Hey there, I really hope one of you can help me out. I am trying to install a new Alpine 9886 into my 06Z and I have the Metra 99-7602 kit that I got from Crutchfield that I'm using. The kit looks like it will fit fine into the dash, but the issue is when I put the alpine itself into the kit (I am trying to test-fit it before I put everything together). The face of the radio is recessed so far back that the face hits the dash kit when you open it to put a CD in, and the button that you press in the upper left corner to open the face is really hard to get to because it's so recessed. Basically it seems like the Alpine should come a lot further forward and be more flush with the rest of the face of the kit. I've enclosed some pictures so ya'll can see what I'm talking about.

So did anyone else run into this problem, and how do you get around it? I called Crutchfield tech support already and they are no help. I've played around with it all evening and can't figure out an easy fix. And yes, I did search too!

So can someone please help me out and tell me what I need to do! Any help would be greatly appreciated! Cheers!

 

Use some shims or something to try and move the entire unit forward.This should fix your CD usage problem.

 

Yeah I tried shims and everything I could think of. A big issue is the trim ring that goes around the radio to finish it off....it's rather deep. I would have to trim off the excess which would allow me to bring the radio forward. That's the only solution I can come up with sofar. But I basically want to know if anyone else on here has had this same problem, and if so, what did they do about it? Thanks again for the help!

 

Here are pics of my installation (please forgive the awful flash reflection).





The difference between your mount and what you see above is that I have my Clarion’s rotating-faceplate flush with the Metra’s bezel. I believe you already describe the problem (your H/U is "too recessed").

I used some leftover plastic pieces in the Metra kit to create a couple of shims using a “dremel.” The shims position the H/U so that it sits flush and allows the rotating face to clear the mount.

If you look carefully at my pics, you see that the shelf piece immediately below the H/U is slightly bowed (that's on purpose and why the faceplate rotates successfully).
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EDIT: It appears that my kit is different from yours since at least my lower bezel has less bulk (probably making it more "bendable). But, I don't think that is the problem.

--Spike

 

thank you good sir. =) That's exactly the kind of response I was hoping for!

I guess I'm gonna have to play around with it some more and see if I can't jerry-rig something together. Gonna have to bust out my dremel I guess. You would think that the Metra people would think about these issues when they design these pieces - who really wants a radio that's recessed an inch and a half lower than the face of the dash anyway???

 

Don't use the trim ring they gave you. This is my install. This kit sucks anyways because it always looks warped and doesn't fit properly. Going to switch it out to the other brand soon that curves inward.

 

^^^ AI kit?

 

I don't believe it was a AI kit. I can't remember now.

 

So I'm thinking about doing this:

Using the DIN sleeve (the steel rectangle), slide the head unit into that but keep it from going all the way in (where it clicks into place). Keep it about 1/2" from where it clicks into place and then somehow drill some holes into the DIN sleeve to match up with the mounting holes on the radio. Then use the plastic trim piece (dash finisher) that came with the metra kit, but using a knife, dremel, whatever, cut off the recessed part so that only the mounting tabs are left. That way the radio will be moved forward, and the Metra trim piece can be used. What do ya'll think about that? Worse case scenario, I screw it up and have to buy a new Metra kit. Or maybe there's a different kit (scosche, A1 (don't know what A1 is)) that might work better?

 

A I I as in Ian