Easiest Way To Replace My Head Unit W/aftermarket?

[hangten]

I have a 1992 LS 400 that I bought a couple of weeks ago. Is has the Nakamichi system in it. The CD changer is busted and I don't really want or need to spend the money to replace it. I have a Creative Zen Touch MP3 player which I have already wired to a Pioneer DEH-P4400 head unit with an RCA-in adaptor. I pulled the Pioneer out of my old car and would like to install it in the Lexus.

1) Is there a fit kit that will fit the Pioneer into the Lexus? I saw a post referring to a fit kit for a 95 LS 400 but wasn't sure if this will fit my 1992.

http://www.autotoys.com/x/cust/product.php...id=1469&cat=407

2) Are there any wiring harnesses to connect the aftermarket Pioneer head unit to the Lexus speakers or would I have to hard wire it? If so, can I get directions how to do this anywhere? I found harnesses here but I'm not sure which (if any) I would need:

http://www.sfxaudio.com/products/installse...LS400&Year=1992

3) I also saw some threads that mentioned amplifiers. If I replace the head unit with my Pioneer, will I have to add an amp? If so, which one should I get and how would I install it?

I have done a few car stereo installations before but never on a luxury car ;-) I have a pair of 10" Pioneer subs from my old car. I may just have this all done professionally to make it easier but I would really like to make sure I have all the parts I need so I can just hand them over and have it done right the first time.

I appreciate any help/feedback. Thanks!

Mike

[Lexls]

SFX is the only place I found that had a kit for first gen LS400's. Even professional install shops in my area didn't have anything. Go with the stuff from SFX. I have it and it looks, works, and fits great. http://www.lexls.com/head_unit.html

Note: You will have to wire up a sub amp. If you use the harness listed in my tutorial you will lose the sub.

[92Lex]

Are you interested in selling the Nakamichi HU? PM me.

[hangten]

Thanks Lexls that is a great tutorial. I will go ahead and buy the harness and fit kit you recommended. I am going to have to find one or two good sub amps to power all three subs (the factory sub and my two 10 inchers).

Yes 92Lex I tried to PM you but it didn't work. I would be interested in selling both the Nakamichi HU and CD Changer. I don't know whats wrong with the changer. I put some original CDs and some burned CDs in it. None of them worked, including the original CDs (I had a feeling the burned ones wouldn't work but figured I'd try). It just said "Err". I know there may be some people in these forums who would like to buy the CD changer to fix it so if anyone's interested, drop me a line!

Mike

[92Lex]

Mike,

Email me at Thuan37@hotmail.com

[Lexls]

Thanks Lexls that is a great tutorial.  I will go ahead and buy the harness and fit kit you recommended.  I am going to have to find one or two good sub amps to power all three subs (the factory sub and my two 10 inchers).

No problem, just trying to help. Run wires from the HU to the rear under the carpet and then through the holes in the back seat area (you have to remove a few metal plates that are glued on, see pic). If you have 2 10" subs then don't even bother wiring the factory sub...it's horrible, throw it in the trash! Most 1st gen LS subs are so deteriorated they do not perform properly. I only have one 10" sub in my trunk and it's plenty of bass. Of course, 95% of my LS has been sound deadened so it's really quiet, I only hear my music ;)

[wucantstop]

Like lexls said, don't even wire the factory sub. Not only is it crappy, but I put a pair of 12" Audiobahn subs in my car and they were causing the factory sub to move just from the air they were pushing, making a kind of popping noise as the sub topped out. This is without the sub even wired in, just sitting there, so I can imagine a tone of other problems if it was also hooked up. When I removed the sub and added dampening around the hole it used to fill and around the edges of the factory sub grill, the bass was much improved with a lot less discernible distortion.

[hangten]

After a big fiasco with the post office, I finally received my fit kit this weekend. I think someone forgot to deliver it, or someone picked it up from my house and realized it was not anything worth keeping and returned it! It had been opened and was taped closed again. At any rate, I installed it last night and encountered one problem: the power antenna is not going up when I turn the stereo on . I checked the (blue) wire and it is properly connected. I also checked the fuses but none are out. Any suggestions?

FYI it sounds great with my Creative Zen Touch! I have not purchased or installed the sub amp yet but it sounds really good nonetheless.

[Lexls]

Was the antenna working before? I know mine wasn't! When I turn off my car and then listen near the antenna I can hear the motor working though.

[hangten]

This is a follow-up. I was able to replace the head unit of my 92 LS 400 with the Pioneer unit. All the speakers worked except for the subwoofer. You supposedly need a special part for that but the professional installer I visited told me it was on backorder and I never heard back. A few months later, I put the original head unit back in in order to sell the vehicle. I have the fit kit & wire harness if anyone wants it. The wire harness is spliced to a harness for a Pioneer head unit but it can be separated and from the Pioneer harness and used for any other. The fit kit cost me $50, and I the wire harness costs $16.95. If anyone's interested, make an offer! (You will also have to pay shipping from PA, shouldn't cost much).

Mike

[pghbobcat]

FYI, www.sfxaudio.com accepts only checks or money orders. I sent them a money order a week ago and have not heard from them. The only way to contact them is service@sfxaudio.com, and that email address is not working. Hmmm????? I may have been had.

[Paul Sherman]

This is a follow-up. I was able to replace the head unit of my 92 LS 400 with the Pioneer unit. All the speakers worked except for the subwoofer. You supposedly need a special part for that but the professional installer I visited told me it was on backorder and I never heard back. A few months later, I put the original head unit back in in order to sell the vehicle. I have the fit kit & wire harness if anyone wants it. The wire harness is spliced to a harness for a Pioneer head unit but it can be separated and from the Pioneer harness and used for any other. The fit kit cost me $50, and I the wire harness costs $16.95. If anyone's interested, make an offer! (You will also have to pay shipping from PA, shouldn't cost much).

Mike

You don't need a special part to use the factory sub with an aftermarket head unit.

I built an adaptor; RCA connector for head unit wired to two spade connectors with

a leg cut off as a sub wiring harness. Plug the RCA into the head unit and the spades

into sockets 2 and 6 of the Lexus connector. It works great, still not as strong as an

aftermarket, but for 1/2 hour work and $1 in parts, it's a lot better than nothing.

Bear in mind, this is all AFTER using LexLS excellent tutorial to install everything else.

[Paul Sherman]

You don't need a special part to use the factory sub with an aftermarket head unit.

I built an adaptor; RCA connector for head unit wired to two spade connectors with

a leg cut off as a sub wiring harness. Plug the RCA into the head unit and the spades

into sockets 2 and 6 of the Lexus connector. It works great, still not as strong as an

aftermarket, but for 1/2 hour work and $1 in parts, it's a lot better than nothing.

Bear in mind, this is all AFTER using LexLS excellent tutorial to install everything else.

At least one person is REAL interested in how I did this. I will put together a tutorial, eventually.

(I'm a bit busy, having the final paint work done on my street rod, and a new engine built for my old truck, my wife was REAL impressed with the truck's new bumper and inner fenders arriving via freight yesterday while I was at work....). In the meantime,

I found a photo of the back of the head unit. There's seperate sub connector, use

pins 2 and 6 of that...For electronically inclined folks, it's a very simple

hook-up, but needs tie-wrapped to keep the connections.

[Lostin]

Is there anything that has to be done with that "sub antenna" or is this process involving only those 2 and 6 pins?

APPRECIATE THE HELP.

I found a photo of the back of the head unit. There's seperate sub connector, use

pins 2 and 6 of that...For electronically inclined folks, it's a very simple

hook-up, but needs tie-wrapped to keep the connections.

[Paul Sherman]

I just connected to 2 and 6 (sub + and -)

What was nice is that I was able to use the head unit's sub controls

to massage the signal well enough to provide a good response.

Figure I'll run it till it dies, then add in an aftermarket amp and

speaker. Just don't want to hassle with running the wiring, especially the

power lines needed to properly feed an aftermarket amp till I have to.