New and trying to install car stereo
XIntegraX
11-11-2004, 12:04 AM
Hey everyone. I want to install a stereo in my 96 ranger which currently does not have any radio or speakers and i dont know anything about wiring or stereps in general. how hard is the process if i do it myself? i dont want to go pay for someone to install it because i want to learn how to do it myself. right now, ive learned to remove the dash faceplate covering the spot where the radio should be, but i dont know where to go from there. are speakers and an in dash cd player all i need to get a working stereo system in my car or do i need amps and such. forgive me for asking these questions but i just want to learn how to do this myself. thanks.
Maidioso
11-11-2004, 05:15 AM
yea, i would like to learn how to put it all together myself, all i know is it's a pretty hard job with all the wiring.
XIntegraX
11-11-2004, 12:05 PM
actually, i found the wire ready to install a new stereo even though my car didnt have a stereo to begin with. now that i look at it, this doesnt seem that difficulat of a job. my only problem now is getting a faceplate to cover the deck and run an anttena wire to the radio.
AndonD454
11-11-2004, 08:06 PM
have you bought your cd player yet? because i bought mine from crutchfield and, although they have high prices it seems, i actually saved a lot of time and money because they send wiring harnesses and brackets and everything and give you vehicle-specific instructions.. which is even nice because for my 96 explorer i had a factory amp i didnt knwo about and crutchfield told me and set me up with integrations wires and all free.
AndonD454
11-11-2004, 08:09 PM
oh nevermind i didnt see that last post. looks like you already have a head unit?
XIntegraX
11-14-2004, 01:03 AM
actually, i havent got one yet. i was just going to get a pioneer from walmart that came with 4 speakers and install that. since my car had no previous radio, i dont have to worry about anything. as for everything else, im pretty much getting anything at walmart, except for a dash mount so it wont look like i have a hole in the middle of my dash. im pretty sure everything is self explanitory so i hope ill be able to figure out everything once my stereo gets in
CBFryman
11-14-2004, 09:52 AM
ehhh what are you looking for in your stereo? do you want woofers? is it extednded cab? if so how much extended cab space are you willing to give up if you want woofers? are you looking for just a head unit and door speakers? or head unit and door speakers powered by an external amplifier?
i wish a mod would make a stickey on "things we need to know before you ask for system help"
i wish a mod would make a stickey on "things we need to know before you ask for system help"
loismustdie
11-14-2004, 10:33 AM
ok, so your car never had a radio, this might be a problem because it will need power from the battery, and will need to connect to all of your speakers. was the stereo just taken out? stereo's need a car specific wiring harness, that basically will connect it to the battery and stock speakers.
you don't need amps to run a head unit and speakers, almost all head unit's out today(all of the ones at walmart) have an amp in them that puts out 15-20 wattsx4 channels, even though they claim 50x4. so you can run 4 speakers off the head unit. i'd recomend gettin a pioneer head unit with 4 coaxials to fit the speaker holes in your car. alpine, infinity, and pioneer make good speakers. if you're gonna shop at walmart, stay away from road gear and lightning audio. and if you wanna step up your sound and add more depth, drop an extra 200$ on a small sub and small amp for it.
you don't need amps to run a head unit and speakers, almost all head unit's out today(all of the ones at walmart) have an amp in them that puts out 15-20 wattsx4 channels, even though they claim 50x4. so you can run 4 speakers off the head unit. i'd recomend gettin a pioneer head unit with 4 coaxials to fit the speaker holes in your car. alpine, infinity, and pioneer make good speakers. if you're gonna shop at walmart, stay away from road gear and lightning audio. and if you wanna step up your sound and add more depth, drop an extra 200$ on a small sub and small amp for it.
CBFryman
11-14-2004, 11:47 AM
ok, so your car never had a radio, this might be a problem because it will need power from the battery, and will need to connect to all of your speakers. was the stereo just taken out? stereo's need a car specific wiring harness, that basically will connect it to the battery and stock speakers.
you don't need amps to run a head unit and speakers, almost all head unit's out today(all of the ones at walmart) have an amp in them that puts out 15-20 wattsx4 channels, even though they claim 50x4. so you can run 4 speakers off the head unit. i'd recomend gettin a pioneer head unit with 4 coaxials to fit the speaker holes in your car. alpine, infinity, and pioneer make good speakers. if you're gonna shop at walmart, stay away from road gear and lightning audio. and if you wanna step up your sound and add more depth, drop an extra 200$ on a small sub and small amp for it.
we wired in an after market CD play with out a wireing harnes...its not that hard. the harnes just makes it easyer.
you dont "need" an external amplifiers, which is hwy i asked him how he wanted it. but an external amplifier will not only supply more power that is alot less distorted it will also supply alot less harmonic distortion. ill go ahead and give him a system...say budget $600-$700.
Head Unit- Alpine CDM-9823 $159.00 (http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=13610)
Speakers- Pioneer TS-C130R Componets $169.00 (http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=13689)
Mid/High Amp- Hifonics Warrior Hawk $89.00 (http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=13985)
Woofer- DD1012 $129.00 (http://www.ddaudio.com/dd/caraudio/woofers.asp?series=1000)
Woofer Amp- Hifonics Warrior Merlin $169.00 (http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=13988)
Total: $715.00 and the only thing you will have to pay shipping on is the DD. if all you where looking for was stock quality this is 300% better than stock or walmart... if you can go higher we can give you amazing sound... installation of amps are easy.
Fused 12v + power wire to Power in.
Ground the Amp
HU remote to amp Remote in
Plug in the RCA's
Set the gain (has been explain many a time, use the search feature)
your good to go. instalation instructions should come with your head unit.
runnin speaker wire is a snap, because i gave you a 4 channel amp so thats one channel to each of your SVC (single voic coil, there will only be one + and one - input) mid bass and tweeters and you have a SVC woofer with a mono amp. just make sure everything is in phase (all (+) on the amps are connected to the (+) on the speakers and all (-) on the amps are conected to the (-) on the speakers, the woofers work if you get them backwards but if one is (+) to (+) and (-) to (-) and the other speaker is (+) to (-) and (-) to (+) then there will be cancelation and your system wont be as loud or as clear.
you don't need amps to run a head unit and speakers, almost all head unit's out today(all of the ones at walmart) have an amp in them that puts out 15-20 wattsx4 channels, even though they claim 50x4. so you can run 4 speakers off the head unit. i'd recomend gettin a pioneer head unit with 4 coaxials to fit the speaker holes in your car. alpine, infinity, and pioneer make good speakers. if you're gonna shop at walmart, stay away from road gear and lightning audio. and if you wanna step up your sound and add more depth, drop an extra 200$ on a small sub and small amp for it.
we wired in an after market CD play with out a wireing harnes...its not that hard. the harnes just makes it easyer.
you dont "need" an external amplifiers, which is hwy i asked him how he wanted it. but an external amplifier will not only supply more power that is alot less distorted it will also supply alot less harmonic distortion. ill go ahead and give him a system...say budget $600-$700.
Head Unit- Alpine CDM-9823 $159.00 (http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=13610)
Speakers- Pioneer TS-C130R Componets $169.00 (http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=13689)
Mid/High Amp- Hifonics Warrior Hawk $89.00 (http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=13985)
Woofer- DD1012 $129.00 (http://www.ddaudio.com/dd/caraudio/woofers.asp?series=1000)
Woofer Amp- Hifonics Warrior Merlin $169.00 (http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=13988)
Total: $715.00 and the only thing you will have to pay shipping on is the DD. if all you where looking for was stock quality this is 300% better than stock or walmart... if you can go higher we can give you amazing sound... installation of amps are easy.
Fused 12v + power wire to Power in.
Ground the Amp
HU remote to amp Remote in
Plug in the RCA's
Set the gain (has been explain many a time, use the search feature)
your good to go. instalation instructions should come with your head unit.
runnin speaker wire is a snap, because i gave you a 4 channel amp so thats one channel to each of your SVC (single voic coil, there will only be one + and one - input) mid bass and tweeters and you have a SVC woofer with a mono amp. just make sure everything is in phase (all (+) on the amps are connected to the (+) on the speakers and all (-) on the amps are conected to the (-) on the speakers, the woofers work if you get them backwards but if one is (+) to (+) and (-) to (-) and the other speaker is (+) to (-) and (-) to (+) then there will be cancelation and your system wont be as loud or as clear.
Automotive Network, Inc., Copyright ©2025