list your vehicle we can be of much more help.The wiring isn't so bad as it is getting to the HU.

 

[hondarider 10+ year member]

I think this will be going in a 2001 pontiac grand prix.

 

[unbonyr 10+ year member]

I installed a alpine unit into my freinds 1997 grand prix same dash style. It's not hard just have to be carefull cuase you have to take off the dash but its just a couple of screws and a seal around the top the wiring harness was like 20 bucks at best buy. Just match the wires and your good it took me like 45 min for the whole thing.

 

[concept11253 10+ year member]

The hardest part of installing a new HU is figuring out how the dash comes apart. That is always the hardest part because manufactures always find ways to hide screws behind stuff. You might want to check with your local audio shops or online to find where the screws are hidden. Wiring should be the easiest part.

 

[6spdcoupe 5,000+ posts]

I think this will be going in a 2001 pontiac grand prix.

From Metra youll need P/Ns: 99-400 OR 99-4544 OR 99-3320 Depending what exactly suits your car.

Wire harness would be: 70-1858

Antenna adaptor: 40-GM10

All these can be found (usually) at any install shop,BB,CC,Walmart,etc. Although BB and CC use their own P/Ns for Metra parts, so have them cross reference.

 

[dleccord 5,000+ posts]

Circuit city has simple plug and play harness, no cutting or splicing... it plugs to the back of your HU and then from there to another harness and then directly to your OEM harness, kinda pricey but well worth the time of cutting the wires

you looking about $30-35 harness

 

[6spdcoupe 5,000+ posts]

Smartcables? Or do they use other than Metra?