Another Double DIN installation -1999 K1500

[mikwallace]

I've read as many double din (further referred to as "DD") installs as I could find for the GMT400. I looked at all the YouTube videos I could search and decided to make a build thread here that hopefully might benefit someone. I don't have videos but maybe the pics will help. It's still a work in progress, so I'll add the pics as I continue the build. My gmt400 is a daily driver, but fortunately I've another vehicle to drive to work so I can take my time on this. I researched for a replacement radio and decided on the Pioneer SPH DA210 APP4 radio. My objective is to upgrade my vehicle instead of buying a new truck. Nothing against new trucks, I bought this one new in 1999! It's that - this truck fits me! This truck saw two of my sons through their teenage years and now it's back in my hands. Thus far, in the last 18 months; I've added

- a Rough Country suspension lift kit
- installed new carpet
- installed DynaMat sound deadening to floor below the new carpet and other places in the cab
- added a DIC to the overhead console
- upgraded the instrument panel and courtesy lighting to LED
- replaced the front bumper with a custom made front bumper that holds a Model 8274 Warn winch that's been lying around my shop since 1989
- and probably a few more things that I can't think of at the moment!

I purchased an instrument panel bezel from eBay for $70 to use as a trainer so if I completely destroyed it, I'd have the original to fall back on. Yes I know that there's a couple of companies that make a modified bezel for purchase to fit this vehicle with a DD installation. But I like the challenge of doing it myself. I used a dremel tool with a small diamond wheel to cut the plastic. It melts it more than cuts, but it worked.

Image 1 is after bezel and original equipment are removed. From top to bottom - Radio, HVAC controller, and CD player.

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Image 2: Dry fit of radio prior to modifying the dash, note - radio is not completely snapped into place because the upper inner plastic of the dash must be trimmed.

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Image 3: Next I used a felt tip pen to mark where I needed to cut the upper interior part of the dash panel

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Image 4: First cut was along the forward (forward being the front of the vehicle) most line that I drew; however, that wasn't enough removed and had to cut along the rear line I had marked.

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Image 5: Final cut along the rear line (rear being toward the rear of the truck) and a slight cut on the interior right upper angle that was hitting the radio when I installed it. Also, I had to remove the original equipment radio "stop", a small white piece of plastic on a clip at the left top side toward the forward side where the original equipment radio was.

Looks like I'll have to post the next pictures in another post??

 

[mikwallace]

Here's another picture showing the white Stop and also where I cut the upper rear right side angle off because the radio hit it when installed.

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Here's the final cut closer to the rear line so the radio wouldn't touch the inner dash panel. Final cut was 2.25" from the top face of the panel.

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Next picture is radio installed and bezel test fit and marked.

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Here's another pic with bezel before its cut.

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The purple/white wire from the radio attaches to a reverse switched source. When the gear shift is placed in Reverse, i.e. when backup lights are powered, it sends an electrical signal (12V) to the radio via the purple/white wire and displays the backup camera automatically. On the 1999 OBS electrical system on my k1500, there's not a trailer wire connection at the under hood fuse panel like there is on the 2001 Silverado. I couldn't find a reverse electrical source on the steering column, so I found two other sources to tap for the reverse sensor:

1. Under the hood, below the fuse panel under the brake lines is a connector with two wires; a light green and black. They come from the wiring bundle that goes to the tail lights. And if you connect to that light green wire it must be run through the firewall - not desirable!
2. If you have an inside rearview mirror with compass/temp display the light green wire on that connector is Reverse activated - no current on the light green wire until gear shift is placed in Reverse. So I tapped into that wire on the driver door pillar. This is the only place I could find in the cab to tap into for the Reverse activation.

Here's the rearview mirror picture showing the connector:

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More to come!

 

[Andrew89/98]

More to come![/QUOTE]

Here's another picture showing the white Stop and also where I cut the upper rear right side angle off because the radio hit it when installed.

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Here's the final cut closer to the rear line so the radio wouldn't touch the inner dash panel. Final cut was 2.25" from the top face of the panel.

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Next picture is radio installed and bezel test fit and marked.

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Here's another pic with bezel before its cut.

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More to come!

Are the AC controls being moved or do they stay in the factory location?

 

[88GMCtruck]

Are the AC controls being moved or do they stay in the factory location?

If you use the metra kit he appears to be using (same as mine) the controls stay in the factory location.

 

[mikwallace]

More to come!

Are the AC controls being moved or do they stay in the factory location?[/QUOTE]

Yes, the HVAC controls stay in their original location. I removed the factory CD player and ordered the storage compartment to put in its place.

 

[Andrew89/98]

If you use the metra kit he appears to be using (same as mine) the controls stay in the factory location.

Nice, I've only seen the ss detail kit, I didn't know another company made a kit.

 

[Dr.Zoom]

I just did mine. I painted the metra bezel a little darker with sem 17263 classy gray. I don't know why metra did the upper right corner cut like that. It would look much better rounded.

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[mikwallace]

And here at the driver's door pillar is where I spliced/soldered into the light green wire with a blue wire (only color I had) sending the signal from the Reverse wire (light green) to the purple/white on the radio.

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Here's another picture where I had to trim more away from the interior panel for the RCA plugs to hang under the radio rather than attempt to cram them behind the radio.

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And here's a pic of the rear of the radio showing RCA plugs.

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More to Come!

 

[deejaaa]

looking good.

 

[Eskimomann209]

How funny just did mine yesterday and killed the gear indicator wires back there lol

Pulling them out today to fix

Also metra kit and the pioneer avh 290bt

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