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Double din in a 04 f250

38K views 14 replies 8 participants last post by  powermax04 
#1 ·
First off yes im new here, but i wanted to put up a thread with your guys help about actually in detail completing the install of a double din in a 2004ish f250/f350. When i bought my truck i wanted to put one of these good lookin beasts in my truck. After searching the web i found alot of posts about it but not too many with any details other than " yea guy trim dash and get a kit". I also want to say this was my first stereo install so i had no idea what i was doin.
I went online and purchased a pioneer touchscreen, went to the local audio store bought wiring harness and a double din trim kit. This is where it got difficult for me. I had to find a kit that has the clearance for my radio and mounts my radio and locks it in the dash. Well after three stores bam an indash mounting kit and trim ring approx $21. The bag said the trim mount and ring was for Ford Explorer.
Again this is my first install, so take your harness you bought and the one from the stereo this was the simplest part. Buttsplice all wires together jus color match them.
Next was the dreaded DASH TRIMMING AHH. I dont know about many people here but any sort of cutting in my baby is just heart wrenching. So what i did was one of the measure 15 times cut as needed. first i held the trim ring up and "sharpied" the outline of what needed to go. Then tested cut and tested again. After about 45minutes of dreaded cuttin bam it is clearing. I also had to grind down 3 plastic tabs that protruded down, and remove the two 7mm bolts to clear. Bascially i removed most of the upper lip and entire bottom lip as for the side lips i will get to that in a minute.
Next i screwed the two plastic plates to the stereo (with what are the mouting and locking plates). They were defined by left and right simple enough.
Ok next i tried to install the stereo, nope it wouldnt fit. Now those plastic side plates made it too wide :doh: . I couldnt cut those side tabs out because they lock the stereo in with those plastic plates (preventing it from flyin out). The next plan of attack was remove the dash "that is the radio part" (simple just clicks on/pops off). I had to install the stereo from the rear of the dash. I just slid it in the "well" and the had the enjoyment of tryin to get the plates on the stereo to lock on the front dash part which is removed. So basically i have the front of the dash in my lap with the stereo slid in main dash and tryin to "click" the stereo to the front dash with it off while in the main dash part. if any of this makes sense? :confused: . Still not fittin those side plates on stereo bow at the front to lock on the outter dash trim lips, but they were jus a lil too wide soo i gently and barely ground down the outter dash lips jus a sliver and bam stereo clicked in and locked
Next plug your wiring harness together with stereo and factory plug. Put the front dash back on with stereo. Popped dash on while aligning back dash and front with stereo.
Next click trim ring on and DONE!!!

My indash also plays DVD's so i had a long green wire which was the E-brake switch so dvd would play i ran that under the dash and you can do as you please with yours. I did mine my own way lol.
 
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#2 ·
any pics you guys have im sure will be a great help to other guys doin this i wish i would have had some before and after pics and the like.
 
#3 ·
nice write up. Pics I'm sure would help out specially for the others to have a better understanding of it, but overall great description.
 
#4 ·
thanks
 
#6 ·
Any time but as for you Rum4 if im not mistakin all the newer models a double din install is twice as easy it doesnt take as much modification.
 
#7 ·
yup 05+ trucks are drop in deals, still some work removing the dash and reinstalling the head unit but much more straight forward than the 99-04 trucks.

Rum4 what year truck do you have? Is it the 08 in your avatar?

If so this is what you'll need



You'll also need to pick up a dash kit for the trim ring and 2 side mounting brackets, and a wiring harness adapter, but there will be no trimming or anything custom involved.
 
#9 ·
Well I am sad to see her get a nissan but "to each there own" lol But i guess it worked out in the end you now have a nice place to start a project. I will try and get some pics of mine up sorry i am bein lazy it the holidays and all lol
 
#10 ·
First off yes im new here, but i wanted to put up a thread with your guys help about actually in detail completing the install of a double din in a 2004ish f250/f350. When i bought my truck i wanted to put one of these good lookin beasts in my truck. After searching the web i found alot of posts about it but not too many with any details other than " yea guy trim dash and get a kit". I also want to say this was my first stereo install so i had no idea what i was doin.
I went online and purchased a pioneer touchscreen, went to the local audio store bought wiring harness and a double din trim kit. This is where it got difficult for me. I had to find a kit that has the clearance for my radio and mounts my radio and locks it in the dash. Well after three stores bam an indash mounting kit and trim ring approx $21. The bag said the trim mount and ring was for Ford Explorer.
Again this is my first install, so take your harness you bought and the one from the stereo this was the simplest part. Buttsplice all wires together jus color match them.
Next was the dreaded DASH TRIMMING AHH. I dont know about many people here but any sort of cutting in my baby is just heart wrenching. So what i did was one of the measure 15 times cut as needed. first i held the trim ring up and "sharpied" the outline of what needed to go. Then tested cut and tested again. After about 45minutes of dreaded cuttin bam it is clearing. I also had to grind down 3 plastic tabs that protruded down, and remove the two 7mm bolts to clear. Bascially i removed most of the upper lip and entire bottom lip as for the side lips i will get to that in a minute.
Next i screwed the two plastic plates to the stereo (with what are the mouting and locking plates). They were defined by left and right simple enough.
Ok next i tried to install the stereo, nope it wouldnt fit. Now those plastic side plates made it too wide :doh: . I couldnt cut those side tabs out because they lock the stereo in with those plastic plates (preventing it from flyin out). The next plan of attack was remove the dash "that is the radio part" (simple just clicks on/pops off). I had to install the stereo from the rear of the dash. I just slid it in the "well" and the had the enjoyment of tryin to get the plates on the stereo to lock on the front dash part which is removed. So basically i have the front of the dash in my lap with the stereo slid in main dash and tryin to "click" the stereo to the front dash with it off while in the main dash part. if any of this makes sense? :confused: . Still not fittin those side plates on stereo bow at the front to lock on the outter dash trim lips, but they were jus a lil too wide soo i gently and barely ground down the outter dash lips jus a sliver and bam stereo clicked in and locked
Next plug your wiring harness together with stereo and factory plug. Put the front dash back on with stereo. Popped dash on while aligning back dash and front with stereo.
Next click trim ring on and DONE!!!

My indash also plays DVD's so i had a long green wire which was the E-brake switch so dvd would play i ran that under the dash and you can do as you please with yours. I did mine my own way lol.
Two questions:

1) What pioneer touch screen did you go with? I am looking for one with the front ports instead of running cables from the back.

2) In order to watch the DVD's while on the go did you use a bypass or something else?

Thanks,
Bob:bowfast:
 
#11 ·
i got the pioneer AVH-3200BT which has built in bluetooth. sonic electronics sells it for 379 bucks. i installed mine exactly like this guy. fits great and looks great. it DOES have front inputs which i like. and it will play audio/video from an iphone or ipod touch. i have sirius hooked up directly to the back of it and it controlls it great. i bypassed mine to watch dvd's while driving by using this diagram.

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee14/mexojay/HUWiringforRelay.jpg
 
#12 ·
i got the pioneer AVH-3200BT which has built in bluetooth. sonic electronics sells it for 379 bucks. i installed mine exactly like this guy. fits great and looks great. it DOES have front inputs which i like. and it will play audio/video from an iphone or ipod touch. i have sirius hooked up directly to the back of it and it controlls it great. i bypassed mine to watch dvd's while driving by using this diagram.

You meant so the kids can watch DVD's right?
 
#13 ·
I installed the Pioneer AVH-P3200DVD In-Dash Double-DIN DVD Multimedia AV Receiver. You can go one step above me and get the one with bluetooth which is the AVH-P3200BT. I liked my model because it was cheaper and i dont need bluetooth. But like you said you wanted the inputs in the front and the two models do have all features in the front which is what i wanted too(SD card, AUX cable and USB). As for the DVD bypass i MUST say becareful it is illegal in alot of states to watch and roll so to speak. I did this to mine too tho there is a little green wire which goes to your emergency brake as a ground. That ground tells the screen to work with a dvd on and the parking brake set. what i did was cut the end off put it on a switch. Because these models are too smart to just ground it out, the ground must be regrounded after truck is on resembling the parking brake being applied. I hooked the switch wire to a ground under the dash not the E-brake. Now all i do is just flip a switch under the dash (telling the radio its e-brake cable is regrounded and on) after radio is on and press ok and it plays. I didnt want an ugly switch on my dash so i mounted it under there. Dont know if there is a better way to do this but it works for me and i like it alot.
 
#14 ·
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