How to fit headunit cage?

[stevie_b]

I've got a new headunit, and want to fit the cage that it came with into the supra so that I can get the HU itself out by using the little release catches (as opposed to screwing the HU to the supra's built-in HU cage itself).

The manufacturer (Pioneer) says to bend some of the tabs on the cage so that it hold in position in the car: I'm not sure about this. I can't see how the cage the HU came with can "grip" onto the supra's built-in cage by bending tabs. Has anyone else done this?

I might be being silly here or missing the point, but any advice is, as always, appreciated.

[JohnK]

Im sure there isnt room for a cage with the stock cage in place as they are both exactly the same size and designed to hold a standard sized stereo.

I think you;ll have to do a bit of cutting and bending of the stock cage or remove it and fabricate something to hold the new one.

[Digsy]

The problem is that the Japs decided to fit their stereos in differently to the rest of the world (well, Europe anyway).

On the Supra and my old MR2 the stereo fitted behind the dash trim, with the facia poking through. The HU body would not fit through the hole from the front. If you have a stereo that mounts this way the first thing you will have to do is grit your teeth and file the hole out.

The second problem is that the stereo mount is actually hard-bolted into the brackets so if you have a slide-out HU there is nowhere for the bolts to thread into. Its way more installer-friendly to have a unit with a bolt-in HU and a removable front panel. I had a slide-out HU in my MR2 but I fixed that using pop rivets which didn't pentrate far into the housing enough to interfere with the HU when it was slid into place.

Even then, I found that because Western HUs are designed to fit front he front of the facia, and JDM ones behind, I had to mod the chassis bracket to mount the whole HU about 10mm further forward to allow it to poke through the enlarged hole in the dash just so I could clip on the HU surround from the front.

In short, it was a royal PITA just to fit a decent HU to my car.

I'm probably about to change it now. Hopefully the next one will just drop into place.

[stevie_b]

Blimey! A bit trickier than I thought! I think I'll just screw the HU onto the built-in bracket, and forget about the cage. Sounds like some modifications will still be necessary though.

[Digsy]

Blimey! A bit trickier than I thought! I think I'll just screw the HU onto the built-in bracket, and forget about the cage. Sounds like some modifications will still be necessary though.
It depends on how fussy you are. I could have mounted mine without the clip-on surround in the stock location, but it would have meant that some of the bare grey metal of the HU chassis would have been on display.

[stevie_b]

I'm with you there Digsy: I want it to look good, so I'll get my file out and get to work on the dash! I'll also mount the HU so it protrudes from the dash, like you said.

Thanks for the tips!