Platinum_Racing Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 It was my birthday last week, and I got a new Sony radio for the Legacy. I'm not going to bother with a wiring harness for the car, since I found the diagram and figured I could save some money if I wire the radio up myself. The only problem I'm having is figuring out some what to make the radio look right in the dash. It fits right in the stock mounts and bolts right up, but I can't find a dash adapter in stock at any local store. I could order one, but I want my radio now, since I am excited and extremely impatient. There is about 3/4" of space between the bottom of the radio and the top of the storage compartment attached to the radio mounts. I have some 6061 T6 aluminum sheet downstairs, so I'm thinking about cutting a piece to fit and mounting it underneath the radio on the mounts, then painting it black to match the dash. I looked online to see what the dash adapter kit comes with, and it's just a rectangular piece of plastic that goes between the radio and that storage compartment. The first thought that entered my mind was... "I can make one of those!" I also have a pair of Infinity 6 1/2" speakers I want to put in the front doors, but I need to find an adapter for them. Any ideas? The rear deck has a pair of Pioneer 6 1/2" speakers, since the Infinity set was too deep to fit. So now the radio is out of the car, and I'm on my way to get an antenna extension wire, some wire crimps, and some electrical tape... And to return this adapter kit that the guy at Best Buy said would fit in my car (Which totally doesn't). Wish me luck, and look for pics when it's all done! Oh, by the way, the radio is a 208W Sony Xplod CDX-GT431PW. It's HD ready, Satelite ready, has an Aux port, and a special wire for IPod's. It's also got a remote control, just incase I can somehow convince my GF to join me in the backseat sometime, I can still change the radio station... :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum_Racing Posted July 22, 2009 Author Share Posted July 22, 2009 This radio was such a pain... All the wiring diagrams were wrong. I had to get the color of the speaker wires myself, and I still can't figure out why the Constant (+) 12V wire doesn't work. I checked and replaced the fuse, even though the fuse didn't look bad, and I still get nothing. The stock radio has 2 accessory wires, so I ran the Constant (+) 12V on the radio to one of the ACC wires, and the ACC on the radio to the other ACC wire. I don't have any presets as a result, since the radio loses all power whenever you take the key out, but for now I guess it will just have to do.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnifeyMcShanker Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Sorry to hear about that, I had the same sort of problems when I put my sony radio in a while ago. Now the power antenna doesn't work anyway so I still can't listen to the radio... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum_Racing Posted July 26, 2009 Author Share Posted July 26, 2009 That must be a pain. The wires for the Amp switch and the power antenna are the same colors on a Sony radio, right? If so, is it possible you switched them? The power antenna might still work (Since they're both essentially the same thing, switched + lead that comes on with the radios power button) but you may have fried the circuit for the Amp switch as it doesn't have the same current rating as a power antenna. Anyway, I figured it out. All the colors were wrong from the website. I had to replace an underdash fuse for the clock and use a circuit tester to figure out which wire was +12V constant. Then I pulled the door panel off on the drivers side door and checked the color of the wires going to the speaker. They weren't the same colors as the leads to the radio, so I just used my Sherlock Holmes-like powers of deduction (By studying the old radio speaker plug) and figured out the proper colors. Works like a charm now! Next I have to find/make adapters for the front speakers to the door. I have some very nice 6.5" Infinity speakers that won't fit with the angled door panel... And I can't find adapters anywhere. I was thinking of either mounting the speakers to the door panel (Which I fear would rattle considerably) or cutting the stock speaker brackets off of the stock speakers and somehow putting them on the Infinity speakers. After that I'm going to Dynamat the rear deck to stop the Pioneer 6.5" speakers from rattling occasionally. I figured I'd wrap the holes for the speakers with Dynamat, poke holes for the mounting screws, then reinstall the speakers on top of the Dynamat. I'll probably do some of this tomorrow when I do all four brake rotors/pads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnifeyMcShanker Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 No, it's the mast, the string gear on it is broken in the middle. I took it out a long time ago and it's sitting in my garage. The motor is still good I just need to find a place where I can get the mast with a good gear attached. I'md trying to avoid getting it from SOA because I know they will charge me an arm and a leg, but none of the junkyard legacies I've seen lately have power antennas. I may have to settle for a fixed one. And about the front speakers, I have never been inside my door panel because thankfully nothing has broken in there yet but if it's like others I've seen it has some thin sheet metal that stuff mounts to. If I was doing it I would just cut the hole for the speaker bigger and drill new holes instead of making an adapter plate. But if you want to mount it to the panel you could get some rubber grommets from a parts store and use them as spacers to stop it from rattling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum_Racing Posted July 27, 2009 Author Share Posted July 27, 2009 I would (And have in the past on other cars) but on this car the door isn't thick enough. The hole is already big enough for the speakers I have, but if I put them in the window won't roll down all the way before it hits the speaker. *Sigh* oh well.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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