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Am I setting myself up for disaster by thinking a double DIN stereo install doesn't look all that bad?

Never installed a stereo so I could be totally delusional.

Installed plenty of lift kits, mounted 35" tires to bead lock rims by myself even wired up my winch and off road lights. But, alas. I have ZERO car stereo experience!

Here's what I've got;
2012 2 door JK, manual trans with Infinity sound system.
Stock head unit is, bleh. Pretty sad for the "upgraded" factory system.

Ordered a new Pioneer AVHX1600DVD head unit. I don't use Bluetooth, just bought it for better sound.
PAC RP4-CH11 wiring harness for Jeep. Hear this lets me keep the steering wheel controls and works with Chryslers weird CAN BUS system.
Metra antenna adaptor. Whatever it is, Crutchfield said I needed it.
Chrysler/Jeep dash fit kit. Plastic surround thingamajig.

Do I need a 3 wire brake bypass switch? it's only $15 but some say you do some say you don't? I'm not sure.


Just looking for some advice, encouragement or even discouragement before I start tearing my dash apart and cutting wires next week. Share your experience with me.

Still have 3-4 days for the rest of the parts to come in.

thanks gang!

gordhunt

Just did mine last week it's easy just take your time and follow the instructions for the pac unit

immortalmetal

I just installed a pioneer avh-x2600bt a few weeks ago. I have never done car stereo either. This was my first go at installing a headunit.

that being said here is my advice:

I don't know about the brake bypass, cause I don't particularly care for the DVD function of my stereo. Im going to watch movies in a car, so I didn't care about that feature. If I want to view photos or something I can do it while parked. That wasn't a big deal to me.

The pac rp4-ch11 instructions are kinda vague. Use the instructions with the pac and cross reference tthem with the stereo wiring instructions. And there's a thread in here that showed exactly what wire to connect. Speaker wires are easy, they match up. But the power, and illuminations, and other random wires, ill look for the llink in a minute.
On the back of your stereo, there's an AUX 3.5mm input, and a W/R 3.5mm input. (W/R stands for wired remote). You want to plug the pac module to the W/R. This was my problem. The pac instructions do not say where it should be plugged into. I assumed the aux input. Steering wheel controls didn't work. I called pac customer service and we discovered I had it plugged into the wrong input. It plugs into the W/R.

Also there's a little dial on the pac. For pioneer stereos it needs to be set at 7. Double check the instructions. But I'm 99. 9999% sure its 7. Make sure you do that.
some people use butt connectors and crimp the wires together. I soldered mine. Either way, just make sure you don't have any exposed wires.
as for the jeep....taking the dash off is fairly simple, there's plenty of YouTube videos showing how to do it.

But when you go to install the radio, it is more than likely not going to fit in the "sub-dash". The sub-dash is this metal bracket that is screwed into the interior of the dash. The sub dash looks like a metal rectangle with four tabs to hold the radio, and a tab with a screw hole that the top of the dash screwed into. What I did was cut the bbottom half of that whole bracket off. And the support tabs for the radio. You won't need them. Pretty much you only need the sub dash now for the screw that holds the dashboard in place (the sunglasses holder).

And you MIGHT have to trim part of the actual dash, (the instructions for your stereo trim should say where to trim. )
and also, dry fit everything before you go plugging stuff in, just so you know everything will fit. And when you plug it all in, make sure it works before you get the dash back on and everything. (Time saver).

Also disconnect the negative from the battery before you start. That way its an extra precausion that nothing will shirt out.
I think that's it. Ill look for that wiring diagram in a few minutes.

immortalmetal

read this thread

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-e...arness-281195/

pazitive44

Don't spend $15 on Brake Bypass
...that wire just needs to be grounded ..
That's All....
Look into idatalink Maestro ...it keeps steering wheel controls .....
Just match up wires ...then it's just plug and play

LOST

Thanks for the link metal, that helps. I'll let my color blind buddy just drink beer while I solder for the wiring portion.


Things to watch out for;

Plug 3.5mm wire in WR input not AUX.

Set clock switch position for Pioneer (7).

Trim metal bracket under dash as needed.

Bypass switch is only needed for video with Jeep in motion. Apparently simple grounding doesn't work on 2013 up head units.


So far head unit, PAC 4 harness and antenna adaptor arrived. Just need the dash surround trim bezel whatever you call it thing.

I'll get started on the PAC harness to head unit soldering this evening.

thanks again, I'm going in.

plemmajk10

i just tried to hook up a eonon (cheap chinese radio) and it blew somthing out and now my stock radio wont work! its not the fuses either:/ im a pretty techy guy but i dont have time to do it so ill just bring it to best buy and drop 100 for install

LOST

That sucks!

Good reminder to disconnect the battery while working on automotive electronics.

immortalmetal

Ouch, yes, always disconnect the negative.

Don't know if your antenna adapter also came with an extension (mine did). You won't need that.

LOST

Just wanted to circle back around and report everything went in smoothly. CD, DVD, steering wheel controls all work just fine.
And for the love of god thing is LOUD!!!! At level 9 it's louder and clearer than my stock head unit was at 21.

Anyone looking for a moderately priced upgrade to the factory head unit the Pioneer AVHX series is a great sounding stereo.
Custom EQ settings you can save is a nice feature if you listen to different types of music. I have both types of course, rock and heavy metal.