*WARNING: This may be dodgey, but it works. If you like to waste money, go to Strathfield Car Radios. Go now!*



So you've got one of these Double DIN poor arse excuses for a CD player in you car. You consider buying the optional 6 stacker for it. Hmmm... $400. Not too bad, but then you find out the harness to hook it up is another $150. D'oh!

So then you buy an aftermarket one for $200, and think it was the best idea in the world. Until you discover they don't make a plug in harness for them. So now you're stuck with the choice of:
Getting a stereo place to install it. More $$$
or
Figuring it out for yourself

So if you did the first option, you're not reading this. If you've chosen the second option, here's how to do it.

Step 1. Get it out.
No pics needed! Just stick a flat screwdriver under the cd player surround, and pull out. It'll pop out.

Now swap screwdriver to a philipshead. Undo the 4 bolts holding it in. The whole lot should come out now.

Unplug the harnesses, antenna and any spiderwebs.

Step 2. Preparing the other one to go in.
See the brackets bolted to the stock CD player? Undo the bolts on both sides.

Use these brackets on your new CD player. Hopefully the new one came with spare bolts and stuff.

Step 3. Wiring in the new CD player.
Here's the fun part. Your new CD play comes with instructions, doesn't it? But the stock one doesn't. So how do you figure out what colour wires go where?

Pull the old one apart. For some reason, the PCB lists what wires go where! GOLD!
You don't have to do this, unless you don't believe me.

Rear view


Undo all the bolts at the back of the old CD player.

First, the heatsink comes off:


Then the back cover/ vent:


Now, the important one. The harnesses pcb:


Here's what it looks like, the rear view of it. Note the little letters on the non-harness side (which i've given numbers)


These little letters are the harnesses corresponding wires!

1) Battery. YELLOW wire on most aftermarket CD players
2) ACC. Usualy RED wire. To play CD player when car not running
3) Earth/ Ground. BLACK wire.

4) FL- (Front left -ve)
5) FL+ (Front left +ve)
6) FR- (Front right -ve)
7) FR+ (Front right +ve)
RL- (Rear left -ve)
9) RL+ (Rear left +ve)
10) RR- (Rear right -ve)
11) RR+ (Rear right +ve)

Which wires go where:


Simply look at the harness, and plug the new wires into it. Piss easy.
If you wanna be proper, you'll peel a bit of the wire off, and solder the new CD player wires onto it. I couldn't be bothered though.

Plug in antenna if you like ghey radio music.

Step 4. Putting the new one in
Line up the new CD player where the old one used to be. Put in the 4 bolts (or 3 if you've dropped one like i did . Because it's a Double DIN size, i used the top slot, and left the bottom one free. If you bought another double DIN CD player, good for you.



Step 5. Clip in surround.
This is the opposite of taking it out, but with no screwdriver this time...



Then i bought an empty DIN holder from a wrecker. (not pictured)

Step 6. Test drive
Drive around your local hangout place with the windows down and volume up. Aren't you cool.

Step 7. Get subs.
Yes, these are the fabled things which have the abiltity to blow hot chicky babes clothes off. Get some.

Mine are home made. Run off 2 240watt@4 ohms Jaycar amps. Wired up for 2 ohms. I'm deaf. What?





OK, i've gone too far. Hope this guide helps.

[Updated on: Sun, 01 May 2005 12:29]

Been there done that installing radios in widebody Camrys .
It's cheaper and less hassles to buy the radio harness adaptor for $15 at car audioshops.
The setup would take less then 10mins and it looks factory.
But well done for putting the info on the net .

[Updated on: Sun, 01 May 2005 11:12]