Write-Up: Installing Double DIN head unit in '96-99 Riviera

That deck looks freakin sweet in there.

Agree, nice job deek!

man you're making me wish i would've got that deck

It's not too late! I can't believe all the things it does, bluetooth audio, usb input and ipod control, aux input, plus all the Pioneer accessories you could have to go with it... the sound is incredible. It has a very broad EQ... and I got it on Amazon for only $250!! I can't believe how far stereos have come these days!!

wow sharp looking deck man

Very nice job and great looking setup.
I was thinking about one kinda like that with maybe a GPS since there is enough room....

How are the eq settings on that deck? I know most pioneers have super bass and powerful and so on and so forth. Also did you have to do anything with your temp control wires for the steering wheel.

riviera2454 wrote:

How are the eq settings on that deck? I know most pioneers have super bass and powerful and so on and so forth. Also did you have to do anything with your temp control wires for the steering wheel.

They are good. I can change 5 or 6 settings throughout the band. Not great, but better than 'bass' and 'treble'. It also has 'bass boost', for the very lows. Read carefully, I installed a PAC SWI-PS to keep the steering wheel controls. It does the temp too, you have to splice into the wires right by the stock radio connector to keep the HVAC. Even better, I turned my 'seek up' and 'seek down' buttons into FAN up and FAN down (like the Auroras have). Haven't figured out how to relabel the buttons yet, but it's very nice being able to adjust from the wheel.

So you have to program the box to do temp as well or does it just need spliced in?

you have to program every button function as well as splicing the wire. Just read the instructions. It's really pretty easy if you are gonna be in there already.

Deekster, nice looking stereo. I was thinking about getting that one. It's the FH-P8000BT isn't it? I decided to install this one that I already have and save up my money for one of the AVIC's.

What do you mean by HVAC? I'll still have my climate control, just not the steering wheel buttons for it right? Since the steering wheel controls for the temp should go to the climate control ( I would assume they do), shouldn't they still work though, or is there a ground wire that still needs hooked up. I just took the front of my dash, and the old stereo out, about to cut the clip off and wire everything. Will I need to cut off part of that plastic for it to fit, or will it fit in there fine the way it is. I'm pretty sure I'll need to cut off where the rca's plug in. Is there anything behind the plastic I should worry about cutting? Also, what's the best tool to use to cut it?

On that diagram I was given, it had two different blue wires. One spot went to antenna, the other went to the amp. I would just wire those together wouldn't i, because the amp and antenna are both on remote, so that they turn on when the stereo turns on.

Yes, it is the 8000. Thanks! I am very happy with it, the sound is awesome, the universal inputs and ipod control work very well, bluetooth phone handsfree also works great... I love it!

Don't forget that with the PAC SWI-X or SWI-PS (recommended) you can keep the HVAC and steering wheel controls. If you are already in there wiring the rest of the system, it's only a couple extra wires to add the SWI... It's a real pain to do it later.

The steering wheel buttons for the climate control go through the radio. All of the steering wheel buttons are different resistors fed down one wire. The radio interperets the signal and either adjusts volume etc, or relays the signal back out to the HVAC.

Your HVAC will still work, just not from the strg wheel buttons.

I am pretty sure I wired my antenna and amp to the same signal too.

Okay, thanks, yeah, it's not a big deal if I don't have any steering controls. My stereo is installed. I have 3 sets of RCA's running off of it, but I don't have my amps installed yet. it's been snowing all day, so I didn't feel like laying in my trunk messing with anything while it was snowing. I tested the stereo with a few of the speaker wires hooked up and it worked. I did what you said with looping the front speakers into the rear speakers, so all I need to do when wiring to my amp is use the rear speaker wires as the fronts and rewire to the rears.

I drilled out part of the plastic so that everything would fit (doesn't look the best, but it's hidden). The piece of trim around my stereo is a bit big, so the bottom of the dash doesn't snap right now (fake wood trim hits it). I'll pop the bottom out and take the stereo trim off to fix that problem tomorrow.

I'll post a pic of it omorrow

Where are you located that it's snowing?

If you could, add some info about your car to your sig please. Makes it easier for us to help you...

there, sorry about that. Mid-Michigan is where I was getting snow lol.

Must be a delay on the signature. I made one and it shows up when I go to it, just doesn't show up here.

Car is 1997 Supercharged riviera. It's just my daily driver. I have a 1985 Fiero GT, a 1987 Chrysler Conquest TSi, and a 1973 Datsun 240Z as well.

You need to turn the signature to 'on' in your profile.

I did that :/

ah, it only works on posts made after that

here's a pic of it installed. The left side is popped away a little because of the Pioneer stereo surround being too wide, still have to fix that

Okay, I got the double din adapter today in the mail. The holes in it match up perfectly with the holes in the side of the head unit. However, there's no screws to secure the adapters to the HU.

Do they sell these screws anywhere? Here's a pic...these appear to be industry standard size holes...but I don't know where to get the screws

You can see the multiple spots where the screws can go in....

Here's a pic of the HU. IT's just a cheap Legacy unit, I got for $200..figured I'd put it in and see what it does.... Anyone have any experience with Double DIN's or Legacy's????

I would suggest a shop that installs custom radios. They would probably have all the screws you need.

Looks like the screen is scratched?

THey are metric screws. If you have a Tractor Supply Co (TSC) around they carry them. Also stores like Home Depot and Lowes have screws in pull out drawers. They will be in a plastic bag.

Im guessing they are M3 x 5MM long or so. Take your radio in, open a bag and see what fits.

no, it was just dirty, not the best screen BTW

Solution, Lowe's Hardware Store.... they sell screws....who knew!!!

So what size did they end up being?

Okay, I finally installed my Double DIN DVD/TV/MP3/Stereo system into the Riv.

It's a Legacy unit, not the most expensive, it's from China (what isn't?) so most of what I learned of the system I had to learn without the crazy manual!

PART 1 - THE SYSTEM
Bought a Legacy LDNTV65U DVD/TV/MP3&4/Stereo from a gentleman off Craigslist for $200. He had never installed and was looking to sell it. FIgured, "what the heck". So I bought it.


Needed a wiring harness (GM 32 Pin) so I went to Wal Mart and got one. After connecting all the wires I was ready! (NOTE, I had some confusion with the grounds. There are two grounds on the harness, and two on the HU. I thought I had them done correctly, but on install, the screen wouldn't work, or the remote. Found out I had to combine the two grounds on the HU and connect them to the main ground on the harness. Problem solved...weird)


Also needed a Double DIN adapter so the HU would screw into the dash. Adapters didn't come with screws, but a trip to the hardware store and I got bolts with nuts so I could both attach the adapters, I could also screw them into the stock HU spot and use the nuts to secure them! Bonus!


PART 2 - THE INSTALL
Removed the OEM HU (saving it for putting back in should I want or need to). The tape player had stopped as the rubber band which runs it (yes a RUBBER BAND!) had popped off. Fixed and I'm saving it for when I need it

The new HU is deeper, and with the adapter and RCA cables it won't just slide in. So you need to remove the bottom metal bracket which the OEM HU sat on. It just unscrews and remove two star washer things. Save this for reinstall should you want to. You also need to cut the back section, and a portion of the left section out to allow the harness wiring and cables to have room. A Dremel does the trick. You just toss the stuff you cut, since it'll never go back in again!


Once that's all done it looks like this

You can see I cut the back portion of the cavity where the OEM HU sat. It's just plastic. I also cut away a portion of the left side (by where the wiring for the traction control & trip odometer reset are. BE CAREFUL, DON'T DREMEL THROUGH THESE WIRES. I CUT INTO THE ANTENNA WIRE..OOPS!!!!

Finally that's all done and you can install the HU. The HVAC has a section of the bracket you removed still attached to it. So the HU and the double DIN adapters you bought can screw in here. Use the nuts & bolts you got..works great!


PART 3 - PUT IT BACK TOGETHER
At least on this HU you will have to cut into the dash cover to remove the rounded corners. Otherwise, the HU won't stick through. So I cut into mine. Now I'm no expert with the dremel, so I wasn't happy with the end result. The corners came off okay, but it looked bad!


Then I remembered the HU came with a trim ring.

Now it won't fit after I put the dash cover back on. However, I could modify it, by cutting out the attachment pieces on the back, to make it flat, and I could then glue that to the dash cover, so it would hide the cuts I made, and look more professional. I glued it on and then painted it, and the parts of the dash cover around the HU a flat black.

tape it off, but watch out for overspray!

Put it back on and I'm very pleased with the results. It's almost professional. I could have cut better, and there's a little glue showing, but for me, it's awesome!!!




Has a built in TV too!!!

I need an antenna or something, Right now it's just got a length of coaxial cable attached to it....


PART 4 - THE STUFF WHICH DOESN'T WORK NOW
I chose not to get a PAC unit, so my steering wheel buttons were dead. I just figured I'd remove them. This is a little easier said then done. MAKE SURE WHEN YOU INSTALL HU OR WORK ON WHEEL AT ALL, YOU DISCONNECT THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL. DO THIS ON YOUR OWN ACCORD. WORKING ON AN AIRBAG UNIT ISN'T FOR A NOVICE!!! I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS (Legal stuff there)
Took airbag off wheel and removed the buttons. A little more complex than I thought. It's rather scary since you feel like you're handling dynamite! I made sure I didn't make a metal to metal contact. You have to remove the bag, then the rear metal cover, then unplug the harness and carefully pull the buttons out and under the airbag wiring. Then reassemble the unit to the wheel.


You need to be careful here. That metal plate on the back needs to come off, then you can remove the buttons. I saved mine, but boy I don't want to have to go back and put them back on!!!
When done, the steering wheel looks like this. There are two openings where the buttons were, but I'm the only one who would notice it


When I was done I had this left over (two steering wheel buttons, and the bottom metal plate the OEM head unit was on)

I'll save these for when I reinstall the OEM HU (should I ever)

All in all, it was an easy install. Make sure everything works before you screw it all back together (I had to go back in twice). But I'm happy with it. The HU is not the most expensive thing, and I hope it lasts for at least a year. It sounds pretty good, However, the manual is jibberish and the screen during radio or SD or USB could use some pizzazz...but for $200 and some time, I'm happy with it.

Bought two types

10-32X3/4 and 10-24x1/2

I used the 10/24's

Looks good man, nice dash kit too.