Aftermarket stereo install (w/ pics)

rico_vancouver

Active member
May 26, 2005
29
0
Vancouver, BC, Canada
No problem Paxton... I hope you also install the steering wheel controller. I didn't bother to do a write-up for that one, as there was a video from the manufacturer on how to program the sequence to register the buttons from the steering wheel.
 

paxton

Well-known member
Nov 13, 2006
1,246
2
Huntsville, AL
I bought the JVC KD-X50BT, a digital media receiver with Bluetooth. The radio has independent red, green, and blue, so you can set the display and the buttons to any color. Matching the green in the Disco was pretty easy. There's a front USB and AUX input, in case I want to add something else. It will handshake with two phones at once, so my I can connect to my wife's phone too. All audio from the phone streams, so I don't have to listen to just iTunes; Pandora and Digitally Imported work great.

I mounted the microphone on the top half of the clam shell surround on steering wheel. It works great.

I bought everything from Amazon, the radio, the Metra 70-1786 adapter, and the Metra 89-9400 trim plate for less than $120.

I did buy the steering wheel adapter (PAC SWI-JACK, also from Amazon) for $38 but I haven't installed it yet.
 
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Durt D1ver

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2008
649
0
Jersey Shore
My 04 s came with the single cd player. I installed a alpine cda9883, along with a swi-jack. Being an s trim, i did not have to deal with factory amps. Although my alpine model is nla, it controlls my ipod, has a built in xm controller, and a aux in. I've been very happy with it for the past 4 years.
 

p-dawger

Well-known member
Mar 16, 2011
84
0
.
Looks nice thanks for the write up -

Nobody mentioned speakers in this thread and is it worth it to replace. I have an 01 SE with standard stereo - I just went the ipod integration route, ditched the CD player and it works great.

My only issue is the sound qaulity at high volume - lots of distortion etc...not sure if that is the speakers or the amp or both.

My guess is after 200k and 12 years my speakers are prolly done for - are they paper?

Anyway anybody just upgrade speakers and keep the factory system in place? I guess I am trying to determine the weak points and cheapest way to upgrade - not interested in replacing the head unit - I either use the radio or the ipod (who uses CD's anymore?)

Thanks -
 

Denisk

Well-known member
May 24, 2004
160
0
Washington DC
Rich,
Big, big KUDOS to you for this. If not for this post of yours, I'd still be stuck on AM, where my oem cassette tape deck had me cornered. Your post has motivated me to do whats probably the best thing ever to happen to my truck, short of regular maintenance:) I owe you one, as the harness you described worked flawlessly. Now, were you ever able to identify the steering wheel control wire? Which one is it? Did you use PAC or AXXES Metra? Please share.
 

rico_vancouver

Active member
May 26, 2005
29
0
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Regarding the steering wheel controller, I don't remember which wire it was, but it was the one that was documented I think in a post somewhere on this board. After programming the PAC-SWI-PS, it has worked flawlessly. I don't have the delay that Durt refers to.

Sorry I didn't take pics to help out.

Rich
 

Denisk

Well-known member
May 24, 2004
160
0
Washington DC
rico_vancouver said:
Regarding the steering wheel controller, I don't remember which wire it was, but it was the one that was documented I think in a post somewhere on this board. After programming the PAC-SWI-PS, it has worked flawlessly. I don't have the delay that Durt refers to.

Sorry I didn't take pics to help out.

Rich
Thanks! Was that the one that had to be grounded, or was there another one?
 

Denisk

Well-known member
May 24, 2004
160
0
Washington DC
Ok, found BOTH wires. Black and Grey as in this thread (see pics), #2 on the car's harness (has to be grounded): https://plus.google.com/photos/1178...98210743352145/5407598230511940786?banner=pwa
And number 3 on the factory harness, different row, next. That one connects to the white wire.
This leaves you with power (black and red) and blue / yellow to the blue / yellow on the aftermarket unit, unless it has a jack in it... Now, programming this thingie is something else. So far could not figure it out.
 

Rover_Hokie

Well-known member
Jun 7, 2008
355
0
Roanoke Valley, VA
If you care to retain the pretty decent Land Rover Harman Kardon system unit and retain the CD changer, you can go this route with a aux jack added to the face of the OEM unit or the jack added to the back with a button on the front so you can turn the Aux jack on/off without unplugging your external music source. You simply extend the Aux jack from the back of the unit to where ever you want to install it on the dash or center console. You can simply us a male-female cable and hang the female end of the cable out of the dash, or you can use a male to finished surface mount female jack cable, and install the finished end in the dash or center console. I hardly use the CD changer under the seat, not real convenient, so the Aux jack works for me. I would not mind having bluetooth or a USB port, but I kind of like having a boring stock unit that nobody wants to break in to tear up my dash to steal. Yea, I am getting old, when I was younger I would want the latest and an equalizer and all the goodies, but, this will work for me now.

http://factoryradioservice.com/land-rover-0102-discovery-ii-radio-with-aux-input-p-39.html

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Land-Rover-Cassette-Radio-MP3-Ipod-SAT-AUX-audio-input-/190472473504?pt=Car_Audio_Video&hash=item2c590b4ba0

They will add either option to your unit for $75 or $85 depending on which option you want which includes the return shipping, you have to also pay to ship the unit to them, so around $100 total probably..
 
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Denisk

Well-known member
May 24, 2004
160
0
Washington DC
Rover_Hokie said:
If you care to retain the pretty decent Land Rover Harman Kardon system unit and retain the CD changer, you can go this route with a aux jack added to the face of the OEM unit or the jack added to the back with a button on the front so you can turn the Aux jack on/off without unplugging your external music source. You simply extend the Aux jack from the back of the unit to where ever you want to install it on the dash or center console. You can simply us a male-female cable and hang the female end of the cable out of the dash, or you can use a male to finished surface mount female jack cable, and install the finished end in the dash or center console. I hardly use the CD changer under the seat, not real convenient, so the Aux jack works for me. I would not mind having bluetooth or a USB port, but I kind of like having a boring stock unit that nobody wants to break in to tear up my dash to steal. Yea, I am getting old, when I was younger I would want the latest and an equalizer and all the goodies, but, this will work for me now.

http://factoryradioservice.com/land-rover-0102-discovery-ii-radio-with-aux-input-p-39.html

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Land-Rover-Cassette-Radio-MP3-Ipod-SAT-AUX-audio-input-/190472473504?pt=Car_Audio_Video&hash=item2c590b4ba0

They will add either option to your unit for $75 or $85 depending on which option you want which includes the return shipping, you have to also pay to ship the unit to them, so around $100 total probably..

Good one! I had exact same unit, done by these guys, and I believe I even posted their info here as well. The trouble is, at some point the radio became weird: it would stick to AM, which is no fun. The AUX in on this would only work with the radio set on FM. The stock CD changer is very touchy: it skips often. I know it needs to be cleaned, but i just did that and it did not do much of improvement. Also, from the first day when I got this unit from these guys, it would cut my cruise control. As long is its on, my cruise just would not work. I think that may have something to do with the speed sensitive volume feature, which was probably screwed somehow. All in all, I liked this setup when it worked, ran iPhone and iPad movies through the car, it was fun, but at this point its time to say good riddance. KENWOOD KIV-BT901 with HD and SAT radio and backup cam will bring much more fun to my long rides. With the harness mentioned here, it allows to use the stock amp, and it sounds fantastic, colors match stock. I am also debating putting a new changer in, but have to finish this install, placing all these wires inside turned out to be much harder than I thought.
 

Vic00Dis

Well-known member
Jul 20, 2014
56
0
Lakeland fl
Just installed my Boss BV9976B . amazed. had to take all parts back to Best B because the Media System came with the cables connected except the RCA Plugs.. so all I did was plug and play. Sounded great. The reason I am here is the adapter plate that locks everything in seems a smidgen to big can't even staert one end. into the box. So will fight that tomorrow.. I was trying to put the small trim plate on upside down.. lol. according to the finished Picks. Nice JOb. Guess I won't be running in water over the hood line, I will take a pic when I am finished. It was 97 Degrees out there so that has slowed me down,,Great Radio with BT for phone or Music. 7 screen that rises out of the Radio front.. Rear Camera support SD card and UsB support.
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
eeeeeeeeeeeek

I'm not digging the receiver, but he did solder and shrink the wiring. That's a damned sight more than most people do.

Here's how I did it.:D

alpinepin_zps07c6e821.jpg


Honestly, though, the wiring isn't bad. I personally get in there with a little needle and remove all the wires I'm never going to use from the aftermarket multiplug, but that's just an extra step that keeps things neat and allow better airflow.

I can't fucking stand extra wires.

I'm using an Alpine CDA 9887. It looks pretty damned nice in there.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
Here's the other diagram I made. I added some notes, as I'd intended to post it here somewhere. This may help some people.

pin_zps8bf199d8.jpg


I always create little drawings and diagrams to interleave in the technical manual for future reference.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

panmatai

New member
Feb 17, 2016
1
0
Fayetteville, AR
Ok, so I've got my wires soldered to my Metra harness, same as listed here, and I'm going to plug in the RCA cables and notice this:
mbljic.jpg


There's nowhere to plugin the RCA cables!
1DzF6CoH.jpg
I had ordered a Pioneer X380BT. I'm guessing this doesn't exactly match up?

So can I strip the RCA plugs on the Metra harness and solder them to the wires coming from my Pioneer headunit?