laurante

After doing a bunch of research I'm still confused about aftermarket stereo harnesses. I've seen the write ups, but all I've found is installing an aftermarket headunit with STOCK OEM subs and amp.

I don't want this. I don't even think my car has the stock amp. This is what I'm doing:

Aftermarket headunit
Aftermarket speakers all around
Aftermarket sub

I've found this:

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http://www.amazon.com/Metra-70-8112-...d_bxgy_e_img_b

Metra 70-8112 Radio Wiring Harness for Toyota Amp Integration 15 Pin

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But I see amp integration, RCA cables. Again, I don't want this, I'm pretty sure I don't even have the stock amp.

So then there's this:

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http://www.amazon.com/Metra-70-1761-...d_bxgy_e_img_c

Metra 70-1761 Radio Wiring Harness For Toyota 87-Up Power 4 Speaker

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The above link was posted somewhere in here, but hasn't been confirmed (or at least I haven't found) to work with SC300s.

So can anyone confirm if the "Metra 70-1761 Radio Wiring Harness For Toyota 87-Up Power 4 Speaker" will work?

I plan to run the door and rear speakers straight to the deck.

And I have a 1993, I know the harness changed in 1999. Or 2000. Whatever.

Thanks in advance!

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

Since you are basically doing everything right from the start, you don't really need a harness if there is a question. You can simply run wires from the doors to the radio location, get a ground inside the dash, run a new +12V constant from the battery along with the power cable for the sub amp, and find a wire to tap for the switched power. If your cigarette lighter is off with the key, that's a good place to start. Then it's as simple as running RCA cables and a turn on lead from the dash to the trunk for the sub. If you can get a picture inside your dash and compare it to the wiring harness pictures you see, you can get a harness, but it's not completely necessary. Unfortunately, many cars have been butchered over the years with the wiring, so it does make it more challenging. This is why doing it as described above works and is sometimes easier.

Big Mack

laurante

yeah, i mean if i really wanted to i could hack into the stock harness but i'd really rather not. i'm just pretty amazed that there's no defining kit for this car. i've done countless headunits in cars but i've never run into the problem of the lack of conversion harness.

thanks for the info! if anything i'll have to do that, but i think i'll give this toyota harness a try before anything.

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

If you have the stock harness, you can compare it against the pictures. And what I said means you don't have to even touch the stock harness. It was assuming that your stock harness was butchered since you said you weren't sure what would fit. If you don't have both of those plugs, though, there's really no point in buying that adapter.

Big Mack

laurante

oh no, stock harness is completely intact.

i could make my own connections and just wire straight from the speakers and battery to the headunit. but i'm just trying to use what's already there. i'm not sure i understand what you're saying, that i don't have to touch the stock harness. are you saying i wouldn't have to touch the car harness because i'd be wiring from the speakers directly to the headunit?

basically what i'm trying to do is what i've done to every other car:

use the stock car harness
get an adapter as i've linked in my first post
hook it up to the aftermarket headunit.

i know these lexus' are different than other cars, so maybe i'm missing something and can't comprehend what's going on haha. from what i've read, my assumptions are that the speakers are hooked up to the stock factory amp in the rear, and then from the factory amp it goes to the harnesses that go into the stock headunit. correct?

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

That's a good start.

I know this and suggested it.


Have you determined whether or not the car came with an amp from the factory, or was it wired directly from the deck to the doors? I'm not overly familiar with your car, so I'm asking.

Si, senor.

Right, and that works fine so long as everything has been confirmed and you're 100% on the adapter being the right one.

Not sure. You'd have to trace it all to find out - or simply wire it up. You could always hybrid the thing with the adapter so you don't have to cut the harness. Just use it for power, etc., then wire directly to the speakers with new wires. Then you're not A) relying on 15+ year old speaker wires, 2) taking the amp out of the equation, and C) ensuring that it will work when fired up.

You're going to have the doors and deck opened up anyway. Speaker wire is cheap. Unless you can trace everything out and ensure that the wiring can be used, your intent is basically to wire it up this way anyway, so skip all the factory wiring and save yourself that time/hassle. At $0.40 a foot, you're talking $30 worth of wire for the peace of mind. Totally worth it, IMO.

Big Mack

laurante

i didn't even think about this. so if there was no amp from the factory then maybe i could use the "87 and up" harness?

that's the thing, i'm not sure, that's one of my questions haha.

that actually is a good idea. wire the speakers directly to the deck but use the stock harness for power etc. i just hope the "87 and up" harness will work.

good point.

thanks for the tips man! i think i'll order the 87 and up harness, and if it doesn't line up i'll hopefully use it on my corolla drift car.

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

Entirely possible.

Thanks. Every once in a while I get one or three of them...

Glad to help. Take pitchers for your fellow SC owners!

Big Mack

laurante

well my friend just told me (phrozen on here) that the "87 and up" harness won't work unless i have an early model 93 with the base stereo, REALLY base. i guess i'll be doing some checking today. this is getting complicated, i think i'll just hack up the stock wiring haha.

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

Does the stereo in the car even work presently? And why cut the stock wiring? Forget that noise, mang. Just ad a few wires since you've gotta open it up and make your life easy!

Oh, and one more suggestion - if you think you might want to add another amp (say a 4 channel so it's not running off deck power), I'd throw a relay in between the deck and the amp to turn it on. This way you've got options for turning on other stuff with the key. $4 upgrade.

Big Mack

laurante

i worked on my car today, i measured the stock sub hole and it's only 8". i can't remember what package that is, naka-something i think? i'll check tomorrow, it's 4:55am haha. but i do remember seeing an amp in the trunk i think, on the bottom left.

i ordered this

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ef=oss_product

but it hasn't shipped yet, so by knowing that i have an 8 inch sub stock, should i cancel that?

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

Nakamichi

I can't say for certain that will work or not, as I said I'm not overly familiar with the specific car. I'd skip the adapter and just wire it if it were mine. No hacking wires, no risk.

Big Mack

laurante

yeah i canceled the order, i'll just wire the headunit directly. i'll have to figure it out. constant power i just wire directly to the battery?

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

Yes, but make absolutely sure that you wire up the switched power to something that only comes on with the key or you'll be looking at a dead battery quickly. You can do eet!

Big Mack

laurante

i got around to installing stuff today, went pretty... okay. for some reason the remote wire doesn't work, might be the deck, might be the amp i got (it's used), not sure. but when i connect it to the remote wire on the deck harness it doesn't turn on, but when i connect it to the constant power it turned on fine. any suggestions on other places to wire it to?

the car was previously wired to a deck so i kinda cheated haha. BUT, i did have one thing that wasn't connected that i usually connect to other cars i've had this deck in, illumination/orange wire. i have a newer pioneer deck btw, maybe a year old or so. but yeah the deck turns on without it, strange. it's just not connected to anything, i don't know how that works haha.

thanks for all the help so far, big mack, you're the man!