1st gen ranger question

[strvger]

well, the po's Sony unit in my ranger stopped working. picked up a replacement radio/cd player and ready to put it in. i just can't figure out how to get that Sony out of the dash! i did take off the face plate but didn't see anything i could get into to pull the unit out. does the dash panel just pop off? i took out the screws under the dash pad, but nothing seemed to come loose at all. do i have to go in from underneath and take everything out to get to the radio? any help will be greatly appreciated. i did check the threads but couldn't find anything for the 1 gen trucks. if i missed them, just post the links and i'll get it done.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You have to pull the trim off under the dash panel to remove screws. Gently pull off the headlight switch knob (push the rod back in so you don't leave your lights on), and push the tab inside the ash tray and it should pop off as well. Grab the trim on the bottom edge and gently pull on it evenly, should pop off revealing screws along the bottom of the dash panel.

There are also screws along the top of the dash panel (which I think are the one you have found) Take all of them off and the dash panel should come right off. Then you will find four screws holding your radio in.

The first generation trucks didn't use the funky removal tool like the later ones, even the stock radio was held in by four screws.

 

[strvger]

thanks. i'll give it a go then. i was afraid to just pull on the dash panel in case there were hidden screws holding it in place. guess i also have to take off all the heater and other control knobs first as well then.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

thanks. i'll give it a go then. i was afraid to just pull on the dash panel in case there were hidden screws holding it in place. guess i also have to take off all the heater and other control knobs first as well then.

The HVAC controls will stay where they are, the fake plastic wood or steel looking part that goes around the gauges, radio and HVAC controls will come off leaving that behind.

The headlight knob and ash tray have to come off to get the trim off along the bottom of the fake wood/steel dash panel.

Here is my truck's dash, whatever your trucks equivelant is (it can be mock wood or mock brushed steel), you need to get the wood looking part off that is in my truck and the narrow rectangular trim pieces below it. Once you get the trim off you will see the tabs that stick down that are part of the wood looking peice and are screwed onto the steel structure of the dash. Take out the screws (and with the top screws also removed) the dash surround that goes around your radio will come right off.

 

[AllanD]

Just out of curiosity, what model was the Sony that died?

Actually it's more than curiosity... there are a couple of Sony units
I could use as "organ donors" to resurrect a couple of "wounded"
units I already have.

AD

 

[strvger]

thanks for the pics, they really help lots! AD: took my truck to the shop this am so they could try to figure out why my cruise control won't work. should have it back by the weekend and i'll let you know which Sony it is. it does come with a remote i know. if you decide you want it, you can have it just for the shipping. i'm not a Sony fan at all.

 

[strvger]

Just out of curiosity, what model was the Sony that died?

Actually it's more than curiosity... there are a couple of Sony units
I could use as "organ donors" to resurrect a couple of "wounded"
units I already have.

AD

got my truck back already, just a couple of the switches were wrong on the cruise.

the radio is a Sony CDX-GT07. says it is: DRIVE-S MP3 WMA
like i said, the face plate removes and it comes with the remote. don't know why it stopped working. maybe tripped a fuse or something like that when doing the cc. it may work fine when checked out, i have no idea. again, it's yours for the shipping. it will take me a couple of days to get it out as i'm in the middle of another project. let me know if you want it.

 

[Loud Ranger]

most aftermarket headunits are held in on the sides with 2 metal tabs that lock it in place, if you have a removal tool it takes 5 seconds to slide it out. otherwise you could just use 2 very small flat head screwdrivers and put it between the radio and the metal trim ring in the middle of both sides.

depending on how long the wires behind your radio are, you could just slide it out this way, pull the wires thru the mounting sleeve (disconnect battery first)
and connect your new radios wires to your harness

These are radio removal keys:

they vary by manufacturer but they all do the same thing. just a thought as it might be easier than taking apart the dash.

 

[strvger]

i do have those, but didn't know how to use them. they go on the sides? just slide them in and leave them and then slide the radio out? or do they have to "catch" on something and use them to pull the radio out? thanks!

 

[Loud Ranger]

if they are the correct one for the head unit they should latch on something as they release the side tabs so you just slide them in and apply some pressure twards the headunit and pull it out, otherwise i just try to grip part of the headunit or leave the face on and pull gently, they slide right out so dont pull too hard if your leaving the face on and pull on that, otherwise try to catch your fingernails on the cd slot.

 

[Loud Ranger]

where in mn are you? i just moved from maplewood, mn to cocoa beach florida and damn it gets hot outside of minnesota.

 

[strvger]

got it out with the little tools and it's on its' way to AD! thanks for the help!!
i'm way up north near Duluth. in the 40's here at night and this weekend will be topping out around 60. fall already and i still have so many summer projects to finish!!

 

[AllanD]

What I'd really be happy to find is a lose faceplate to complete the
CDX-GT510 I found in a junker... without a faceplate of course

My issue of the moment is that my working head unit is a CDX-M610
and it's a year too old to deal with MP3's... not in the head unit
It won't even display the tags from my mp3 compatible Disc changer.

AD

 

[strvger]

ok, the radio is in. sounds good enough for me as i replaced the dash speakers and added speakers behind the seat. now for the problem...

direct wired the hu to the battery with an inline fuse. also connected the yellow (batt) wire and red (switch) wires together for this. my power/mode light stays on even with the radio turned off and the display is off as well. i had it wired this way for a couple of days without any problems before this started happening. what did i wire incorrectly? what else could be the culprit?

 

[RangerFabWorks]

the red wire is only supposed to be live with the key on, the yellow is hot all the time to keep the memory to the stereo. find a hot with the key on and run the red to it.