Problems with my install, and recommendations please

[bdonkersgoed 10+ year member]

Hey Guys,

I am having some difficulty installing a deck on my Dad's 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup truck.

The deck I am installing is the Clarion DXZ545MP.

Before installing the deck, my Dad's factory radio was having a problem where the left speaker would only produce a very VERY low amount of sound. After installing the Clarion deck, the left speaker still doesn't produce any sound.

Now, my Dad said he was driving the truck today and the deck's amp went into protection load, thus stating "AMP GUARD". Could it be the the stereo is only being loaded by one speaker, and hence the impedance is too low?

Also, another question. The two stock speakers on my Dad's Ram 1500 are crap. Would it help if I stuck a 3-year-old set of Sony speakers into the doors and ran them off of the Clarion internal amp? I know Sony's ****, but my Dad doesn't want to spend money and he isn't an audiophile anyways . . . he just want music from the left and right, and the ability to play MP3s [smile]

Thanks for the help!

Bryan

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[MisterGrubbs 5,000+ posts]

Try installing the Sony's, never hurt(couldnt be any worse than stock!) and it might help your problem

Could have a loose connection or it could be grounding out somewhere?

 

[bdonkersgoed 10+ year member]

Try installing the Sony's, never hurt(couldnt be any worse than stock!) and it might help your problem
Could have a loose connection or it could be grounding out somewhere?

Thanks //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I will see if a local stereo shop can fit these in for me. I was going to do it myself, but I can't get the manual window "rollers" off to get the door skin off //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

Thanks,

Bryan

 

[mikescanlon 10+ year member]

go to discount auto parts, there is a tool for taking the manual windows off.

and if i'm not mistaken, the speakers in that dodge truck are 3 ohm in the front.

we had the same problem with a clarion headunit in another dodge.

 

[bdonkersgoed 10+ year member]

go to discount auto parts, there is a tool for taking the manual windows off.
and if i'm not mistaken, the speakers in that dodge truck are 3 ohm in the front.

we had the same problem with a clarion headunit in another dodge.

3-ohm factory speakers . . . weird :S

The speaker system in the Ram 1500 is the NON-infinity . . . very simple, and very crappy Hopefully when I swap out the stock speakers with my old Sony's the problem will be resolved.

I tried going to Canadian Tire to find one of these tool to take the window lever off, but they didn't sell it. A couple of car audio shops told me that I could probably take it off myself without the tool. I looked more closely, and there appears to be a small metal C-Ring on the lever. Maybe if I pop that off the handle will come off.

Does anyone know the factory speaker size in the 1997 Dodge Ram without Infinty System? I thought it was 6.5", but a car audio shop told me it might be 6x9". Hopefully it is 6x9, because I have a set of Sony's that would fit perfect //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Thanks for the help,

Bryan

 

[bdonkersgoed 10+ year member]

By the way, the car audio shops that I went to were guessing that the left speaker was probably blown. They didn't think it was a grounding problem because the speaker still outputs a little bit of sound. Unfortunately they didn't have time to swap the speakers for me because they are busy with the post-Christmas install craze.

Thanks again,

Bryan

 

[bdonkersgoed 10+ year member]

Thanks for all the help!

TI got this all done this afternoon. The most difficult part was getting that stupid c-clip to go back on (for the manual window roller). Other than that, it was pretty simple.

I put Sony 6x9s in place of the factory crap. I know Sony is crap, but they sound amazing compared to the stock speakers, so I am pretty happy //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif I just used the factory wiring for now.

I guess time will tell if the Clarion deck will go into "amp guard" mode now. Hopefully not! It is sounding pretty good //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Thanks for the help,

Bryan