Hi I am new here and just recently purchased an Avic-d3. I also decided to install the unit myself. I have never done any electrical work in a car before but am very comfortable working with wires. I hooked up the harness that crutchfield gave me, and the other neccicary wires. The system seems to work great but here are a few questions.

1. I did not solder the harness connections but stripped the wires and firmly twisted them, then wrapped the connections with electrical tape. Is this conection good enough?

2. How do you get the factory look and a clean finish with the thin plastic frame? Do you glue/tape it to the actual dash pannel from the inside?

3. Can the XM & GPS antennas be mounted on the dash board and still perform well?

4. How can i physically run the wire to the backup camera? do you snake it through the inside of the truck bed wall or somthing like that?

any help would be awsome!

Thanks

Paul

 

1. I did not solder the harness connections but stripped the wires and firmly twisted them, then wrapped the connections with electrical tape. Is this conection good enough?

Always the way I have done it. Some choose to solder but totally up to you. I don't like crimp caps. I like a nice tight harness that I can tape together and store nicely behind the radio. But connectors work nicely too but I'm much quicker with the wrap and tape.

2. How do you get the factory look and a clean finish with the thin plastic frame? Do you glue/tape it to the actual dash pannel from the inside?

Metra 99-5807 double din kit is the way to go. Leaves you a nice clean looking installation.

3. Can the XM & GPS antennas be mounted on the dash board and still perform well?

Mount it just under the dash tray. It doesn't need to be in view. Just has to be under the plastic of the dash.

4. How can i physically run the wire to the backup camera? do you snake it through the inside of the truck bed wall or somthing like that?

If you look under the truck you will see some grommets towards the rear of truck cab that you can run the camera cable through. Then just run it down the frame to the rear of the truck with the other harnesses.

 

thanks for the help !!

 

Crutchfield gave me one of thoes but how do you use it? It looks like a converter from a double din to a single din opening ... ? Do i break off the thin plastic strip in the middle of the one frame?

 

sorry ... checked out the companies website, found the directions and now know what i have to do.

 

What year truck are you installing it into? Could you post some pics maybe?

 

2004, yea ill post some as soon.

 

thats the dash kit that was used for my 07 screw and it came out great!

u will love the d3!

 

Guys the system works GREAT, except one thing ... i still can not find the reverse gear wire. I tore apart the hunk of wires in the drivers side kick pannel and can find no BLACK w/PINK stripe??? I have found black with yellow, black with blue, black with orange, and PINK W/black stripe ??? There is a big difference ... the wire is clearly solid pink with a small black stripe, not black with a pink stripe. Is this correct ?? Also it seems to be a slightly larger gauge wire.

Thanks for all the help , you guys have been great !!!

 

go to avic411.com..search orvask someone or more specifiaclly ask misfit..he did my install and knows fords in and out!

 

I did a search on avic411.com and found some info, but again nothing specific enough. Hmmmm

 

ask "misfit" he jsut did mine last week!

 

pics please

 

NO NO NO. NO electrical tape should be in the dash other than using to make look like factory harness. Use crimp caps or solder and heat shrink. NO wirenuts either. If you do it the etape way wires get loose catch ground or another and POOF. do it my way no connections get loose.
Ryan

 

Oh and obviously you have an 04+ and it can be found under the driver side door trim panel or DKP gray plug pin 13.
Ryan