Need Assistance w/ Metra wiring kit for aftermarket headunit

Passt · Post by **Passt** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 8:06 pm

On the left is the harness that came with my Alpine aftermarket Head unit (CDE-102). On the right are the wiring harnesses I got with the Metra wiring kit for my 2000 Jeep Cherokee. Do I solder the Metra wires to the back of the Alpine harness, corresponding to the colors, and then plug the black and gray Metra connectors into the stock Jeep harness somewhere? I've never done this and just need some guidance as to what goes to what lol. Thanks.

r/tguy02 · Post by **r/tguy02** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 8:14 pm

yes you would solder and shrink tube the two harnesses together. typically the colors match up but consult the manual for the pinouts just to be sure.

Passt · Post by **Passt** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 8:37 pm

r/tguy02 wrote:yes you would solder and shrink tube the two harnesses together. typically the colors match up but consult the manual for the pinouts just to be sure.

Cool, thanks for the heads up.

Public Disturbance · Post by **Public Disturbance** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:07 pm

Yep but like said before solder and heat shrink crimps may be easyer but they can come lose and won't give you the best connection and please please please don't be they guy that just twist the wires together and uses electrical tape

nineball · Post by **nineball** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 10:53 am

Public Disturbance wrote:Yep but like said before solder and heat shrink crimps may be easyer but they can come lose and won't give you the best connection and please please please don't be they guy that just twist the wires together and uses electrical tape

you can get a quality crimper for small wires like this for under $30 and have it for the rest of your life. they make doing things like this so much easier.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdet ... er=360-642

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 11:55 am

Personally, I will only use Kline crimpers.

They make the best and most reliable crimps you could ask for. When I was an installer, they were the only crimper that would work consitantly and hold up to daily use.

nineball · Post by **nineball** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 12:14 pm

i used to have the same crimper before i bought a ratcheting version and never looked back. nothing beats a quality double crimp that will never break the casing. get one and you will feel the same way.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 12:34 pm

I've used them, but I don't care for them. The crimps just isn't strong enough. Try this...make a crimp with some 16g wire into a butt connector. Clamp the other side of the butt connector in a vice. Now, using vice grips, try and pull the wire out of the connector. I bet you it comes out. Using the Klines, the wire will break.

I know this because we tested both types of crimpers this way. The secret is to use the tab on the Kline crimpers to fold the metal in the butt connector where the ends of the roll come together.

Public Disturbance · Post by **Public Disturbance** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 3:32 pm

Danteneon wrote:Personally, I will only use Kline crimpers.

They make the best and most reliable crimps you could ask for. When I was an installer, they were the only crimper that would work consitantly and hold up to daily use.

Never tried em

nineball · Post by **nineball** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 4:33 pm

on my way in i stopped and did a couple crimps. either will work if done properly but for my money the ratcheting tool is the way to go, mainly for ease of use. maybe yours was out of adjustment when you tested but mine makes as strong of a crimp as my kleins ever did, and never a worry about piercing the casing.

klein - single crimp, easy to pierce the plastic as i did though that can be avoided. pushes deep on one side, the other side is flexed out but the plastic is smashed down.

front

back

ratchet - double crimp, easier to use, wide mouth, adjustable for a perfect crimp each time. the front and back are both smashed inward sandwiching the wire in two spots.

front

rear

Passt · Post by **Passt** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:20 pm

Very nice. I did the good ol twist and solder and shrink method. My first complete solder attempt (Erick will appreciate this lol).

Soldering Station!

Making some progress:

blueneo03 · Post by **blueneo03** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 12:15 pm

looks good much better than the first time i did this with masking tape....... it was bad... but now i usually like to cut off a bit of the wire so its not such a long connector that has to be crammed in the dash behind the head unit but that looks very clean some small zip ties help to clean it up a little bit too

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Tue Dec 20, 2011 9:03 am

That is some nice looking connections you have there Nate. Good job

nineball wrote:ratchet - double crimp, easier to use, wide mouth, adjustable for a perfect crimp each time. the front and back are both smashed inward sandwiching the wire in two spots.

front

rear

I have to say, those crimps do look good. I have a set of double ratchet cripmers for coax that work great, so it could be that the pair I was using wern't adjusted correctly, or just sucked outright

Passt · Post by **Passt** » Tue Dec 20, 2011 9:39 am

Those crimps do look nice. I may have to get a pair of those to add to the 'ol toolbox. Thanks , and Blue

slaw · Post by **slaw** » Tue Dec 20, 2011 10:47 am

looks good!

im totally the "twist and electrical tape" guy

nineball · Post by **nineball** » Tue Dec 20, 2011 10:55 am

Danteneon wrote:That is some nice looking connections you have there Nate. Good job

I have to say, those crimps do look good. I have a set of double ratchet cripmers for coax that work great, so it could be that the pair I was using wern't adjusted correctly, or just sucked outright

i tried pulling on each end (ratchet and klein) and neither would give up their grasp on the wire, so both will work great if done right. i just prefer the sort of set-it-and-forget-it approach of the ratchet crimper, plus it looks cleaner. i plan on upgrading the fuse panel in my old 911 and would never dream of using anything but the ratchet type (with heat shrink) for the 40+ connections i have to make.

old factory style with all wires being held in place by tension-type screws

new panel with ato fuses and spade terminals

and who is nate?

Passt wrote:Those crimps do look nice. I may have to get a pair of those to add to the 'ol toolbox. Thanks , and Blue

slaw wrote:looks good!

im totally the "twist and electrical tape" guy

you both should grab one if you do any sort of electrical work on cars (or other things for that matter). factory connections are crimped, not soldered, as a quality crimp is better than a soldered connection any day of the week.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Tue Dec 20, 2011 11:29 am

nineball wrote:and who is nate?

Nate = Passt

Passt · Post by **Passt** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 9:46 am

I'm Nate (Nathan).

Just wanted to say thanks again for the help. Here is the final wiring job, and I installed the headunit last night and it worked great