Replacing TT radio with used car radio ???

[TenOC]

The 2002 radio in my TT died. Since new RV radios cost $$$, I looked on eBay without much luck. I am thinking about replacing the radio with a used car radio from a junk yard. That is a better radio for less money. I can rework the cut-out in the TT to fit the radio.

A friend said that:

(1) Many (most ?) car radios need am amplifier and will not power RV speakers directly. Is this true?

(2) Many new car radios have a locking code that is key to the car's VIN number that only the car dealership can change. This is to stop the steeling of radios.

How do I select a car radio that will work in my TT. . . .:h . . . Or is this a bad idea?

[jstar]

TenOC wrote:
Thanks all . . . :B

My TT has 2 front and 2 rear speakers and I have the wire color code from the old radio. Now I need to find a good deal on the radio I want or I need Santa to bring me one.

I pulled a Panasonic stereo out of my 2003 TT that I have absolutely zero use for. PM me your mailing address and I will mail it to you. Its a typical car stereo from the era, nothing fancy.

[TenOC]

Thanks all . . . :B

My TT has 2 front and 2 rear speakers and I have the wire color code from the old radio. Now I need to find a good deal on the radio I want or I need Santa to bring me one.

[jstar]

most car stereos are 4 ohm I do believe.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I didn't believe a stereo could make 170% distortion until I came down here.

[ol_Bombero-JC]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:


Mis-matched components will make your setup sound like a Mexican Hi-Fi

Hijole !!


~

[jstar]

When it comes to an RV there usually are only two speakers possibly 4 so really all there is are the power, ground and speaker wires. The problem I have with mine is modern stereos have a second power wire that shuts the stereo off when you open the car door so if not hooked up to a switch of some sort the stereo stays powered up at all times until you kill the battery power in some way.

[wa8yxm]

Many places including crutchfield (add www and com) sell the proper plug with pigtail or even adapt-a-plugs.

[Ron3rd]

It sounds like the OP wants to pull an OEM (stock) radio out of a junk yard, which in theory would work,but those usually have proprietary plugs and you'll have a heck of a time trying to figure out what wires go where with no guidance. I'm with the others suggesting a radio from Wal Mart.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Make sure whatever you choose is rated for your rig's speaker IMPEDENCE which is stamped on the rear of the speaker usually on top of the magnet structure.

Mis-matched components will make your setup sound like a Mexican Hi-Fi

[jstar]

Ditto Crutchfield, I just put a Kenwood out of my truck (aftermarket) into my RV but the speakers that are in it are pretty low end, I have much better speakers but they are too thick to fit in the roof holes, I could put some spacers and make them work but the slide would then hit one of them so I'm out of luck unless I mount them somewhere else but then would have to run wires which is a major pain if even doable. I would personally just get a low end modern unit maybe with Bluetooth and a usb for charging phones etc and be done with it.

[wa8yxm]

In a class A often there is an amplifier, but if you swap out the radio the amplifier will remain since the dash radio is a standard car radio.

in a trailer, Often all the radios are standard car radios to start with, Nothing special about them, some are DIN, some Double DIN some 1.5 DIN (DIN is the French national brueau of standards and the 1, 1.5, 2 refer to the size of the cut out which as you said you can re-do) so with very few exceptions they all replace each other.. and with the DIN cutout radios it's very easy to swap 'em out.

You may with to get an Adapter cable (www.crutchfield.com should have 'em) if the radio is a different make from the one you have.. Saves cutting and splicing wires.. Personally.. I'd cut and splice, but then I have the tools and training.

[Dick_B]

I replaced my OEM radio with a Panasonic, I think, and the only problem I have is that the wiring from the radio for the various options like Fade, Left/Right speakers, etc. were never connected properly so we just use the radio with the speakers that are connected.

[j-d]

Depending on how old the tech of the failed radio is, you may find you have to do a little extra wiring to keep the Time and Station Memory "warm" when you turn the TT's house battery off for storage.

Any way I look at it, I see this swap as "easy."

[rockhillmanor]

X2 on walmart.

They have a 'huge' selection of radios and really cheap even for some pretty nice pricey brand names.

Sound system store wanted $800 bucks to replace the radio in my MH. I picked up a $120.00 radio for $79 bucks on sale that sounds way better than the factory one did and has 4 times the options on it. Not to mention some totally unecessary but cool blue lights.:B Instructions included were easy enough for me to install too!