Decisions Decisions- Bought a Laramie Center Console

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JRust

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Decisions Decisions- Bought a Laramie Center Console & installed it now

Okay came across this locally & thinking I should have just waited. Was local so I jumped on it. Not the right color plus not sure on the Bezel. I don't have the 8.4" radio. Can I even use this bezel? Plus this has the CD player in the console. Any way to plug that into my smaller uconnect radio? Jumped on it as it was the nice Laramie setup. Plus looking on Ebay seemed like a good deal at $500 for the both the center console & the dash bezel

I would love to upgrade to the 8.4" radio plus add the heated steering wheel. Just on a bit of a budget. I guess what is the best bang for my buck to upgrade to a center console? I currently have the 40/20/40 seat. While I have sat 6 in my truck before. I think I've used that seat maybe twice. I work out of my truck so really like the idea of having more storage.

Also this center console doesn't match my interior color wise. Really need the grey /black one. I also didn't notice it doesn't have the back cap with the vent's & a/c plug on it. Not to mention doesn't have the 2 side pieces that transition to the dash below. Also doesn't have the mounting brackets. Although I know I can just buy those.
 

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00R/T

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If it's not the right color, I'd sell it. That's never going to look right with the interior color you have.

For the dash piece, you can swap in your bezel. Based on you having the smaller radio I'm going to assume you'll also need to swap in your switch bank and shifter/4x4 control.
 
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JRust

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I could always paint the tan side which I wouldn't mind. It's more the CD player that I can't hook up. So does make sense to sell or swap to someone who maybe made the same boneheaded mistake I did. LOL
 

00R/T

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Which radio do you have? I know there are trucks with the 5.0 radio and the CD player, but I don't know about the 3.0. What nobody seems real sure on is adding it to any of the radios after the fact. It may require a sales code that the dealer may or may not be able to add.

Did you want the CD player or do you just have an aversion to having it sitting there but not working? If it's the latter, I totally get it. I haven't listened to a CD in probably 5 years, but the console I bought has the CD player. You can bet I'm going to try my hardest to get that thing working. lol
 
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JRust

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Yeah I could care less about having a cd player. Wouldn't mind if I could have it work with an 8.4" unit. I currently have the 5.0 Uconnect radio I believe. I have a 2014 Tradesman EcoDeisel. Love the truck overall but the options are a little limited. Mostly I want to find a better drivers seat. I have cheapest seat they make I think. Need's more lumbar support. Thats a whole other subject though. IS there a plug & play with an 8.4" unit from my current setup?
 

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Yeah I could care less about having a cd player. Wouldn't mind if I could have it work with an 8.4" unit.
The CD player should work with the 8.4 radio. I have both from the factory.
 
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JRust

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Okay but since I only have the ra2 (I think) at this point. Would the wiring be there already? OR would I need to find a particular wiring harness?
 

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Okay but since I only have the ra2 (I think) at this point. Would the wiring be there already? OR would I need to find a particular wiring harness?



I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure my truck has the required wiring even though it came with an RA1 and no CD player. But, my truck also seems to be wired for every other option, so it's not the best example.
 
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JRust

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Most of the center console setups I am seeing online at the yards. All have the 8.4" radio. Is there a way to swap any parts of my current console to make it work? Can the centers be changed in the bezel?
 
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JRust

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Just looked at the one in my office. Looks like the center gray section can be unscrewed & removed. So I can just take the one out of my current to swap it over. Waiting to hear back from a yard right now with the right color center console for me. They had an 8.4 with no nav for another $400. At this point don't think I want to mess with trying to get everything working with the 8.4" swap
 

00R/T

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Most of the center console setups I am seeing online at the yards. All have the 8.4" radio. Is there a way to swap any parts of my current console to make it work? Can the centers be changed in the bezel?



Yes. Like I said earlier, you can transfer that over. You'll likely need to transfer your shifter and switches over as well because I'm assuming you don't have heated seats or 4x4 auto.
 

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I could always paint the tan side which I wouldn't mind. It's more the CD player that I can't hook up. So does make sense to sell or swap to someone who maybe made the same boneheaded mistake I did. LOL



I have the basic 3.0 and my jump seat has a CD player in it so I am sure you can hook it up. How I don't know but I know u can


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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JRust

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Yes. Like I said earlier, you can transfer that over. You'll likely need to transfer your shifter and switches over as well because I'm assuming you don't have heated seats or 4x4 auto.

My shifter is fine & I have the 4x4 auto switches below it. I can swap those as well like you said if they don't match the one I get. The Laramie one as far as shifter setup looks the same. Although the knob is a little nicer. LOL!
 

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You can swap the shifter from the Laramie radio surround over to your Tradesman if you want. I have a Sport shifter knob in my 2014 Tradesman.

20150406_142504_zpsm0cayxzt.jpg

This is my Tradesman dash after I added some stuff.


I wonder what this button does?
 
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cgeorgemo

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Okay but since I only have the ra2 (I think) at this point. Would the wiring be there already? OR would I need to find a particular wiring harness?



I believe you just plug a wire into the back of the radio in the correct spot and the CD player gets detected automatically. Can you take a picture of the connections on the wiring?


I wonder what this button does?
 
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JRust

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You can swap the shifter from the Laramie radio surround over to your Tradesman if you want. I have a Sport shifter knob in my 2014 Tradesman.

20150406_142504_zpsm0cayxzt.jpg

This is my Tradesman dash after I added some stuff.


I wonder what this button does?

What did you need to do to install the 8.4 radio? Is it the Nav unit?
 
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JRust

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We have an entire thread dedicated to your question ...

DIY: 2013+ RA3/RA4 8.4" Radio Conversion Upgrade

See post 2 & 3

Sent from my non-flammable Galaxy S7!

Holy crap that isn't a plug & play deal. Definately going to hold off on that project. Anybody in Oregon who has done it? I pick this stuff up much better hands on than trying to read it. Appreciate all the good input. I definitely need to spend some time going over that thread. Was a little over my head first time through.
 

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Holy crap that isn't a plug & play deal. Definately going to hold off on that project. Anybody in Oregon who has done it? I pick this stuff up much better hands on than trying to read it. Appreciate all the good input. I definitely need to spend some time going over that thread. Was a little over my head first time through.
Post a picture of your current dash ...

If you currently have a 7 speed blower/fan control switch (vs 4 speed) in your truck then you are in luck and it is actually plug n play once you get the correct parts. (See Post 2 of the thread)

If you have the 4 speed fan, then it is a bit more involved but not as bad as it seems. (See posts 3 - 8 of the thread)

Note: there is a downloadable PDF in post 2 and 3 that assumes you bought the conversion harness which may help clarify everything (vs making it yourself from the posts).


Sent from my non-flammable Galaxy S7!
 
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JRust

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Post a picture of your current dash ...

If you currently have a 7 speed blower/fan control switch (vs 4 speed) in your truck then you are in luck and it is actually plug n play once you get the correct parts. (See Post 2 of the thread)

If you have the 4 speed fan, then it is a bit more involved but not as bad as it seems. (See posts 3 - 8 of the thread)

Note: there is a downloadable PDF in post 2 and 3 that assumes you bought the conversion harness which may help clarify everything (vs making it yourself from the posts).


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I do have the 7 speed fan. Okay I definitely need to go through that thread some more. :happy107:
 
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