Fox stereo installation help

[TheUser]

I'm not very fluent w/ stereo's and their installation. I bought a used pioneer cd player to put in my GT instead of the factory cassette deck.

Should I buy a harness or could I just splice the wires? I don't know which wires to splice is the thing. It has a wire for remote (amp, right?), Accessory, power, and ground. I hooked them up to the battery and it didn't work. I did that when I first bought it last fall and told the guy and he showed me it did work. I could ask him how to install it, but I don't want to look like a huge moron who can't even install a stereo lol.

It also looks kinda stupid since it doesn't fill the whole space around it, but I guess that's what you get for $20.

 

[Daggar]

The harness makes it easier if you can find one. Splicing isn't that tough either so long as you do it correctly. Is this Cd player you're talking about an entire head unit? AM/FM CD sort of thing? If so... try to tracking down the harness. I hate cutting into the factory wires if it can be avoided. Besides... the little wire color chart that comes with it takes away all the guess work.

 

[TheUser]

yep, it's a complete head unit am/fm receiver w/ cd player

i'll have to see if best buy/circuit city has the harness.

 

[Daggar]

If you can't find one there you can always order one from Crutchfield. They would probably also have a face plate to give you a nice finished looking install.

 

[tunedin302]

I would suggest just going with Crutchfield since their faceplates are a much better quality than the Pep Boys, Autozone etc.

 

[ss93cobra]

If you can't find one there you can always order one from Crutchfield. They would probably also have a face plate to give you a nice finished looking install.

 

[darthcual]

I got one at Fry's electronics and it works great only down side was it had to be mounted with screws thru the dash but it looks nice anyhow. Definately get the harness. Especially since you admitted you dont know much about the radio wires. It will make your life easy. Laters

DC

 

[TheUser]

I checked crutchfield.com and couldn't find a faceplate except for a thing for an equalizer and junk. It won't look terrible w/o a face plate I guess. I don't want some cheesy looking face plate.

 

[shootme5150]

typically the setups for an EQ have a knockout where the EQ goes. Even if it doesn't, it's very easy to cover that area and make it look good. Far better than leaving bare metal around the face.

 

[HISSIN50]

i would make sure it does indeed power up first.

i connect constant and key-on power wires together, run them to a fuse and to a positive battery cable (for testing). then ground to ground. if you have a spare speaker, you can hook it up to see if a CD will play and make noise.

i agree with other replies - get the harness. you dont want to cut the stocker up anyhow. wally mart here sells the harnesses.

a stereo shop might have a nice faceplate. with shipping cost considerations, it might not be bad price wise (vs getting it online). or fab something up, esp if you want gauges below the radio.

good luck with it James.

 

[shootme5150]

if you want a 'non-cheesy' looking faceplate, you can always cut a piece of plexiglass to fit in that area and paint the back of it black. Looks great if done properly.

 

[TheUser]

HISSIN: That's just it, I did hook it to a battery, in fact 2 seperate batteries and I couldn't get it to work. I couldn't get it to work last time when I first bought it either, but I took it to work and he did it right there in front of me and it turned on. I'll tell the dude to help me if I need him to and he'll probably do it for me for free, but I just would rather do it my self. I can't learn very well w/ someone else doing all of it for me.

 

[shootme5150]

3 wires are typically required to power it up. Red goes to a switched 12V source (ignition or fuse box), yellow goes to constant 12V source (battery or fuse box), and black to ground. The rest will be for external connections. You can tie the red and yellow together and put them to the batter (with black to the ground of the batter) and it'll power up.

 

[HISSIN50]

3 wires are typically required to power it up. Red goes to a switched 12V source (ignition or fuse box), yellow goes to constant 12V source (battery or fuse box), and black to ground. The rest will be for external connections. You can tie the red and yellow together and put them to the batter (with black to the ground of the batter) and it'll power up.

that sounds familiar.

James, not to be a turd, but you are turning the unit on, right? the 'source' button on newer Pioneers will turn it on.

when the guy got it to turn on, did he have a battery and do it like you are doing it? any differences in the way he did it and you did, that you remember?

good luck bud.

 

[squeeeg]

Buy the harness, there is no other way to do it. splicing wires is a mess the harness makes it nice and clean and it takes a fraction of the time to install.