how easy is it? DVD installation

[poibowl]

how hard would it be to remove the stock radio in a 2002 toyota 4runner double cab. finally decided on getting a dvd player for my truck . see a lot of cheap stuff online but mostly every thing here is $400 and up some stuff i can get online for less than $300. thanks for any help on this

[Act162this]

i'm assuming it's the single-DIN version? it wasn't too hard (actually, the process would be similar for the double-DIN version, if there was such a thing).

from what i can remember from my 98 T4R, you need to pull off the trim piece around the radio (use a small flathead screwdriver with tape on the head, or a towel to avoid scratching the trim piece), remove the buttons/knobs so you can pull off the faceplate thingy, and put the shifter into "N" or "D" to get clearance to slide the panel off.

then the insides with the radio lift out, but i think there may be cables/harnesses you need to unplug if you want to take it all the way out. the screws that hold the chassis in place are visible from the outside of the factory radio, unscrew four (i think) and it just slides out the front like a hard drive in a desktop. new radio slides in, you may need some sort of faceplate/adaptor to fill in spaces around the radio if necessary.

it's been some years since we had to disassemble the dash to install a cb into the lower DIN slot, but that's basically it. assemble in reverse of teardown.

you can get either a flipup screen (which would block your airvents, and possibly your cupholders) or a double-DIN screen.

i didn't go for the flipup screen, since the cupholders in the 98 T4R slide out from a slot under the air vents, but above the radio. i wasn't willing to lose my cupholders (!), so no flipup screen.

[poibowl]

thanks for the reply, i am what you would call a true brokanic but at least my ration is above 50% since i'm good with fixing computers, usually when it comes to vehicle stuff i leave it to the experts, but this seemed like something i might be able to do. just i saw all the cables attached to the DVD unit and it made me have to stop and think about it

http://cgi.ebay.com/837-7-TFT-LCD-TOUCHSCREEN-TV-MONITOR-FM-MP4-DVD-PLAYER_W0QQitemZ110249174138QQihZ001QQcategoryZ798 35QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

thanks again

[Act162this]

actually, if you get a kit from crutchfield, it will come with all of the adaptors you need to plug into the oem wiring harness, sometimes it even comes with the faceplate adaptor thing to fill in any blank spaces around the new radio.

some of those wires are supposed to connect up to your parking brake (or something like that) to ensure that you can only play dvds while the car is either in park or the parking brake is enabled. google parking brake bypass, or dvd bypass to get a workaround. not hard to tap into the appropriate cable, a shop manual can be of great help there.

some other cables are probably to tap into your oem antenna for reception, and a power lead to turn on remotely amps, raise/lower power antennas, etc...

if you can build a pc from the mobo up, you can do this. same difference, and most things only plug in one way if you get the custom adapters from crutchfield.

only hard part is figuring out which wires go where, some are red /w black stripes, red w/ white stripes, etc... need a manual, if you don't already have one.

i think i tossed my shop manuals for my 98 T4R when i sold it. lemme go look at home when i get home from work. if i didn't toss them out, you're welcome to have them.