Decisions Decisions- Bought a Laramie Center Console

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JRust

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Do you need to have the Steering wheel with audio controls done as well? If not how else can you control volume? Is it just on the touch screen itself? I do not have the audio controls on my current steering wheel.
 
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Ram® Truck 8.4 Upgrade Radio Bezel – Infotainment.com
This isn't cheap but this custom bezel let's you keep your manual hvac controls. So I wouldn't need to replace the havoc unit. Also has volume control so could get by without steering wheel controls. Came across it on youtube install. They offer the whole ra4 swap plug & play. Of course it is $1200+ for it. Not to interested in spending that kind of dough. Looks to be really well done though
 

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Ram[emoji768] Truck 8.4 Upgrade Radio Bezel – Infotainment.com
This isn't cheap but this custom bezel let's you keep your manual hvac controls. So I wouldn't need to replace the havoc unit. Also has volume control so could get by without steering wheel controls. Came across it on youtube install. They offer the whole ra4 swap plug & play. Of course it is $1200+ for it. Not to interested in spending that kind of dough. Looks to be really well done though



That looks like the bezel that I bought before we started making our own wire harnesses. Looks better than it actually functions...



I wonder what this button does?
 

cgeorgemo

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Do you need to have the Steering wheel with audio controls done as well? If not how else can you control volume? Is it just on the touch screen itself? I do not have the audio controls on my current steering wheel.



You will not need the steering wheel controls if you get the climate module, the wire harness, the radio, a single zone temperature bezel, and a few minutes of free time.
The wire harness and the module allow the truck's harness to connect to the climate control, and radio knobs and buttons on the bezel. Those knobs will work just like a factory install once you get everything hooked up.
I went ahead and installed the steering wheel audio controls and I wrote up a DIY thread on that if you decide to do it.


I wonder what this button does?
 

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Ram® Truck 8.4 Upgrade Radio Bezel – Infotainment.com
This isn't cheap but this custom bezel let's you keep your manual hvac controls. So I wouldn't need to replace the havoc unit. Also has volume control so could get by without steering wheel controls. Came across it on youtube install. They offer the whole ra4 swap plug & play. Of course it is $1200+ for it. Not to interested in spending that kind of dough. Looks to be really well done though
A lot of people that get that OEMAutoPartsCo bezel end up regretting it, some had issues with it (reports of it messing with the CanBus by some... @00R/T and others), and most decide they need the rest of the functions that the radio should have and do the full conversion within a few months anyway.

If you have an Ra2 radio with BT and mirror with mics already, you can always just add the steering wheel audio controls (@ $100) and squeeze the Ra4 behind the existing bezel to see if you like it without the extra controls.



If you use the stock RA1 bezel be prepared to push on it kind of hard to get it to click in place over the RA4. I ran like that for a bit before we were able to make the conversion harnesses to use the correct 8.4 bezels.

DIY: 2013-2014 OEM Steering Wheel Audio Control Install

If you don't have a backup camera, we have a thread for that too...
Installing OEM Backup Camera (post 10)

Sent from my non-flammable Galaxy S7!
 
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I do have blue tooth, back up camera & the mirror with the mics. I think I am just going to keep my eye's open for an ra4 with nav. When I find one fairly cheap I can pick it up. I am doing the center console swap for now. Will see if I can get the CD player working with my current setup. Really don't need one but I guess it is nice to have as an option.
 
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Installed Center Console

Okay so I swapped my center seat for the Laramie Center console I have. It is a temporary setup as it is the tan color scheme. My interior is the grey/black. I am swapping my center seat setup with a guy for his center console. Which are the right colors. Also I am missing some parts for this center console. So it is literally just sitting there. Still it will be easy to swap the new on in when it arrives.

All the Aux are working & Power outlet. My new CD player has power but radio doesn't see it. Someone mentioned their just recognized it I think. Maybe that was another thread. Is this one I need to add a code for at the dealer?
 

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Jsimon34

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CD player

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?

I just swapped my 5.0 radio to the 8.4 and my 5.0 had a CD player hooked up to it..... it was in the very bottom bin of my center console/jump seat...... your current radio should work with a CD player..... wiring on the other hand may be what u have to add/worry about
 

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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.

If your looking for plug and play, I'd suggest looking at infotainment.com... a bit pricey compared to doing it the way Mpgrimm showed, but easier..... and in all honesty, I don't know jack about cars and I did it like he's showing and it wasn't all too bad..... and it saved me probably $400. Also, the guys on that thread were awesome help when I had a question or problem
 

Jsimon34

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A lot of people that get that OEMAutoPartsCo bezel end up regretting it, some had issues with it (reports of it messing with the CanBus by some... @00R/T and others), and most decide they need the rest of the functions that the radio should have and do the full conversion within a few months anyway.

If you have an Ra2 radio with BT and mirror with mics already, you can always just add the steering wheel audio controls (@ $100) and squeeze the Ra4 behind the existing bezel to see if you like it without the extra controls.





DIY: 2013-2014 OEM Steering Wheel Audio Control Install

If you don't have a backup camera, we have a thread for that too...
Installing OEM Backup Camera (post 10)

Sent from my non-flammable Galaxy S7!

And after reading through the entire convo now, I echo exactly what Mpgrimm stated....
 
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In another thread they said I just need to add the code. My radio is capable of adding it. So adding the code at the dealer should be all I need to do. It will be a little bit. I picked up this Laramie Center console but it is the wrong color for my truck. It also was missing some pieces. Found a member who wanted to swap his center console for my center seat. So we are swapping our complete center setups. He has the rear seat heaters so I pulled the wiring harness from my Laramie console to send with my seat. That way he'll have everything he needs to make all his stuff work. Including his CD player. Kinda cannabalizing this center console but thats fine. In the end I will have everything I need in mine. So for now I have installed it in my rig. Just so I don't have a blank space there. We both shipped out yesterday. So hopefully sometime next week. I can finish this up right. I'm about due for an oil change. So I'll try to get them to add the code when I go in.
 
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