Cab Dash Stereo Replacement

[HoosierB]

While replacing a burned out window motor, and with the door panel off, I decided to upgrade the crunchy OEM door speakers as well...then that led me to think about replacing that old 2000 Ford dash cassette stereo. My usual go to for this stuff is Crutchfield. All kinds of options in just about anything you could want... except a NO DASH MODIFICATION installation. Apparently Fords idea of a "double DIN" size is different than the rest of the worlds, and to install any aftermarket model requires a "trimming" of the dash material to get a proper bracket fit. A scary job in itself, but even more so when the dash has the "Chinook oak overlay". Oh, AND... if for what ever reason you need to remove the "new" head unit, the WHOLE DASH will need to be removed! I would like to avoid going that route if possible.
Looking for any suggestions, ideas, first hand experiences you can share.

[chin_k]

Have not try to get it replaced, but if I do, maybe I would get one with a backup camera.

[caconcourse]

While replacing a burned out window motor, and with the door panel off, I decided to upgrade the crunchy OEM door speakers as well...then that led me to think about replacing that old 2000 Ford dash cassette stereo. My usual go to for this stuff is Crutchfield. All kinds of options in just about anything you could want... except a NO DASH MODIFICATION installation. Apparently Fords idea of a "double DIN" size is different than the rest of the worlds, and to install any aftermarket model requires a "trimming" of the dash material to get a proper bracket fit. A scary job in itself, but even more so when the dash has the "Chinook oak overlay". Oh, AND... if for what ever reason you need to remove the "new" head unit, the WHOLE DASH will need to be removed! I would like to avoid going that route if possible.
Looking for any suggestions, ideas, first hand experiences you can share.

Here are some tips. You do not have to remove the dash or modify the woodwork to remove the factory radio and convert to a double-DIN. There are some extraction holes in the radio, where you insert wires to release the Ford radios. Google "Ford radio extractor" for a picture. I made my own from the corners of a metal coat hanger.

The Ford opening is close to a double-DIN, but is slightly wider and not quite as tall. The trimming required is to Dremel or cut the plastic lip at the bottom of the opening so that the double-DIN head unit will fit height-wise. A cheap dash trim kit will cover the sides of the opening to make the double-din unit look factory installed. There are a couple of trim kits, but this is the one that worked the best: https://www.amazon.com/Metra-95-5817-In ... SQV9FJ3SCE

There is a wiring harness adapter kit to fit what has become the fairly standard radio harness: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002 ... UTF8&psc=1 In my case I cut the old plug and crimped the appropriate wires to the new plug kit.

I wanted to minimize the number of accessories and display screens, so I went with an all-in-one head unit that combines radio/navigation/rear view camera/CD-DVD player and media inputs as well as Android car-play or apple equivalent if desired. I bought a cheap Chinese unit but was disappointed, so I wound up with a high-end Pioneer unit https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D6 ... UTF8&psc=1 AVIC NEX 8200, that has been fantastic. The 8200 has since been superseded by the 8400 unit but basically the same functions. It provides a new-car tech experience in a 2000 van. The GPS navigation is a good reliable backup navigation display when phone service is poor.

The fit is so snug that I don't bolt the unit in as the side trim panels hold it with friction, so it is easy to remove and install.

We added a sunshade to eliminate the glare on the touchscreen: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0022 ... UTF8&psc=1

[HoosierB]

Clay, thanks for a great write up (as usual) and all the links! So, the friction of the unit against the sides of the trim piece keeps it in place?

[chin_k]

Clay, can you tell us what was disappointed you on the cheaper unit? How do you like the backup camera and why do you still use the phone's GPS when the Pioneer one have the capability?

[caconcourse]

For Hoosier, yes the friction on the sides hold the unit in place.

Clay, can you tell us what was disappointed you on the cheaper unit? How do you like the backup camera and why do you still use the phone's GPS when the Pioneer one have the capability?

The biggest problem with the cheaper head unit was that the GPS software was semi-pirated so there was no software support from the original provider. The GPS software was on a flash card which was easily corrupted so the navigation didn't work. The vendor would provide a replacement card on request, but you couldn't update maps or anything from the support website.

The second shortfall was the display quality, which led me to a higher end unit. Most of the lower end touchscreens are resistive technology, so there is a film over the glass which makes the display fuzzy. It was bad enough that I backed into a parked car once (very slowly) even when it was displayed on the screen mainly because I wasn't paying attention but also it wasn't very clear. I decided I would only get a unit that had a touchscreen like a cellphone, which is capacitive. Even the cheaper Pioneer units had resistive screens, but the more expensive ones like the 8200 had the clear capacitive display, which was worth the extra dollars to me.

The navigation is a backup for me generally because I don't do the navigating. My wife does that using our Verizon tablet or cell phones with Google maps. I usually set the Pioneer to a city along the route or near our destination for the day, so I can see if we are getting closer or further away when we go off exploring. It also gives me an estimated time of arrival. When there is no phone coverage, which happens more often than you would expect in the back country, the Pioneer is our only real-time map. When planning our day by day travel, we use a paper road atlas! so there is room for low-tech even now. The atlas is much better for planning with good overview maps state by state. I also use Roadtrippers (app and web site) for our initial trip planning. It is a great site for laying out cross country trips using waypoints. You have to pay a few bucks to use all of their capabilities, but it's worth the small cost.

This is the backup camera I am using: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XP ... PBY3&psc=1 It's very cheap but very good. The picture is excellent with the Pioneer display. Mine is mounted on the bottom of the rear step using some wood supports tucked into the step flanges and held tight with shims. I ran a cat-5 cable from the rear bumper to the doghouse and use a twisted pair for the video signal. I had a 20 foot video extension cable, but the signal was too weak for that distance and cable quality. I wired the reverse indicator wire to the backup light wire on the driver side (through the storage compartment) and send that on another wire in the cat-5 to the radio. The Pioneer unit has inputs for rear and dash cameras, and you can select the camera display using the touchscreen in addition to automatically displaying the rear camera when the truck is in reverse. You can also adjust the red/yellow/green safety lines on the rear camera display using the Pioneer touchscreen, but I think the defaults were ok.

One warning about my Pioneer unit. I replaced the speakers in the doors, and I think it started running hotter, so it has shut down in hot weather because of the heat in the dash. I think all head units are sensitive to too much heat, and I think the Chinook dash temperature is probably higher than specs for even factory radios (I've read about radio overheating on various forums). On our last trip, when it started to be a problem, I found a $10 USB fan at a Walmart, and placed it in the console in front of the gap underneath the radio, blowing into the cab. That solved the problem, so I haven't pursued a more complicated or permanent fix, like an auxiliary fan in the dash. The USB fan also makes a nice fan in the coach, since it has a folding bracket that fits nicely over the sofa bed headboard. https://www.walmart.com/ip/QVS-Portable ... n/39889207

[HoosierB]

More good info...especially about the different touchscreens!
Not sure what head unit I'll be buying, but it will be basic. Only because I use stand-alone units for GPS (Garmin RV) and a TadiBrothers monitor with the backup camera (full-time rear view replacing the mirror). Just wanting a modern stereo, CD, with usb port for flash drive, iPhone compatible, Bluetooth. Like Clay, my "co-pilot" handles the Nav which also includes "paper maps and gazetteers"!

[Kirah]

This may or may not be useful, but have you looked at both single- and double-DIN units?

When I replaced the head unit in my '99 (looks like the same as yours), I got a single-DIN CD player - super basic, but had a USB port - and Crutchfield had an adapter that fit the opening without trouble - basically, I now have a pocket above the head unit where I can put key cards or other small things.

[HoosierB]

Kirah...did the single/double DIN adapter you described fit the dash opening without modification?

[Kirah]

Yes. It just popped right in. I think there may have been a tab on the adapter that had to be removed, but no modification to the vehicle dash.