How the heck do I install an aftermarket stereo?

syphon · Post by **syphon** » Sun Feb 22, 2004 12:29 am

How the heck do I install an aftermarket stereo in my 93 Legacy?

I pulled the stock stereo and cd player out of there.

I have a 1.5DIN pocket I bought from a fellow forum goer.

The outer trim piece for the stock stereo is smaller than the opening for my aftermarket deck. It fits in fine with the pocket, but the stereo wont fit in unless I remove the trim piece, which leaves a big ugly hole around the whole thing.

What have you guys done about this?

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Sun Feb 22, 2004 12:40 am

Remove cup holders by sliding out and releasing catch.

Remove two screws now exposed.

Remove ashtray.

Reomve two screws that hold ashtray rails with a stubby Philips.

Install stereo.

Steve

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Sun Feb 22, 2004 12:52 am

What do you mean it wont fit? What part sticks out? Is it too tall or too wide or too far foreword? Check the radio and see if there are anymore mounting holes you can use. You can put the 1.5din on top and see if the mounting holes are any better for the radio on the bottom.

syphon · Post by **syphon** » Sun Feb 22, 2004 1:13 am

I managed to fit the stereo in the top.

The reason I wrote the post... I didnt realize that the stereo would be in-set in the dash. The trim piece that comes with the stereo wont fit on there. When I tried to see if the trim piece from the stereo would fit inside the trim piece for the dash, I noticed they wouldnt fit.

Also, everything is in there pretty tight. The faceplate is wedged on there so hard I cant pull it off (easily).

The install is done though... I cant find the damn antenna wire! I'll just listen to CD's for a while.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sun Feb 22, 2004 3:40 am

You shouldn't need any of the trim pieces that came with the aftermarket stereo.

The opening in the console almost precisely follows the ISO-DIN specification. I've put several aftermarket head units in BC/BF Legacies using the factory trim without having to inset them. With the 1.5-DIN pocket there aren't any empty spaces. Maybe your aftermarket head unit is just slightly bigger than ISO-DIN specifies? What kind of stereo is it?

Wasn't the antenna connected to your stock stereo? It's just big plug on a piece of coax separate from the wiring harness. Looks kind of like this:

eastbaysubaru · Post by **eastbaysubaru** » Sun Feb 22, 2004 3:41 am

You'll probably need an antennae extension cable anyways. The antennae cable is probably tucked in the carpet on the passenger side. It falls in there fairly easily. When I hooked up my HU, the cable barely reached. I actually had to get my sister with her little ass hands to reach back there and connect it as I slid the HU in place. You can find the extension cables at Circuit City or probably RadioShack. Good luck!

-Brian

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Sun Feb 22, 2004 7:04 am

which is why I like my radio, the antenna plug in is actually extended about 6 inches

syphon · Post by **syphon** » Mon Feb 23, 2004 3:14 am

Hey guys, I appreciate the help.

I actually already have an antenna extender (my old car was an '85 Subaru Wagon).

The problem is... when I disconnected the stock stereo, I just pulled on the antenna wire and it came free. The other end of it is buried somewhere back in there, and I cant find it!

Is it on the passenger side? I thought it was on the drivers side so I've been focusing my search over there.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Mon Feb 23, 2004 3:33 am

I believe I found it on the driver's side. But it's been almost two years since I've even seen it so I dunno for sure.

TurboLegacy · Post by **TurboLegacy** » Mon Feb 23, 2004 4:32 pm

if you have a motorized antenna, the wire on the back of the stock player is soldered into it. i had to just break mine off to even remove it. i installed my cd player without the antenna wire,cuz i dont even listen to the radio anyways. i had a 92 loyale and that had the antenna wire plug and the legacy doesnt, so i assume that it is becuz of the motorized antenna

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Mon Feb 23, 2004 4:42 pm

I've had 2 Legacies with motorized antennas and the antenna connection on the back of the stereo was no different from those without motorized antennas...

Maybe it's a year thing? Both of mine were 1993 models.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Mon Feb 23, 2004 4:59 pm

1990 and the connector was fine.

eastbaysubaru · Post by **eastbaysubaru** » Mon Feb 23, 2004 5:29 pm

My '93 has the slide in style connector. Just like the pic in this thread. It's got the motorized antennae as well.

-Brian

syphon · Post by **syphon** » Mon Feb 23, 2004 9:55 pm

I know what the connector looks like, and already have an extender, the problem is that the line is just so short that its fallen way back in the dash somewhere and I cant find it!

I've probed around with a flashlight but I cant find it anywhere.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 4:59 am

look in the driver's side right at the bend in the plastic that's near your legs. Might be under the carpet by now

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How the heck do I install an aftermarket stereo?

How the heck do I install an aftermarket stereo?

the antenna wire