I just finished installing my new Alpine head unit and am having a hard time believing that the way it turned out is how it is supposed to look.

The advisor at Crutchfield assured me that the kit would make the single din unit look "factory" but it looks anything but.

The radio is recessed in the dash and you can see the big holes above and below where the ISO faceplate snaps. The ISO faceplate is the only way to make it look flush but it's not meant for my application and I can't get the faceplate off of the unit with it installed.

The stereo with the new speakers sounds fantastic but the install looks like ****!

I just want to make sure what I've got is what it is supposed to look like or I got some sort of generic one size fits all kit or something. One of the alignment pegs fell off of it when I took it out of the bag so they are having to send me another one anyway.

 

It should be flush. Is yours a double din headunit? If so it should look like this with the metra kit.



Threre are multiple mounting holes on the kit and the headunit. It sounds like you just used the wrong ones.

 

No. Mine is single din with the sleeve.

There is only one way to install it. It looks like garbage.

 

Well something is off, it should fit if you have the right kit. Have you tried searching youtube? You might find an install video there.

 

I just called Crutchfield and they said that I had it installed correctly according to the instructions.

I would hope that this is not the way that it is supposed to look.



Notice that it sits back so far in the dash, the **** is what is flush. Also notice the big gap around the entire unit and the 4 holes for an unused piece of the kit that you can see into the dash through.

 

Yeah that don't look right and it would bug me. I know I've seen others with single din installed that didn't look like that at all. I'd send it back and get a different unit if it can't be fitted properly.

 

I don't know that I have ever seen a single DIN unit that would fit correctly in this kit. From the mounting flange to the face of the faceplate would need to be a minimum of 1/2" thick.

From what I've read on here and other places, Metra is supposed to be the best kit out there right now.

 

You think they sent you the wrong one?

 

It fits the truck it just doesn't work well with the radio. The instruction manual was in the sealed bag with the kit and it states for my truck and shows this kit in the drawings. I just think that they have cheapened up these kits and made them one size fits all so much that they don't fit anything correctly now.

There is an ISO trim ring that is used for ISO mount head units that flushes up on the front but the standard DIN units are just sol, I suppose.

 

Not sure what brand but I did notice Wally World had some dash kits when I picked up some wiring back in the car stereo section. Might look and see if the one they have is any different.

Or just use it as an excuse to go on and get a double din nav unit!

 

I think you did something wrong. Look close at your instructions, I nearly made a mistake with mine. Also, sometimes the kits instructions by year may be off a bit. Check it.

I used the Scosche kit from walmart, it fit perfect.

Remember, mine is a motorized detach so it sticks out a bit. If it were not motorized, it would be flush.

 

I've triple checked my instructions and called Crutchfield to boot. It is in there the way that it is supposed to be per the kit. I tore it out in the parking lot at lunch and tried everything in my power to make it into something different but it only works one way.

If there is not something different about the replacement that they are sending me overnight, I guess I will be going to Wal Mart and taking a look at what they have to see if it is made any differently.

 

Looks like you are missing a trim ring from the kit..That should be flush

Actually looking at the pic i found, you need to remove the radio trim ring and use the one that came with the kit.

 

 

Removing the radio trim ring is the one thing that I have not done yet. I started to but it looked like I was going to bend it before it came off. I will try that tonight.

According to the Metra instructions, the supplied trim ring is not used at all in DIN installations. It is only for ISO (side brackets mount the radio to the kit) installs.