Replacing the stock radio

One of the first real "mods" I wanted to do was replace the stock radio in the Jeep. After all, it's just the radio and a CD player - who uses CD's anymore? So, I set about watching several YouTube videos, reading about various options I have, and decided to push forward with the DIY project.

Which Radio Site To Buy From

There are so many options out there, but the one site I kept coming back to was Crutchfield. Not only do they have a lot of options, but they also include a mounting plate, bezel, and wiring harness that will convert into your existing Jeep.

Which Radio to Buy

This will vary depending on whether you want a 1 DIN or 2 DIN system. The DIN designation apparently is just a standard dimension for radios that is universally used across pretty much all vehicles, Jeeps, included.  Options range from pricey $300-$1000+ systems that have nagivation, backup cameras, and a litany of other options.

For my budget ($100), a Kenwood KMM-BT315U was perfect because it met my needs:

• Bluetooth Capability
• USB Port
• AUX port
• Low cost

Removing the Factory Radio and installing the New Radio

In order to perform the installation, I first had to remove all the dashboard components that keeps everything sealed up. This included:

Cowl Cover

Dashboard

Glovebox

To do this I needed a flathead screwdriver, Phillips head screwdriver and a 1/4" flat socket. Here's the process:

Step 01 - Removed the top part of the dashboard covering the cowl

Step 02 - Removed screws holding the front part of the dashboard that covers the radio and AC controls

Step 03 - Removed the front part of the dashboard covering the radio and AC controls (pulled gently but firmly LOL)

Step 04 - Removed the glove box

Step 05 - Removed the anchor screw from the back of the yoke that holds the factory radio stable (royal p.i.t.a.)

Step 06 - Removed the screws that hold the yoke brace in place

Step 07 - Removed the yoke

Step 08 - Gently removed the cabling from the back of the factory radio

At this point, I took the wiring harness that Crutchfield sent and soldered the Kenwood wiring to the converter harness. I also added some heat shrink to ensure these wires stay put.

Step 09 - Added wiring harness converter to Jeep wiring

Step 10 - Went to add antenna converter from Kenwood (new radio) to factory wiring

*****

At this point, I noticed that the fragile coax male pin had broken that went into the factory radio. 

Following this back along the Jeep, I noticed that it had a female connection point to a male Motorola plug going back to the antenna.

The Kenwood radio also has a female Motorola plug on it, so I started thinking about why on earth I would want to go from a male Motorola plug to a coax and then back to Motorola. I didn't. So I went out and bought (through Amazon) an extender that could reach from the back of the glove box all the way over to the radio and maintain the Motorola connection ($5).

*****

Step 11 - Changed out the antenna wiring per above.

Step 12 - Connected up the radio and turned the vehicle on to test audio connections - it worked! Time to reassemble!

Step 13 - My radio came with a Bluetooth microphone, so at this point I also took that and fed the wires through the dash, and mounted the mic just to the right of my speedometer/tachometer display.

Step 14 - Next, I took the twist tie that came with it and bundled up all the extra length of this mic wiring to keep it neat and tidy.

Step 15 - Mounted radio in the metal sleeve.

Step 16 - Mounted dash kit back on the open bay where old radio used to be

Step 17 - Slid new radio in place and bent the framing pieces up to hold it in place behind the mounting kit.

Step 18 - Tested audio again just to be safe

Step 19 - Pulled dash cover back up onto dash and attached screws back as needed

Step 20 - Replace yoke screws on each side of cowl so nothing rattles around.

Step 21 - Replaced cowl cover

Step 22 - Replaced coin holder above dash

VOILA

The only thing left is the decision on what color to set the radio display to:

Parking by Jeeps - Whole Foods

So pretty!

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Painting Fender Flares

When I inherited the 06 TJ from my dad, the fender flares were a musty faded gray brown:

I'd been reading a bit about the best way to go to give them an update and came up with three options:

1. Replace them (one came with a crack/dent on it where my dad hit a tree)
2. Paint them
3. Leave them alone

Replacing them was, of course, an option until I saw that the average price for replacement fender flares runs around $200 per fender!  So, that meant either painting them, or just leaving them alone. The more I looked at them, the more it started to bug me on how faded and aged they looked, so decided I should paint them.  Now, two new questions arose:

• What do I paint them with? Just use a Rustoleum or is there some sort of special paint needed here?

• How to proceed?  Should I just mask off the vehicle and spray away, or would it be better to remove them entirely?

Painting Options

SO, when it comes to painting fender flares, there's a few options out there, and yes, Rustoleum is one of them.  Some other more popular options do seem prevalent in the Jeep community, primarily those of Krylon Fusion, Plasti-Dip, and Bedliner.  After reading a bunch on all of these, it seems like it ultimately comes down to personal preference (kind of a Coke vs. Pepsi thing). Several forums and websites talk about various criteria to weigh in on which works best, including:

Coverage
Number of coats
Dry time
Look and appearnace

When in Ace Hardware one day, I saw some Krylon Fusion on sale for only $4/can so I got two, and just decided that was going to be the route to take.  We'll see how long it lasts.

Painting Methods

Masking

This option involves taping, using things like index cards and manila folders, paper overlays and the like, so you don't have to mess around with taking off the nuts and screws, which a lot of people say is a pain in the ass and very tedious.

Removal

Removing fender flares apparently ensures that you will get less chance of dripping running paint lines, completely avoid any kind of overspray onto your vehicle, and you don't have to deal with a lot of tape, paper, and other products to mask off the jeep.  The downside here is that the nuts and bolts themselves are kind of tricky to remove. You also need to ensure you have the right tools to take these off, which could be anything from a 1/4" to a 5/16" or even a 7mm depending.  For my TJ, it seems the 5/16" works well...

My Decision

I ultimately tried to go with the former of just masking, but ran into a bit of a snag. Given that these fender flares are pretty tightly fastened to the Jeep itself, you do need to loosen the retention nuts just a bit.  Given Jeep's propensity for Torx nuts, I woulda thought these were metric sizes, so I went all the way down to my 8mm, but that was still too big.  So off to Home Cheapo I went. I ended up getting a ratcheting wrench in 7mm, 6mm, 5.5mm and 5mm just because they were part of a bundle package.

As it turns out, while the 8mm was too big, the 7mm was too small.  As it turns out, this is something I should have googled before going shopping.  Most sites say this is a 1/4", but after yet another return and checkout revolving door, I ended up with a 5/16" doing the job.

So, I loosened the nuts sufficiently to wedge folders, paper, and tape around to mask the rest of the vehicle and proceeded to paint one side.

Results

From direct experience I can tell you two things for certain:

1. Never shake Krylon Fusion paint between spraying - this stuff flies everywhere!

2. It is prone to dripping and this needs something like paint thinner or Goof-Off to remove. Easier just to glove up to protect your hands.

Here's how things looked after masking:

And here's the results of painting the driver side:

Not bad for a $4 can of paint!

Naturally, it goes without saying that you should always wash things before applying paint, which I did as well prior to embarking on this!

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