1st Gen factory amplifier locations (JBL, non-JBL, all cabs)

To your question about earlier year surround. Earlier year had a physically different center dash piece with a smaller radio opening. The center dash piece is different, has a keyhole for airbag unlock, buttons are different, etc. pay close attention to the right-hand side of the earlier dash! And DC adds extra buttons over the AC/RC trucks on that side too (defrost). It would take some modification. So "NO" is the answer to your question. Or "MAYBE" if you want to hack thru it. Feel free to give it a shot with a donor from a JY. Test it'll holdin the slot first, then get to buttonswapping.

For us later years, there's a thread covering head unit install kits. HERE: https://www.tundras.com/threads/radio-stereo-mounting-kits-for-later-model-gen1-trucks.110711/

 

Thanks Shifty. I'm waaay overthinking this; the Metra ears look like a reasonable solution [its not like trucks a car show contestant- are they still a thing?].

BTW, "Elated": i just got truck back fr/Aisin Belt kit, Denso Rad, Hoses, FanClutch, VCovers reseal [half-moons and corner seals]. Mechanic said TB had been done once before, altho no record fr the PO's 173kmi's, but done w/obvious shortcuts, such as leaving some O-rings in place and glomming over w/silicone instead. [WTF, a $3 O- ring!?]
Testament to Toyota design/build: near 600mi's Ive owned, listening and driving and close eyeball of 'visible engine' exterior, its difficult to find any TellTales or Flags of any failure imminent. Worst I could see was minor oil seep at VCover lips, but after 173k mi's looked pretty clean. Damn truck fired off, idled and ran down the frwy like a near new rig w/the word Seiko on it somewhere...
Which brings me to a variation of my favorite statement about Toyotas: Even when they're [broke] stuck together w/silicone, they're still good for about 50k mi's.

 

MODS: Feel free to move to new thread.
Sort of continuing the thread, but on a tangent:
B'cuz most HU'S are in the 20watt RMS arena, would a HU w/45w RMS be a good substitute for xtra cost/install of an external amp for the cab of this SR5 AC?
IE: A good SQ/Volume unit for FGT cabs (non JBL amp in bkseat, stock 6 spkr interior)
Afaik, theres a Sony [xav7000?] that has 45w RMS; i think its a $650 unit. Has all features i want, but is a 45w RMS amp [15a] up in the dash of these cabs too HOT an operator for the space?
Also, not seeing an Alp or P'neer at same price point w/45wRMS.
Or, just as well w/P'neer/Alp/KW w/an external amp for same $650, but extra component install?
Either way i think i'd still need a direct to batt, 15a fused, dedicated line, which shouldnt pose a problem for my 130a Altrntr., i think?

 

Whether or not I'd believe that spec of 45w/channel is my big question. My first Q was, "is that 45w RMS, or 45W peak?" Because, like, the Alpine ilx507 is rated at 16w RMS, but has a peak 50w. Even a flagship receiver from Pioneer is 14w RMS with 50w peak. So I was skeptical...

But no. There is no substitute for an external amp, for a myriad of reasons. That said, you can get decent power out of a quality head unit from a quality manufacturer. Not really enough to power a sub in a meaningful way, reliably, but ... decent power.

Ah. Yes, supposedly that specific Sony HU ha s45w RMS and 100w peak. Maybe it's true. I can't find another HU in their line that comes close to even half that.

I don't dislike Sony at all. I've owned and installed numerous HU of theirs. Decent quality And that specific HU has wireless AA/CarPlay too. I was interested in it when someone posted it within the last year, as a possible stereo for the kids' car.

No, it wouldn't even be a problem for a 100w alternator.

And yes, Alpine does have the stackable amps, the KTA-450 and at least one other that'll bolt onto the back of the ilx650 and 670. KTA-450 is 4 x 50w as I recall, same as the Sony, but that's direct, dedicated power, not being shared with an LCD screen and tons of other circuit boards and gibberish. Yes, you'd need to run (per their docs) 12awg run from battery to back of HU. That's a pretty light gauge, honestly, and would be easy to fish.

And on that point, think about that: Most cars use 16-18awg or thinner. Alpine wants you to give them 12awg direct power. How do you think Sony is legitimately going to pull off clean, rich, unadulterated sound with the 18awg power wire Toyota is providing for the radio circuit?

 

Thx. Browsing C'field the Sony is one of 3 [their filter] w/'hi-power' amp bilt-in...
Yes, appears to have good features w/very pedestrian UI [relative]...
I kinda like the idea, but is published RMS real as you suggest.
And could that heat [45wRMS] warp my dash over time?
Kind of a unicorn in the market; it must be designd for small cars when ext amp is a tuff fit.

 

That's not a thing anymore, some brands are making absurdly small amps, much smaller than the OEM amps Toyota installed from Fujitsu and JBL in our trucks. Like ...

Soundstream ST4.500D is a tiny 3" x 3" x 1" and they have a similarly small microscopic amp to pair with it. The Infinity Primus 6002A is nearly as tiny, great if you just wanted 140w RMS bridged @ 4ohm to push into a sub while you use your HU amp to drive mids and highs. Given Soundstream is under Epsilon's parentage, alongside PPI and Power Acoustik, I imagine either of those may have similarly small stuff.

There's plenty of slightly larger but still significantly compact options beyond Alpine KTA out there. Focal FDS 4.350 for 4-channel (I'm sure they have a mono amp to pair w/it). MB Quart NA2-320.4 is technically intended for outdoor vehicles but is small. And if you wanted an all-in-one you could tuck in place of the Toyota OEM amp, I looked up several before, here's the list: Rockford Fosgate T1000X5ad,Skar SK-M9005D, MB Quart RA1-710.5, Alpine S2-A55V, Clarion XC2510. You can even get full on DSP in a package that's roughly 7" x 3" x 1½" form factor, which is smaller than Toyota's factory amp, using the MATCH M 5.4DSP. That's 60w x 4 RMS for mids and highs plus 1 x 160w RMS for your sub.

Bottom line, our options are wide open. You just need to be willing to run at least one FUSED power wire from the battery to the cab, find or create a good grounding spot inside the cab, and do an hour or three of install work.

I can link you up with instructional videos, hunted down by someone that actually worked in a shop at one point in his life, with added practical notes for the at-home installer. We also have a suboforum here on Tundras.com for car audio, which I never visit, but I know we have people active in the industry you can get advice from. Just know: Everyone in the industry has their personal preferences which can be aggressively asserted, and nearly everyone I've met has their own opinions, and you know what they say about opinions... (Mine are no different)

And if you want to do your own exploration and learn how-to from someone that's honestly one of the most-sane installers I've found, someone whose methods and opinions I almost universally agree with, check out Mark @ Car Audio Fabrication: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4FiN46mPTtkJxzRXJY21lQ

He doesn't just do box fab, he covers even the most basics of wiring. In fact, regarding running that amp wire, I'll include a helpful video for you below.

Not sure if it helps, but we've been down this road before and I'll link you with this thread, maybe reading it over will help you decide on some stuff: https://www.tundras.com/threads/200...lacement-recommendations.137710/#post-3484182

Amp wiring:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy8trOvLBHk​

 

Wow bro- thats like i just earned 12 semester units: actually, u did for me...much appreciate the leg-work!
b/c of market saturatio , Hard to decide how to spend $400‐600.
Might be influenced by BlkFri...but just same by user opinions on C'fld....

 

I have a 2006 DC 4WD. I could use some advice or experience from others having done similarly.

I bought and installed a Crutchfield combination set a few years ago and followed the instructions to a T. Love the Kenwood stereo (Kenwood DDX376BT) with backup camera, but seems like a I lost a lot of sound quality compared to factory deck with JBL amp. I bought the Axxess TYTO-01 Wiring Interface and the steering wheel adapter stuff - and all of that seems to work - but the sound just isn't rich at all. Don't know if that means I need to buy a different amp or keep using the JBL amp and replace the speakers or replace amp and speakers.

Anybody else have similar experience and know how to resolve it?

I have had it for several years and just haven't gotten around to solving it. Now that I'm retiring and driving my truck more often, I want better sound out of it.

 

Im putting 100 on @shifty nailing this for you. That KW appears to be a relatively new release- guessing lessthan 5yrs, so it should be pushing out better than Toyota OEM.
My understanding is that HU replacement in these trucks w/OEM Amps [both JBL & non JBL]
entails the use of an 'Amp by-pass harness', [for reasons I dont quite remember].

 

There’s you issue.

Axxess makes great stuff. But you cannot adapt the amp on these trucks and have it sound good. Swap the amp adapter, trade it for Metra amp bypass and be amazed at the improvement.

 

@shifty`

So I have a weird one.



2004 Toyota Tundra. With the JBL.


I bought it with a kenwood head unit in it. Everything worked great for a few months, including steering wheel controls.


Now, the volume goes uuuppppp and doooowwwwnnnn.
But this is intermediate. Also seems like its more common when its cold.


I replaced the deck with a new Kenwood. Same thing.
I put in a new adapter deal based on the one that was in there. Same thing.
I got another adapter from CarToys. Same thing. (PAC TY1A-RS)



Could this be the factory amp is going bad?
Can I just replace this with another amp or a factory amp relatively cheaply/easily?
I tried to read through your notes, but I'm a little confused on how to bypass the amp?
Would my adapter do it?

 

Describe “adapter”. What does that mean? Is it the steering wheel control adapter? Or the adapter to bypass the amp? Some other adapter? What part numbers did you try for everything?

I would suspect your steering wheel control or wheel control adapter to be at the root of rogue volume before anything. But, for example, the Kenwood/JVC stereos have (with the Axxess wheel control adapter) a special thing you need to put in line (resistor or diode) to make it work properly.

Also, uncover the amp. Look at the two OEM plugs going into it normally. Are they both there? Any spliced wires? Take a pic and share.

If both harnesses are unsliced and plugged into the amp, I need to know everything mounted in the dash. All part numbers.

 

Thanks for the response.

this is the adapter.

 

Right, but what was the previous adapter you had installed? Same brand, same model? Different brand, different model? You alluded to trying multiple adapters, and they all behaved the same way, with periodic drifting up/down of volume control.

I like PAC as a brand, used their stuff many times in the past. But I've never seen anyone use that in a 1st gen Tundra, nor have I seen it recommended.

 

The old model was also a PAC. The CarToys guys said that the one I had in was the wrong one. Who knows if that's right.

I now assume it isn't the adapter, it has to the the amp, right?
This morning, the stereo didn't even turn on.

I also have the

$34 Metra 70-8117 Factory Amplifier Harness for 2004-Up Toyota Vehicles with JBL Sound System

Metra 70-8117 harness, but it looks pretty intimidating to install.


From what I can tell, the connector goes to the amp, then I run the wires to the factory deck and splice them in.
But I think I have to get new speakers if I do that?

 

Who the hell is CarToys? Looks like a bootleg Crutchfield.
At least Crutchfield gets you the right parts for the job, stuff they've personally installed and know to recommend.

I assume you're wrong, and it's the adapter causing the stupidity, else it's the phsyical buttons, but adapter makes more sense. The reality is NONE of the amp adapters "properly" work in these trucks, but there are great steering wheel control adapters out there which work excellently. But I don't think that's the part of the unit that's failing for you. I think it's the audio controls adaptation portion of that PAC adapter that's failing/sticking. These are the audio steering adapters we've found to work well in our trucks.

The Metra amp bypass, if you got the right one for your truck, isn't intimidating. Tilt driver rear seat forward. Pop rear wall panel off to expose the amp. Find the amp's two wiring plugs, unplug the appropriate one(s) from the amp, then plug that into the Metra harness. Now route all the other wires up to the dash where the radio is. I can link you to examples of how that's done. If it were me, I'd tape the wires going to the dash with electrical tape (even if only loosely) so they don't stray away. THIS IS WHAT THE INSTALL LOOKS LIKE, but I hate when people leave their wires loose, and it's easier (IMHO) to take off the negative battery cable (because SRS airbags in our trucks), remove the driver's seat and run the bundle under the transmission hump.

More info on which one to buy and probably means to install it are over here on page 1 of this thread. Specificaly this graphic in that reply tells you everything, if you got the right harness, since the JBL and non-JBL amp use a different bypass kit.

 

Another option, I suppose since steering controls pass thru the clockspring on the column, is someone made the really fucking stupid mistake of buying a cheap scAmazon clockspring, and the signal isn't passing thru the clockspring cleanly. Have you replaced the clockspring?

You can test this theory very easily. Unplug the harness labeled "steering wheel controls" in this pic, separate it totally from the PAC unit. Yes, your steering wheel controls won't work, but you can use the buttons on the radio temporarily. If the volume stuck up/down continues, you know it's either the PAC adapter (which I heavily suspect!), or it's the buttons (would be super unusual), or it's the clockspring (it's feasible, but a stretch)

 

So is there a better adapter than the PAC?

cartoys is our local car audio experts. Crutchfield said the same thing about using a PAC.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.

 

Weird, Crutchfield historically has pushed members on here with CRUX or Axxess stuff. When I go load up a 2004 Tundra DC with JBL system, then pick any Kenwood stereo, these are the options they give me for adaptation, which is the Crux CS-TJ20 to retain your amp AND keep the audio controls OR using the the Metra 8117 harness you have - but for that bypass harness, note the warnings they give you here in my picture, since they're all common mistakes/stuff normal folks don't know, pay special attention to the speaker impedance warning since you have the JBL system with 2ohm drivers ... did you replace your factory speakers? If not, using the bypass make over-drive your stereo. But yeah. I can't figure out how you got Crutchfield to recommend the PAC, it's overpriced, and I question whether it's truly meant for our trucks:

​

Guess I should include the rest of that image so you can see what features are included. NOTE: It's normal that you CANNOT fade front/rear if you use an amplifier adapter like the CRUX or PAC! So that's why they're saying "this option doesn't bypass amplidier" (it adapts to use it if you want to keep the amp and 2ohm JBL speakers), and "no fade control" (you lose ability to fade when you adapt a new radio to the JBL amplifier)

​

 

I guess, at the end of the day, I need clarification:

• WHAT are you trying to accomplish?
• WHAT out of the factory stuff do you plan to keep? Like, do you want to keep the OEM JBL amp and OEM JBL speakers OR do you want to change all the speakers with the radio?
• What have you already bought, like, what is at your disposal currently?

This is also why I prefer shopping with Crutchfield. If you buy from them, all you need to do is give your order number, and they'll get you on the phone with an installer to walk you through stuff like this. Free. And everyone they have doing support is an installer, has access to install materials, or can get you in with someone who is an installer.

Crutchfield will know if others have seen this 'volume stuck up/down' situation, they'd have it in their notes. But knowing the issues Kenwood/JVC has with the Axxess steering wheel control adapter, you need to crimp a special component inline, it's hidden in the documentation (I've posted it here on the forum), I suspect the Kenwood just isn't playing nice with the PAC, or the PAC is similar to Axxess in that it requires special steps to work with Kenwood/JVC. That info should be in the manual. PAC support may be able to help you with that too.

 

Just a note, I had to update those replies, left out some maybe-important info there.

 

End of the day. I just want a basic stereo to work at a cost effective price.


It was working when I got it, and from the previous owner, it was working for years.

now it’s just not. Driving me nuts.

 

So, out of the blue, it just started doing the weird stuff with the volume getting stuck going up and down? Prior to that, it was working great?

Did the PO upgrade any of the speakers that you're aware of?

Did you make any changes to the truck around the steering wheel, it's wiring, clock spring or anything?

Spill anything on/around the steering wheel at all?

I wouldn't rule out the receiver either...

 

Correct. Out of the blue. Nothing changed. (Well, I guess I put in LBJ's. lol)


The steering wheel controls were working fine.

I put in a new deck to eliminate the problem.

This is why I'm thinking it has to be the factory amp?
Everything else, I've replaced.

 

You replaced the steering wheel control module? What if it's occasionally glitching and sending a continuous signal?

If you changed the head unit and it suddenly started, I'd blame the head unit.

If you changed the had unit in response to the problem starting, and nothing changed, I don't think I'd blame the head unit.

If you changed the PAC adapter and it suddenly started, I'd blame the PAC adapter.

If you changed the PAC adapter in response to the problem starting, and nothing changed, I don't think I'd blame the PAC adapter.

I'm not saying it's not the amp. What I'm telling you is, the amplifier does nothing but amplify sound. It takes an input signal from your head unit and amplifies it. That's it. There's no internal volume to the factory amp (some amps have input signal level adjustment and gain adjustment, but not our OEM amps). When you tap the volume up or volume down button on the steering wheel or the radio, you're not sending a signal to the amp saying, "volume up!". The radio is physically stepping up its signal making it "louder", unless I've been misunderstanding it all these years

But basically, when you press the button on your steering wheel, it sends a signal to the clockspring harness, it passes thru the clockspring, then to the PAC (in your case), then thru the PAC to the Kenwood. The Kenwood then responds by increasing the signal it's sending to the amp.

Again. If you want to rule out everything between the Kenwood and the amp, unplug the steering wheel control harness from the PAC. If the problem goes away, you KNOW it's a problem between the physical steering wheel buttons and the PAC, or something happening to the signal when it passes thru the PAC.

Sometimes I find it easier to troubleshoot things if you think about it in sections/functions like this. Who is doing what?

 

just to follow up. It was the factory amp that was blown.

 

That’s wild. I’m trying to imagine what exists inside the amp that is physically capable of stepping up (sticking stepping up) the audio. I’m not aware of any component inside an external amplifier that could cause that kind of stepping.

 

I have a question, so I recently put a radio in my 2006 Toyota tundra access cab, and I did notice it didn’t have a amplifier in the center and had two wires plugged into the radio, when I do remember taking a amplifier out of my 2001, anyways I also put new pioneers in them a few months back and they seemed to be doing fine, well when I put my radio in I also put a amplifier in that was in the 2001, and I was having fun with it, thought everything would be good, out of no where the sound changes, gets super distorted, I thought I blew the speakers, so I start doing all these test, I start my completely disconnecting the amplifier, still sounded the same, the thing was everytime I turn the key on the radio would sound normal for a second then back to the distortion, so then I tested my speakers the only way I could, took all the panels off and unplugged them separately to see if it would change, then I put a different speaker in it sounded the same, put the old speakers in, it sounded the same, so then I realized it wasn’t the speakers, and I put the original head unit back in and it still sounded distorted, so that lead me down to believe it was a amplifier but I come to find out there isn’t one, so what do I do now, idk what else the problem is, maybe I should put all the original speakers in and try it but I don’t want to waste time, I had the same set up in my 2001 and I never had problems, I’m wondering if I damaged something by putting the amp in, it’s a 1200 watt amp

it wouldn’t surprise me if this truck didn’t come with a amp because the 2001 had tweeters and this one didn’t

 

Check for an amp under a plastic cover in the passenger rear storage compartment.

 

yes I checked there just like in the photo, no amp, that cubby has nth in it, I’m just confused, if I didn’t mess up the head unit or the speakers what could it be