rockmeupto125 Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 It looks like I'm stuck with this 2008 Ford F350, so I need to get it online. I'm not numbering all my little repair projects by priority or time line. Just jotting them down as I ask for ideas and such. This truck came with an OEM Ford radio with both AM and FM bands. I'd kinda like to at least put a CD player in it. This radio does not have the option to accept external source media. Now I could go to the museum and find an F series with a CD player in it for $25, but while I'm in there, I thought why not consider something with more features, maybe even a backup camera. Its a double DIN format, so room is no problem. The problem is I know diddly about aftermarket radio and their installation. I search for F250/350 radio and there are metric tons of them out there from $50 and up. I'm pretty comfortable assuming that there's going to be cutting and splicing involved that I'd prefer to minimize. So what do I need to buy to get something that's essentially "bolt, plug, and play?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superhawk996 Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 You can buy a wiring adapter for some radio/vehicle combinations that's a straight plug & play. Option 2 is a vehicle adapter that plugs into the truck and has labeled wires you match up to the wires on the radio and connect. Without an adapter you'd need a schematic, cut off the truck plug, then wire it. As for mounting the radio there are mounting kits for most vehicles. You might have to do some trimming. My buddy has that truck with a fancy radio in it, but he had a shop do the install so I don't know the details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampNut Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 If it's a true double DIN then all you need is a mounting adapter and a wiring harness to make it simple. $30 for both, probably. Just go here: https://www.crutchfield.com/car/outfitmycar/mycar.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superhawk996 Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 I called their customer service once and the guy was great. I was just buying a pair of low-medium end speakers and he gave me his time and quite detailed info. From the two I had in mind he steered me toward the cheeper one because they were a better fit for the power I had. Their price was only a couple bucks over Amazon so I ordered them while I was on the phone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furbird Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 Get the double din. If you're going to start adding amps, subs, replacing door speakers, then you need to brand shop but it sounds like that's not a big deal to you. They do make harnesses that are pre-wired direct fit from your truck to whatever radio you buy, but it's usually limited to larger brands (Pioneer, Sony, Kenwood, etc.) It's not difficult if you don't get a pre-fab adapter, because if you get the wiring plug that fits your factory wiring and an aftermarket radio they are usually color-to-color matched as most companies are pretty standardized when it comes to that. Most double din radios come with the brackets to fit popular vehicles, which your truck definitely falls in that category. I personally would recommend Pioneer and Metra installation products, as I did 12 volt installs as a professional for 9 years. The only thing I have that doesn't have a Pioneer in it is my 2500hd and that's because the PO already replaced the radio with one with USB-in and bluetooth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockmeupto125 Posted January 23, 2020 Author Share Posted January 23, 2020 I just want something that plays CD's because that's what Jess wants. I rarely listen to radio, I'd rather listen to the vehicle. No tunes on my bike either. I wouldn't be upgrading speakers or anything of the sort. I save all my audio needs for in the house. I figured if I was going to the bother, I might as well get something with a display so I could use the backup camera. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furbird Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 The more integrated it is, the more expensive it becomes. My 96 has a Pioneer radio, and the backup camera is a separate screen mounted down low. I also run a GPS whenever I'm on the road. All of that built into a radio would cost multiple times more than I've spent on the three systems separately. If you find a low cost radio that has a screen that's backup camera ready that's great, but I haven't been in the market for anything in a while so I can't help with that aspect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockmeupto125 Posted January 23, 2020 Author Share Posted January 23, 2020 Looks like $110 gets about everything I want in an el cheap radio. Then I need some kind of mounting and wire harness kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXitanium Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 The radio from my 2001 is out in the garage. My kid took it out of the truck and put in some kind of new deal that hooks to his radio and all that crap. The old radio does have a CD player in it. I also have an adapter that plugs into the tape player that you can hook to your phone and stuff like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXitanium Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 His unit only cost him $125. The old radio has a CD player and the tape tape player in the face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superhawk996 Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 There are also CD changers that have an FM modulator so you can just add it to the existing radio. I think I still have one that I kept meaning to sell and just hadn't gotten around to doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockmeupto125 Posted January 24, 2020 Author Share Posted January 24, 2020 True, there are. Just noticed there are rear speakers.....pretty fancy. I'm thinking I'd like to upgrade the radio if they are as cheap as I see. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bluetooth-DVD-CD-CAR-RADIO-STEREO-USB-MIRRORS-For-Ford-F-150-250-350-650-750-CAM/233409866984?fits=Year%3A2008|Model%3AF-350&hash=item36584fece8:g:liYAAOSwGrBd1fn6 How far can I run wires from a backup camera? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampNut Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 Basic passable radios have become truly cheap. If I had many vehicles and beaters, I'd be putting stuff like that in all of them. Best Buy is also worth a look, with their house brand being quite good for its price point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.