I've been looking at Marine radios, just in you get caught in rain with no top/doors
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_113KM318BT/Kenwood-KMR-M318BT.html?tp=61742
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_113KM318BT/Kenwood-KMR-M318BT.html?tp=61742
Which head unit?
- Thread starter lovemachine
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So I have never ran into a situation where I had to splice anything on my TJ.
What all would I need?
EDIT:
Would this work?
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_007CK12/Crutchfield-CK12.html
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Most head units don't need an amp kit. The adapter you need is included in the crutchfield order (99% of the time)
There will be one adapter to plug into the harness removed from the factory radio and one adapter that plugs into the back of the new radio. You'll have to splice them together. You'll also have to ground the new head unit and install the antenna adapter.
But if you buy the one Mr. Jerry suggested, then 17 feet would be plenty. Plus its fusible. Splicing wires is no big deal, just take the proper safe guards. Here's a pretty good write up on it. Its for home speakers, but you can carry the knowledge over into the automotive side.
http://www.hometheatershack.com/for...omprehensive-guide-splicing-speaker-wire.html
If you purchase from crutchfield, their customer service is really good, you can call them and they will walk you through it step by step. They send you the adapters and literature as part of the price.
There will be one adapter to plug into the harness removed from the factory radio and one adapter that plugs into the back of the new radio. You'll have to splice them together. You'll also have to ground the new head unit and install the antenna adapter.
But if you buy the one Mr. Jerry suggested, then 17 feet would be plenty. Plus its fusible. Splicing wires is no big deal, just take the proper safe guards. Here's a pretty good write up on it. Its for home speakers, but you can carry the knowledge over into the automotive side.
http://www.hometheatershack.com/for...omprehensive-guide-splicing-speaker-wire.html
If you purchase from crutchfield, their customer service is really good, you can call them and they will walk you through it step by step. They send you the adapters and literature as part of the price.
That would work but it'd be way overkill. Not to mention I don't like crimp-on splices like are in that kit, though they do work. There's some technique needed to use that kind of splice correctly so the wire doesn't pull out from an improper crimp and possibly short the power to ground.
All you need is probably 10-12' of 12 gauge red wire, a crimp-on ring connector, and a friend who knows how to spice a wire by twisting the two pieces together and soldering them together which is easy. Heat shrink tubing should be placed over the splice, a couple layers wouldn't be a bad idea, to insulate it.
If you don't have a friend who knows how to solder, it's relatively easy with a few pieces of instruction which I can help you on if you decide to do it. Any hardware store will have a small inexpensive soldering iron or soldering gun and solder, and everything you'd need. Don't confuse soldering which is relatively easy with welding which takes considerable skill.
Surely a friend or a friend's dad knows how to splice a wire together?
That would work but it'd be way overkill. Not to mention I don't like crimp-on splices like are in that kit, though they do work. There's some technique needed to use that kind of splice correctly so the wire doesn't pull out from an improper crimp and possibly short the power to ground.
All you need is probably 10-12' of 12 gauge red wire, a crimp-on ring connector, and a friend who knows how to spice a wire by twisting the two pieces together and soldering them together which is easy. Heat shrink tubing should be placed over the splice, a couple layers wouldn't be a bad idea, to insulate it.
If you don't have a friend who knows how to solder, it's relatively easy with a few pieces of instruction which I can help you on if you decide to do it. Any hardware store will have a small inexpensive soldering iron or soldering gun and solder, and everything you'd need. Don't confuse soldering which is relatively easy with welding which takes considerable skill.
Surely a friend or a friend's dad knows how to splice a wire together?
I'll have to ask around. I don't think any of them have ever done anything aftermarket to their car audio systems.
This is my "generic 13-step how to splice and solder" lesson:
1) Get a small soldering iron like a 40 watt or 75 watt from your local Fry's Electronics, Home Depot, Lowe's, hardware store, or Radio Shack. Or a soldering gun... pull its trigger and the soldering tip heats up in a few seconds.
2) Buy a small roll of solder. Make sure it has a rosin core which is use on electrical soldering. Do NOT use acid-core solder. Also buy a section of "heat shrink tubing that will be used as insulation around the splice. Buy a diameter that is large enough to slip over the two wires after they are twisted together. It will shrink down with heat to perfectly cover the splice.
3) Plug the soldering iron in so it will heat up. Make sure it won't burn anything when it gets hot.
4) Strip the two wires back so the bare wire shows for 1.5" or so. Slip a piece of heat shrink insulation on one wire, slip another piece of heat shrink insulation on the other wire. Slide both pieces of heat-shrink tubing as far away from where they will be soldered/spliced together as possible so the heat from soldering won't shrink the insulation before you want it to shrink. Be sure to use a little extra heat-shrink tubing so it extends out over onto the wire's insulation a half-inch or so.
5) Twist the two pieces of wire together tightly, so the twist is along the wire, not sticking up. This twisting is done to provide mechanical strength to the splice.
6) Apply a dab of solder to the tip of the soldering iron, enough to it covers the tip. This is also a test to verify the iron is hot enough to do the soldering. If the soldering iron easily melts the solder, it is hot enough.
7) You're now ready to solder.
8) Suspend the splice (somehow) so it's not laying on anything. Hold the soldering iron on the backside of where the wires are twisted together. You can move the iron up & down the twist over a second or two to insure the twist is hot enough to melt the solder.
9) While still holding the iron on the back side of the twisted wire, apply the solder to the front side of the twisted area. The solder should start flowing into the the strands of the wire. Move the solder up & down so it flows into (not on top of) the twisted wires, get it all nice and totally silver looking from the solder having flowed INTO the twisted wires.
10) Remove the soldering iron away from the splice & unplug it. Do NOT move the spliced wires yet, let them cool 10-15 seconds.
11) The splice should look smooth & shiny from the solder. If not, you can reheat the joint again to help the solder flow into the spliece. Again, the solder should not be on top of the wires, it should have gotten hot enough to flow all the way through the twisted wires so it is shiny and silver all the way around the splice.
12) Once it has cooled, slide one of the heat shrinkable insulating sleeves over the splice. Use a heat gun or hair dryer to shrink it over the splice. Once that has shrunk in place and HAS COOLED OFF, slide the second one over the top of that one and heat shrink it. That way you have two layers of insulation over the twisted wires.
13) You are done!
Just practice your soldering on a few practice wires, you'll soon see it's easy... much easier than it sounds. Remember soldering is not dripping molten solder on a wire or joint to be soldered. Melt the joint first, then apply the solder to the hot joint on the opposite side you are holding the soldering iron on. That assures you the wire to be soldered is hot enough so the solder will flow completely into the twisted wires and make a good solid soldered connection.
More info can be found in the various splicing articles located at https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=How+to+splice+two+wires+together
1) Get a small soldering iron like a 40 watt or 75 watt from your local Fry's Electronics, Home Depot, Lowe's, hardware store, or Radio Shack. Or a soldering gun... pull its trigger and the soldering tip heats up in a few seconds.
2) Buy a small roll of solder. Make sure it has a rosin core which is use on electrical soldering. Do NOT use acid-core solder. Also buy a section of "heat shrink tubing that will be used as insulation around the splice. Buy a diameter that is large enough to slip over the two wires after they are twisted together. It will shrink down with heat to perfectly cover the splice.
3) Plug the soldering iron in so it will heat up. Make sure it won't burn anything when it gets hot.
4) Strip the two wires back so the bare wire shows for 1.5" or so. Slip a piece of heat shrink insulation on one wire, slip another piece of heat shrink insulation on the other wire. Slide both pieces of heat-shrink tubing as far away from where they will be soldered/spliced together as possible so the heat from soldering won't shrink the insulation before you want it to shrink. Be sure to use a little extra heat-shrink tubing so it extends out over onto the wire's insulation a half-inch or so.
5) Twist the two pieces of wire together tightly, so the twist is along the wire, not sticking up. This twisting is done to provide mechanical strength to the splice.
6) Apply a dab of solder to the tip of the soldering iron, enough to it covers the tip. This is also a test to verify the iron is hot enough to do the soldering. If the soldering iron easily melts the solder, it is hot enough.
7) You're now ready to solder.
8) Suspend the splice (somehow) so it's not laying on anything. Hold the soldering iron on the backside of where the wires are twisted together. You can move the iron up & down the twist over a second or two to insure the twist is hot enough to melt the solder.
9) While still holding the iron on the back side of the twisted wire, apply the solder to the front side of the twisted area. The solder should start flowing into the the strands of the wire. Move the solder up & down so it flows into (not on top of) the twisted wires, get it all nice and totally silver looking from the solder having flowed INTO the twisted wires.
10) Remove the soldering iron away from the splice & unplug it. Do NOT move the spliced wires yet, let them cool 10-15 seconds.
11) The splice should look smooth & shiny from the solder. If not, you can reheat the joint again to help the solder flow into the spliece. Again, the solder should not be on top of the wires, it should have gotten hot enough to flow all the way through the twisted wires so it is shiny and silver all the way around the splice.
12) Once it has cooled, slide one of the heat shrinkable insulating sleeves over the splice. Use a heat gun or hair dryer to shrink it over the splice. Once that has shrunk in place and HAS COOLED OFF, slide the second one over the top of that one and heat shrink it. That way you have two layers of insulation over the twisted wires.
13) You are done!
Just practice your soldering on a few practice wires, you'll soon see it's easy... much easier than it sounds. Remember soldering is not dripping molten solder on a wire or joint to be soldered. Melt the joint first, then apply the solder to the hot joint on the opposite side you are holding the soldering iron on. That assures you the wire to be soldered is hot enough so the solder will flow completely into the twisted wires and make a good solid soldered connection.
More info can be found in the various splicing articles located at https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=How+to+splice+two+wires+together
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Would this work to join the wires together?
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_669PP500/Posi-Products-Car-Stereo-Wiring-Harness-Connectors.html
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_669PP500/Posi-Products-Car-Stereo-Wiring-Harness-Connectors.html
Don't let a two minute wire splice job that can be done at any auto stereo shop cheaply cause you to look at something else.
Yes. So my step-by-step instructions on how to solder & splice seemed too hard to do? I assure you that once learned, it will help you throughout the rest of your adult life. It's too easy to be afraid of trying it as described.
Or mail the wiring harness and wire to me and I'll splice it and send it back to you.
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This is a good link on creating the inline splice.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Master-a-perfect-inline-wire-splice-everytime/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Master-a-perfect-inline-wire-splice-everytime/
Every man with a Jeep needs to know how to solder, those of you who haven't mastered that relatively easy skill should learn it. Grab a small 75 or so watt soldering iron, rosin-core solder, and some wire. Strip the wires and practice a few times, you'll soon get it and see how easy it is. It's too easy to learn to be afraid of the process which is just a very basic skill like making your own breakfast in the morning.
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Every man with a Jeep needs to know how to solder, those of you who haven't mastered that relatively easy skill should learn it. Grab a soldering iron, rosin-core solder, and some wire. Strip the wires and practice a few times, you'll soon get it and see how easy it is. It's too easy to learn to be afraid of the process which is just a very basic skill like making your own breakfast in the morning.
You can get a solder iron at Harbor Freight for $4.
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badlieutenant
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