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Radio upgrade

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david_odom

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Lake Hartwell
The radio/cd player on my 2006 Sedona is kaput. It was not very good from day one and I want to replace it with a much better radio that has a jack for an iPod. Just a radio, no need for a cd. I'm thinking of mounting an antenna on the back of the boat.

Two questions

1. How do you get the danged thing out. I think it has to pop out toward the captains chair but I can't find where to free it.

2. Any recommendations on a first rate radio? This is prime boating time in lake Hatewell. I'm out day and night and I love picking up far away SEC games, like from Baton Rouge or Knoxville
 
Look inside the helm and it will be secured at the back with a strap of metal.
 
Hi David, i deleted your duplicate post, it takes a minute for a post to show up after you hit the post button, it happens all the time.

As for removing the old radio, first remove the trim ring, it just pops off, there is a small slot on both sides of the radio where you insert a small metal release tool, one will come with your new radio, then as Carl said, it will be supported on the rear with a strap.
 
You're probably going to end up with a radio/cd player whether you like it or not.  The demand for a unit with just a receiver is so low I don't  think anyone makes them.  You can get an entry-level head unit for a little over a hundred bucks, but stick to the name brands. I've always bought Pioneer because the FM reception capability is better than other brands, even though I mainly listen to Pandora bluetoothed through the receiver from my phone.

It's a slippery slope. I started with a head unit swap but wanted a bit more power after adding two additional speakers at the bow. An Alpine amp brought the power up to an honest 50 watts rms but the crappy stock speakers couldn't handle it. Just replaced them with some Polk db651's and I'm finally satisfied. For now.
 
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Wow, thanks for all the fast replies.

Geoffrey and Brenda,

I already had the strap free and the trim ring off. But my attempt at a "small metal release tool" was a small common screwdriver and something similar to a butter knife. I gently probed around the sides of the unit but couldn't see how to free it.

Is there a specific tool or hopefully just the right technique using one of the above?

SemperFi18387'

The unit you recommended looks better than anything I've found. The dimensions are roughly 7 13/32 x 2 9/32 x 7 15/32. Does anyone have the dimensions of the plastic sleeve my unit sits in?

Thanks to all
 
The reason for asking about the dimensions is I'm in Atlanta and the boat is at Hartwell. Sounds like a dumb question otherwise. I can always measure next weekend.
 
All single din radios "should" work. The chassis it slides out of should work too. I've never had a single din chassis type radio not work from one to another vehicle.
On the left and right side of the front outside edge of the radio, you should see a small slot on each side. This is the slot where you slide the tool into.
I've see people make the tools from credit cards, and numerous other things. I'll get a measurement for you as I have some in my garage.

Edit: As usual, when I want to find something, I cant. Swing by a Autozone, or Advance, or even a local car stereo shop, as they should have the tool you need. Should only cost under $10 bucks.

IF you have the original dealer paperwork package, check in there the tools may have been included with your paperwork.  I just checked mine, and it's in there.
 
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Here's how I got the unit out. To get the face plate off of the AquaTronics housing I slipped a putty knife between the console and the bottom corner of the faceplate, then inserted the blade of my Kershaw knife between the putty knife and the faceplate and gently wiggled it until it popped off. No marks on the console!

Next I removed the four screws that held the plastic case + metal housing and disconnected all three wires harnesses (three plastic connectors). That allowed me to slip the case + housing and radio out of the console.

Next I inserted two thin shims between the metal housing and radio to lift the tabs that lock the radio in place. That should have freed the radio but it didn't. I had to slide the putty knife between the metal housing and the bottom of the radio. That cut what appeared to be some light adhesive between radio and housing and between radio and foam shock absorbing material.

Knowing about the adhesive, I could now take the radio out without removing the case and housing. However I recommend taking the entire case out to optimize snug install of the new unit, specifically to ensure there is a light bond between radio and the pad.

There are three wire harnesses for the radio. All have a male female connector inline:

1. A two wire harness for the antenna. I don't expect to be using that again.

2. A four wire harness. On the radio side the wires are red, yellow, blue, and black. According to the Dual Manual, Red is fused at one amp and connected to a console switch, Yellow is connected to the battery and is fused at 5 amps, Black is ground, Blue is the remote turn on for a power amp.

3. An eight wire harness. On the radio side there is a purple pair, white pair, green pair and grey pair. Per dual manual, White and Grey pairs are for "front speakers", Green and Purple for "rear speakers".

Now for questions based on the Clarion wiring instructions:

1. Any reason to not wire the Clarion red wire to the red wire in the four wire harness? Is leaving a 1 amp fuse in line ok?

2. Any reason to not wire the Clarion yellow wire to the yellow wire in the four wire harness? (both original unit and Clarion label this as memory power) Do I need a 15 amp fuse or will a smaller one do?

3. I'm not sure if mapping blue to blue white is ok, but is there any need to even connect them if all I'm after is high quality radio reception just using the Clarion unit plus existing installed speakers?

4. Any recommendations on antenna? What type of antenna connector Did you use with your Clarion?
 
Your radio removal tools or keys should look like these:

DSCN03801_zps31a449c1.jpg


david_odom said:
Here's how I got the unit out. To get the face plate off of the AquaTronics housing I slipped a putty knife between the console and the bottom corner of the faceplate, then inserted the blade of my Kershaw knife between the putty knife and the faceplate and gently wiggled it until it popped off. No marks on the console!

Next I removed the four screws that held the plastic case + metal housing and disconnected all three wires harnesses (three plastic connectors). That allowed me to slip the case + housing and radio out of the console.

Next I inserted two thin shims between the metal housing and radio to lift the tabs that lock the radio in place. That should have freed the radio but it didn't. I had to slide the putty knife between the metal housing and the bottom of the radio. That cut what appeared to be some light adhesive between radio and housing and between radio and foam shock absorbing material.

Knowing about the adhesive, I could now take the radio out without removing the case and housing. However I recommend taking the entire case out to optimize snug install of the new unit, specifically to ensure there is a light bond between radio and the pad.

There are three wire harnesses for the radio. All have a male female connector inline:
1. A two wire harness for the antenna. I don't expect to be using that again.
2. A four wire harness. On the radio side the wires are red, yellow, blue, and black. According to the Dual Manual, Red is fused at one amp and connected to a console switch, Yellow is connected to the battery and is fused at 5 amps, Black is ground, Blue is the remote turn on for a power amp.
3. An eight wire harness. On the radio side there is a purple pair, white pair, green pair and grey pair. Per dual manual, White and Grey pairs are for "front speakers", Green and Purple for "rear speakers".

Now for questions based on the Clarion wiring instructions:

1. Any reason to not wire the Clarion red wire to the red wire in the four wire harness? Is leaving a 1 amp fuse in line ok?
2. Any reason to not wire the Clarion yellow wire to the yellow wire in the four wire harness? (both original unit and Clarion label this as memory power) Do I need a 15 amp fuse or will a smaller one do?
3. I'm not sure if mapping blue to blue white is ok, but is there any need to even connect them if all I'm after is high quality radio reception just using the Clarion unit plus existing installed speakers?
4. Any recommendations on antenna? What type of antenna connector Did you use with your Clarion?
Click to expand...
It's been a few years since I've installed a radio but I'm not sure what you mean by a 2 wire harness for the antenna.  

The 4 wire harness should be connected just as you had it with your old radio.  Red wire hot when key or switch is on.....should be a blade fuse in the back of the radio or a fuse inline - Yellow is a 12v constant (power all the time) for memory presets and bass/treble/fader settings - Black is common ground - Blue (some radios it is blue with a white stripe) is trigger (or remote) wire for an external amp or in cars can be used for a power raising antenna (yeah I know old school).

The 8 wire harness should have a + and a - side for your speaker connections.......pretty straight forward as the majority of radio manufacturers have gone with the same color coding for the speaker wires as well.  So it should be a matter of connecting green solid to green solid and green w /stripe to green w/stripe and so on.

Sounds like you have a handle on the install already but I thought I'd throw out my $.02
 
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