Double Din in my 2001 Ranger

[NeitherFanboy]

I thought it was impossible to get a double DIN stereo into the Ranger, because I thought it was a 1 1/2 DIN opening. But doing some google searching, I found some references to posts that said it was possible, so I tried it. And it worked.

Here is the dash, faceplate removed and wires hanging!



The faceplate off. You need to grind off the edge so the radio will fit. But since the edge is set back, even if you really hack it up, it doesn't show. I marked the top edge where you need to cut it or grind it.



This is the kit I bought to mount the radio.



The pieces from the kit.



The radio in the dash.



Closer up of the radio installed.

[Charlie]

Wow, nice work. I want to get a double din unit, when I have the spare cash to do it

[NeitherFanboy]

Thanks. I like the way it looks, and love the way it controls the iPhone (yes, it works with the iPhone as well as the iPod even thought it isn't "made for iPhone"), but it wasn't cheap. And then everything you want is extra ... $140-something extra to add the bluetooth (haven't done that yet) and another $140 to add HD Radio (haven't done that either). The hugest, and to me most shocking, cost is if you want to add navigation .. that's $799 extra. CRAZY! I have been using a TomTom One 3rd Edition that I got at Best Buy on Black Friday, cost me $129 and does the job just fine. No way in heck I am going to spring for another $799 to add navigation to this unit.

Oh, and you have to be very careful when you set one of these up to not ground that one wire that connects to the emergency brake, otherwise the DVD player will still work when the car is in motion, and we wouldn't want that now would we?

[robdog]

Dam that is a nice install. Good work and thanks for sharing your experience. It will help out a lot of users.

[NeitherFanboy]

Thanks Robdog! I am happy with it. Just saving my pennies to add the HD module and the bluetooth module. :-)

[Randman]

Originally Posted by NeitherFanboy

Thanks. I like the way it looks, and love the way it controls the iPhone (yes, it works with the iPhone as well as the iPod even thought it isn't "made for iPhone"), but it wasn't cheap. And then everything you want is extra ... $140-something extra to add the bluetooth (haven't done that yet) and another $140 to add HD Radio (haven't done that either). The hugest, and to me most shocking, cost is if you want to add navigation .. that's $799 extra. CRAZY! I have been using a TomTom One 3rd Edition that I got at Best Buy on Black Friday, cost me $129 and does the job just fine. No way in heck I am going to spring for another $799 to add navigation to this unit.

Oh, and you have to be very careful when you set one of these up to not ground that one wire that connects to the emergency brake, otherwise the DVD player will still work when the car is in motion, and we wouldn't want that now would we?

Damn I accidentally grounded my parking brake wire and now DVD's play all the time! Seriosly though, awesome job fanboy I really like your GUI (i'm guesing a Kenwood DDx512?) I chose a Pioneer AVH-p4000DVD simply for DIVX playback and cost ($420). LOL - Cructhfield says none of our HU's fit in a Ranger but a Google search came up with this thread - thanks

[NeitherFanboy]

Yes, I know that Crutchfield says NONE of these units will fit in the Ranger, but they are just wrong. I almost went with the Pioneer, but I liked the way the Kenwood displayed the iPhone/iPod info.

Now I got an idea from a DIY site. They took the face plate off of a regular in-dash double din from a Ford, an old casette one. Then the took everything off behind it, used the faceplate to cover the actual stereo. You look through the window and dang, there's a an old crappy car casette stereo, who wants to steal that! Bought one for $12, took the faceplate off. I need to glue some of the buttons, then set my Kenwood back about a quarter of an inch into the dash to allow room for the concealing faceplate.

When I am done it should look stock original.

[Randman]

You talkin this thead? Double Din LCD touchscreens? - Ranger Power Sports Forum
I'm looking into gettin an AM/FM faceplate possibly from a wrecker. I suppose approx $25. But the only prob is my HU is almost flush with the bezel.

[NeitherFanboy]

Although my face plate is slightly different. I think I need to pull the clear plastic supports from the backside (they hold the buttons) and then glue the buttons like they did in the thread -- would get me a little more depth behind the faceplate.



Here it is from the front (I have the missing buttons and knob and need to glue them back in).



Once I have the knobs glued in, and the faceplate on the real unit, I will post a pic of how it comes out. I hope it will discourage thieves.

[whitey]

How much did you get that deck for ? I have a 2001 ranger edge and I was hoping to do something simmilar to that. It looks good man.