 » Site Navigation | | | | » Recent Threads | | | |  |  |  |  09-28-2005, 03:54 AM | #1 | | Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Virginia Posts: 247 |  How to fit head unit in dash???
How in the world did you guys fit your head units into the dash?? I guess using a BMW wiring harness was a mistake...it is impossible to fit in in ...I suppose I will have to hard wire it. Oh joy. __________________ Silver 98 318ti Standard trans, Sport Package: 16" Stock Wheels, Foglamps, Sunroof, Heated Leather Seats, Bilstein performance shocks, OEM Sach's clutch kit, Dunlop SP Sport A2 225/50/16 tires, Alpine CDA 7894, Dual Rockford Fosgate 12" subs, Rockford Fosgate Amp, Leather Armrest, Replaced M44 engine with only 40k on it!
http://www.geocities.com/evalha/bmwsmaller.JPG |  |  | | 09-28-2005, 05:16 AM | #2 | | aka Stabby Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mead, CO Posts: 5,336 |
what issue are you running into? not enough depth or what? __________________ 1996 318ti, California package, 267k miles
current mods: bilstein sports, bavauto springs, e30 m3 LCABs, solid metal ball joints, bavauto RSMs w/reinforcements, e30 3.73 LSD & halfshafts, supersprint cat-back exhaust, turner rear sway bar reinforcements, IE poly subframe & RTABs + camber/toe kits, powdercoated e36 32x front calipers, sport mirrors, H&R 28mmF/19mmR sway bars, x-brace, auto solutions SSK w/poly bushing upgrade, BMW CD43 head unit, DICE HD Radio w/iPod integration and "stealth" HD antenna, staggered style 68s, orange electronic TPMS, leather arm rest, JT Designs metal undertray
acquired and awaiting install: heated seat kit, cali top switch relo, lumbar support kit, park distance control kit, heated washer nozzle kit, m-coupe rear subframe, trailing arms, differential, and halfshafts, m-coupe front/rear brakes with master cylinder, under hood light kit, mud flaps, rear sun blind, auto-dimming rear view mirror, tilt steering wheel retrofit, apexcone 5000K HIDs with 55W ballasts
2002 X5 4.4 Sport Package, 53.5k miles
Current Mods: e46 m3 steering wheel | | | | | 09-28-2005, 05:28 AM | #3 | | Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Virginia Posts: 247 |
Yeah, the plug that joins the car bundle to my wiring harness is huge, like 2"x3" and doesn't leave enough depth for the deck to fit in. I can't put it off to the side either, because when I slide the deck into the dash, the wires pull it out of place. If I could take the whole dash apart, I might be able to wedge it in there, but that is not an option. __________________ Silver 98 318ti Standard trans, Sport Package: 16" Stock Wheels, Foglamps, Sunroof, Heated Leather Seats, Bilstein performance shocks, OEM Sach's clutch kit, Dunlop SP Sport A2 225/50/16 tires, Alpine CDA 7894, Dual Rockford Fosgate 12" subs, Rockford Fosgate Amp, Leather Armrest, Replaced M44 engine with only 40k on it!
http://www.geocities.com/evalha/bmwsmaller.JPG | | | | | 09-28-2005, 01:34 PM | #4 | | Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: England, UK Posts: 1,288 |
cut em and crimp em  __________________
1995 BMW 316i Cosmos Black
Mods: Magnex Cat-Back Exhaust Smoked Corner Lights + Repeators M3 17" Wheels De-Baffled Air Box AC HandBrake Handle and Gear Knob DEPO Euro Epsiloids + Predator Chronium Rings Chrome Interior bits IE Poly-Urethane RSFMs Kenwood Power Series Audio Powder Coated e36 325 Front Callipers Sports Seats | | | | | 09-28-2005, 06:23 PM | #5 | | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: state college, pa Posts: 3,431 |
is your new HU longer than the factory with the antenna? __________________
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ZOMBIES. | | | | | 09-29-2005, 12:13 AM | #6 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 290 |
Yeah I remember it being quite a jam. I've had to do it a couple times and I've always dreaded the task. I just kept working it until it fit. Try stuffing the wiring into one of the back corners where it drops off into the dash. __________________
Vince Carknard
1995 318ti Active
Hellrot, 16" 5 spoke, "Fogged" airbox mod, Stromung exhaust, Bilstein Sports, BMW sport springs, 3.73lsd,
others... | | | | | 09-29-2005, 03:59 AM | #7 | | Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Manassas, VA Posts: 4,129 |
Mash it in, it wasn't easy.  Quote: | Originally Posted by evalha007 How in the world did you guys fit your head units into the dash?? I guess using a BMW wiring harness was a mistake...it is impossible to fit in in ...I suppose I will have to hard wire it. Oh joy. | __________________ 
1998 (July) 318ti, 5-spd
OEM Armrest Blaupunkt Heidelberg CD50 CD Player/Compact Drive MP3 Player Diamond Audio 5.25" rear speakers Navman ICN 530 GPS BMWALARM.COM (with comfort settings) after market alarm system Magnecor 8.5mm wires M-Z3 Shifter/Momo Knob Burlwood Dashboard Stromung Exhaust X-brace Racing Dynamics Front Strut Bar Carbonio C.A.I. 17" Rial Rims Vader Seats/Heated/Lumbar Support M-tech Steering Wheel/Front Sway Bar/Front & Rear Bumper Depos/w 6500K Angel Eyes/6000K HIDs Clear Corners M3 Mirrors UUC Light Weight Flywheel/M5 Clutch/M3 Clutch Slave E28 3.46 LSD/Mcoupe Cover/E30 Flanges & Halfshafts UUC S.S. Brake/Clutch Lines Hartge Roof Spoiler BavAuto Springs Bilstein Sport Struts/Shocks E46 M3 Rear Shock Mounts SPC Front Camber Kit Reiger Hatch Spoiler BavAuto Rear Camber Kit Dinan Stage II Software Turner Rear Sway Bar Reinforcements BMW E46 Auto dimming mirror with Clown Nose alarm Engine Compartment Light Heated Wiper Fluid Retrofit OEM Fire Extinguisher Da'lan Trailer Hitch Rear Sun Shade OEM Fog Light Retrofit H & R MZ3 Rear Sway Bar/ UUC Adjustable End Links Cruise Control Retrofit On Board Computer Retrofit M3 twistie style side skirts Carbon Fiber Hood | | | | | 09-30-2005, 04:50 PM | #8 | | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Brecksville/Cleveland Ohio Posts: 259 |
I just put in a in dash cd player and it fit fine. Of course it had an adapter that pluged right in. __________________
"Driving to slow, THAT'S TI ABUSE"!!!!
"BMW WAKE UP AND DRIVE" | | | | | 09-30-2005, 06:31 PM | #9 | | Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 30 |
I just put a new head unit in my car with wiring harness adapter and all. A couple of tips (your mileage may vary): 1. If you reach towards the firewall through the radio slot, you'll find a bit of an identation on the left side. That's a good place to shove the wiring bundle to maximize the amount of space for your HU. 2. It might help to tightly zip tie the wiring harness and adapters together so that it forms a more compact bundle It will take some patience and a few tries to get it. Hopefully, you will escape with only minor injuries  | | | | | 10-01-2005, 10:33 PM | #10 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 290 |
Ahhh yes...the injuries...forgot about those. Have a couple bandaids ready. __________________
Vince Carknard
1995 318ti Active
Hellrot, 16" 5 spoke, "Fogged" airbox mod, Stromung exhaust, Bilstein Sports, BMW sport springs, 3.73lsd,
others... | | | | | 10-07-2005, 06:32 AM | #11 | | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Northern New Jersey Posts: 395 |
I just put in an Alpine CDE-9847 (looks great)
On the right side, behind the clock, (moreso to the right of it) there's a lot of room as well, if you have any RCA wires to put back there. I tell you, after i secured all the connections, I mashed the hell out of it until it clipped in place. I thought I was going to crack it.... but I didn't. | | | | | 10-07-2005, 05:15 PM | #12 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 178 |
Quote: | Originally Posted by evalha007 How in the world did you guys fit your head units into the dash?? I guess using a BMW wiring harness was a mistake...it is impossible to fit in in ...I suppose I will have to hard wire it. Oh joy. | I ran into the same problem installing a Sony, and found that if you leave the wires long enough, you can shove the plugs into a cubby hole in the back of the dash up and to the left. I made the mistake of cutting the wires and shortening the harness between the BMW plug and the radio, and had to extend it to make it work. | | | | |
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