***NEW UPDATES (as of 2/23/14) POSTED AT BOTTOM***

I posted a couple weeks back hoping someone out there had done this but unfortunately no replies. So I went it alone and achieved great results. Given the amount of views to my other post, I assume there is a good deal of interest in how to do this modification. I'll post a link to this thread on that old post so those seeking help can be redirected (or maybe the moderator can do that?).

First things first. This mod was done on a 2000 Lariat (early production cycle - 10/99) 4x4 with a 5.4 Triton. Don't know if the power stats matter but I wanted to give as much info as possible. The 6-disc CD changer is remotely located in the center console. It is manufactured by Clarion and the part # is XW1F-18C830-AB. If you have something different, or if your wiring harness color codes don't match up with what I describe below, THEN PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK. (Also, apologies for the text in the pics...not sure what happened?)

Before you begin please note:

1) You can do this mod without removing the center console (and the black plastic housing skeleton underneath it) but you will definitely need the unique combination of long arms and small hands. So I am detailing the full process here but noting steps regarding the console removal as 'optional'.

2) You have a choice to either keep the CD changer functional along with adding the MP3 functionality, or say goodbye to ancient technology. I chose the latter route but I note in the appropriate steps below where the forks in the road are for that decision and provide some helpful links if you decide you just can't live without your CD's.

Tools/equipment needed:

o 3.5mm (for a 1/8 inch long male plug) stereo socket ('un-switched' (3 conductors) if you are saying goodbye to your CD's or 'switched' (5 conductors) if you just can't let go of the past). I got mine (un-switched) from Radio Shack. Sold in a 2-pack for $3.49 (Chicago area on Jan 31, 2014). Whichever way you go, make sure it is the kind with a threaded tip and locking nut.

o 4.5 feet of thin gauge wire similar to that used in the wiring harness (I just used some old speaker wire I had laying around that matched closely). 4.5 feet is probably more than you really need but later on you will thank me...especially if you decide to do this without removing the console.

o Soldering iron and solder (I used a low voltage model and thin gauge solder because a) I had it on hand and b) the conductor terminals on these sockets are damn near microscopic and I thought a soldering gun would be too bulky (and may damage the socket).

o 3 small wire nuts

o A male/male 3.5mm stereo cable (the plugs are 1/8 inch long and look just like any MP3 player headphone plug).

o General tools like sockets, drill, etc.

OVERVIEW:

You are going to tap into the CD changer's audio output to the speakers. The 3.5mm stereo socket (un-switched version) has three conductors. One for the right channel, one for the left channel and one for the ground. You will need to keep the CD changer in place with the harness plugged in (otherwise your head unit will read an error message) and a CD will need to be playing (or you will also get an error message). Doesn't matter what is on the CD as long as the head unit thinks something is playing. I located my 3.5mm socket in the cup holder and that's what these directions show. It seemed like the most convenient place but you can locate anywhere you like (just know you will need enough extra wire to reach where you are going).

NOTE: If you decide to go the 'switched route', then the setup is a bit different. In this case the audio signal from the CD changer is sent to the head unit when nothing is pugged into the socket. But when the MP3 player is plugged into the socket, the head unit will receive a signal from BOTH the MP3 player AND the CD changer. So you need to take some time and record a blank CD so that you won't be hearing both sources at the same time (unless of course that's what you're into). Also the wiring from the socket to the speaker wires is different (remember there are 5 conductors instead of 3 and you are going to be splicing into the speaker wires as opposed to cutting them away from the CD changer). I don't know much about this but for those interested, here's a link to an Aussie Ford forum that describes the process (but for the life of me I can't figure how the wiring works in the last diagram???)...

http://www.fordmods.com/documents.php?d=75

Step 0 (optional): Remove the front seats

I call this Step 0 because while you can remove the console without removing the seats, your life will be a whole lost easier with the seats removed. It's only 4 T-55 TORX bolts each and besides, it's an opportunity to clean out all that stuff that has fallen between and under the seats. Who knows maybe you'll even decide to vacuum and shampoo the carpeting! My Lariat has a power driver seat so to remove the seat from the cab after the TORX bolts are removed, you will need to lean the seat back and unplug the power wiring harness and the seatbelt monitor harness from the underside of the seat. Also, when you are putting everything back together you should put some water proof protection on the bolt. I used a double coating of plumber teflon tape.

Step 1 (optional): Remove the console shell

There are 6 screws holding it in place, two on either side near the bottom and two under the removable cup holder. The cup holder is a pressure fit, so you just have to yank up on it to remove.





Step 2: Remove the cassette/CD jewel case plastic storage insert

It just pulls up.



Step 3 (optional): Remove the CD changer plastic shroud

It has two slots at the bottom of the sides that fit over tabs in the metal CD changer mounting plate and two tabs at the top (closest to the side of the console facing the passenger side) that fit into two slots on the metal CD changer mounting plate. Dislodge the slots from the lower tabs first and then angle it towards you (assuming you are on the driver's side) and pull up to release the two tabs on the top (this may take a bot of coaxing). Sorry again about the text on the photo...but the leader line pointing to the shroud is what's important. Also see the pic in Step 4 below as I am showing the relative locations of the slots and tabs described here.

Here's a picture of the shroud in place...



And here's two pictures with it removed so you can see what the slots and the tabs look like...





Step 4: Remove the metal CD changer mounting plate...and the CD changer along with it (optional). Note: I sometimes refer to this as the 'holder' in the pics.

There are just 2 screws at the top that attach the mounting plate to the black hard plastic console skeleton.



Step 5 (optional): Remove the hard black plastic console skeleton (my terminology)



There are 4 large nuts holding it in place. 2 outside the unit and 2 inside. To get one of the nuts on the inside you will need to remove the thin black (flexible) liner from the bottom.




Step 6: Remove the wiring harness from the CD changer

The harness has a tab which you need to press in while pulling the harness out of the CD changer (it can be stubborn...just keep working it...this is also one of the reasons why removing the console makes the job easier as trying to remove this harness with the CD changer still attached is quite a challenge).

The harness looks like this...(apologies for out of focus pics!).




Just place the CD changer aside for the time being.



Step 7: Cut the speaker wires close to where they exit from the wiring harness plug.

NOTE: If you are going the 'switched' route, then you will be splicing into the speaker wires, not cutting them.

One of the things that took me forever to figure out was which wires where for the speakers. Many thanks to CVPI.org for their forum on the police interceptor model Crown Vics...

http://www.cvpi.org/archives/p71inte.../wsdindex.html

All of the wire color codes did not match up 100%, but the important point was that it was 10 wires in a 12 pin harness for a CD changer of this era and I was only interested in locating the 4 speaker wires (and the color codes did match up there).

The wires to cut are:

Gray (right -), Violet (left -), Orange/Black (right +), and Green/Brown (left +). CAUTION: There are 3 other wires on this harness that are close to the green/brown combination. 2 are green/black and the other is green/gray. You will be able to tell if you are cutting the right one because the 4 speaker wires are all on one side of the harness (2 on top of each other). Alright, that maybe sounds confusing, so here's a diagram...



This is a view looking into the socket so the wires are going back into the computer screen. You are only concerned with the 4 wires in the red circle. (This is another reason why removing the console is a good idea!).

Once those four wires are cut, strip off about 3/16th inch of insulation from the ends. (NOTE: The colors in this pic came out bad...the orange/black wire looks like it is tan/red).



Combine the gray and the violet wires (the two negatives). I also tipped mine with a little solder as you see in the pic below (don't pay attention to the fact that the console is back in on this pic...I didn't do the sequence exactly as I am describing it here...just appreciate the fact that my pain is your gain).



Step 8: Drill a 1/2" hole in the hard black plastic console skeleton

(Yes I know the skeleton is back on...see the note in the above step about my actual sequence of events versus what I am detailing here). This will be where the wires pass through from the 3.5mm socket to the speaker wires in the harness. Note in the pic below you can't drill this hole dead center because of the way the two sections of the skeleton come together. I drilled mine on the driver side. Because of this center joint and the depth of the 3.5mm socket, you also will not be able to locate the socket dead center in the cup holder. So I figured closer to the driver side was appropriate.



Ignore the fact that the socket is already wired up...again, I didn't take the pictures in the sequence described here.

Step 9: Cut a notch in the console shell to allow space for the bottom of the socket.

This should be right above where the 1/2 inch hole is in the skeleton. I used a Dremel. (No comment please on my cutting techniques).



Step 10: Cut the extra wire (in my case the speaker wire) into three 18 inch length segments and strip 3/16th inch of insulation from all 6 ends.

Step 11: Solder each of the three wires to the three conductor terminals of the 3.5mm stereo socket. CAUTION: The socket is small and it will get HOT when you apply the soldering iron to it. I used a clamping device to hold it in place so I didn't burn my fingers off.

Here's a picture of the socket with the conductors identified for this particular unit. Generally speaking, the conductor that touches the tip of the plug is the left channel, the conductor that touches the plug in the middle is the right channel and the conductor that touches the plug closest to the cable is the ground. Also note the threads on the outside with the locking nut attached.



Step 12: Drill a hole in the cup holder

This hole should be large enough for the threaded part to pass through but not so large that the locking nut won't hold it in place.

Step 13: The tricky bit

The socket I bought fits through the thickness of the cup holder...but not enough to catch the threads of the locking nut. So I had to cut a bevel out along the top edge of the hole to create a space for the locking nut. I thought about using a bigger drill bit to create a counter sink, but was worried that I would not be able to control the depth. So I just used an X-acto knife and a little patience.

Once it's all in place it looks like this...




Step 14: Connect the wires

First reattach the skeleton (BUT NOT THE CONSOLE SHELL).

IMPORTANT: Make sure you are able to distinguish which wire is coming from which conductor. Getting the right and left channels mixed up will only mean that your balance control will be opposite but getting the ground mixed up with either will not allow the sound to be heard.

Then place the wires from the socket through the outside of the 1/2 inch hole in the skeleton into the console. Now with your right hand inside the console, grab the ends of the wires coming from the socket and pull on them while using you left hand to guide the cup holder so your not pulling on it.

Now connect the wires from the socket to the wires you cut from the harness. The wire from the ground conductor on the socket goes to the combined gray and violet wires on the harness. The left channel wire from the conductor on the socket goes to the green/brown wire on the harness. And the right channel wire from the conductor on the socket goes to the orange/black wire on the harness.

At this point it's a really really good idea to conduct a test and make sure you got everything right. So twist your connections together and put the wire nuts on, plug the harness back into the CD changer, make sure there is a playable CD in the cartridge, plug one end of the male/male cable into your MP3 player and the other end into the 3.5mm socket, turn the MP3 player on start playing a song (make sure the volume is turned all the way up...this will need to be the case at all times in the future), turn the ignition to ON and press the CD button on the head unit. If you wired it up right you will hear your MP3 song playing. Adjust the volume on the head unit and make sure the sound is good and also adjust the R/L balance to make sure you got the wiring correct.

Step 15: Finishing touches

If everything checks out with the test, disconnect the three connections and pull the wires from the socket back out through the 1/2 inch hole. Reattach the CD changer/mounting plate back onto the skeleton (note the mounting plate has a notch on the left side (towards the front of the truck) to allow the wiring harness to pass by so it does not get crimped underneath the unit) and place the plastic shroud over it.

Now put the console back on. (The reason you shouldn't put it on before is that while the cassette/CD jewel case storage unit comes out with the shell on, the plastic shroud will not (so the reverse won't work either). Also, it's just easier if something goes wrong with the test to not have the shell in the way).

Now make solid connections. Guide the wires back through the 1/2 inch hole using the same right hand/left hand guiding process described above this time putting the cup holder all the way in place into the console shell. CAUTION: Make sure the socket is lining up with the notch you cut in the shell. The socket conductors are really, really delicate and they will break off or bend to touch each other if there is not enough room for the socket underneath. Twist the connections back together and solder each connection and then put the wire nuts on. The last thing you want after all this work is to have some bump in the road cause one of the connections to come apart!



Put the cassette/CD jewel-case storage unit back in and you are done!





***UPDATES***

It's been three weeks since I posted this mod and I wanted to give a couple updates.

First, while I can't say much about the quality of the tuner or the CD changer for the premium sound system of this era, the amp and the speakers absolutely rock! I am using iTunes on an iPhone 5 and not only am I hearing mids I never head before in this truck, they are perfectly clear! So glad I decided to go through with this mod. Driving now is so pleasurable I almost don't notice the annoying vacuum leak on the intake manifold that I have yet to fix (but's that's another thread on the forum).

I found fumbling around with the phone to change songs, playlists, etc. a bit of a hassle (if not dangerous), so I started looking into devices for securing a phone (or GPS) that fit into the cup holders. I found this one on Walmart's website...

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Macally-MC...older/24097903

I first went to my local Walmart to see if they had it but the version they had only grips the device from the top and bottom. It won't collapse smaller to allow gripping from the sides which means it's difficult to get the 3.5mm plug in and also difficult to use the shutoff button on the top. So I used their 'site-to-store' service from the web and had my new holder in just a few days. Works great and makes life much easier (and a lot safer).

NEW MODS COMING SOON!

This mod had inspired two additional mods I am currently working on:

1) Really inexpensive hands free phone setup
2) Really inexpensive USB port for charging the phone

 

Nice write up! And very clean install! I think I'd be a little worried with the jack placement though if water from a cup dripped down around it with something plugged in.

 

Hmmmm...good point. I don't usually have beverages in the truck, so that never occurred to me. I will be interested to see if anyone else does this mod and where they decide to locate the socket if different from the cup holder.