2008 Impala SS Install

[RadioDitch]

Hey Gents,

Picked up my barely used 2008 Chevy Impala SS yesterday. It has a double DIN stereo which is hopefully going to make life easy. The plan is to replace it with an aftermarket single DIN stereo, and use the second slot for a BC-996XT using the Uniden DIN sleve. Does anyone have any experience doing this?

Have any problems? Use any kits? Easy as hell?

Thanks for any advice or help. Here's a shot of the cabin if it helps at all...

 

[kyguy]

I wouldn't mess with changing out the radio. I put remote heads for my radios in the arm rest/ center console and the radios in the trunk -- low profile !! outa sight of window peepers!!!



Sent you a pm.

 

[RadioDitch]

Thing is that I wanna replace the stock stereo anyway. Frankly...it sucks. The stereo I'm going to use is single DIN anyway, so I might as well mount the 996XT. The average person wouldn't know what it is anyway. My ham gear is all remote heads, and the windows are tinted. I'm just looking for advice or those with experience about DIN console mounting a 996XT...

 

[N5TWB]

Have you made certain there is no interconnection of the radio stack with the environmental controls at the bottom? As long as they are isolated from one another, I see your project as a good way to go. My Nissan XTerra is set up in the same manner as you propose and I love it.

 

[microwave]

Radio Install

I did this in a Nissan Xterra with a Motorola Maxtrac and it worked great. Just keep in mind that you may loose the ability to dim your aftermarket radio's display and that you will need an additional adapter to use the stearing wheel remote controlls.

 

[CoolCat]

Hey Gents,

Picked up my barely used 2008 Chevy Impala SS yesterday. It has a double DIN stereo which is hopefully going to make life easy. The plan is to replace it with an aftermarket single DIN stereo, and use the second slot for a BC-996XT using the Uniden DIN sleve. Does anyone have any experience doing this?

Have any problems? Use any kits? Easy as hell?

Many of us choose the clean looking option of an in-dash scanner installation. Those of us with 2-DIN stereo opening are lucky in this regard (well, at least those of us who choose to replace the factory radio, which is almost always an upgrade from stock). Stock stereos in 99% of cars are "ok" at best, and many are just plain horrible. Even the "premium" factory sound systems that are available for an additional charge (very overpriced) are usually outperformed quite easily by mid-range aftermarket gear. I completely understand your wanting to upgrade the stereo, it is the first thing I do to every vehicle I have ever owned (and I'm on #11 now ).

This past weekend I removed my carputer setup and custom console and simplified my setup into a basic 2-DIN installation in the factory stereo opening of my 06 F150. In the upper DIN "slot" I mounted my 996XT, and in the lower "slot" I installed a Sony DSX-S300BTX "digital media receiver" (awesome stereo BTW). I had a 2-DIN scoshe installation kit already, but I only ended up using the side ISO brackets and not the outer trim surround. I also had to modify the ISO brackets to mount the 2 units together as the 996XT's front panel made it too big for the single-DIN opening, and too tall for the pre-cut ISO mounting holes.

The 996XT itself (the metal body behind the front panel) is a standard DIN size, but the front panel is larger and will not fit inside of a DIN opening. Depending on the kit you may be able to mount it on top / in front of the trim surround but it would look out of place with a DIN stereo flush mounted, or sticking out to match. My solution to this issue was to simply not use the trim surround at all, and just let the units "float" in the opening (they are bolted in, but they appear to float from the front. This filled in the opening pretty good, but there are small gaps around the radios. The gaps don't really bother me as it is always dark behind them, but I may fill them in somehow later on.

So was it "easy as hell"?.. Well yes and no. It certainly isn't hard if you have any mechanical/electrical experience, but it wasn't a simple "bolt-in" installation either. You mentioned wanting to use the DIN sleeve to mount it, I wouldn't recommend that as you will not be able to adjust the radio depth if you use a sleeve, also there will be one long side of the sleeve without any solid support. It is much better in my opinion to use the side ISO brackets to mount the radios. They will have better/stronger support, as well as allow you to adjust the radio depth/height.

Good Luck.

 

[RadioDitch]

Thanks guys for the advice.

I did check to see if the stereo harness was interconnected into the HVAC controls. Thankfully it isn't. The only problem I ran into in the planning was that I needed a very specific (and expensive) Metra harness to preserve door chimes, turn signal clicks, etc, which all run through the stereo control module. Apparently because my vehicle is both OnStar and XM equipped with the factory BOSE stereo system. But once I got that, my stereo place said I'll have no problem.

I don't mind the face of the 996XT protruding. That doesn't bother me. My only concern is going to be if there may be an unsightly gap between the Kenwood stereo and 996XT face. What did you guys have in terms of that?

 

[OpSec]

All the GM radios since the early 2000's have been interfaced into body electronics and the Body Control Module (BCM).

Be careful in your wiring that you do not fry the BCM during the removal and installation of the aftermarket equipment. The BCM in the 2000-2005 W body was a common failure, even if you didn't molest the car in any way. My fried by 45,000 miles for no apparent reason. You'll know if it's a problem, because most/all of the creature comforts (power windows, locks etc) will stop working.

 

[RadioDitch]

Be careful in your wiring that you do not fry the BCM during the removal and installation of the aftermarket equipment.

And that's why my local pro stereo shop is handling that part. Was kinda funny. Pulled it in the shop bay and the line up was...Porsche 911, Bentley, Porsche PA, Ford GT, Aston Martin DBS, my Chevy Impala LS. Haha.

 

[fordcobra04]

You are brave.... I work for a Cadillac dealer and we get cars in every so often with issues with the BCM issues because of aftermarket modules like the Metra one. Hopefully yours will work with out issue!

Can't wait to see the finished product!

 

[CoolCat]

Here is a pic of what my double DIN setup looks like in my F150. The opening is actually 2.5 DIN, so I added a half DIN equalizer (which filled the available space perfectly). The plastic ISO brackets are ABS plastic that was easy to modify to position the radios where I wanted them. Hopefully that gives you a better idea of what your setup may look like. There doesn't have to be any gap between the radios (it wont work if you try to use the DIN sleeves, you will be much better off bolting the radios in using the ISO brackets that come with the installation kit).

 

[radioman2001]

I did my wife's Ford 500 last year, removed the stock stereo, which wasn't all too bad and installed a Sony. Then with a double din adapter kit, about $20.00 at Bestbuy installed an W7 Astro Spectra. You can't really even tell that it's 2-way radio. Hid the mic in the glovebox.