complications

BenKRiley · 01-11-2005, 10:54 PM

My install is becoming a nightmare.

I got all of my equipment in from crutchfield today. I pulled the door panels of of my CC and broke three of the twelve clips that hold the arm rest on the door. One on the front passenger door and two on the rear passenger door. I figure a little gorilla glue and they will go back on without a hitch.

Then I removed all of the OEM speakers so I could make my bafels and rings out of MDF. Everything went perfect. Thanks to all of the people who posted instructions on how this is done.

Then I decided to put my HU in. This is where everything got bad. First I discovered that the new bazel had an extra hole between the airbag light and the hazard light. It is the aux? I don't have an aux nor do I have any kind of plug for the hole. Then I notice that my hazard is in the bottom middle of my stock bazel but is relocated on the bottom left of my new bazel and there is not enough room for it to fit. So now I have to cut out a hole on the piece of plastic that is just behind the bazel. With that done I try the new bazel out and relize I don't have any mounting brackets on the new bazel. So I take them off the old one and put them on the new one. I pop it in place but notice that I must not have cut the hazard hole big enough because the switch got stuck in the on position.

So off comes the bazel. Well the two clips on the top pop off and disappear in the dash. So now I have no way to clip the bazel on. I hope I can order some from Nissan. All in all, what I thought would be an easy install has turned into a nightmare. And it is just beginning. I still have to run all the wires for the amps and all the speaker wire. I have to build an amp rack and mount the amps. I have to finish the speaker baffels and rings and mount the speakers. I have to mount the crossovers.

I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.

adjmcloon · 01-12-2005, 06:59 AM

Dude, I so feel you.

The install on my Armada was one of the worst experiences I've ever had. Damn sure not like putting a stereo into a domestic!

Good luck, and stick with it. It'll work out!

ClermontTitan · 01-12-2005, 02:13 PM

Wow! I ordered the replacement bezel from crutchfield last night and didn't even notice the hazard switch was in the wrong spot and there was no hole for the passenger airbag light. Thanks to your post I just called them and cancelled the order. Thanks Ben!

Hope the rest of the install goes easier for you (it has to, right?)

smoketitan · 01-12-2005, 03:34 PM

1) just go to nissan they sell the clips for really cheap--dont glue them with gorilla glue it will be a pain to remove the door again

2) the bezel should be bought froma nissan dealer like titanparts here on the fourms. the aux input is there for the fosgate deck. they sent you the wrong one basically. send it back and order it from titanparts, serch for "aftermarket" there is a link to the faceplate in that thread--thats where I go mine from. and it will come with more clips--lol

I have lost many a clip in that little abyss, I cover it with a towel and tape
it up with painters tape

just take your time especially on the doors!!! and label your wires right/left and you should be fine

my install took forever the first time

mick3643 · 01-12-2005, 03:34 PM

My guess it was alot easier in the old days then dashes had some metal in them and the plastic was held on with screws. Were driving a very expensive snap-tite model.

raskm · 01-12-2005, 05:37 PM

You know what...its not that bad becuase your truck is still in one peice, becuase if all that happend to me I would have lost it and completly beat the living hell out of every inch of my truck...Now knowing all this I will have someone do the install for me... I owe you becuase I love my truck...thanks for that post!!

BenKRiley · 01-13-2005, 10:48 PM

I did not mean to drive anyone away from doing their own install. So far that first night was the worst. Since then everything has gone really slow, but I am very happy with the quality I am doing. I am taking my time and doing it right.

The wiring is being run the way I want it. I am not just splicing wires together. All of my connection are being done right. I am protecting all of my wires with tubing. I am using silicon when I need to.

The baffels for the front doors and the rings for the back are being made out of MDF and they are getting painted so that they will not weather. I am using silicon and liquid nails to make sure they are sealed. I made plates for my tweeters to go in the dash.

I am using dynomat on all of the doors. I am also using some foam insulation on the rear doors since they weren't insulated in the factory.

But the biggest benefit from doing all of this is that if I ever want to upgrade, or, God forbid, something gets blown, I can replace it myself. Everything is a little difficult the first time. The door wiring for the first door took me about 20 minutes just to figure out how to fish the wire thru. By the fourth door I could do it in 3 minutes.

I hope you reconsider turning your truck over to a shop. I have heard too many horror stories to give it to someone else. I have had a couple of friends who have work at an install shop tell me that there is no real technical train nor is there an quility controls. I am sure there are a lot of quality shops out there, but unless you know for sure, I think it is worth it to do it yourself. My system is going on install day number four and I think I have two or three more days to go, but I am very happy with the progress.

And I know that if I hit any snags, all I have to do is get on this forum and there are a whole bunch of people who can help.

lizardking · 01-14-2005, 12:00 AM

Way to go!! Be sure to post pictures!!!!!!!

DesertTitan · 01-14-2005, 11:25 AM

Yeah, unless you personally know someone at an install shop I would advise against going to one. I had my alarm installed at a shop and while everything works great, the wiring was pretty shady. I found all kinds of potential problems in their wiring when I was installing my door speakers. I'll NEVER take my truck back to that place, and probably no where else either. Besides, you will have much more pride in your truck if you do it yourself. Install shops are there to make money, so it is in their best interest to use cheap wire and get the job done as quickly as possible. It's not that hard to do that stuff yourself. I learned everything I know on the internet. Web sites like titantalk.com and the12volt.com have been great teachers!