Semi Radios


As long as you don't let Best Buy install your radio you should be ok. One thing I used to do with cd players (I used to install them as a sideline) was to put a rubber grommet on every mounting screw to add an extra layer of damping for rough roads. I could drive down washboard roads and never have a cd skip.

I have to admit I'm surprised people still have cd's instead of an MP3 player. Do you have Amish ancestry or something? ;)
 
And plug it into what? No cassette player or aux cord.
Depends on the stereo you pick for him.

Any car stereo without a USB port is antiquated technology from yesteryear.


Yesteryear, .. that's a term I aint heard in years, LOL. I say the stupidest shit sometimes.
 
I bought the dim tool thingys as well as the wiring harness from bigrigstereo.com and popped my vulva radio and put in an alpine deck in as vulva radios suck ass was not sweat. I wasn't gonna fork out cash for the dealership to look up the vin number to search for a wiring harness
 
Finding the model shouldn't be a problem, it's installing it w/o him knowing that's going to be the issue

When you buy a head unit, it typically comes with a wiring diagram. You get a wiring diagram for the vehicle you're installing it in, and there you have it. Done it many times over... not a whole lot to it. Just make sure you get your butt connectors on there properly and that they're the right size.
 
When you buy a head unit, it typically comes with a wiring diagram. You get a wiring diagram for the vehicle you're installing it in, and there you have it. Done it many times over... not a whole lot to it. Just make sure you get your butt connectors on there properly and that they're the right size.
There isn't much wire to work with. I'm sure you've had to use a wire stripper on a wire that's barely able to reach out through the hole in the dash and there's no room to get the stripper in there. The reason you don't cut the vehicle's wires is basically because you'll run out of wire eventually, like if the one you're putting in takes a crap & you gotta replace it. You'd lose 1/2" of wire when you cut the butt connectors off.

What I've done, with older vehicles they don't make adapter harnesses for, is when I cut off the factory plug end, I'll use bullet connectors or blade terminals with the rubber boot over the male ends. That way if I have to replace the stereo again, I don't have to cut any more of the vehicle's wire off. I simply pull the male & female bullet or blade connectors apart & re-use the old ones on the vehicle's wires & use new ones on the new stereo's wires.

On a DC circuit, if you are using disconnects, there are two types. Bullets and blades.

Bullet connectors:
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On a DC circuit in which the electricity only flows in one direction, if you are using bullet connectors, the female should be on the end of the supply wire and the male should be on the receiving end. If they come apart, the female connector has the insulator material around the electrode part so it won't spark when it falls onto something grounded. The male end should be on the wire that will have no power in it when the connection comes apart.

Blade terminals:
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Above: standard female blade terminals
Below: standard male blade terminal
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There are a variety of types of blades. Some are insulated, others aren't. Don't use them if both the male & female are not insulated unless you want to wrap them up with electrical tape when they're plugged into each other. Below is a insulated female blade terminal. It can be used with a non-insulated male.
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Below is a insulated male. It can be used with a non-insulated female.
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Some of the insulated types have both the male & female insulated & they're designed so the insulation of one slips over the insulation of the other. All you gotta remember is that when the two connectors are disconnected, the one with the insulation around it should be the one that has power and the bare one should be on the wire that will not have power in it when the connection is broken.
 
Forgot to mention they are color coded according to the wire gauge they are to be used for. Red is the smallest, yellow the biggest. On the wire strippers, it says what wire gauges to use for what color & it should also say on the box the connectors come in.
Butt slice connectors should only be used if the connection is intended to be permanent. They crimp on, and do not disconnect.
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I was going with the notion that you'd only have to cut the wire one time. After all, it's not like you replace stereos annually. And if they have a quick connect wiring harness, even if the head unit goes bad, you just get another head unit compatible with that harness.
I use blade connectors for switches... not such a big fan of them in other applications, though. I really only use any sort of quick disconnect if I see a need for it... if I install a car stereo, it's going to stay in there. Something mounted on the dash, I'll use them. Something mounted in or on something I don't intend to remove... I don't worry about it so much. And, if worst comes to worst, I use another length of wire as an extension.
 
Yeah ya don't really wanna cut the factory wiring in your truck. It's easy enough to replace but the wires are all just white and gray normally so figuring them out is a real pain. Use the Fit My Truck system here: Fit My Truck: Semi-Truck Stereos & Wiring to find a killer new heavy duty stereo. Fit My Truck will also tell you if you need a wiring harness for the stereo you choose. We use this site/system at least once a week and we've never had to cut and splice. Stay away from walmart stereos. They're made for cars and they're made cheaply for walmart. Good Luck!
 
Always go HD in a semi. All the miles and vibration kills aftermarket stereos quick. Not to mention having to cut and splice wires. When you install a Delphi or Panasonic in most trucks a simple plug and play harness is all you should need. I've never had to cut wires when upgrading the heavy duty stereo in a truck. They may cost a bit more than an aftermarket stereo, they'll also out preform and outlast an aftermarket. Check these out here. SemiTruckStereos.com: Stereos for Big Rigs, SiriusXM, Bluetooth and wiring You can get away with half or less than half the dealership cost!
 

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