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  #1  
Old 01-17-2000, 06:11 PM
DERam DERam is offline
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Question

I have a '99 Ram with the factory am/fm/cass/CD, and it has steering wheel mounted volume and radio controls. Is it possible to replace the head unit without losing the steering wheel controls?
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  #2  
Old 01-19-2000, 04:51 AM
MOPAR NUT MOPAR NUT is offline
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Unhappy

HEY THERE!!!
UNFORTUNATELY, IF YOU REPLACE YOUR HEAD UNIT, YOU WILL LOOSE THE CONTROLS. I HAVE THEM ON MY '98 5.9, I CHANGED THE HEAD UNIT AS WELL AND HAD A WELL ENGINEERED TECH DO THE WORK HE TRIED HIS DARNDEST BUT FAILED. THE CONTROLS ARE TIED INTO THE FACTORY UNIT THAT WOULD TAKE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME AND PATIENCE TO EXPLORE THE WIRES IN THE NEW HEAD UNIT. I DECIDED A NEW HEAD UNIT WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE STOCK UNIT.
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR DECISION!!!
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  #3  
Old 01-20-2000, 02:00 AM
DERam DERam is offline
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Thanks for the info. I suspected as much, but figured it was worth asking the question. Another option, which I may chose if I decide to replace the head unit, is to buy a head unit that comes with a remote control. I put a Sony unit with a wireless remote control in my last truck and it was great. It had volume, radio station and cd controls on the remote. I know it sounds corny - having a remote control for your truck stereo - but it was really handy, particularly in a truck where you have to stretch to reach the radio. It may be a good substitute for the steering wheel mounted controls. I know Sony makes wireless remotes that work on many of their head units. I'm not sure about other brands.
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  #4  
Old 01-24-2000, 05:18 AM
MOPAR NUT MOPAR NUT is offline
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Smile

DERAM.......
YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT KENWOOD. THEY MAKE SOME GREAT UNITS WITH AWESOME REMOTE BUT NOT THE STOCK ONE THEY SUPPLY. THATS A FLAT CREDIT CARD TYPE REMOTE. THEY HAVE ANOTHER ONE WHICH SELLS FOR $20 ALSO, CHECK OUT WWW.CRUTCHFIELD.COM THEY ARE VERY REASONABLE AND GIVE FREE MOUNTING KITS & OTHER HOOKUPS, WHERE YOUR LOCAL AUDIO DEALER WILL CHARGE YOU. THEY ALSO COME WITH EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONS FOR DO IT YOURSELFERS. YOU CAN ALSO PLUG IN WHAT VEHICLE YOU HAVE AND THEY WILL LIST WHAT WILL FIT IT EXACTLY. THEY DON'T CARRY EVERY BRAND NAME THOUGH BUT USUALLY THE MOST POPULAR.
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  #5  
Old 01-25-2000, 12:44 AM
DERam DERam is offline
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You must have sending out some ESP vibes or something - last night I made an appointment to have a Kenwood head unit and disc changer installed. The head unit comes with a remote, but I'll also check out the other remote you mentioned.

They also had a couple of nice head units (not Kenwood) that fit exactly in a Dodge, and I'm gonna take one more look before I give them the final "ok". I'll let you know what I do and how it sounds. Thanks again.
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  #6  
Old 02-02-2000, 01:12 AM
xtant xtant is offline
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I have some info (well not on hand) that will be of use to those with factory volume controls. A few weeks ago I ran across a site that talked about basically programming any control in your car to do just about anything. This has been done for a number of years as an anti-theft system (along the lines of holding your drivers window-up switch "on" while starting the car). A few days ago a friend of mine said he read an article about the same type of technology, but he cannot remember where he found it. As far as I know, if you HU is remote capable, there is a way to use existing switches adjust the HU controls.

I know this is vague at best, but I wanted to let you know that I will try to find out where it was this info was sighted.

-xtant
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  #7  
Old 03-23-2000, 06:01 AM
137.5dbdaytona 137.5dbdaytona is offline
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I owned a 91 Grand Prix GT, it had steering wheel controls and I wanted to keep them. I had two options, either spend up to $1000. on an alpine adapter and CD unit or an FM modulated wireless remote controlled 6 disk changer. I went with the changer, the factory tape deck was decent and by adding a changer it allowed me to still use those old-fashioned tapes, that is if you even still own any. The changer was an Alpine,had a very sleek little display you mount in the dash, I removed a vent and put it there, and still had full use of all steering wheel controls.
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  #8  
Old 03-24-2000, 01:23 AM
xtant xtant is offline
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My apologies, I forgot all about my reply to this post! I have a feeling that I may also have some info in a stereo zine I have so I will take a look tonight. To correct my last message, I think the way this works is a toggle switch that changes the normal operation of the switches to the stereo operation and this set-up can be used to utilize existing stereo controls built-in by Dodge. I will try to remember to look this up for you, since I am now interested in doing somehting similar.

-xtant
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  #9  
Old 08-06-2000, 03:20 AM
ram mex ram mex is offline
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first look for a good electronic tecnician, you can use an infra red remote control desmantelete and plece in the steering wheel using the steering controls, tell him to be careful with the air bag,and you stiil need to change bateries,every two years, and you cant ise it when you move the steering whhel because the led will point to another diorection, give a call to jorge siller of car tronics in mexico,52-8-3579908, he did it to my truck.
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  #10  
Old 08-07-2000, 03:38 AM
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D150adam D150adam is offline
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Sorry I can't answer your question, but are you selling the factory one?
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  #11  
Old 08-07-2000, 04:41 AM
Questions Questions is offline
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I realize this post is a little late, but it may help people in the future. it goes along ram mex's idea. when I got my 98 car (not gonna mention it cuz it aint chrysler) I got it fully loaded with CD player and steering wheel controls only to put in an Alpine system 2 months later. anyway. me and my brother took the harness off the steering wheel controls and went to work with the soldering iron. we soldered the switched on the wheel to the appropriate ones on the circuit board of the controler, ran wires for the battery under the dash and hooked them to a little voltage regulator we made and to the fuse box. the regulator stepped it down to 3 volts. we clipped the infared diode off, solder wires to it/circuit board and located it in the roof infront of the dome light. it works great.

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  #12  
Old 08-08-2000, 12:52 AM
ram mex ram mex is offline
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you can place it in the mirror too,
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