Stereo Install for 6 Speaker System, Partial Write Up W/Pics Options

[Fastbird]

This is NOT meant to supersede any write-ups on this website. I'm doing this as an addendum to those write-ups as to where they left off (six speaker install dealing w/amp/plugs).

Ok:

To start with, I managed to REMOVE my factory amp without taking anything out other than the stock stereo and shifter boot/plate. Yes, it can be done. The following two pics illustrate the bolts I had to remove to get it out, as they're all circled in red in the pics.


Now, The first pic is the drivers side. I could only remove the front bolt, but if you notice the bracket (which I reattached for a visual) there's an arm up at the top rear. That was held on via a 10mm nut onto a stud, which after the removal of that left me that ability to wiggle the amp around in the brackets after the removal of the front bolt on the passenger side. It takes some jockeying around, but with some patience, a 1/4" drive ratchet and short 8mm socket, it will come out with no further trim removal. I found it easier once I could wiggle the amp around to completely remove the bracket on the driver side, and get it out of the way.

BEFORE you take the amp out, you need to disconnect the two wiring harness' from it which are semi-difficult to remove. If you look above at my first posted pic, you can see the tab on the top center of each harness. Simply slide a screwdriver down from the top on to that tab, push down, and pry out, and the harness' pop right out. The amp should come out now. You don't need to put the driver side bracket back in, but the passenger side will remain in the car as it's tack welded in a couple of places. This bracket is illustrated in the following picture:


So, by this point you should have already removed the stock stereo. The wiring harness that plugs into the back of it also plugs into the factory amp as illustrated below. This is NOT used with aftermarket installations that bypass the amp.


The plugs. Ah, the little blue plugs. This is what I see questioned more than anything but answers always seem to be vague at best. Hopefully I can help clear some of this up.


The above picture shows the amp from the bottom, which gives a good idea of the positioning of the blue plugs. The top of the picture is the back of the car, left is the driver side. THE EASIEST WAY TO ACCESS THESE BLUE PLUGS WAS BY REMOVING THE BRACKET AS MENTIONED ABOVE. BOTH of my plugs had the release tab located on the inside, facing each other. This would have been nearly impossible to remove while still attached in the car.

So, after removing the amp from the car, you get left with what's shown below:

These two plugs mate up with the 87+ Toyota harness available anywhere with no problems. The wiring coloring has me a little concerned right now (there are a red and yellow wire going into the smaller of the two plugs, which I don't get because if they represent power and retained power they should go to the big plug), but I'll be following up this post tomorrow once I get the new head unit installed. Essentially, installing an aftermarket head unit and bypassing the factory amp, you are deleting EVERYTHING from the factory head unit down to these two plugs.

QUESTION. My antenna has two wires as shown below.

Is there an adapter for this to make it a single plug??? It isn't going to match with the new head unit very well.

Oh, speaking of, this is what's going in:


Thoughts so far?? If I missed anything, PLEASE let me know so I can edit this and get the best information available.

[Batman722]

great write up looking forward to tomorrow's episode

and nice Kenwood going in there.

also, all you need to use is the bigger of the 2 antenna wires

[Fastbird]

great write up looking forward to tomorrow's episode

and nice Kenwood going in there.

also, all you need to use is the bigger of the 2 antenna wires

Thanks for the positive feedback!!

About the antenna wires, just why are there two there??? Should I cap the other one so as not to have a source for interference???

[Fastbird]

Oh, here's another tidbit. I bought the 87+ harness from Best Buy yesterday (Metra Part Number BB-WHTY2) for $18.95 (I know, I know).

Was in Wal-Mart last night picking up a couple of things and thought I'd swing by the automotive section. Lo and behold, they had a Scosche 87+ adapter.......for $7.50. Same thing, different company, MUCH cheaper price. That should come in handy for some people.

*Edit* I'm about to go plug everything in, wish me luck.

This post has been edited by Fastbird: Apr 9, 2006 - 11:12 AM

[Fastbird]

Ok, here's the update as promised (a lot of this is going to be specific to my head unit so take what you need). No pics because there's really nothing to update photo-wise:

Wiring the head unit to the 87+ harness: This was fairly straight forward. Everything matched up nicely. My Kenwood Excelon head unit had redundant yellow retained power wires, which I twisted together and then soldered to the 87+ harness. Same thing with the black ground wires. One wire on the 87+ harness was not used, which was on the smaller of the two plugs. This was the orange/white dimmer ground wire. Most aftermarket head units only have a provision for a single dimmer control wire and not a dimmer ground. Just disregard this one, and hook your dimmer wire from the new head unit to the dimmer wire on the large harness (mine works fine). Straight forward and simple though.

After I got the wiring all sorted out, I went ahead and plugged it into the stereo and went out to the car, where it was simply a matter of plugging everything in. Lo and behold, it ALL worked. I grounded my emergency brake wire (video bypass) to the stud that was left from the removal of the factory amp. It all works.

Hopefully this will help someone out having cleared up exactly what to do with the two blue plugs. The NICE part now is that when we go to hook the Ipod wiring up to one of the A/V Inputs, (going to be using a Terk XM Adapter for the changer plug), they're all hanging nice and neat right where the factory amp used to reside. All I gotta do is pull the shifter trim, plug and run the wires under the console to the glove box, and put the trim back in.

[Fastbird]

Had a request for installed pics:

[Hanyo]

wow i love that unit. the only thing that prevents me from buying it is how it cant be mount flush with the dash.

[Fastbird]

wow i love that unit. the only thing that prevents me from buying it is how it cant be mount flush with the dash.

The pictures don't really do it justice. It's not that bad in person.

I will say though, that thing is freaking AWESOME. I barely played with the audio settings and even with the stock speakers there's SOOOOOO much more clarity coming out of them now. Can't wait to get the components in the doors, coaxials in the sides, and a sub in the back.