Just thought id let ya kiddies know that after all the confidence of everyone else installing their own headunit i figured for my 3rd car id actually attempt to install it myself!!

All well and good thanks to bains' guide except for the part where the god damnd F*&*^*N screws wont come out of the stock steel case holder. i think i may have blunted one screw...:owned:

now due to unforseen circumstances i had to put the install on hold and started driving. Little did i know that the blinkers dont work if the hazard button isnt plugged in! Idiot old me realised that the blinkers wern't working and drove around for 20 min finding an auto electrition who then told me why the thing wasnt working!! AAARRRGGGHHH!!

Ahh well i think i'll attempt to unscrew the stock head unit tomro and plug it in, and THEN hit the 6x9's..which i dont think i can fix since i dont have a soldering iron...grrrr:swearing:

I think i know why i pay other people to do stuff for me! lol

Ahhh that sucks mate

with the rears i installed them myself (during school hours :P) and i didnt use a soldering ion just wire crimpers and those joining thingos haha took like 10 minutes for it all really simple

haha have fun trying to get them screws out mate
took me awhile to loosen them, ended up drilling them out much easier :D

Hey mate.. I found out that the first time i installed a head unit too. Only I drove from Bacchus Marsh out too pakenham (bout 1 hour 30 min drive) then back again. lol. But realised what it was, just didnt wanna turn back to get the face plate!

Where abouts in vic are you buddy? I've only done 2 head units (just finished my 2nd one a few hours ago) but I wouldn't mind giving you a hand at all if your not too far away. I've got a soldering iron, solder, wire strippers, crimper, speaker wire, everything you'd need. Cheers Justin.

haha i guess my car just thought it'd be a bitch to me!!:chainsaw:

i *fingers crossed* will hopefully get the head unit done tomro, and maybe even the 6x9's but red_devil i think i may take up your offer of help when i get to installing the sub and amp and other sound paraphenalia!

Iam in glen iris..so at least in the same city, mind you tho that was a good drive to gud 'ol baccus! lol

Now audio purists may puke, but what I did for parcel shelf 6x9's was this......

Rather than cut OEM plugs off the loom or solder wires - I kept factory loom intact, cut the 6x9 speaker's wire at a few inches from the "connector" end..... then put a male spade crimp-connector on each half of the short piece of speaker wire.

Plug the short "speaker" wire onto the 6x9 terminals, then plug the just-added crimp-connectors into the loom plug - observe and check that polarity of wiring connections is consistent in L and R channels. (or you get out-of-phase, dull-sounding muzak).

This means I have a crappy crimp-connector shoved into the OEM loom (possible poor connection) then a crimp-only junction from crimp-connector to wire that came with speakers (possible poor connection), the the very insubstantial speaker connectors onto the speaker terminals.

And you know what? It sounds fine to me.

Then again - I keep OEM HU's cos I like the blended-into-dash look, I used IPod sampled music-source, and I don't have Subs or Amps. My only concession to audio quality is that I use a direct connnection or cassette adaptor from IPod to HU - have never found FM transmitters to give decent audio. So, I'm hardly an audiophile, but the little "patch" cord of speaker wire between OEM loom and aftermarket 6x9's doesn't seem to ruin performance by my standards.

EDIT: PS: Search Forums for good ideas about dealing with poor clearance for 6x9 screws and rear-window glass. The Z-shaped offset screwdrivers may be useful, or someone's excellent suggestion of using a 1/4-drive ratchet and small socket to hold a hex-drive screwdriver bit. Even then, long-nose pliers and lots of patience are useful to have.

Also, don't sit screws or small things on parcel-shelf, they WILL roll forwards and disappear down rear seat backrest cushion Take a small dish for loose small bits to be put in!!!

Then again - I keep OEM HU's cos I like the blended-into-dash look, I used IPod sampled music-source, and I don't have Subs or Amps. My only concession to audio quality is that I use a direct connnection or cassette adaptor from IPod to HU - have never found FM transmitters to give decent audio. So, I'm hardly an audiophile, but the little "patch" cord of speaker wire between OEM loom and aftermarket 6x9's doesn't seem to ruin performance by my standards.

It wouldnt effect the quality by much.

Especially not on your system, personally, I always solder crimped terminals (unless they are insulated, which I prefer not to use anyway). However, thats more from a practical point if the connection is used often.....soldering is just security for me.

Hell my stereo is leaning towards SQ, and the speaker wiring I would get laughed at by purists.

From speaker to start of backseat is stinger 16AWG, soldered into no brand 16AWG...

Guess what......no difference in SQ......

Let us know if you want a hand, I've got tomorrow off, not heaps goin on.

Ers - I agree soldering of connectors is best policy, but I'm just........ Laaazzyyyy. And sometimes my soldering is pretty poor (at others times its not bad - luck of the draw).

I did use some "100mile" tape or similar to secure loom and speaker-wire extensions to roof of boot - kept out out way from over-stuffed luggage etc, to minimise any mechanical stress on the crimp things. So far, so good.

As I've learn't, The more crimps the more chance of the wires wiggling loose and you pulling your hair out trying to find out why a speaker doesn't work.

Solder everything! Don't take the risk, not only that but crimps look nasty, cheap, and tacky.

The only time I use crimps is for spade or ring terminals, even then I ALWAYS solder the wire directly to the crimp.

I didnt spend HOURS upon HOURS wiring in my ECU only for some crappy dodgey chinese made crimp to wiggle loose, it takes me 3 times longer to get all the crimps soldered up but it's worth it for piece of mind.

']As I've learn't, The more crimps the more chance of the wires wiggling loose and you pulling your hair out trying to find out why a speaker doesn't work.

Solder everything! Don't take the risk, not only that but crimps look nasty, cheap, and tacky.

The only time I use crimps is for spade or ring terminals, even then I ALWAYS solder the wire directly to the crimp.

I didnt spend HOURS upon HOURS wiring in my ECU only for some crappy dodgey chinese made crimp to wiggle loose, it takes me 3 times longer to get all the crimps soldered up but it's worth it for piece of mind.

best signature....ever

All well and good thanks to bains' guide except for the part where the god damnd F*&*^*N screws wont come out of the stock steel case holder. i think i may have blunted one screw...:owned:


Haha I know the feeling, when I first changed from my TE head unit to a TJ one with CD player when i first got the car, i got so pissed off that I took to the old head unit with a hammer and smashed it to bits! It did work and loosen the screws, but it also bent the brackets to buggery :doh:

Agree with you tufftr.. I always solder when doing connections, then a bit of shrink wrap. Done that to a new HU & Screen I put into my magna about a month ago when I first bought it. Anyway, yesterday I put another new HU into it, and boy, it really sucked pulling out the old one. Of course you want new wire an not the old crap with solder on it so I had to cut it even shorter and re-strip them. The wires were down to last couple of centremeters before they all go into the loom at the same spot. Made for a pain in the ass installation and I hope no one wants to change it in the future! lol

Agree with you tufftr.. I always solder when doing connections, then a bit of shrink wrap. Done that to a new HU & Screen I put into my magna about a month ago when I first bought it. Anyway, yesterday I put another new HU into it, and boy, it really sucked pulling out the old one. Of course you want new wire an not the old crap with solder on it so I had to cut it even shorter and re-strip them. The wires were down to last couple of centremeters before they all go into the loom at the same spot. Made for a pain in the ass installation and I hope no one wants to change it in the future! lol


In circumstances like this, its a rather good idea to put a plug on the loom side, instead of constantly cutting back towards the loom, and soldering.

Also - heatshrink should be banned, never ever used that crap, and never will :eeek:

In circumstances like this, its a rather good idea to put a plug on the loom side, instead of constantly cutting back towards the loom, and soldering.

Also - heatshrink should be banned, never ever used that crap, and never will :eeek:

Why is that? It makes everything so much cleaner...

Heatshrink.....

Ok, heatshrink does have some uses, in certain area's where conduit is not feasable (in 5 years of auto elec work, I've seen it used once, maybe twice).

In all other circumstances, I prefer electrical tape and conduit.

Simply, heatshrink is a bastard to get off if you need to repair something, or even look at a connection......

In general its used in the wrong spots, in parts of looms where you shouldnt have anything hard, and personally is the 'easy' way out...

Man up Ers :facejump:

Solder and heatshrink FTW!

I hate having to redo something with tape. If you cut near the heatshink you can get it off with pilers easily.

Man up Ers :facejump:

Solder and heatshrink FTW!

I hate having to redo something with tape. If you cut near the heatshink you can get it off with pilers easily.

Bah...

There's two schools of thought here, the wrong school of thought, and mine lol

j/k

As I say, each to their own - im a solder and electrical tape kinda guy :)

solder or not ive become WAYY to ****y and confident about my DIY abilities thanks to my awesome install of my HU (FINALLY!!:eeek: ). TUrns out i had to in the end drill the screws out, but no biggie! now tomorrow? hook up some old amp to soon to be changed stock 6x9's and stock 6". Iam going all out babY! haha Should be lots of fun!!

Agree with you tufftr.. I always solder when doing connections, then a bit of shrink wrap. Done that to a new HU & Screen I put into my magna about a month ago when I first bought it. Anyway, yesterday I put another new HU into it, and boy, it really sucked pulling out the old one. Of course you want new wire an not the old crap with solder on it so I had to cut it even shorter and re-strip them. The wires were down to last couple of centremeters before they all go into the loom at the same spot. Made for a pain in the ass installation and I hope no one wants to change it in the future! lol

Thats why you get yourself an auropro harness.

I bench soldered mine in my shed, the auropro magna harness to kenwood harness that is. Soldered it then shrink wrapped to make a neat little adapted. Then you simply walk to your car and plug it in.

When i pulled my old deck out whoever had installed it spliced the aftermarket harness in just before the factory harness so the factory one was still there, great idea, would be a pain ITA to do though. Would be great if car makers put a second connector somewhere further back.

Supra_t: You mean an Aerpro harness? Or is there another brand with a strangely similar name? Genuine question.

I always solder my wiring, then electrical tape it. Usually around each individual wire, then around the bunch of wires together. I did used to solder it directly into the factory wiring but i've opted for aftermarket harnesses from here on out.

Funnily enough my Verada KR doesn't use the standard Mitsubishi stereo connectors. It uses ISO (industry standard) stereo connectors. I'd have thought it was spliced in but it plugs directly with the same connectors into the factory stereo. Bitsa car perhaps? Who knows.

just an update, my crazy ingenuity and confidence was blown outta the water on account of i didnt have a solder OR shrink wrap hence can attach the speakers to the cable, and b) i tried unscrewing the door handle screw to pull the doors off and it would come off so i attempted to drill it off and broke the damn drill bit...so now i have a stripped car AND a stripped screw! I think iam just gonna pop it all back and let the professionals do it...PROPERLY.

Mind you i'd done all the running of the wires to the boot, but alas to no avail. aaah well..i suppose ill try again for my next car! lol

Was gonna put in the ccfl lights too but now ive got an indestructable door so no go!!:belt: