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GQ cd install

Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:16 pm
by slowLux
I wanna put my cd player in my GQ, whats the best way to remove the old AM radio?

thanks,

Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:55 pm
by chimpboy
It's piss easy.

You undo the screws on the console, there are a couple on each side (ie near your knee), a couple concealed behind the air vents (you just need to turn the air vents to the right angle to get the screw driver past), and a couple hidden behind the ashtray (remove the ashtray so you can get to them). The whole console with the clock etc then lifts away.

There are a couple of plugs connected so you can't just yank it off, but you may not need to unplug them unless you have a complicated bit of wiring to do.

Then you will see that your radio is mounted using some pressed steel brackets that are in the standard DIN shape and size, so you will be able to mount your CD player into position simply by using a couple of screws. No messing around.

Jason

Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 6:23 pm
by slowLux
thanks for that, sounds like a piece of piss. Cept i dont have a solder, do i need one? (forgive me im very vague with stuff like this) i was gonna do it myself, but theres a pair of 6x9's that were in the back when i bought the car that arent hooked up to the radio atm. So im rather uncertain how to link them up with my existing 6"s in the doors and the head units? i might end up paying someone, but i just cant justify spending 150 odd for a 1 houyr job thats basic as

thanks again

Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 6:30 pm
by chimpboy
Chances are the wires from the speakers have already been run to where the radio is. If not, it's not that hard to get under the carpet and run the cable yourself.

So provided your head unit has 4 speaker outputs (ie it's a "4x45W" or similar) then it's pretty basic stuff. If it's only a two-speaker stereo then it's not going to be so easy to do.

But assuming you have a 4 speaker stereo, I wouldn't think you would need to pay someone to do it.

Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 6:34 pm
by slowLux
yep it's 4x50. And yeah the wires are already run out just need to find where they end. So do i need to solder any of the wires up to anything?

Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 6:38 pm
by chimpboy
slowLux wrote:yep it's 4x50. And yeah the wires are already run out just need to find where they end. So do i need to solder any of the wires up to anything?
If you get a roll of electrical tape and a cheap set of wire strippers from Supercheap, the twist and tape method will work fine - just twist the ends of the wires together and tape them up.

The only challenge is to work out which wire is which!

Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 6:42 pm
by slowLux
righto, too easy. I may be able to get my hands on a loaner solder one day anyway!

Thanks allot for your help i appreciate it!

Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 6:57 pm
by -Scott-
chimpboy wrote: If you get a roll of electrical tape and a cheap set of wire strippers from Supercheap, the twist and tape method will work fine - just twist the ends of the wires together and tape them up.
:shock:

Yes, this works - most of the time. At least buy expensive electrical tape - the cheap stuff unravels over time, and you end up with a horrible sticky mess of tangled wires and tape.

Better again would be to fork out for a packet of heatshrink, and cover your "joins" with that. With a little bit of practice, you can shrink it acceptably with a cigarette lighter (hint: use the blue part of the flame, practice with any colour other than black until you get the hang of shrinking the tube without turning it black.)

As a purist, I hate the "twist" method - but I will acknowledge that it's better than using poorly crimped insulated connectors. :roll:

Good luck,

Scott