Complete audio upgrade with stock stereo on a budget

the plug n play kits are pricey but super valuable. I’m too cheap. I built the harnesses for both my jeeps. I didn’t want to for the 4 runner but needed it anyway for the kicker key. If you go that route I strongly encourage anyone to buy the jumper harness to tap into as this will mitigate the need to tamper with any factory wiring. It sounds like aroyalsfan gave great information here.

 

I also have the Kicker Key Amp 200.4 and the PAC LOC LPHTY02. Could really use some help on how you wired this up.

 

Did you start the wiring at all yet?

 

Not yet. What i was able to piece together looks like this. Still not sure where the blue and red harness plugs into.

 

If I remember correctly I didn’t use all of the parts for my application. I cut the one harness where it states to cut on the tape and then started soldering the correct ends to the correct adapters. If you take the key out of the box you will see which adapter needs to go on the correct end. That will eliminate which adapters aren’t necessary for the install in this particular application. I should have taken pics or a video. It all fits almost perfectly right behind the radio too.

 

Also each harness in the Pac LOC kit has 4 wires on them for speaker outputs. For a total of 16 wires. But the harness for the key only has a total of 8 speaker wires. How did you wire the remaining 8 output wires?

 

I didn’t have a pac lok so I didn’t used that part. I honestly don’t remember even using some of the parts in the harness because it’s a universal harness used for a couple of different applications. My application from the stock harness to the “jumper harness” to the key and right back into the stock radio.

 

Copy that. I will give it a shot in the morning. It will pair nice with my 12 in subwoofers

 

It’s a MASSIVE improvement. Good luck.

 

Running the alpine since 2020, big difference. Wish the stock head unit had a better equalizer (2018). Going to use the XM app to see the difference. Always thought it would be worse. How does the app work while running waze and jbv1? I just put a cheep Kenwood head unit in (what was the wife's) Yaris and it sounds incredibly, even with stock speakers. The interface is a bit clunky for a touch screen, but sounds great. I think my major issue right now is the Falken tires, they are starting to sound like mud terrains going down the highway.

 

What sound proofing do you have there?

 

Well I know what I want for Christmas

 

i did this install last weekend for 4ch set up. I have 2 ch powering the front speakers and 2 ch powering the rear+hatch that are stock wired in series
I previously added Infinity component 6x9 to front doors with new tweeters and crossovers in dash. I considered adding an 8” compact sub with built in amp until research led me to fact my new speakers just weren’t being powered enough. I added Infinity 5-1/4 pair to rear doors and this Kicker KEY 200.4 recently and the sound I am getting from the front 6x9s is awesome and plenty for me. I will probably go back and add some materials to the doors but dreading having to reinstall door panel again
I had to order the extension cable kit because the Key 200 doesn’t fit inside dash behind head unit. I installed it under driver seat instead and snaked cables. There is a video from TacoTunes on YouTube that shows how to snake some of this under door panels. The extension kit from Crutchfield same labeling as the PAC kit.

The large connector from amp box is output and you don’t need blue wire if you have original head unit. It is for a remote.

The red is power and needs to go to battery unless you have an existing set up to power from. Black is ground and goes to chassis. I had to order the 15.00 amp wire kit too.

The cables you mention…for my 4ch set up. Two of the 4pin cables wire up to the output of the amp and the other two wire up to the input of the amp. The amp came with a cable with RCAs on it but I cut those since my head unit had no RCAs. I used butt splices to wire up these ends. Again, depends on if you’re using 4ch set up or bi amp mode on which to use. That sheet on will state which of ABCD cables go where depending on number of channels.