stereo woes.....maybe its just stuffed??

[18cherokee]

hi - my 89 has the stock factory installed stereo unit - & i'm getting tired of driving around with little or no tunes to enjoy.

> stereo reception for a.m. stations is crap - lots of crackling & fading in & out, f.m. reception usually seems ok.
> channel/station display never works
> tape deck doesnt work
> speakers rarely all work in unison - i'll get a blast of stereo surround sound & have to turn the volume down quickly only for it to go "mono" again

does it sound like the whole unit is stuffed?

what could i check before forking out for a stock replacement, only to have the problems continue?

grounds? (i've read a little about that, doesnt seem to be much about here with regards to stereo units themselves)

cheers

[drlocke]

Unless you are trying to keep an authentic resto your best bet is to pull that unit, do any necessary cutting to fit a din sleeve, which will take an aftermarket stereo. Spend about a hundred bucks on a Pioneer DEH-1900 MP to fit into that sleeve. Such a unit will play Music CDs--and Data MP3 and WMV CDs, where you can get several hours of music on one disc. Radio reception is as good as any.

You'll likely not wish for more entertainment than this unit will give you.

[FSJ Guy]

The 86-91's are already set up for a DIN style radio. Like drlocke said, ditch the stock radio and update it to something you like. Put Pioneer speakers in and you'll be set. It's pretty easy to replace speakers and such on these trucks. (Unlike my 05 Impala where I have to remove the ENTIRE rear seat to get to the rear deck. Fortunately, those speakers are good!)

BTW, if/when you do ditch the stock unit, get a wiring harness ADAPTER for the new radio so that you don't have to butcher the stock wiring behind that dash. No matter how it's done or who does it, if you splice in a new harness, it always looks like crap. AMHIK. The adapters are so much nicer and are worth the $30 or so IMHO.

[Jayrodoh]

Yup, a DIN stereo is a direct bolt into an 86 or newer, no DIN sleeve needed. If you can order from Crutchfield or the like, they'll give you the harness and the mouting brackets free. You will have to trim the black bezel about 1/32" of an inch in both sides, but that's about it. Your dash is a little different being a RHD, but I'll bet it'll be close.

I just put the Pioneer DEH1900 in my boat and it rocks for the price, definitely the best $100 stereo I've ever purchased.

[Murphy]

Originally Posted by 18cherokee

hi - my 89 has the stock factory installed stereo unit - & i'm getting tired of driving around with little or no tunes to enjoy.

> stereo reception for a.m. stations is crap - lots of crackling & fading in & out, f.m. reception usually seems ok.
> channel/station display never works
> tape deck doesnt work
> speakers rarely all work in unison - i'll get a blast of stereo surround sound & have to turn the volume down quickly only for it to go "mono" again

does it sound like the whole unit is stuffed?

what could i check before forking out for a stock replacement, only to have the problems continue?

grounds? (i've read a little about that, doesnt seem to be much about here with regards to stereo units themselves)

It's probably stuffed. But the good news is, you have a new trot-line weight the next time you go fishing. With the bad tape unit, the best thing would be to replace the stereo as others suggested and run new speaker wires just in case. That $100 Pioneer is a pretty good unit. I have a similar Pioneer waiting to go in mine.

[DanHS]

I vote for the DEH-1900mp and Pioneer speakers too. I have that head unit in my GW with four 6 1/2" 4 way speakers, and it sounds great. Stays almost completely undistorted up to max volume, at which point it begins to hurt my ears so it doesn't matter much anyway, it doesn't have to go that high. The 6 1/2" speakers will fit the stock brackets with a few seconds of filing the bracket, but I would suggest making sealed boxes for them to improve the clarity of the bass, I plan to do so myself. If you don't want that much volume, then get four 5 1/4" 3way Pioneer speakers, put them in the stock brackets like the stock ones, and enjoy. Also read the manual for the head unit, if you don't choose a file compression setting, it sounds poor with cds and wma/mp3 cds. You may also need an antennae adapter for the stock antennae plug, I know it was different for my '84, idk about the newer Jeeps. I pulled my antennae out anyway as I never listen to the radio.

[18cherokee]

thanks guys - suggestions are interesting & i will consider them further.

*but* initially i wanted to keep it stock - well the face plate anyway, perhaps change the speakers but keep the original speaker trim etc - i was thinking of only adding an ipod adaptor so the 'pod could sit in my centre floor console.

so my preference at this point is try to solve the stock stereo issues for now.

any additional help is appreciated thanks

[AlsChopShop]

my input... its all the same. go with a DIN unit. but i don't like pioneer head units. if you want high end go with eclipse or alpine. i have a cheap POS panasonic in my jeep. but i like pioneer speakers though! had a set of premiers in an old car, and now i bought a set of cheap pioneers for the jeep. i really like infinities though.

Al

[DanHS]

Well... you could use an amplifier running directly off the Ipod and connected to the speakers; A small 4x50watts rms rated amp mounted under the dash would be fine, use a y adapter with a 3.5mm headphone plug for the Ipod (or anything else that has a headphone plug of course) and RCA plugs on the other end for the amp. Reconnect the speaker wires to the amp, put the aftermarket speakers in the stock locations, and leave the old radio in place but disconnected. Looks stock until you peek ender the dash and see the amp. However, since you have the din mounting already there, it makes more sense to just buy the Pioneer deck, connect the wires, and slide it in.

[Mahamotorworks]

Ditch the old unit. Most people accept replacing the radio and will still call the rig "Stock".

Look at Crutchfield for the radio.

MAHA

[chakaD460]

I say go for a new unit, but you can attempt to check your speaker wires. If they are loose or shorted they will do what you described in your fourth bullet.

In an attempt to save your stock radio you can run new speaker wires. If that doesn't fix the problem then scrap the unit and you already have upgraded your wires for the new unit.

[drlocke]

Originally Posted by 18cherokee

thanks guys - suggestions are interesting & i will consider them further.

*but* initially i wanted to keep it stock - well the face plate anyway, perhaps change the speakers but keep the original speaker trim etc - i was thinking of only adding an ipod adaptor so the 'pod could sit in my centre floor console.

so my preference at this point is try to solve the stock stereo issues for now.

any additional help is appreciated thanks

If you are wanting to "keep it stock" then perhaps a good radio shop where you are could repair the old indash unit you have--assuming they can find parts! In the Evolution of Audio the cassette tape as record/playback media came shortly after guys were out getting a gal by using a large club.

As far as technology is concerned you may be painting yourself into a corner.

I received my old Waggy with a "delete" plate in lieu of a radio. I agonized in a cold sweat over trying to find an original unit over "butchering the dash for fitting a din sleeve....

for about a minute and a half before running for the metal saw.

Do what you feel, but you may find youself swimming up a waterfall in trying to keep that old technology alive.....

[shimniok]

Originally Posted by 18cherokee

hi - my 89 has the stock factory installed stereo unit - & i'm getting tired of driving around with little or no tunes to enjoy.

> stereo reception for a.m. stations is crap - lots of crackling & fading in & out, f.m. reception usually seems ok.
> channel/station display never works
> tape deck doesnt work
> speakers rarely all work in unison - i'll get a blast of stereo surround sound & have to turn the volume down quickly only for it to go "mono" again

I agree with others. Give up on your damaged head unit and get one that can play MP3/WMV discs. Modern am/fm reception is really excellent. Also if you get one that takes an aux input, you can later plug in an iPod or XM (or Sirius?) Satellite radio external unit (I've done both, kinda nice since my deck doesn't play data discs).

You might want to check your speaker wiring in the doors and cargo area and make sure it is ok, and check wiring behind the dash for damage.

As for speakers, I thought Boston Acoustics sounded best a few years ago (always preferred their sound in home speakers) but the only thing that matters is that your music sounds good to you. So, you might like to demo various speakers at the local consumer electronics store with your planned head unit or same brand. Play some of your favorite (and more demanding) tunes.

In my experience your best choice is 6" speakers for good low freq response up front. Less than that and you will lose all low end. You can improve sound somewhat by creating a thin fiberboard panel covering the giant door hole, with a cutout to mount the speaker. (Details). That plus the 6" speakers should sound real good. 6x9's in back will primarily add to low end.

Oh, the wiring adapters would be available at Crutchfield, if anywhere. As stated, this is the cleanest way to install.

Michael

[shimniok]

Originally Posted by 18cherokee

so my preference at this point is try to solve the stock stereo issues for now.

I am curious to hear how much repairs will cost. Or if you can even find someone to fix the stereo. You may be money ahead just finding someone selling a working oem head unit and swapping that in. (Lot of work to keep a non-collectable, not valuable rig looking stock, but hey to each their own )

Or if the only goal is to run an iPod, do what others suggested and run the iPod through a car amp to the speakers. The iPod controls output volume.

6" speakers should fit behind factory speaker grilles (not perfectly but if you get all-black speakers, no one will notice anything out of the ordinary) This is what I did with my 5" speakers. When I move the cargo area speakers to the rear doors I will be using factory grilles so it will look like it came that way from the factory. I suspect that will improve sound a bit too.

Michael

[FSJ Guy]

Most stereo shops will charge a $50-$100 bench test fee. That's regardless of whether or not they can repair it!

For $100, you can get a new radio. For a little more, you can get a NICE radio.

Since you have an iPod, get a head unit that will control it DIRECTLY from the head unit. This will do two things: It gets your iPod out of sight of less than honest folks AND it charges your iPod so you never have to worry about it dying on long trips.

Oh, and of course, it controls the iPod. OK, so that's THREE things.

And since you have the iPod, who cares about MP3 CD's?

[drlocke]

Originally Posted by FSJ Guy

Most stereo shops will charge a $50-$100 bench test fee. That's regardless of whether or not they can repair it!

For $100, you can get a new radio. For a little more, you can get a NICE radio.

Since you have an iPod, get a head unit that will control it DIRECTLY from the head unit. This will do two things: It gets your iPod out of sight of less than honest folks AND it charges your iPod so you never have to worry about it dying on long trips.

Oh, and of course, it controls the iPod. OK, so that's THREE things.

And since you have the iPod, who cares about MP3 CD's?

I serviced automotive audio gear back in the '70s and '80s. By around '90 I gladly gave all of that type of business to a fellow tech at another facility in town--provided he steered home audio business my way. He lasted about 5 years in such martyrdom before regearing to do car alarm installs only.

I do neither automotive nor home consumer audio any more; there's no money in it--at least around here. I service professional gear--choosily--and industrial electronics if they beg and plead, and show me the green.

If I do any automotive audio at all it will be strictly vintage gear--such as the tube-type radios found in cars up to around '60. And anybody submitting such a radio to me for repair had best also leave his wallet and his first born. But--then again--people restoring antique cars don't seem to be afraid of spending money....

Car stereo is like a cheepie butane lighter; when it gives its last gasp toss it and buy a new one.

[710 Burner]

You could just keep your old stereo around to put back in if you think this rig will survive you. Its not like you are altering the opening.

[Murphy]

Originally Posted by 18cherokee

...
so my preference at this point is try to solve the stock stereo issues for now.

any additional help is appreciated thanks

You could check at junk yards for a used original, then plug and pray. Who knows, you might find one that fully works. Other than that, check the speaker wires for shorts. That's an intergrated unit, so there's not much you can do cheaply once components/channels/circuits start going. One thing you could try is cracking open the stereo and look inside for an internal fuse of some type for the tape deck. -- I have no idea if there is anything like that inside, I have never had an original stereo in mine.

[drlocke]

Originally Posted by WaveHunter

You could check at junk yards for a used original, then plug and pray. Who knows, you might find one that fully works. Other than that, check the speaker wires for shorts. That's an intergrated unit, so there's not much you can do cheaply once components/channels/circuits start going. One thing you could try is cracking open the stereo and look inside for an internal fuse of some type for the tape deck. -- I have no idea if there is anything like that inside, I have never had an original stereo in mine.

Chances are the cassette transport is not working due to rubber rot. Belts, pinchrollers and traction wheels at this point have probably turned to snot. AMHIK. Belts to replace the old ones may not be too hard to find in most cases, but the rubber-tired wheels on the other hand....