- #HOW TO INSTALL CAR RADIO BAND EXPANDER UPGRADE#
- #HOW TO INSTALL CAR RADIO BAND EXPANDER FULL#
- #HOW TO INSTALL CAR RADIO BAND EXPANDER PROFESSIONAL#
Also attach Kenwood's add-on Ipod control interface (KCA-iP500) and navigation system (KNA-G510) following the product's simple instructions. Before you begin to disassemble your dash, you can splice the new wiring harness to your new radio by matching wire colors and descriptions. This will save you from having to cut any wires inside your dash, and, trust me, that's well worth the $20 you should expect to pay for a harness. To make the installation much easier, you should also purchase a wire harness designed specifically for your vehicle's make and model. The opposite was true for my car: I installed a double-din 7inch touch screen head unit, the Kenwood DDX-6019 available at Keep in mind that depths, although largely standard, could vary, so pay attention to how much space you have.
Head units are sized as single-din (a 180 x 50 mm panel) or double-din (180 x 100 mm panel) and you can often purchase an adaptor plate to fit a single-din unit in your double-din vehicle. When purchasing a head unit (the in-dash radio that controls your system), make sure you chose the appropriate size for your car. In addition to all your new equipment you're going to need wire cutters, black tape, crimpers, pliers, screwdrivers, a rubber mallet, a drill, a Dremel, a ratchet set, flashlight, wire tubing, double sided tape and wire tires to get the job done. This will organize your thoughts and uncover any potential problems. Finally, get a big piece of paper and draw a diagram that details where every wire will run. Check literature about your car to make sure you don't need extra adapters such as a custom radio faceplate, or, especially with older or imported vehicles, to make sure there are no non-standard components behind the radio (such as a separate amplifier buried deep within the console) that might greatly complicate the process. Make sure that you're confident that once you pull apart your dashboard you'll be able to fit it back together. Know what you have, where each piece is going to go, and what extra tools it will take to connect everything. If there's one piece of advice you have to follow it is this: Read through each component's instructions to create a master installation plan. It wasn't until I was looking at a colorful fistful of stock radio wires-with no wiring diagram for reference-that I realized my confidence-er, haste-wasn't going to get me anywhere (it turns out that the 50 feet of speaker wire I assumed would be more than enough for a tiny Mustang, is about three feet short when you finish all the splicing, meaning I had to rerun all the wiring. If you follow my advice-which is based on my mistakes-you can avoid ending up like I did, frustrated, sweaty, out of speaker wire and almost out of patience.īefore you start turning the screwdriver and ripping into your dashboard, set aside time to plan out the entire installation process. It looked like a daunting job, but I learned that upgrading your car stereo is not as complicated as it seems. So, against the better judgment of the audio experts I consulted, I took up the challenge to install a sophisticated car audio system-complete with GPS navigation, a DVD player, an iPod connection and a Blue Tooth hands-free mobile phone kit, all controlled by a 7-inch touch screen-on my own.
#HOW TO INSTALL CAR RADIO BAND EXPANDER PROFESSIONAL#
What I didn't want was a $500 invoice from the car audio professional who'd install my sophisticated new system (and then another $500 invoice to extract my components if I sell the car). I wanted a rich, ground-trembling bass that shook the sidewalk as I cruised with the volume cranked.
#HOW TO INSTALL CAR RADIO BAND EXPANDER FULL#
I wanted to be enveloped in crystal clear sound with crisp highs and full mid-tones. I wanted my dashboard to look like a console from the Starship Enterprise.
#HOW TO INSTALL CAR RADIO BAND EXPANDER UPGRADE#
Sure, I could have opted for the dealer upgrade when I bought the vehicle, but I wanted to choose my own components instead of leaving the decision up to Ford. I love my new 2005 Ford Mustang coupe, but stock radio's flat, bass-less sound and distortion at high volumes left the audio enthusiast in me wanting more.