DIN radio bracket?
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
Whether or not the air duct is in the way is independent of what bracket you use. I made my own bracket based off the factory bracket and it fit just fine (my truck has AC). I prefer mine because the radio bolts to the bracket. The one you're talking about is nice, but you still have to snap the carriage into place. Here is mine:
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,398
Likes: 6
Whether or not the air duct is in the way is independent of what bracket you use. I made my own bracket based off the factory bracket and it fit just fine (my truck has AC). I prefer mine because the radio bolts to the bracket. The one you're talking about is nice, but you still have to snap the carriage into place. Here is mine:
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,106
Likes: 25
I just bought a bracket from them here a month ago or so.
They shipped it pretty quick to.
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
Thank you for the kind words.
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Junior User
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
From: High Desert of Southern C
I followed FMC400's pictures and fabbed a bracket from the stock like his. Radio mounts solid and looks good!
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Junior User
Joined: Mar 2012
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Whether or not the air duct is in the way is independent of what bracket you use. I made my own bracket based off the factory bracket and it fit just fine (my truck has AC). I prefer mine because the radio bolts to the bracket. The one you're talking about is nice, but you still have to snap the carriage into place. Here is mine:
Verry cool
, but are you concerned about blocking the side cooling vents on the stereo?
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
Not concerned because my bracket doesn't cover up much more than the "snap in" carriage bracket that most head units come with. I don't recall there being air holes down the entire side of my unit anyway (just toward the back, which I've left mostly exposed). It's also been running fine with over 4 years of heavy use. Good question though.
New User
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
FMC, I've not had my dash all the way apart yet....is the top part of the brackets in your pictures, the stock part for the HVAC controls? What parts did you actually fab? Do you have a blueprint you'd be willing to share? My current radio/8track is no longer working. I have a modern cd player to put in there, but have heard of clearance problems with the AC plenum behind the radio location.....are you saying your bracket allows mounting without clearance problems behind the radio? Sorry for the 'dumb' questions. I'm totally new to these trucks. Stereo system is not my highest priority right now, but while it's down I plan to out a simple cd player in there.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,037
Likes: 9
From: Kasson, Minnesota
FMC400, your bracket is and has always been one of the cleanest brackets I've seen. For many, people would rather just buy a bracket than make their own. Ever thought about just making some brackets and selling them?
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
You are correct; the upper portion of the bracket is for the HVAC controls. In terms of actual fabrication, all I had to do was open up the existing radio/HVAC bracket to accomodate the wider DIN opening, and then cut the two side panels out of sheet metal. I secured the side panels to the existing bracket with small angle brackets and screws. Sorry, no blueprint because I just marked up what I was cutting based on the size of the head unit.
The head unit does clear the duct work, but it's a tight fit. Were it not for this, I would have preferred to push the head unit back a little farther. My truck does have A/C, so you can see that you can still mount a DIN-style head unit with my bracket without problems. The offending duct work seemed to have an indentation to help give clearance in this area, which helps. Just be careful about how far back you set the head unit in the side panels.
Thanks for the kind words. No plans to make any; maybe I would if I had more free time though. They would come in handy for a lot of people.
The head unit does clear the duct work, but it's a tight fit. Were it not for this, I would have preferred to push the head unit back a little farther. My truck does have A/C, so you can see that you can still mount a DIN-style head unit with my bracket without problems. The offending duct work seemed to have an indentation to help give clearance in this area, which helps. Just be careful about how far back you set the head unit in the side panels.
Thanks for the kind words. No plans to make any; maybe I would if I had more free time though. They would come in handy for a lot of people.
