Need help with installing headunit.

rockymt21 · Dec 16, 2008

So I have everything done except for wiring it. I have the antenna adapter plugged in, now all I need to do is the wiring harness, correct? Well the guy at circuit city told me that the harness I got wont fit exactly, and that i would have to use a wire nut tool to attach each wire to the headunit? He was really vague and kind of informative, can anyone explain the process of wiring the wiring harness to me?

Thanks, Dan

rockymt21 · Dec 16, 2008

Oops!

I meant to put this in the 1994-96 section, could a mod please move it?

Sepiroth · Dec 16, 2008

If you purchased an aftermarket harness, one end plugs into the factory radio harness, the other end has to be wired to your new radio.

Most, if not all, radio and harness colors are the same and you would need only to match up wire colors. But be sure to check.

You can do the cut and splice method or you can do the cut, solder, and heat shrink the wire connections

rockymt21 · Dec 16, 2008

The wire harness fits too the factory harness, so I just need to connect it to the headunit like you said? Can you do this without soldering?

TahoeGoBoom · Dec 17, 2008

the radio has a harness, and you buy the harness that matches with your truck. you then basically match the colors and put them together, whether it be soldering or just crimping them together. the harness then just connects to the factory harness in the truck, and the back of the new radio.
now, if you bought the harness at circuit city, they may have sold you the harness that comes connected already (i cant think of the name right now), in which case it would just be plug and play.

bayou_visions · Dec 17, 2008

rockymt21 said:
The wire harness fits too the factory harness, so I just need to connect it to the headunit like you said? Can you do this without soldering?

Order one for your specific truck and head unit from Crutchfield... http://www.crutchfield.com
I recently used one for my 97 Tahoe and soldered and shrink wrapped all my joints. You don't have to do so, the harness works with any splice method.

rockymt21 · Dec 18, 2008

Okay,

Just to clarify, I have the aftermarket harness attached to the factory harness. I know where the antenna adapter goes, now I am left with 2 wires from the vehicle, and the other end of the aftermarket harness. I just need someone to tell me what goes where on the headunit etc...

Aftermarket harness attached to factory harness:

Remaining Wires:

Thanks for the help guys, Dan

rockymt21 · Dec 18, 2008

Anybody?

JKmotorsports · Dec 18, 2008

Clip the white plug off and splice those wires together with the wires from the new stereo harness. The colors are industry standard and will match up.

rockymt21 · Dec 18, 2008

But the harness in my hand IS the new stereo harness..? The one behind that it is attached to is the factory harness.

TahoeGoBoom · Dec 18, 2008

plug it in to the radio? or are you talking about those 2 random plugs in the back? do you have the factory cd slot below?

TahoeGoBoom · Dec 18, 2008

correction, DID you have the factory cd slot below? because those are prolly from that. have you tried connecting it and seeing if the radio and all the speakers work?

rockymt21 · Dec 18, 2008

I think JK answered my question in a pm, thanks!

As far as those 2 other wires, one did come from the factory cd player below, so I guess the other is from the factory radio then?

rockymt21 · Dec 18, 2008

Also, in regard to crimping the wires together, do I need anything other than some needle nose pliers and electrical tape? My bad for being such a noob, its obvious I have no experience with this....

TahoeGoBoom · Dec 18, 2008

i use crimp caps and all that fun stuff. if you want you can e-tape it, but crimp caps are more reliable for sure.
and the 2nd pic wasnt comin thru on my computer before, hence the confusion. I tried to remember back to my radio, and i believe there were 2 harnesses for the radio itself (which i assume is what you now have to connect), and your third is the factory cd (which i didnt have).
i think this thread has made me want to now go and pull my radio. bleh. i hope the phase passes..

rockymt21 · Dec 18, 2008

Ok, here is where im at, (hopefully people can learn from this thread haha) These are the two harnesses that I have. The harness from the actual headunit is on top (I was unaware that this one had to be used, I thought the aftermarket one was all I needed.) and the aftermarket harness is on bottom. The left side of the harness from the headunit is what plugs into the headunit, and on the bottom harness, the black end is what connects to the factory harness. So what I need to do is cut the white plug off the aftermarker harness and cut the other harness to join the two together, correct? All of the colors match up on the harness, except the aftermarket harness has 2 orange wires (labeled as dimmer and illumination/dash, where do these go)?

I apologize for what I am putting you guys through, but you really are helping me a lot!!!

TahoeGoBoom · Dec 18, 2008

the two harnesses should connect together. i believe the two in the top right connect to the white side (note:its been 6 months since ive touched a tahoe radio) but when you buy a harness, its normally plug and play. you may have to splice together the car adapter harness to the new radio, but it still ends up plug and play.. the illumination wire isnt used and can just be capped. i think i'll end up pulling my radio 2moro to fix that pesky RCA issue, so i'll take some pics if your still in confusion.

rockymt21 · Dec 19, 2008

I don't believe I can plug and play, that white plug doesn't fit into anything.

TahoeGoBoom · Dec 19, 2008

sheeeeeeeeeeeeet. ok, well... lets start like this, does the top left go into the new HU, and the bottom right connect to the factory harness in the truck? in that case youd have to cut the end thats got 2 sets of wires and the white end and basically play a game of connect the colors.

rockymt21 · Dec 19, 2008

TahoeGoBoom said:
sheeeeeeeeeeeeet. ok, well... lets start like this, does the top left go into the new HU, and the bottom right connect to the factory harness in the truck? in that case youd have to cut the end thats got 2 sets of wires and the white end and basically play a game of connect the colors.

That is exactly what I THINK I need to do, I was just looking for clarification. It only makes sense that way though. And for the other 2 wires, they are useless now correct?

Need help with installing headunit.

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