Replacing stereo in 2006 TJ

ivarr

ivarr

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want to get a sony dsx-a415bt with the plug and play harness from q******tec.
is the plug and play harness as simple as unplug the block from the factory 6 disk changer radio and that the new one just plugs into the jeep on one end and the new radio on the other end ?

if so, i'm thinking an hour do do this with removing the dash vent plate and instrument / climate control center dash cover???
 
ivarr said:
want to get a sony dsx-a415bt with the plug and play harness from q******tec.
is the plug and play harness as simple as unplug the block from the factory 6 disk changer radio and that the new one just plugs into the jeep on one end and the new radio on the other end ?

if so, i'm thinking an hour do do this with removing the dash vent plate and instrument / climate control center dash cover???
Click to expand...

The plug and play harness will plug into the Jeep’s factory harness. I haven’t seen any specific vehicle to specific radio adapters for that head unit. The other end you sit at your kitchen table and splice the new radio into the harness. One end is a female connector for the Jeeps plug, the other end is a bunch of wires. The plug and play harness is specific to the Jeep, not the radio. I would use positaps for the speaker wires and spade connectors for the power and ground.

What harness adapter are you looking at? I have one already I was going to use, but PO used wire nuts for the JVC DIN that was in it. I would be more than happy to give it to you. If you do it with positaps (not wirenuts unless you want them to come undone) it takes like 10 minutes.
 
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cooper32 said:
The plug and play harness will plug into the Jeep’s factory harness. I haven’t seen any specific vehicle to specific radio adapters for that head unit. The other end you sit at your kitchen table and splice the new radio into the harness. One end is a female connector for the Jeeps plug, the other end is a bunch of wires. The plug and play harness is specific to the Jeep, not the radio. I would use positaps for the speaker wires and spade connectors for the power and ground.

What harness adapter are you looking at? I have one already I was going to use, but PO used wire nuts for the JVC DIN that was in it. I would be more than happy to give it to you.
Click to expand...

For what it's worth, Metra used to make harnesses that were specific for "Brand X" stereo to Chrysler, Chevy, etc. They used to be available in stores and I used them exclusively. They were higher priced (not ridiculously, mind you) but worth it to me.

That said, I haven't been able to find them for the last 4 installs I've done over the last 5 or 6 years. It's probably been 10+ years since I've seen one, however prior to that I probably bought 15 or more of them in my lifetime. Not sure if they don't exist any more, or if they are special order or something. If I ever decided I really wanted one bad enough, I'd probably contact Metra and ask.
 
ivarr said:
want to get a sony dsx-a415bt with the plug and play harness from q******tec.
is the plug and play harness as simple as unplug the block from the factory 6 disk changer radio and that the new one just plugs into the jeep on one end and the new radio on the other end ?

if so, i'm thinking an hour do do this with removing the dash vent plate and instrument / climate control center dash cover???
Click to expand...

You would also need an antenna adapter. I tried to use my factory one on my Boss ddin and it didn’t like it at all
WVJeep304 said:
For what it's worth, Metra used to make harnesses that were specific for "Brand X" stereo to Chrysler, Chevy, etc. They used to be available in stores and I used them exclusively. They were higher priced (not ridiculously, mind you) but worth it to me.

That said, I haven't been able to find them for the last 4 installs I've done over the last 5 or 6 years. It's probably been 10+ years since I've seen one, however prior to that I probably bought 15 or more of them in my lifetime. Not sure if they don't exist any more, or if they are special order or something. If I ever decided I really wanted one bad enough, I'd probably contact Metra and ask.
Click to expand...

Definitely. It would make it so much easier. I skimmed Metras website but I didn’t see anything like that but emphasis on skim. But wiring is so subconscious for me at this point I just do it without the adapters (unless it’s newer cars with SWC and back up cams and shit)
 
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cooper32 said:
You would also need an antenna adapter. I tried to use my factory one on my Boss ddin and it didn’t like it at all


Definitely. It would make it so much easier. I skimmed Metras website but I didn’t see anything like that but emphasis on skim. But wiring is so subconscious for me at this point I just do it without the adapters (unless it’s newer cars with SWC and back up cams and shit)
Click to expand...

I dug pretty thoroughly through their website back in December when I was installing a new headunit in my ol' lady's JKU and REALLY didn't want to deal with a bunch of splicing. Couldn't find ANYTHING remotely close. Same story when I installed one in my tj a few years ago. It wasn't important enough for me to contact Metra and ask, but I would have preferred to save 15min of matching/splicing wires if possible.
 
WVJeep304 said:
I dug pretty thoroughly through their website back in December when I was installing a new headunit in my ol' lady's JKU and REALLY didn't want to deal with a bunch of splicing. Couldn't find ANYTHING remotely close. Same story when I installed one in my tj a few years ago. It wasn't important enough for me to contact Metra and ask, but I would have preferred to save 15min of matching/splicing wires if possible.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but honestly the TJ only having 10 or so wires to splice plus my free plug and play adapter, he can sit at a table and do it pretty quick before he starts taking the center dash apart the next day or so.
 
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Most of the "plug and play" harnesses available for the TJ platform will require some splicing to be utilized with aftermarket equipment.

The Plug & Play is true, for the factory harness side ONLY.
But for most plugs, it's just a pig-tail for you to then splice into your new head unit harness.

To note, most of the high brand harnesses DO color-code the wiring correctly, so it really is as simple as purple to purple, black to black, etc.
Here are a few photo's of my "Plug & Play" harness.

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txbemis69 said:
wiring an aftermarket head unit to a metra plug is as simple as matching wire colors and crimping them together.
Click to expand...

Most of the time, yes. But I've had several instances where wire colors didn't match and had to figure out what wire went where. Still not a big deal, but annoying.

But for me, the reason I was buying the pre-built harness adapters was because for one I'd rather save the time and just open a package and install the harness, but also for a cleaner install without the bulky connectors.
 
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ivarr said:
want to get a sony dsx-a415bt with the plug and play harness from q******tec.
is the plug and play harness as simple as unplug the block from the factory 6 disk changer radio and that the new one just plugs into the jeep on one end and the new radio on the other end ?

if so, i'm thinking an hour do do this with removing the dash vent plate and instrument / climate control center dash cover???
Click to expand...

OP - I know everyone in this thread has been naysaying, but I believe Quadratec does offer a direct plug and play package with no at-home wiring required between the stereo and the adapter for the OEM harness. I bought a used TJ a couple of years ago and it had a Sony head unit in a Quadratec locking dash kit with a one-piece direct Chrysler to Sony harness. It's a Quadratec specific kit, not available through Schosche, Metra, etc.

It's definitely worth calling Quadratec and confirming.
 
Most stereos I've seen only have wires coming out the back of them and a diagram identifying the wires for speakers, power, etc. So, your plug and play harness only applies to the factory plugs. The other end of the plug and play harness will identify the wires which you crimp to the diagram stereo wires given in the stereo instructions. But, it isn't always as smooth as that even because there is sometimes a steering wheel control harness, speaker polarity, ground, and radio antenna to consider that aren't really addressed in the plug and play harness. If it is just a aftermarket radio, it is fairly simple, unless you have steering wheel controls for the radio, and then you need a harness that addresses all of that too. I installed the first aftermarket radio myself, but I didn't have steering wheel controls for my 1997 Wrangler. But, when I added an external EQ, external Amp and subwoofer, I let a professional handle it. Even then, it took me three professionals before I found one who could do the job to my standards.
 
OK.
ordered yesterday morning before work. came about an hour or so ago and it's already in.
direct plug in harness, i guess they do one up for the individual radios they sell.

radio was $99-if you bought it alone.
with the kit ( radio, antenna adapter, harness, and bezel to fill the space in the dash from the 6 disc changer coming out was $184 with tax.
totally worth it to me to not have to screw around connecting and crimping a harness .

took me about 45 minutes.

i DID fuck up the last appx 16" antenna cable section that connects to the main cable right behind the glove compartment pulling it out of the old radio. but the bluetooth will get me through until i can find another one to replace it.
( so if anyone has one they can give up i could throw you $10- for it ??? )

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