USB related questions - Stereo Replacement

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Herb Tarlic

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New member. I have not read all 309 pages of the 2018 4C install to replace 2013-2017 OEM factory install yet, but I have searched the forum and other forums and have basic but unanswered questions about replacing the factory 6sp stereo my newly acquired 2015 BigHorn crew cab V6 3.6L.

Edited to add: I neglected to mention existing unit is 8.4" variant with no nav.

If I go the 2018 4C install route....
- does it make sense to update the usb hub with a 2018 hub and adapter dongle or....
- is it simpler to just create a new usb access point for my android phone (12V data port)? where?
- I can't find any useful forum threads and/or youtube install vids for the latter....can u share link(s)?
- does the cable from the hub to the head unit need to be replaced for latest android auto compatibility?
- 95% of the threads/videos imply idatalink is the only company to offer radio and usb adapters..any others?
- does the idatalink part RAM1 actually ensure latest android auto connectivity or do cables have to be run?

If I go the aftermarket replacement route...
- same questions apply...head units have usb connect at rear of unit...its not clear to me how this connects to existing or needs-to-be-modified cabin usb access...do I need aftermarket dongles to do this? are such dongles typically part of stereo kits or have to be ordered separately like the 2018 4C dongle? link?

Forgive me if there is a thread which directly addresses these points....I did a lot of searching and came up wanting....TIA for your replies.
 
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Mpgrimm2

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As far as the 2018 4c uaq/uas route, will also need to know...

Is your 2015 Bighorn a 1500 or 2500?


what radio did you originally have?
(Ra2? W/phone & VR buttons on wheel & mics on mirror? RA3? ).

It's you have a factory 8.4 radio, sure you're truck already have Dual Zone ATC?

What year/model 8.4 radio you plan to use (2018/classic ram UAS/UAQ),

Do you have a Backup Camera/Cargo Cam? (Where do they display?)





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Herb Tarlic

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As far as the 2018 4c uaq/uas route, will also need to know...

Is your 2015 Bighorn a 1500 or 2500?


what radio did you originally have?
(Ra2? W/phone & VR buttons on wheel & mics on mirror? RA3? ).

It's you have a factory 8.4 radio, sure you're truck already have Dual Zone ATC?

What year/model 8.4 radio you plan to use (2018/classic ram UAS/UAQ),

Do you have a Backup Camera/Cargo Cam? (Where do they display?)





M² Mods.
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First....I'm very grateful for your reply!

Ram 1500 with RA3 and DZATC. Original window sticker is here:

https://www.chrysler.com/hostd/windowsticker/getWindowStickerPdf.do?vin=1C6RR7LG2FS637183

I have no preference on which 8.4 or aftermarket radio to use....I only want to acheive android integration and steering wheel controls preservation. I have no backup camera and this would be a "want to have" versus a "must have".
 

tron67j

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I recommend reading the posts. The begining pages will answer a number of your questions and the responders on there are very knowledgeable, you will learn a lot. I did the upgrade and read the whole thing, I would keep a notebook handy and list the pages and posts you find helpful, makes it easier to go back. The first few pages discuss hardware and should also help you. M²Mods is one of the vendors so any cables you need that he makes, I highly recommend the work he does. He and other vendors who respond are very helpful so make sure to support people like him. Good luck.
 

crash68

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I have not read all 309 pages of the 2018 4C install to replace 2013-2017 OEM factory install yet, but I have searched the forum and other forums and have basic but unanswered questions about replacing the factory 6sp stereo my newly acquired 2015 BigHorn crew cab V6 3.6L.

Edited to add: I neglected to mention existing unit is 8.4" variant with no nav.

If I go the 2018 4C install route....
- does it make sense to update the usb hub with a 2018 hub and adapter dongle or....
- is it simpler to just create a new usb access point for my android phone (12V data port)?
I swapped in a UAQ into my '15 last year, it was pretty much plug and play. The USB hub adapter was from M² Mods and have the Jeep USB hub, I bought the whole package from a member on here. If I had to buy the USB hub I would probably get the 68283703AA(Chrysler 200) as it fills the opening better.
The UAQ may have built in nav that can show on the dash but Android Auto/Car Play is still a better option to use.
The hardest part of swapping factory radios is all the screws/torx to take the dash and center console apart.
If I didn't already have the 8.4 from the factory I would have looked into going aftermarket unless there was some option/feature I really wanted.
 
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Herb Tarlic

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I swapped in a UAQ into my '15 last year, it was pretty much plug and play. The USB hub adapter was from M² Mods and have the Jeep USB hub, I bought the whole package from a member on here. If I had to buy the USB hub I would probably get the 68283703AA(Chrysler 200) as it fills the opening better.
The UAQ may have built in nav that can show on the dash but Android Auto/Car Play is still a better option to use.
The hardest part of swapping factory radios is all the screws/torx to take the dash and center console apart.
If I didn't already have the 8.4 from the factory I would have looked into going aftermarket unless there was some option/feature I really wanted.

Thanks for your reply!

If I'm understanding all the prior reading I have done correctly, your package would have included:
- a 2018+ UAQ
- a NAV accomodating bezel (I read the bezels with and without nav are different?)
- a jeep usb insert to replace the 4th gen hub and a dongle that connects the UAQ to the hub's cord behind the head unit
- because it was oem to oem replacement that is all?

Where I get (additionally?) confused is if you had chosen an aftermarket kit instead, what are the additions to the "parts list"?
- iDataLink factory integration adapter (to retain steering controls and factory amp)
- iDataLink Maestro Interface module (needed in addition to adapter)
- usb hub port must be updated and a usb cable to head unit dongle is required if you want to connect an android phone at usb hub
- not sure what the alternate parts required would be and where the usb access port for android phone would be inside the cabin if not via usb hub
- also not sure of the "other vendors" (not iDataLink) who offer the adapters, modules, dongles, etc. to get android aftermarket working.

Any insight would be welcome!
 
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Herb Tarlic

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I recommend reading the posts. The begining pages will answer a number of your questions and the responders on there are very knowledgeable, you will learn a lot. I did the upgrade and read the whole thing, I would keep a notebook handy and list the pages and posts you find helpful, makes it easier to go back. The first few pages discuss hardware and should also help you. M²Mods is one of the vendors so any cables you need that he makes, I highly recommend the work he does. He and other vendors who respond are very helpful so make sure to support people like him. Good luck.

This is good advice, and I have been reading additionally. There is no shortage of threads on this forum and other popular ram forums. Its a lot of pages to get through with a lot of (to me) not relevant content but I will continue to do that. The questions I've raised here boil down to understand the parts list l would need in both an OEM or an aftermarket replacement project to deliver android functionality while retaining steering controls. Thanks!
 

tron67j

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If you check with Crutchfield they will walk you through all the things you need for a complete aftermarket set up. I hear you on the extraneous stuff in there, eventually you figure out how to jump pages and not miss anything, someone always quotes a prior post and you can go back to find original and follow ups. Mine is a 2018 so I didn't need the extra harness or new ports that you need (I believe) so not much help on that. Good luck.
 

Mpgrimm2

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First....I'm very grateful for your reply!

Ram 1500 with RA3 and DZATC. Original window sticker is here:

https://www.chrysler.com/hostd/windowsticker/getWindowStickerPdf.do?vin=1C6RR7LG2FS637183

I have no preference on which 8.4 or aftermarket radio to use....I only want to acheive android integration and steering wheel controls preservation. I have no backup camera and this would be a "want to have" versus a "must have".


Thanks for your reply!

If I'm understanding all the prior reading I have done correctly, your package would have included:
- a 2018+ UAQ
- a NAV accomodating bezel (I read the bezels with and without nav are different?)
- a jeep usb insert to replace the 4th gen hub and a dongle that connects the UAQ to the hub's cord behind the head unit
- because it was oem to oem replacement that is all?

Any insight would be welcome!

Can't offer much insight for an aftermarket idatalink maestro setup, but others have done it with varying degrees of success/integration. Some issues with using factory hub with AA/Carplay even with their usb board swap).

.

However, you are in a good position for the factory 2018 ram UAQ or UAS 4c radio upgrade since you have a factory 8.4 radio with Dual zone Atc already.

You only need ....

> 2018 ram UAQ or UAS radio
(see below)... $1300 new ($600-$900 used if you can find one)

> 2018 ram, cherokee or possibly Chrysler 200 usb hub (see post 5 linksof the UAQ upgrade thread)... $100-$130 new

> M2 Mods UAx USB Hub adapter harness ... $40

---- that's it ---

You can get the hardware new from Forum vendor AllMoparParts (Benny) and possibly get a discount code/pricing.

and the hub adapter harness from my partner Deereguy's KAOdTECh.com site.

Confirmed Ram Radios:

---------------------
2018/19 classic 4th Gen Ram Radio: (USA)
68331631Ax (UAQ 4c Nav)
or 68331635Ax (UAS 4c non-nav)


2020 classic 4th Gen Ram Radio: (USA)
68461703AB (UAS 4c non-nav)
---------------------

and here's a picture of the Chrysler 200 hub installed in my parents 14 ram bighorn with a UAs upgrade (took a chance on a used Cherokee UAQ radio that had failed Nav sw load. Stick with correct ram radios listed above if you go that route) ...9f669295d8c472255974615a8593bd10.jpg


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Herb Tarlic

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Can't offer much insight for an aftermarket idatalink maestro setup, but others have done it with varying degrees of success/integration. Some issues with using factory hub with AA/Carplay even with their usb board swap).

However, you are in a good position for the factory 2018 ram UAQ or UAS 4c radio upgrade since you have a factory 8.4 radio with Dual zone Atc already.

You only need ....

> 2018 ram UAQ or UAS radio
(see below)... $1300 new ($600-$900 used if you can find one)

> 2018 ram, cherokee or possibly Chrysler 200 usb hub (see post 5 linksof the UAQ upgrade thread)... $100-$130 new

> M2 Mods UAx USB Hub adapter harness ... $40

---- that's it ---

I'm doing the work and reading the monster thread. Up to page 25. It's dense, but then so am I, ha ha.

If I just get UAS (My18 firmware 18.7 or higher) / replacement hub / hub adapter harness, you anticipate that all steering controls will be retained...even heated seats and steering wheel? Uconnect will be retained? Including handsfree?

Thank you again.
 

Mpgrimm2

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I'm doing the work and reading the monster thread. Up to page 25. It's dense, but then so am I, ha ha.

If I just get UAS (My18 firmware 18.7 or higher) / replacement hub / hub adapter harness, you anticipate that all steering controls will be retained...even heated seats and steering wheel? Uconnect will be retained? Including handsfree?

Thank you again.

All your steering wheel audio controls will work & handsfree calling will work.

uConnect access via the phone app likely will not work and not be available... New system is Sirius Guardian and would be linked to the original vin. (Wouldn't work with aftermarket radio either).

Heated seats and wheel likely won't work as-is via the radio on screen menus, not will work via the hardware buttons below the radio that you have now. ...

There is a 4c Seat Interface module that Infotainment sells that used to work well for making the radio talk correctly with the older 13-15 BCM/seat Module, but lately people have had problems with it for some reason. @Roman217 @chrisbh17 may have more to add about it.

CustomTronix also makes an "Enzo" front/side Camera add-on Interface module that also has dip switch settings for fixing the communication issues with the 2018 panasonic radios and has been reported to work (maybe a handful of people have tried it).


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Herb Tarlic

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All your steering wheel audio controls will work & handsfree calling will work.

uConnect access via the phone app likely will not work and not be available... New system is Sirius Guardian and would be linked to the original vin. (Wouldn't work with aftermarket radio either).

Heated seats and wheel likely won't work as-is via the radio on screen menus, not will work via the hardware buttons below the radio that you have now. ...

There is a 4c Seat Interface module that Infotainment sells that used to work well for making the radio talk correctly with the older 13-15 BCM/seat Module, but lately people have had problems with it for some reason. @Roman217 @chrisbh17 may have more to add about it.

CustomTronix also makes an "Enzo" front/side Camera add-on Interface module that also has dip switch settings for fixing the communication issues with the 2018 panasonic radios and has been reported to work (maybe a handful of people have tried it).


M² Mods.
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Ok thanks. For 189 EU$ / $225 USD (CustomTronix Enigma Retroactive) I'll live without the software heated seats. Don't have any plans to use the uconnect app.

So I guess I've finalized my OEM option as UAS / 2018 Ram Hub / M^2 Mods Adapter for ~$750. Now I just have to decide if I want OEM or aftermarket.

Appreciate you!
 
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