single din radio install

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

spanky55amg

I'll give u $5, a hardy handshake, & 5 fish sticks
Joined
Jun 6, 2017
Posts
819
Reaction score
212
Location
Dallas, TX
First Name
Spanky
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C10 Short Fleet
Engine Size
V8
This isnt so much about the radio or wiring, but I picked up a new gauge bezel. I need to cut it to fit the radio. What have you all done to make sure you cut exactly what you needed out of the gauge bezel?
 

Crispy

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2017
Posts
1,454
Reaction score
1,391
Location
Carbon County, Pennsyltucky
First Name
Chris
Truck Year
1989
Truck Model
Suburban V1500
Engine Size
5.7
I have a later model with a DIN size radio so excuse me if i'm wrong but dont the install kits come with cutting templates?
 

PrairieDrifter

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2014
Posts
3,854
Reaction score
5,646
Location
North Dakota
First Name
Mason
Truck Year
84,79,77,76,70,48
Truck Model
Suburban k10, bonanza k10, k30, k20, c10, gmc 1/2ton
Engine Size
350, 350, 350, 350, 350, 350
Yep I just did this on my suburban last week, just go ahead an order that “installation kit” and it comes with the backing plate which is for support and then it comes with a template that once you cut it with your bezel, that template then becomes a small trim piece. It’s nothing fancy or high quality and it’s plastic but it’s only holding in a head unit, you should have a support brace anyways.

I ordered a headunit from crutchfield and it came with that install kit for free along with a harness. Then I just used an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel and carefully cut it out.
 

spanky55amg

I'll give u $5, a hardy handshake, & 5 fish sticks
Joined
Jun 6, 2017
Posts
819
Reaction score
212
Location
Dallas, TX
First Name
Spanky
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C10 Short Fleet
Engine Size
V8
I was kinda afraid of that. The piece of **** previous owner did a lot of wrong things. The gauge bezel is 9 kinds of f'up.

So I have a new bezel and was hoping there was a different way since I don't want to really mount that pos fully.

Thanks guys. Guess it's time to save up for a radio and LEDs for the gauges.
 

PrairieDrifter

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2014
Posts
3,854
Reaction score
5,646
Location
North Dakota
First Name
Mason
Truck Year
84,79,77,76,70,48
Truck Model
Suburban k10, bonanza k10, k30, k20, c10, gmc 1/2ton
Engine Size
350, 350, 350, 350, 350, 350
I was kinda afraid of that. The piece of **** previous owner did a lot of wrong things. The gauge bezel is 9 kinds of f'up.

So I have a new bezel and was hoping there was a different way since I don't want to really mount that pos fully.

Thanks guys. Guess it's time to save up for a radio and LEDs for the gauges.
Leds are decently cheap for the dash, and I only paid 120 for a pretty nice kenwood headunit. Not extremely fancy but way too fancy for these squares lol, has Bluetooth and aux and usb capabilities which is pretty much all you need.

That installation kit was only like 20 bucks anyways so it wasn’t bad.
 

spanky55amg

I'll give u $5, a hardy handshake, & 5 fish sticks
Joined
Jun 6, 2017
Posts
819
Reaction score
212
Location
Dallas, TX
First Name
Spanky
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C10 Short Fleet
Engine Size
V8
Leds are decently cheap for the dash, and I only paid 120 for a pretty nice kenwood headunit. Not extremely fancy but way too fancy for these squares lol, has Bluetooth and aux and usb capabilities which is pretty much all you need.

That installation kit was only like 20 bucks anyways so it wasn’t bad.
To you and I, it isnt bad. To the accountant, its horrible. Haha.
Yeah, I want to get dimmable LED's, but I might as well just do it if I am getting a head unit and pulling everything else apart. I hate doing double labor.
 

Crispy

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2017
Posts
1,454
Reaction score
1,391
Location
Carbon County, Pennsyltucky
First Name
Chris
Truck Year
1989
Truck Model
Suburban V1500
Engine Size
5.7
I browsed on Sonic Electronix for a head unit when I was in the market. Sometimes they show last years models then you can go on ebay and find a refurb or used one of the unit you like for a fraction of the cost. Thats how I scored my kenwood cheap (forgot how much but was about $75-90)
 

spanky55amg

I'll give u $5, a hardy handshake, & 5 fish sticks
Joined
Jun 6, 2017
Posts
819
Reaction score
212
Location
Dallas, TX
First Name
Spanky
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C10 Short Fleet
Engine Size
V8
This head unit needs to be replaced anyways. It is an old one that doesnt have the external fuse, and its shorted to the chassis and whines through the speakers, even with filter on it.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
44,173
Posts
950,832
Members
36,287
Latest member
goodwrenchca
Top