is installation kit for af radio necessary?

[bronxblaza117]

so u have to buy a installation kit for a aftermarket radio? or can u just use wat u already have.... hookin up to chasis and watever...?

[eckoman_pdx]

You'll need to to get a wiring harness and then crimp the proper wires from the aftermarket radio's plug to the wires for the harness plug. You then have a completed wiring harness, and hook the radio up using this. You plug one plug to the radio, and the other into your STOCK harenss plug, this way, you DO NOT cut off the stock plug and splice into the factory wiring. This also makes it MUCH eaiser and cleaner to upgrade headunits later on if you decide. Yo can just un-plug the wiring wirness, create a new one for the new radio and plug that it, versus being STUCK with it becaue you hard-spliced it into th stock harness.

Also, you'll need a cage or some other sort of device/way to hold the radio in place and keep it from just yanking out, so yes....you DO need an install kit. They don't cost that much.

Never cut corners to save cost. Do the job right the first time.

[Copytech99]

What Make & Model ??

You may or may not need a installation kit

For sure spend the money and get a good Metra harness adaptor, wire to headunit and plug direct to cars wiring in seconds.

www.metraonline.com

[94hondaacc]

No its not really neccesary, as a matter of fact most install place will just cut your factory harness and wire up from their, the installation kits however make the job 100 times easier if you are doing it yourself.plus you can also put back your factory radio if your going to sell the car. If your taking about the kit that covers the radio space, then it depends on the car.

[eckoman_pdx]

Originally Posted by 94hondaacc

No its not really neccesary, as a matter of fact most install place will just cut your factory harness and wire up from their, the installation kits however make the job 100 times easier if you are doing it yourself.plus you can also put back your factory radio if your going to sell the car. If your taking about the kit that covers the radio space, then it depends on the car.

Yeah, Fry's did that to my neightbors car with he first headunit he had. Sad too, When he had me helping him change out to a new head unit, better brand, made doing it a living hell compared to if they had jsut got a wiriing harness and did it right the first time. Especially if you are paying someone to do the job, don't let them do it halfass...make them do it right. Also, doing it this way, without a harnass will void any manfactuers warrnety, at the very least on all your car's electrical systems. Also, you can't undo it easily.

Thats the only time I've ever seen a place do it the cheap way, most place I know of don't instal it without a wiring harnass.

[civicunrest]

use a wire harness adaptor and an install kit. first of all the wire harness takes all the guess work out of which wire is which it does that for you.second of all the install kit will make it look a hell of a lot better in the dash. the part should cost between 15-30 dollars depending on where you go. one last thing by using these parts if you ever get rid of the car and want to put the stock radio back in you can. if you cut the factory harness off you cant. i hope this helps you guys.