With the summer season upon us, all of those D-I-Y outdoor projects are ready to be checked off your to-do list. First up...replacing that old factory radio. You know, you know...it's time to jump into this century and get yourself set up with a better sound system. So, we're here to help you on your way!
When someone says that catchy phrase "do-it-yourself", I immediately think to myself "how do-it-yourself is it, really?" Depending on your level of knowledge and interest in a particular area, a D-I-Y project can sometimes be a more daunting task than someone claims. That being said, the D-I-Y car radio installation project, with the right products in-hand, gets about a 3 out of 10 on our scale of difficulty...of course with 10 being the most difficult. Because the products that we sell revolve around the installation of car audio equipment, we thought it would be most helpful to provide our readers with a quick, yet informative, step-by-step process for installation. Now, keep in mind that there are definitely some situations out there that require a professional for installation and that is mainly due to the fact that the required accessories are not always available for every year, make and model of vehicle. But, for the majority, the steps below are will get you from point A to point B. Step 1: Purchase your vehicle Step 2: Realize that the sound system is super boring and needs a complete overhaul Step 3: Pick out your new system with all the bells and whistles...touchscreen receiver, navigation, Bluetooth, bumpin' speakers and woofers, high-power amp... Sorry...got carried away there. No, really...these are the actual steps: Step 1: Shop around for the products that are required for your vehicle. The following products are typical: aftermarket radio, installation tools, dash kit, wire harness/interface, antenna adapter, crimpers/butt-connectors, etc. As for your aftermarket radio, you have several options; single or double din, CD/DVD player, the newer App radios, or media player only. What the heck...you can even get a refurbished one! Whatever you choose, just make sure you avoid, at all costs, the knock-off or unknown brands as they are infamous for not following international fitment and compatibility standards. Ultimately, the money you save with those radios, you will end up spending at a professional to customize the install. Step 2: Retaining factory features. A lot of times there are features that come with vehicles that the owner wishes to retain; like premium sound systems, steering wheel controls (SWC), OnStar (GM vehicles), SYNC (Ford vehicles), factory Bluetooth, USB/Aux-in ports, Satellite radio...just to mention a few. Depending on the features you have and wish to retain, you can purchase your wire harness/interface based on your preferences. Step 3: Take the vehicle's dashboard apart. This may involve a bit of prying on your part, but can done more easily with specific removal tools. Step 4: Disconnect the vehicle's factory radio and wiring harness. You will notice that your new receiver comes with attached wiring and in order to avoid cutting any of your vehicle's factory wires, you will need to purchase a radio wire harness specifically for your year/make/model to act as a bridge between the vehicle and your new receiver's wires. Depending on the specific vehicle it can be a really simple wire harness or a more sophisticated wire harness interface that's needed. Step 5: Connect the new receiver to the vehicle. With your vehicle-specific radio wire harness/interface, you will now be ready to connect one end to the vehicle's harness and the other to the receiver's harness. *Depending on the vehicle, an antenna adapter may be necessary and will work similarly to the wire harness. Step 6: Attach the new dash kit. Once you have connected the new receiver, you will simply utilize the brackets, cage (if provided), and screws to mount the receiver into the opening left by the factory radio. Be sure to test your install to make sure that everything works. Then, after the new receiver is securely mounted, you can slide the panel and trims of the dash kit over it and firmly press it into place. You're all set! Now, was that so scary? We don't think so and hopefully we've shown you that this D-I-Y project is actually not the daunting task that it may seem at first. So, before you seek out a professional installer, think of the money that you could save by following these simple steps. For all of the installation items that you need for your vehicle, check out Spiral Audio or give us a call any time!
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