2020 Classic Radio Aftermarket

Greg Sellers · Jul 7, 2020

I have a 2020 Classic Tradesmen. It has the very basic 2 line am/fm bluetooth radio. It does have the phone buttons on the steering wheel. No volume or channel controls on the steering wheel. The back-up cam is in the rear-view mirror.

I was considering installing an aftermarket unit. (I just found this forum and tried to search some but didn't find the answer). Best Buy install shops are still closed form COVID around here. On Crutchfield's site, it says "no units fit this model".

I haven't taken the dash apart to look.

Has anyone here successfully installed an aftermarket, double-din stereo unit?
What was required (modifications, wiring harnesses, bezels, connect units, etc)?

Thanks in advance.

POINTMAN380 · Jul 7, 2020

I’ve asked this same question At least a dozen times here for my 2018 Tradesman. I’m following to see if you get better results than I did

Greg Sellers · Jul 7, 2020

I have seen the "custom fit" units, but I really just want to put in a Kenwood or Alpine type... Maybe we will get some help.

SitKneelBend · Jul 7, 2020

If I'm not mistaken, anything compatible with a 2013 - 2019 Ram is also compatible with your 2020.

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cam101 · Jul 8, 2020

I have a 2019 Classic express. I am currently in the last week of an install. I have a Kenwood double din in mine. I bought the wiring harness, dash kit, and maestro R from crutchfield. The maestro will be the main harness that hooks between your dash and new radio. It will also keep your factory controls.

tron67j · Jul 8, 2020

I have a 2018 Tradesman and upgraded my radio.

You can buy an aftermarket radio through crutchfield, I worked with one of the sales reps who walked me through options and put everything I needed into a cart. To maintain the capabilities you have in your system you need to include the Maestro link. You will also probably need to install the volume and channel rocker switches on the back of your steering wheel, the kit includes the adapter wire that you plug in. It requires you to pull your steering column to replace the back of the center cover. It has been covered in other threads here, but it might be something else to consider having a stereo install place do for you. You don't want to mess up your clock spring. I found a shop that did it all for about $125 and I brought the parts to them.

I ultimately stayed with a Ram radio, finding a 2019 8.4 uconnect UAS unit on carparts.com. it was all plug and play and I added a cable from M2Mods that allowed me to see the backup camera both in the rear view mirror and on the screen. If you do this I recommend getting the correct bezel, I did see somebody just use their existing bezel over the 8.4 upgrade but I liked the cleaner look of the actual fit. I just swapped my original bezel with the replacement one, just requires you to unscrew the HVAC controls and screw them on the new one. Everything I did took me about 1/2 hour the first time from start to finish including referring back to videos. I took it apart the second time to add the cable for the rearview mirror and that took me maybe 15 minutes from start to finish.

The bonus with a 2018 and up UAS or UAQ unit is that you can use Android Auto or Apple carplay and use your radio screen to set destinations and other activities on Google maps.

Good luck

SitKneelBend · Jul 8, 2020

tron67j said:
I have a 2018 Tradesman and upgraded my radio.

You can buy an aftermarket radio through crutchfield, I worked with one of the sales reps who walked me through options and put everything I needed into a cart. To maintain the capabilities you have in your system you need to include the Maestro link. You will also probably need to install the volume and channel rocker switches on the back of your steering wheel, the kit includes the adapter wire that you plug in. It requires you to pull your steering column to replace the back of the center cover. It has been covered in other threads here, but it might be something else to consider having a stereo install place do for you. You don't want to mess up your clock spring. I found a shop that did it all for about $125 and I brought the parts to them.

I ultimately stayed with a Ram radio, finding a 2019 8.4 uconnect UAS unit on carparts.com. it was all plug and play and I added a cable from M2Mods that allowed me to see the backup camera both in the rear view mirror and on the screen. If you do this I recommend getting the correct bezel, I did see somebody just use their existing bezel over the 8.4 upgrade but I liked the cleaner look of the actual fit. I just swapped my original bezel with the replacement one, just requires you to unscrew the HVAC controls and screw them on the new one. Everything I did took me about 1/2 hour the first time from start to finish including referring back to videos. I took it apart the second time to add the cable for the rearview mirror and that took me maybe 15 minutes from start to finish.

The bonus with a 2018 and up UAS or UAQ unit is that you can use Android Auto or Apple carplay and use your radio screen to set destinations and other activities on Google maps.

Good luck

Side note, I may have asked you this before but are your backup views two different cameras or the same displayed in both locations? In addition, are they both activated with reverse or is one always on?

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tron67j · Jul 8, 2020

I have the same view both places as I only have the tailgate camera. I think a different harness is needed if you have both tailgate and bed camera, but not 100% sure. They (monitor views) both come on at same time when in reverse and shut off when taken out of reverse. I did it mainly because the screen on radio was bright blue when in reverse and was annoying at night.

SitKneelBend · Jul 8, 2020

tron67j said:
I have the same view both places as I only have the tailgate camera. I think a different harness is needed if you have both tailgate and bed camera, but not 100% sure. They (monitor views) both come on at same time when in reverse and shut off when taken out of reverse. I did it mainly because the screen on radio was bright blue when in reverse and was annoying at night.

One final question, does your mirror have microphones built in and if so do you know the part number?

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tron67j · Jul 8, 2020

My microphones are actually in the headliner, there's one on each side just in front of the visors. For your application, you might need a additional wire in the harness, I'm not 100% sure. Reach out to M2mods, aka Mpgrimm2 and he can respond to that question.

canadiankodiak700 · Jul 8, 2020

SitKneelBend said:
One final question, does your mirror have microphones built in and if so do you know the part number?

Sent from my HTC U11 using Tapatalk

If you are going with an aftermarket radio, you cannot retain the oem microphone for Bluetooth. You will need to use the microphone that comes with the aftermarket radio.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

SitKneelBend · Jul 8, 2020

tron67j said:
My microphones are actually in the headliner, there's one on each side just in front of the visors. For your application, you might need a additional wire in the harness, I'm not 100% sure. Reach out to M2mods, aka Mpgrimm2 and he can respond to that question.

canadiankodiak700 said:
If you are going with an aftermarket radio, you cannot retain the oem microphone for Bluetooth. You will need to use the microphone that comes with the aftermarket radio.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

My bad, I'm hijacking this thread...my last was a question directly for @tron67j

I felt it was ok though since he pretty much laid out a perfect response to OP.

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tron67j · Jul 8, 2020

From what little I know, some factory mics have a small amplifier where aftermarket units are not powered, not sure if Maestro overcame that. But when I was looking I know I read question about that and people said factory microphone worked. I would check with Crutchfield or other expert to verify.

Greg Sellers · Jul 8, 2020

SitKneelBend said:
My bad, I'm hijacking this thread...my last was a question directly for @tron67j

I felt it was ok though since he pretty much laid out a perfect response to OP.

Sent from my HTC U11 using Tapatalk

I am glad you asked because that was another question I was wondering.

Thanks for all the responses.

Taycarter · Jul 11, 2020

I have a 2018 Express and just installed a Kenwood last week. Here are parts I used:

Kenwood DMX905s
Metra Dash Kit- 95-6518B
Pac Audio Smart Harness- RP4-CH21
Antenna Adaptor- Any chrysler should do.

With the Pac Harness you can change the buttons you steering to control volume or cha ge tracks.

With this install, you will lose all the connections in your arm rest.

Greg Sellers · Jul 15, 2020

Taycarter said:
I have a 2018 Express and just installed a Kenwood last week. Here are parts I used:

Kenwood DMX905s
Metra Dash Kit- 95-6518B
Pac Audio Smart Harness- RP4-CH21
Antenna Adaptor- Any chrysler should do.

With the Pac Harness you can change the buttons you steering to control volume or cha ge tracks.

With this install, you will lose all the connections in your arm rest.

Did your mics still work?

Huntet02 · Dec 23, 2021

Greg Sellers said:
I have a 2020 Classic Tradesmen. It has the very basic 2 line am/fm bluetooth radio. It does have the phone buttons on the steering wheel. No volume or channel controls on the steering wheel. The back-up cam is in the rear-view mirror.

I was considering installing an aftermarket unit. (I just found this forum and tried to search some but didn't find the answer). Best Buy install shops are still closed form COVID around here. On Crutchfield's site, it says "no units fit this model".

I haven't taken the dash apart to look.

Has anyone here successfully installed an aftermarket, double-din stereo unit?
What was required (modifications, wiring harnesses, bezels, connect units, etc)?

Thanks in advance.

I’m in same exact boat, 2020 tradesman w Bluetooth and sucky stereo, crutchfield offered nothing. At least I got speakers for Xmas( it’s a start to fixing tin-can sound) …..I’ll read more below to see what u came up with.

WadXpress · Dec 23, 2021

Their is a metal bar in the way that you have to cut out behind the radio then a double din fits fine. I have a pioneer avic8100nex installed

My truck had the 5” RA2 I used the idatalink maestro to keep steering wheel controls and what not and ram the new microphone up the pillar and into the headliner wear the mirror is

GTyankee · Dec 24, 2021

I don't know if many of you have read the owners manual
( Mine is still wrapped up in the factory package )

I read the manual online,
There is a paragraph or two that refers to the Microphone that is located in the interior mirror
Basically it reads to turn your HVAC Fan down to Low or OFF
Turn the radio down & roll up your windows, when you want to use the microphone .

Basically they are admitting that the microphone is in the worst possible position

Others have studied the vehicles interior & found that the best place to locate it, would be on the drivers side "A" Pillar, at about head height & almost touching the windshield.

In that position, there is no cross breeze & is less likely to pick up the fan noise.
Another position would be up close to the map lights, in a line with your nose.
Drop the overhead console, you can just let it hang
drill a hole in the head liner, just large enough to fit the microphone
You don't need to drill through cloth like material, just scrape a bit of the insulation off inside of that material to allow your voice to pass through it, hang the overhead console back into place.

I know sound will easily carry through that material
i have an auxiliary speaker for my CB radio mounted at the back of the overhead console, you would never realize it was there, unless you were looking for it.

Look at the roof liner, directly in the back center of the overhead console, there is a darker area that is somewhat circular

lAWROSA · Dec 24, 2021

I don’t get it. What’s wrong with the factory radio? Better speakers and sub is all it needs.

Put in an upgraded ram radios and add volume controls on back of steering wheel like mine and any other features. All plug and play as harness is all there.

See here

https://www.infotainment.com/products/2013-2018-ram-1500-2500-3500-8-4-4c-nav-uaq-retrofit-kit

2020 Classic Radio Aftermarket

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