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Car Forum / Toyota / Toyota Trucks / December 200594 Toyota Pickup stereo question
Hi All, I know very little about car stereos. I own a 1994 toyota pickup and would like to upgrade from the am/fm receiver currently in there. I've been looking at some receivers online at bestbuy, and when i ran their fit guide it said they were compatible with my truck. but if i run the Crutchfield fit guide on the same receivers, it says they are not compatible. whom should i believe? is there some way of determining this on my own without relying on a "fit guide"? any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks. > Hi All, > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Thanks. I have a '94 PU into which I installed a Kenwood that I bought from Crutchfield. Or rather my nephew installed it. IIRC, he had to do a small amount of grinding with a Dremel tool but nothing serious. HTH  SignatureBearman If it's got tits, tires, tubes, or transistors, it's trouble. Thanks, man. Can you tell me if the stereo unit on this truck is single or double DIN? i'm getting conflicting answers. thanks. IIRC, it should be double DIN. Now I have to go down to the garage and look, Yes, Its Double DIN. You need to purchase a KIT to install just about any radio in this space. Your 94 SHOULD have a DIN mount in place- stock. You have to take off the DIN mounting brackets off the side of the factory radio and mount them on the new unit. Then you have to "hard wire" OR get wireing harness adapters. All very messy if you are not sure what to do. I too would suggest you have a certified installer do the job. That being said I used to ( in the late 80's) be this installer, I recently decided to do it all again in my Toyota 4 Runner, well let me tell you things ain't the way they used to be!. These kids with the loud cars nowadays use alot less equipment to get what I had back then. I ran a show Z28 with over 3000 watts (RMS) My sponsors and I had well over 30G's in that car. Now I can get the same quality sound for about 2g's. and still have cargo space! In my Z we had NO back seat and NO rear hatch cargo area. Amazing what time has done. Searcher Guys, Thanks for all your responses -- it's all been very helpful. I'm gonna be totally honest here. I've never installed a radio (as you probably guessed from my previous questions) but i've been considering doing it myself. I found very specific directions here: http://www.installdr.com/InstallDocs/Toyota/PDF/869017.pdf. and it all looks like stuff i can handle, depending on the radio of course. if bestbuy was offering free installation on this one i'd probably go for that but they're not. but if you all strongly advise against it then i will heed your advice. just seems like a fun project. in terms of wiring it looks like i would just plug the wiring harnesses together and the rest just involves a lot of screwing and unscrewing. let me know what you think. also, what about speakers? hard or easy? again, if you guys think it's a bad idea let me know. and in terms of the DIN, my truck has the factory radio and then the plastic pocket below it. would i still need a kit? it looks from the directions in the link above that i just need to screw the new radio into the factory brackets above the pocket, just like the current radio. thanks again. Searcher, thanks for the email. I responded but got a bounceback. If i do it myself it won't be for a week or two, but I'll probably pepper you with a few more questions. I really appreciate the help. >Hi All, > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >this on my own without relying on a "fit guide"? any help is greatly >appreciated. I'll bet Crutchfield is only listing the ones that "Drop In" with absolutely no mods at all. If BestBuy says it fits and sells it to you, they darned well better take it back if it doesn't. Of course, you'll probably need a mounting kit from Metra or Scosche. And the wiring adapter kit that plugs into the Toyota harness, so you don't have to butcher the car wiring. That said, Single DIN and Double DIN are very standardized formats, the only differences are in the depth of the units and possibly back support bracketry where a pin slides into a matching hole on the back of the radio to keep it from vibrating. If you have to remove or modify the factory back support, I'll bet that's why Crutchfield would de-list them. --<< Bruce >>-- SignatureBruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700 5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545 Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net. On 12/13/05 1:31 PM, in article 1134502286.536839.300150@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com, "mace07@gmail.com" > Hi All, > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Thanks. Since Best Buy offers free installation (extra parts cost $$ of course) my thought would be to take it to a Best Buy, choose a stereo,and ask them to install it. If they can't, they will likely tell you. BTW, I had a Sony CD-MP3 player installed in my 99 Tacoma there ($129.00 + wiring harness and tax) and they did a pretty nice job. They will also remove the new stereo and put my factory one back in for free if I ever decide to sell the truck. Overall, I was pleased with that experience. Good day, Do you want to keep the storage pocket below the deck? I'm guessing you do... a double din deck would require that you get rid of the pocket.. you want a single DIN... There is no kit required, just pick up a wiring harness to make it simple.. Yellow is Power, black is ground, and red is accessory (ignition)... The blu is for a power antenna but can also be used for an amp turn-on. you will have to pull the bottom dash tray.. then pull the lower dash from the driver's side under the wheel... next pull off the lower dash that is the glove box... you can't get to the lower center dash right hand mounting screw without pulling the glove box... when you have the screws all out.. just gently pull on the lower center dash piece and it will "pop" out, there are snaps that hold it in there without the screws.... the knobs on all the heater control's just pull off.. You will need a 10mm nut-driver for the lower mounts on the driver and passenger side lower dash pieces, an 8mm nut-diver for the radio bracket itself... and a phillips head screwdriver... it's really pretty simple. If you want to keep the storage pocket... DO NOT BUY A DOUBLE DIN... I don't want you to be pissed when you get faulty info.. I used to install all variation of mobile electronics.. I do know what I'm talking about.. any questions? post em..... Ian > On 12/13/05 1:31 PM, in article > 1134502286.536839.300150@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com, "mace07@gmail.com" [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > Overall, I was pleased with that experience. Thanks, EasyE. Very helpful. How about the speakers? Are they more or less difficult to install? And where exactly are the located? Two behind the seat and two in the dash? if so i don't think the ones in the dash are functional. Hi folks. me again. i also bought a cigarette lighter assembly to install in my 94 toyota pickup. there has never been a socket in this truck and thus there are no wires there, just a plastic cap. Could someone tell me which type of 12v wire to purchase? i saw several different colors at the store. thanks. Hmmm, I think 18 ga. is what I used for my lighter (spare 12 accessory plug) socket. Just go to the auto store, buy a pack of red and a pack of black.. There really should be a plug wrapped up in there somewhere behind that plug. It would not match any socket you would buy at the store but at least it would be power and ground. Searcher >Hi folks. me again. i also bought a cigarette lighter assembly to >install in my 94 toyota pickup. there has never been a socket in this >truck and thus there are no wires there, just a plastic cap. Could >someone tell me which type of 12v wire to purchase? i saw several >different colors at the store. thanks. The easiest way is to look on the factory wiring harness under the dash, and find the factory hookup for the cigarette lighter - it's a two-pin female connector with the tabs arranged in a T (probably in white nylon) that will have the +12 Hot (switched on the Accessory position) and ground wires. If you have a factory lighter assembly, it'll either plug right onto the end of it, or there will be a wiring pigtail with a matching socket. If the car was built without a lighter, it may not have a fuse in that fuseblock position but it has the wires - it's too common an option to not put the wire in the factory harness. When you find what you think is the connection, test it with the key in ACC and a small lamp across the pins. Pull the "Lighter" fuse out to verify. If you have to start from scratch, I'd go to the hardware store and get a length of 14-3 STO or SJTO plastic jacketed extension cord - not the thick rubber jacketed type. Cut up a factory made outdoor 120V extension cord, they're usually cheaper than the bulk cable. The outer cable jacket gives you instant abrasion protection where a single wire might get shorted out. Run it from the battery to the center console, poke a hole in an existing grommet through the firewall. Ty-rap the new wire to the existing wiring harness to route it away from moving or hot things. And leave a little working slack in the wire at both ends - if you cut it short, no matter how many times you cut it, it will still be too short. Strip the battery end 12". Put a ring terminal on the white wire and connect it to the negative body grounding bolt. Hook up the black wire to an inline fuseholder with a butt splice, and a ring terminal from the other end of the fuseholder to the positive battery terminal. Tape off the green wire at both ends, that is for later. When the lighter socket end is all connected, put a 15A or 20A fuse in the fuseholder. This gives you a fused hot feed from the battery for the lighter socket (and a second potential hot wire for future use like a CB radio) and a known good ground to the battery. --<< Bruce >>-- SignatureBruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700 5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545 Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net. anyone know where i can find the factory lighter for this vehicle? since just plugging it in would be easier than the alternative? thanks The obvious answer would be the dealership. Other than that I would suggest a junkyard, BUT therin lies the problem of being junked. Alot of the times lighter outlets would be the first thing to go, the element is at most times exposed to moisture. Maybe the socket would be usable, but then again is the risk worth the effort? THe dealer part would probably be around 20 US. Searcher is there a dealer online? i'm just having a busy day with the transit strike and all. would be good if i could just order online. if you're not aware of any, no worries, i'll track one down. thanks. I'll see what I can find out, My sister in laws up there I'm sure she's having a go of it too. Searcher I'm sure. Nothing like a two hour walk to work in cold weather to get the blood running. Thanks again for your help. >is there a dealer online? i'm just having a busy day with the transit >strike and all. would be good if i could just order online. if you're >not aware of any, no worries, i'll track one down. thanks. There have been a few dealers mentioned here in the past who do online parts sales, but I've never needed them. Sorry. Just a reminder - if you are going to run any heavy continuous loads from the lighter socket like a 12VDC to 120VAC power inverter, 12V coffeepot or saucepan, any heating device, etc., you really need to order an 'Accessory Power Socket'. Mount it under the dash with the bracket supplied, and wire it with the direct battery feed option described earlier. The factory lighter socket assembly has a thermal fuse on the backside meant to blow if the lighter is left pushed in too long before the whole thing gets hot enough to catch the car on fire. Meaning the factory style lighter can't reliably take a continuous accessory load of more than about 3 amps, or an intermittent one of roughly 10 to 15 Amps for more than 30 seconds at a burst with a 5-minute rest. The 'Accessory Power Socket' looks the same from the outside but doesn't have a thermal fuse, the only limit is a regular overload that would blow the inline fuse at the battery. It also does not have the special bimetal clip at the back of the socket that is needed to work a cigarette lighter element, so you can't use it for a lighter in the first place. --<< Bruce >>-- SignatureBruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700 5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545 Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net. Thanks for the info, Bruce. I was planning on using it mostly for charging my cell and my ipod. >Thanks for the info, Bruce. I was planning on using it mostly for >charging my cell and my ipod. Which a regular lighter socket will handle just fine. First, find and confirm the power feed connector on the truck - it'll be taped in a little coil along the big fat main wiring harness. Then call your local wrecking yards to find a stock lighter socket assembly with the metal mounting cup you need, and make sure it has the power wire pigtail. Tell the counter man your truck does not have one now, and you need all the little bits. SignatureBruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700 5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545 Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net. thanks. back to the stereo -- do i need to disconnect the negative on the battery before installing the new stereo? thanks. back to the stereo -- do i need to disconnect the negative on the battery before installing the new stereo? It's a good idea. It will prevent you from shorting a wire and possibly damaging the stereo. ok, thank you. >thanks. back to the stereo -- do i need to disconnect the negative on >the battery before installing the new stereo? You don't really have to disconnect the battery /IF/ you have a pretty good clue about what you're doing. But it can not hurt at all. Myself, I'd just pull both the fuses feeding the radio before messing with it - namely the Accessory switched 'radio' fuse, and where it gets it's constant memory power, probably from either the 'clock' or 'dome light' fuse. --<< Bruce >>-- SignatureBruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700 5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545 Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net. Bruce, since you should be putting it in with a wiring harness... All the wiring should be done out of the truck.. Sit down at the dinner table and wire it... you won't have to worry about any power at all.. as long as you remember yellow is power, red is accessory, and black is ground, and hook those up properly in the harness there is no damage you can do to anything.. you will just be plugging the completed harness into the stock plug for the raio in the truck, and then into the new deck.. everything is color coded, it's a piece of cake.. Ian > >thanks. back to the stereo -- do i need to disconnect the negative on > >the battery before installing the new stereo? [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > 5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545 > Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net. guys you were right. installed it in about 20 minutes. works great. now i'm sitting here wondering which wires if any are supposed to go to the lighter socket. i don't have the factory socket so perhaps it won't work at all but would like to make sure before i close this all back up. the only free wires back there (where the harnesses are) are a grey and grey/red wire which are connected to some sort of white L-shaped plug. is that for the lighter socket? after looking again at Bruce's earlier post, it would seem that this plug is in fact the factory lighter plug...is there a way to connect this universal lighter socket without the matching plug? or what about the accessory socket? never mind. i worked it all out. thank you to everyone here who helped me out with these projects -- really appreciate it. happy holidays! |
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