single din radio install

This isnt so much about the radio or wiring, but I picked up a new gauge bezel. I need to cut it to fit the radio. What have you all done to make sure you cut exactly what you needed out of the gauge bezel?

I have a later model with a DIN size radio so excuse me if i'm wrong but dont the install kits come with cutting templates?

Yep I just did this on my suburban last week, just go ahead an order that “installation kit” and it comes with the backing plate which is for support and then it comes with a template that once you cut it with your bezel, that template then becomes a small trim piece. It’s nothing fancy or high quality and it’s plastic but it’s only holding in a head unit, you should have a support brace anyways.

I ordered a headunit from crutchfield and it came with that install kit for free along with a harness. Then I just used an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel and carefully cut it out.

I was kinda afraid of that. The piece of **** previous owner did a lot of wrong things. The gauge bezel is 9 kinds of f'up.

So I have a new bezel and was hoping there was a different way since I don't want to really mount that pos fully.

Thanks guys. Guess it's time to save up for a radio and LEDs for the gauges.

spanky55amg said:

I was kinda afraid of that. The piece of **** previous owner did a lot of wrong things. The gauge bezel is 9 kinds of f'up.

So I have a new bezel and was hoping there was a different way since I don't want to really mount that pos fully.

Thanks guys. Guess it's time to save up for a radio and LEDs for the gauges.

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Leds are decently cheap for the dash, and I only paid 120 for a pretty nice kenwood headunit. Not extremely fancy but way too fancy for these squares lol, has Bluetooth and aux and usb capabilities which is pretty much all you need.

That installation kit was only like 20 bucks anyways so it wasn’t bad.

PrairieDrifter said:

Leds are decently cheap for the dash, and I only paid 120 for a pretty nice kenwood headunit. Not extremely fancy but way too fancy for these squares lol, has Bluetooth and aux and usb capabilities which is pretty much all you need.

That installation kit was only like 20 bucks anyways so it wasn’t bad.

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To you and I, it isnt bad. To the accountant, its horrible. Haha.
Yeah, I want to get dimmable LED's, but I might as well just do it if I am getting a head unit and pulling everything else apart. I hate doing double labor.

I browsed on Sonic Electronix for a head unit when I was in the market. Sometimes they show last years models then you can go on ebay and find a refurb or used one of the unit you like for a fraction of the cost. Thats how I scored my kenwood cheap (forgot how much but was about $75-90)

This head unit needs to be replaced anyways. It is an old one that doesnt have the external fuse, and its shorted to the chassis and whines through the speakers, even with filter on it.