Installing new Stereo

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Demon-HeMi

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Posts
4,346
Reaction score
3,297
Location
Houston
Ram Year
2003, 2003, 2008, & 2013
Engine
(2) 5.7 HEMI, 3.7, & 3.6
Hey OP, ill make this very easy for ya, turn your radio on and put your head up at the front of the dash, if there are speakers there then you have infinity, if not then all you need is some speaker adapters, a basic radio wiring kit and antenna adapter, since you aren't going competition you done really need anything else other than to pick your speakers, i have only skimmed over this thread but if i read correctly you are going to run a boss radio, they are cheap but ok radios, no real wow power nor tuning capabilities there, so with that being your main source, find you a good set of 3 way 6x9s for the front, and in the rear ( i cant believe nobody has suggested this) go to a 6.5" speaker, the hole is the same you just have to drill 3 holes for the screws that hold the speaker in, ive done it on every quad cab ive owned, its a quick easy way to get a little more midrange sound out of your truck.

since your not going audiophile status you really dont need any of the sound deadening to put in your doors, thats just overkill and more money spent if you're on a budget.

i can make some suggestions on some good budget friendly speakers that will show you beyond night and day from your factory setup.

if you were going for big high quality build i would obviously tell you all kinds of different things to do but what ive lined out is a basic speaker and radio swap since that sounds like all you need
 

Demon-HeMi

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Posts
4,346
Reaction score
3,297
Location
Houston
Ram Year
2003, 2003, 2008, & 2013
Engine
(2) 5.7 HEMI, 3.7, & 3.6
i just went back and saw your head unit is a double din, you will have to buy the radio adapter panel that replaces the existing one you have that holds your a/c controls and all of that, its not hard but its more than just your basic install for these trucks
 

Demon-HeMi

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Posts
4,346
Reaction score
3,297
Location
Houston
Ram Year
2003, 2003, 2008, & 2013
Engine
(2) 5.7 HEMI, 3.7, & 3.6
Here is my double din dash setup in my show truck

dd087740a5ac810d3133d39d9af689af.jpg
 

Demon-HeMi

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Posts
4,346
Reaction score
3,297
Location
Houston
Ram Year
2003, 2003, 2008, & 2013
Engine
(2) 5.7 HEMI, 3.7, & 3.6
OH and OP, i just remembered one BIG THING, you are running a boss radio, those fall in line with the "knockoff" lines of radios, no offense to anyone that likes them, hell i dont have a problem with boss products, but the point of this comment is their radios along with most low to off brand radios are not made to standard sizes, so what that means is you better make sure you test fit the double din in what ever adapter you buy to make it fit your truck, i can almost assure you that you will have to do some cutting on it, ive dealt with this with boss stuff many times in the past, also know that putting a double din in a early 3rd gen means you will have to do some cutting behind the radio inside the dash to make the radio even hope of fitting, just food for thought so you know what your up against with the direction your headed, its not going to be just bolt and go...

Here is a pic from my black project truck of what you have to cut out

76a4ef2d525463afb58664b88eba6973.jpg
 

Demon-HeMi

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Posts
4,346
Reaction score
3,297
Location
Houston
Ram Year
2003, 2003, 2008, & 2013
Engine
(2) 5.7 HEMI, 3.7, & 3.6
Here is what you will have to swap out for the typical double din adapter


eade83722ccb63e79c0078b8bb7b3d0f.jpg
 

justin13703

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2014
Posts
1,174
Reaction score
394
Location
MD
Ram Year
2008
Engine
Hemi 5.7
None taken! To each his own. I've been building car stereos for over 10 years now and literally have never had/needed rears unless they came stock with the car I purchased before I ripped them out. You have highs, mids, and lows -- everything else can be handled with install. Time alignment and setting the x-over frequencies correctly go a lonnngggggg way. A 100w subwoofer in a room sounds massive, and a 100w subwoofer in a car sounds like stock 6x9's, so I don't really like comparing home/pro and car audio installations.

I'm not losing any functionality, actually I'm adding complete control over the sound in my truck :) I'm the only one ever in the truck (wife on occasion) and never in the back seat, so it does not make sense for me to have anything back there when running active tweet/mid/sub stages. You will not be able to tell where the music is coming from when you close your eyes.
Yeah I was making the home theater comparison not because of volume levels or even sound quality, but just because of the “surround sound” thing. I like having them in all the stock locations. Plus when I do have someone in the back I don’t wanna be the guy that neglected the back seaters #backseatriderlivesmatter lol
 

Demon-HeMi

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Posts
4,346
Reaction score
3,297
Location
Houston
Ram Year
2003, 2003, 2008, & 2013
Engine
(2) 5.7 HEMI, 3.7, & 3.6
Yeah I was making the home theater comparison not because of volume levels or even sound quality, but just because of the “surround sound” thing. I like having them in all the stock locations. Plus when I do have someone in the back I don’t wanna be the guy that neglected the back seaters #backseatriderlivesmatter lol


im with you on that, i put speakers so that you get the full effect no matter where you are in the vehicle lol
 

Drunken Hamster

Turncoat Ford Boi
Joined
Jul 18, 2017
Posts
1,910
Reaction score
357
Location
South Carolina
Ram Year
was 2005
Engine
was 5.7 Hemi
Hey OP, ill make this very easy for ya, turn your radio on and put your head up at the front of the dash, if there are speakers there then you have infinity, if not then all you need is some speaker adapters, a basic radio wiring kit and antenna adapter, since you aren't going competition you done really need anything else other than to pick your speakers, i have only skimmed over this thread but if i read correctly you are going to run a boss radio, they are cheap but ok radios, no real wow power nor tuning capabilities there, so with that being your main source, find you a good set of 3 way 6x9s for the front, and in the rear ( i cant believe nobody has suggested this) go to a 6.5" speaker, the hole is the same you just have to drill 3 holes for the screws that hold the speaker in, ive done it on every quad cab ive owned, its a quick easy way to get a little more midrange sound out of your truck.

since your not going audiophile status you really dont need any of the sound deadening to put in your doors, thats just overkill and more money spent if you're on a budget.

i can make some suggestions on some good budget friendly speakers that will show you beyond night and day from your factory setup.

if you were going for big high quality build i would obviously tell you all kinds of different things to do but what ive lined out is a basic speaker and radio swap since that sounds like all you need
I've heard from a few that a 6.5 won't fit without issues on a QC. I have to ask, though, what about an SC? Easy in?

Sent from my magic 5-inch
 

Demon-HeMi

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Posts
4,346
Reaction score
3,297
Location
Houston
Ram Year
2003, 2003, 2008, & 2013
Engine
(2) 5.7 HEMI, 3.7, & 3.6
I've heard from a few that a 6.5 won't fit without issues on a QC. I have to ask, though, what about an SC? Easy in?

Sent from my magic 5-inch
A 6.5" fits perfectly, ive done it over a dozen times, as far as a reg cab goes, thats one i dont worry about the back speakers, in every reg cab ive owned ive put subs behind the seat which covers the rear speakers.

I mean seriously, why design it so you have speakers in the bottom of your storage area basically under the seat?
 

BrandonM

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2017
Posts
13
Reaction score
6
Location
Warsaw, IN
Ram Year
2005
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Yeah I was making the home theater comparison not because of volume levels or even sound quality, but just because of the “surround sound” thing. I like having them in all the stock locations. Plus when I do have someone in the back I don’t wanna be the guy that neglected the back seaters #backseatriderlivesmatter lol

It will sound like surround sound in the front and that's all that matters to me right now ;) If down the road I get a need for it, it shouldn't be too hard to add them in. The back doors will be deadened/insulated anyways.

Good luck to the OP on the project! I'm just waiting for the weather to warm up a bit so and I'll be right there with you!
 

Drunken Hamster

Turncoat Ford Boi
Joined
Jul 18, 2017
Posts
1,910
Reaction score
357
Location
South Carolina
Ram Year
was 2005
Engine
was 5.7 Hemi
Once it warms up a little bit and I get a weekend I'm going to redo my 2005 stereo.

If you have a good set of dedicated components up front you really shouldn't need a rear stage at all. Unless you have people in your back seat all the time, I don't really think it's necessary to waste money on the back doors (except for deadening them if you're doing a subwoofer install as well). I'm going to run a pair of 6.5" midbass in the doors, and a pair of tweeters on the A-pillars more than likely. I'll have 2 12" under the rear seat.

"Deadening like a pro" is actually really expensive and unless you're going for an all out competition SQ install, it's not really necessary IMO. I put a layer of at least 80mil thick butyl-based (IMPORTANT) deadener on the outer door skin, and then one on the inner door metal, and then deaden the door panel with 1 layer as well. I'm also a fan of doing larger panels as they have the tendency to flex/rattle the most. Foam speaker baffles will suffice enough to get a decent amount of midbass out of your doors. Like I said, unless you're ready to spend $$$$ on a "proper" deaden and SQ setup, I wouldn't worry to much about it.
So, best bang for your buck would be a single layer of CLD on the inner door skin, one side of the outer door skin, and the inside of the door panel followed by speaker baffles and rings. And only do the doors and don't worry about the floors, firewall, back wall, kick panels, or ceiling and pillars?

Sent from my magic 5-inch
 
OP
OP
U
Joined
Jan 28, 2016
Posts
81
Reaction score
5
Location
Southern Vermnt
Ram Year
2004
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I did get the Double Din adapter which fit and installed easily. I did have to cut some behind the radio to allow it to fit in. i ended up getting Kicker 6x9 3way speakers for the front door. Between the Radio and speakers, it sounds so much better than stock.

Would a new antenna bring stations in better or is it not worth it?

Thanks again for everyone's input.

The sound deadening is farther than I plan to go with this vehicle.
 

Drunken Hamster

Turncoat Ford Boi
Joined
Jul 18, 2017
Posts
1,910
Reaction score
357
Location
South Carolina
Ram Year
was 2005
Engine
was 5.7 Hemi
I did get the Double Din adapter which fit and installed easily. I did have to cut some behind the radio to allow it to fit in. i ended up getting Kicker 6x9 3way speakers for the front door. Between the Radio and speakers, it sounds so much better than stock.

Would a new antenna bring stations in better or is it not worth it?

Thanks again for everyone's input.

The sound deadening is farther than I plan to go with this vehicle.
Doing what I asked about above is probably worth it, but going full comp spec probably isn't.

AFAIK, an antenna won't give you better reception unless it's damaged. And antenna damage seems less likely to cause reception issues anyway, so if you have issues it might be the wire or the connector, or the external part on the fender.

In any case, an aftermarket antenna is more for looks and decreasing the length. I'd say get a good one so you don't decrease reception, but I got a $14 8" long one from Advanced Auto that works pretty good imo. More straight up drop outs, but it doesn't do that half reception crap.

Sent from my magic 5-inch
 

Jerseystyle

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2017
Posts
651
Reaction score
350
Ram Year
2007
Engine
4.7
Half of the posts in this thread give me a headache... LOL

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
Top