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Mounting suggestions for radio in factory '69 dash

3K views 9 replies 4 participants last post by  SOA-Nova 
#1 ·
I want to put the head unit in the stock location in the dash carrier, but it's just going to flop around.
Besides a good, strong strap from the back of the unit to a solid point under the dash, is there a secure way, or a bracket system I can use to mount it? It looks like I'll be fabricating some type of faceplate mount to keep it in the dash panel. The knob holes are already broken, so it's no big deal to take a Dremel to it now.
 
#2 ·
We installed our radio system in big rigs. All we used was the collar that came w/ the radio. The collar snapped into the dash or overhead panel. No rear support. Our systems were big and heavy: GPS, CD, and all the electronics to run the display, serial inputs, USB inputs, etc. Plus all the cables and wires for the goodies hung out the back: CDMA modem, Satellite modem, keyboard, vehicle bus interface, etc. Never had a problem w/ it flopping around as long as there was a good fit around the collar...
 
#3 ·
Are you going with a shafted radio or a DIN rectangular radio ?. With a shafted radio with large fender type washers behind the dash and a platic faceplate on the front this should hold this style of radio solid in the dash (but still use a back brace).
If it's a DIN style radio you will be cutting out roughly a 7" wide x 2" tall opening in the dash and you want this to fit snugly against the radio's mounting sleeve that flyingskibiker referred to. If it's a snug fit around the edges then after it is slid into the dash, little ears are bent out to lock onto the backside of the dash opening. If it feels a little loose, put some silicone around the back edges of the dash opening and to the outside of the cage and once it's dry it will be rattle free. On this type of install, still add a backbrace. I've never had to go overboard with real thick back bracing but I have sometimes used singles by themselves or have doubled them up. I've also on my Nova which has a similiar dash, removed one of the 1/4" screws going upward by the front lower dash edge and slide a back brace in between the top of the plastic and the underside of the metal sub dash and then reinstall the screw to hold it on that end and then bend a 90 degree end where the backbrace is under the radio to then tie it into the radio's center back brace threaded hole (which is probably metric).
I know on some DIN radio's the radio does not cover the whole original opening so you could get some grained ABS plastic and make a new front cover to make it look more finished without any gaps by the old shaft holes.

Jim
 
#7 ·
Most of the factory radio's have a small threaded hole in the back panel of the radio for a reason. It's for a back brace. GM's and some VW's have bullet type of nipples on the back of the radio that line up with holes in the subdash, Ford normally had a rail type of rear bracing support, Honda's and Toyota's had brackets on the sides using 2 screws per side to hold the radio solid in the dash, and some chryslers just had big radio's that the chassis slid into a square hole in the subdash to support it.
I'm back from the old days installing shafted style radios and these needed support also as they had even less support if just mounted using the threaded control shafts.
I've had customer's ask me why I have to take the dash apart to remove an aftermarket radio and I tell them if it's done right with a back brace attached to the radio they probably will not just slide out of the mounting cage.
Having a back brace attached to the radio and behind the dash also makes it harder for someone with the proper side release tools to get the radio out.
Can you mount a DIN radio without a rear or side support, Yes. Can you run a car with 2 lugs nuts out of a possible 5 or 6 total on a wheel, Yes. Can you hold up an oil pan on a car and have it seal with two bolts, Yes. Do most aftermarket radio's have threaded holes on the back and sides to attach additional supports to, Yes.
Some of these new fold out faceplate touch screen radio's are getting pretty heavy these days and most dash kits are plastic and it's just not a good combination to mount them without any rear support. It's suprising how many pro installs I've seen without back braces on them.

Jim
 
#8 ·
Joe, I've got a DIN unit in mine without any additional bracing. It should come with a mounting sleeve with lots of triangular cuts in it. You cut the radio hole to the size of the sleeve so that it will slide into but not through the hole, then use a screwdriver to press down as many of those triangles as you can on all sides to pull the sleeve tight against the carrier panel. I've got no skipping issues with CD's, and I got a unit with a USB port on the front so I can just plug my flash drive in.
 
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