Tin Star

Here it is with pictures and very complete step by step. Trust me it is very easy. Seven minutes to take apart my first time.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...t=87880&page=1

JohnAMG

Thank you very much for the link I think this would be a perfect winter project beside skiing.

John

BobsGX

The dash photos are great. Any chance you have photos of running the wires to the ML amp and then back to the rear for the antenna? This requires quite a few interior panels, mouldings to be removed.

Tin Star

No pics but it is pretty simple

1)Remove the radio and screen combo from the dash. You only need to pull it out just far enough to get to the back of the radio. Then remove the bottom panel below the steering wheel (two screws and pull down).
2)Pull back the rug from the amplifier under the front of the drivers seat.
3)Remove the drivers left foot rest by pulling towards rear of the truck..
4)Remove the left side kick panel (no screws)
5)Remove the step for the third row seat, behind the left rear door (there are two round plates on top of it. Pop them out and there are two 10mm bolts holding the step)
6)Remove the carpet trim from the left front and rear door openings. (Just pull up on it)
7)In the rear cargo area remove the two tie downs on the left side. There is a plastic cover inside the tie down that conceals a 10mm bolt. Remove the carpet trim at the rear door by poping out the plastic covers that conceal phillips head screws. Now pull the carpet back from the left side to reveal two screws that hold the bottom of the left side cargo area panel (remove them)
8)Remove the seatbelts that are bolted into the rear left lower trim panel (2). (14mm bolts)
9)Remove the pocket from the left luggage trim near the seat bracket.
10) Pull out the lower luggage panel. Be careful not to hook the cloth on the top panel.

Now the run the harness. Start at the front and fish the harness with two small connectors up under the steering wheel and to the back of the radio. Unplug the male plug from the radio and plug into the harness. Plug the male plug of the harness into the radio. Run the harness to the area behind the kick panel and into a wiring channel at the bottom of the front door opening. As the harness approaches the side of the driver's seat there is a break in the channel. Feed the connector for the amp under the carpet and into the area of the amp. Unplug the plug on the amp closest to the door. Plug the harness into the amp and the other plug into the harness.

Continue putting the harness (now two wires) in the channel until you get to the cargo area. Wire tie the harness to the other harness in the cargo area. Next find an area to mount the radio. I put mine inside the little storage area that has a cover on it like a glove box. I did this by removing the bottom (it snaps off)..I mounted it using Radio Shack heavy duty velcro. You can snap the bottom back in place after you remount the cargo side panel. You may find some other place to mount the radio.

To mount the antenna, I placed it on top of the truck just above the center of the rear door. Using a small putty knife I ran the wire behind a small flap on the weather stripping across the top of the door going toward the left side of the door. The radio install package comes with black channel that you stick next to the weather stripping as you start down the door. The wire snaps in the channel. I then removed the left tail light. (two 10mm bolts and pull it to the rear). Run the wire in behind where the tail light was, through a hole and into the cargo area. Reinstall the tail light (on the side opposite the two bolts on the back side of the tail light are two buttons..Line them up as you put the tail light back on then re-install the two bolts. Put everything back together and clean up.

I installed XM but I'm sure sirus would be the same.

BobsGX

Thanks for all the info. Sounds easy enough. Now I have to wait to see if they release the Sirius kit for the LX.

JohnAMG

I thought the Sirius radio is availabe for the Landcuiser/LX kit or the ES330 kit. Can anyone confirm this?

John

BobsGX

They show a Sirius receiver kit for the 05 LX but no fit kit. The fit kit would probably not work from the LX because we are trying to install it on a GX. They do show the same Sirius receiver for the 05 ES330 along with a fit kit for the Mark Levinson Audio Package. Maybe that will work on our GX? But that kit mounts the satellite antenna on the inside of the windshield which I've read doesn't work as well as an externally mounted antenna.
Anyone know what is included in the fit kits? No doubt a mounting bracket to hold the Sirius receiver (but probably would not work on our GX) along with the wiring harness which we would need.

Tin Star

Since some of the dealerships have been using the ES330 unit to install in GX's my guess is that the wiring harnesses are just shorter. This would make for a simpler install as you wouldn't have to remove the panels in the cargo area.

As to antenna installation: I have five XM's. I had a Delphi using a mini antenna on the dash. Even with a clear shot at the sat's there is an area on the island here with heavy tree cover and I would loose signal.....After the install (the XM kit supplies a hockey puck size antenna) I drove through the area and had no signal loss. All of my other units (which are using the micro-magnetic antenna) loose signal at that spot. This includes two who have the antenna mounted outside on the trunk. The only other one I have that does not loose the signal is my 05 vette and it has the large hockey puck type.

99 per cent of the time the antenna worked fine in the GX on the dash. Antenna size and placement can make a difference in a fringe area situation.

LexusTech

There is a LX470 fit kit,I've installed Sirius in at least five LX470's. A Sirius installation for an LX470 requires a connection to the amplifier. I've yet to install XM in a LX470,but from reading Tin Star's XM posts I guess it's the same,requires a connection to the amplifier.

Not just shorter,it's simpler. There is no amplifier connection,just a connection to the rear of the radio.

mlbpbg

When the Lexus tech opened the package, the wiring harness was much longer than the GX itself!! We did have to remove some of the panels in the cargo area to place the receiver and run the antenna. I put mine on the rear of the roof. Great reception.

BobsGX

So which parts do I need? My 06 GX has the Mark Levinson system. Sounds like I need the Sirius receiver and then which wiring kit? The LX or the ES kit? Thanks

mlbpbg

If you have the Nav system and the Mark Levinson, everything you need comes with the kit.

BobsGX

OK, so then I need the ES330 kit with the Mark Levinson system for the Sirius satellite installation on my 06 GX470 which does have the Nav system and the Mark Levinson system. Because they offer 2 fit kits for the ES, one with the ML system and one without the ML audio system. Does the kit come with instructions? Thanks

mlbpbg

I don't know about the instructions since Lexus installed my system. There are pretty good instructions in this post though if you are going to do it yourself

JohnAMG

I have a question regarding sound quality. I just got a Sirius Sportster Replay for my other cars. By using the build-in FM transmitter the sound quality is good, like a FM station. I will be doing hardwire connection into my Mercedes' AUX input. Now for the Lexus OEM Sirius receiver, how is the sound quality? Is it approaching CD quality? And does the cassette adaptor gives better sound than the FM transmitter? Thanks.

John