How to modify your radio to be an MP3 player!

Inside the cab...appearance, repair, upgrades

Moderator: FORDification

Post Reply
User avatar
evan_flatt69
Blue Oval Fan
Blue Oval Fan
Posts: 513
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2011 7:53 pm
Location: Portland, Tennessee

How to modify your radio to be an MP3 player!

Post by evan_flatt69 »

Well I figured out how to do this and I got some good feedback so I figured I would do a quick write up on how to do it. The basic idea is to take a 3 wire stereo jack from your iPod or any other MP3 player and solder the connections to 3 corresponding points on the volume control potentiometer of your radio.

Here is the video:
http://s997.photobucket.com/albums/af97 ... CN1145.mp4


Here is what you'll need:

Phillips head screwdriver
9/16" wrench/deep well socket
1/2" wrench/deep well socket
1/4" wrench/socket/nut driver
9-12 feet of extra wire (16-20 gauge)
Male stereo jack that fits your music device
Wire cutters/strippers
Soldering iron
Solder
Electrical tape or heat shrink tubing and a heat gun.



And here's how you do it:


Step 1: Removing the radio

First you'll need to get the radio out. It can be kind of tricky but with a little wiggling and some patience it shouldn't be a problem. Follow the pictures below and if you can't pull the radio far enough back to get it out then try turning on your windshield wipers and turning off the truck while they are in the up position on the windshield. That should give you a little more clearance to back the radio out and pull it through the open glovebox.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
Note: You must remove the glovebox to take out the radio.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
EDIT: You can push and twist the two white parts together to separate the connector.

Image

Image

Image

Image

After all these pieces are removed you should be able to coax your radio out through the glovebox opening or under the dash.


Step 2: Modifying the radio

The first step to modifying the radio is to take it as apart. Once you get it out it should look something like this except without the knobs an bezel:

Image


You'll need to remove the top and bottom metal plates exposing the guts of the radio. There are two ways you can do the next part- unbolt the volume potentiometer and work on it wit a little room or simply turn the radio upside down and work on the circuit board that way. (the potentiometer is the mechanism that controls how loud your music is) Once you get it out or are in a position to solder you can go ahead and solder your wires on as per the diagram below. Make sure you have plenty of extra wire soldered in so you can have the music player away from your dash. But make sure you use electrical tape on heat shrink tubing where needed to ensure you don't get a short circuit.

Image

Image

And here are some pictures I found that will hopefully clear up any questions you might have about which wire is which in the stereo wire.

Image

Image

Image

Image


Once you have the amount of wire you want and you've double checked all your connections you can route your new MP3 player hook up through the hole on the left side of the radio where the other wires come out. You might also want to tie a knot in the new wires in the radio to keep them from being yanked out if something ever gets caught on it. If you had to add in extra wire like I did, make sure you have a strong solder and it is wrapped up nicely in electrical tape. Then you can begin to reassemble your radio. But while I was in there I repainted the orange needle that tells you what station you are on, because it was getting faded. The last thing you need to do is reconnect the wire you cut/disconnected earlier underneath the dash and reconnect the speaker connector. You will need these for your radio to work/play music.

Image



Thats it! now just reinstall your radio, making sure you reconnected the power wire and speaker connector. Then you can test it out. :woohoo:

Caution: Once you have your music device pulgged in, the volume control on the radio is very sensitive, so i suggest you keep the volume on the radio low and use the volume control on your device to turn up the volume so you don't blow your speaker. Also, if you have the volume on your radio higher and your device lower, you hear both the radio and your device.

Tip: With enough wire you can run your iPod jack through your glovebox for a seamless dash appearence.
Last edited by evan_flatt69 on Sat Jul 14, 2012 3:01 pm, edited 12 times in total.
1969 F-100 Short Bed Custom Cab 390
1985 BMW 635CSi
fordman
100% FORDified!
100% FORDified!
Posts: 22329
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:17 pm
Location: Kansas, Ottawa
Contact:

Re: How to modify your radio to play music from your MP3 player!

Post by fordman »

why did you cut the power wire off? does the i pod get its power from that source? or does it just plug into the cigarette lighter port?
User avatar
evan_flatt69
Blue Oval Fan
Blue Oval Fan
Posts: 513
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2011 7:53 pm
Location: Portland, Tennessee

Re: How to modify your radio to play music from your MP3 player!

Post by evan_flatt69 »

Oh! I Forgot to say to re connect the power wire! I couldn't find a way to disconnect it from anywhere so I had to cut it then reconnect it. I'll edit that in.
1969 F-100 Short Bed Custom Cab 390
1985 BMW 635CSi
User avatar
390bump
Blue Oval Fan
Blue Oval Fan
Posts: 510
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2010 8:17 pm
Location: CA Bay Area

Re: How to modify your radio to play music from your MP3 player!

Post by 390bump »

You don't need to cut the power wire- just disconnect it like you were replacing the fuse... Then just reconnect the fuse holder to put back in...
fordman
100% FORDified!
100% FORDified!
Posts: 22329
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:17 pm
Location: Kansas, Ottawa
Contact:

Re: How to modify your radio to play music from your MP3 player!

Post by fordman »

:yt: or unplug it from behind the instrument cluster.
User avatar
evan_flatt69
Blue Oval Fan
Blue Oval Fan
Posts: 513
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2011 7:53 pm
Location: Portland, Tennessee

Re: How to modify your radio to play music from your MP3 player!

Post by evan_flatt69 »

390bump wrote:You don't need to cut the power wire- just disconnect it like you were replacing the fuse... Then just reconnect the fuse holder to put back in...

I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be unplugged or not, and I don't want to break it so I just decided to cut it :evil:

So it should just pull apart? at that white plastic thing??
1969 F-100 Short Bed Custom Cab 390
1985 BMW 635CSi
fordman
100% FORDified!
100% FORDified!
Posts: 22329
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:17 pm
Location: Kansas, Ottawa
Contact:

Re: How to modify your radio to play music from your MP3 player!

Post by fordman »

yes just push it together and twist it.
User avatar
evan_flatt69
Blue Oval Fan
Blue Oval Fan
Posts: 513
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2011 7:53 pm
Location: Portland, Tennessee

Re: How to modify your radio to play music from your MP3 player!

Post by evan_flatt69 »

fordman wrote:yes just push it together and twist it.

Ah thanks for the info fordman. I'll add that to the post as well.
1969 F-100 Short Bed Custom Cab 390
1985 BMW 635CSi
User avatar
basketcase0302
100% FORDified!
100% FORDified!
Posts: 6805
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2006 7:11 am
Location: Hawthorne, Florida

Re: How to modify your radio to play music from your MP3 player!

Post by basketcase0302 »

Very nice tutorial. Maybe it will be posted as such in the "how to's" ? :roll:
Jeff
http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... 22&t=46251
SOLD-71 F-350 dually flatbed, 302 / .030 over V-8 with a "baby"C-6, B & M truckshifter, Dana70/4.11 ratio, intermittent wipers, tilt steering, full LED lighting on the flat bed, and no stereo yet (this way I can hear the rattles to diagnose)! SOLD!
Many Ford bumps / one 76' EB / and several dents through the years.
A lot of "oddball" Ford parts collected from working on them for 34 years now!
2008 Ford Escape 4 x 4
User avatar
nolan in blaine
New Member
New Member
Posts: 82
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:45 pm
Location: Blaine Wa

Re: How to modify your radio to be an MP3 player!

Post by nolan in blaine »

for sure. im gonna do this in the next few days. I pulled my factory am radio out a week ago and im glad i didnt toss it. This will be awesome
nolan in blaine
User avatar
evan_flatt69
Blue Oval Fan
Blue Oval Fan
Posts: 513
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2011 7:53 pm
Location: Portland, Tennessee

Re: How to modify your radio to be an MP3 player!

Post by evan_flatt69 »

nolan in blaine wrote:for sure. im gonna do this in the next few days. I pulled my factory am radio out a week ago and im glad i didnt toss it. This will be awesome
Very cool! Let me know if you run into any snags during the process :D :thup:
1969 F-100 Short Bed Custom Cab 390
1985 BMW 635CSi
User avatar
nolan in blaine
New Member
New Member
Posts: 82
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:45 pm
Location: Blaine Wa

Re: How to modify your radio to be an MP3 player!

Post by nolan in blaine »

hey can you circle the ones i need to be soldered? Mine looks a bit different then the example you showed.

Image
Image
nolan in blaine
User avatar
nolan in blaine
New Member
New Member
Posts: 82
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:45 pm
Location: Blaine Wa

Re: How to modify your radio to be an MP3 player!

Post by nolan in blaine »

Code: Select all

http://s1090.photobucket.com/albums/i372/conradnt/ford/?action=view&current=DSCF1356.jpg#!oZZ2QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fs1090.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fi372%2Fconradnt%2Fford%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3DDSCF1356.jpg

Code: Select all

http://s1090.photobucket.com/albums/i372/conradnt/ford/?action=view&current=DSCF1356.jpg#!oZZ1QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fs1090.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fi372%2Fconradnt%2Fford%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3DDSCF1357.jpg
nolan in blaine
User avatar
nolan in blaine
New Member
New Member
Posts: 82
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:45 pm
Location: Blaine Wa

Re: How to modify your radio to be an MP3 player!

Post by nolan in blaine »

sorry. pic post fail...
nolan in blaine
User avatar
evan_flatt69
Blue Oval Fan
Blue Oval Fan
Posts: 513
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2011 7:53 pm
Location: Portland, Tennessee

Re: How to modify your radio to be an MP3 player!

Post by evan_flatt69 »

nolan in blaine wrote:hey can you circle the ones i need to be soldered? Mine looks a bit different then the example you showed.
Hopefully this will clear things up.

Image
1969 F-100 Short Bed Custom Cab 390
1985 BMW 635CSi
Post Reply