Antenna and Aftermarket Headunit

[2002tii]

Awesome advice! I'll pull my radio out tonight. I have a JVC that I bought used. I didn't wire it - it was done for a 4th gen (antenna integrated into window).


Quick question for anyone who has installed an antenna switch (in case I don't have the correct wire) - is there a good momentary-type rocker switch that everyone is using? I have a couple of open switch blanks and I'm not opposed to installing a switch.

 

[TheDurk]

Awesome advice! I'll pull my radio out tonight. I have a JVC that I bought used. I didn't wire it - it was done for a 4th gen (antenna integrated into window).


Quick question for anyone who has installed an antenna switch (in case I don't have the correct wire) - is there a good momentary-type rocker switch that everyone is using? I have a couple of open switch blanks and I'm not opposed to installing a switch.

You don't want a MC. The antenna would only stay up while you had your finger on the switch. As soon as you let go, it will go back down. It needs continuous 12V+ on the trigger wire to stay up. Just get a SPST.

 

[BrianSD_42]

To remove the trim and pull the stereo ... See the tutorial and documentation sticky AND also see my signature on how to search.

Those considering installing a switch ... I think it is pretty well established that is not necessary for most installs.

 

[T4R_Finally]

Those considering installing a switch ... I think it is pretty well established that is not necessary for most installs.

The power antennas are so prone to breaking sooner or later anyway, I wouldn't bother with a switch unless I had no other way to power it up. I'd put my money and effort into the taco whip mod instead. My HU is used 99% of the time for anything other than "free FM" radio that I really don't care if the antenna works. As a matter of fact, it stopped going up and down for almost a year and I didn't bother to try and fix it. But then my radio went into protect mode and wouldn't come out, so I pulled it out, reconnected and checked everything and put it back in and now everything works, including the antenna again.

 

[Aodhan]

I wish I had that wire... :crybaby:

Well I have to agree with Hepar here. I could not locate the correct wire. There were two of us looking and still could not find it.

I should have take a photo of the rats nest of wiring that was done with all the over-sized crimp connectors back there. Might pull it out for a photo tonight.

In the end wired up a simple switch, doesn't bother me really. If I ever do the Taco whip, I can just rewire the switch for something else.

Thanks for all the help and great info. Pulling the console out was super super easy.

Thanks again!

 

[Ron Helmuth]

just to throw this into the mix

Because the 3rd Gen Runners have the diversity antenna built into the rear passenger side glass, many of us get perfectly acceptable FM radio reception with just that one-and leaving the power antenna down in the fender.

I have my switch wired up so that I can use it when I want to-which is very rarely-the occasional Colorado Rockies baseball game on AM radio . This saves wear and tear on the power antenna assembly (motor and mast)

I believe it is RockSlide over on Yota Tech that wrote up an excellent thread on this subject-combining the signal of the power antenna and the diversity antenna into a single Y connector cord, which then plugs into the back of an aftermarket head unit.

Yes it is RockSLide and here is the thread:

Guide on How to Combine Both Front & Rear Antennas into One on an Aftermarket Stereo - YotaTech Forums

Of course like all topics there are a multitude of opinions about going that route and some would suggest their reception is less effective using the Y adapter cable.

Opinions vary. Also it is helpful to have another set of hands as you remove the radio trim pieces and to hold the head unit at a comfortable angle whilst you do your cutting and splicing for antenna connecting.

 

[Rhoov1]

Update. I went ahead and installed a X997 in my 97 SR5 and found out why antennas are staying up when CD or IPOD or Sat radio is on. On the aftermarket harness that attaches to the vehicle, Metra 70-1761, the Blue antenna lead has a slightly smaller wire coming out and looping over one pin. This connection goes to the power amp lead. To make the power amp turn on and power antenna work independently, antenna goes up and down with Am/FM tuner on and off while still having sound on everything else, you simply cut the smaller blue off the larger where they Y together. By doing this you now have 2 separate wires to attach to. The larger blue gets the solid blue power antenna lead from the head unit while the smaller blue wire gets the blue with white stripe power amp turn on lead. The wiring is as follows.
Constant 12V+ Blue with yellow stripe and sliver tracers
Accessory 12V + Grey
Ground 12V- Brown
Illumination 12V+ Green
Power amp turn on Pink with blue stripe
Power antenna Black with white stripe

Left Front speaker + Pink
Left Front Speaker - Purple
Right Front Speaker + Light Green
Right Front Speaker - Blue
Left Rear Speaker + Black
Left Rear Speaker - Yellow
Right Rear Speaker + Red
Right Rear Speaker - White

Hope this helps!

 

[jtdunc]

Guys:

Great thread. I've soldered and heat shrunk a Scosche TA02B / TA02
Wire Harness to the Kenwood eXcelon KDC-X897 harness.

BT music streaming works with testing.

BUT my power antenna does not activate. I've connected the blue wires from the Scosche hanress to the blue wire labeled ANT CONT on the Kenwood side. No antenna up and down.

P. CONT blue and white is not conneected (have a Basslink to connect to it later in the install.

Blue to blue is not working on my power antenna.

Ideas?

 

[TheDurk]

Guys:

Great thread. I've soldered and heat shrunk a Scosche TA02B / TA02
Wire Harness to the Kenwood eXcelon KDC-X897 harness.

BT music streaming works with testing.

BUT my power antenna does not activate. I've connected the blue wires from the Scosche hanress to the blue wire labeled ANT CONT on the Kenwood side. No antenna up and down.

P. CONT blue and white is not conneected (have a Basslink to connect to it later in the install.

Blue to blue is not working on my power antenna.

Ideas?

Go back to factory harness plug and find black/white wire at pin 7. With ignition ON apply 12V+ to that wire with HU unplugged. If antenna goes up, problem is in harness/HU. If not, problem is truckside. Go from there. If it's in the HU, see if the antenna wire is sending a signal and that it ends up at the wire I mentioned. If truckside, check service hints in link.

http://tacoma.site40.net/4Runner_96-02_Repair&Wiring/techinfo.toyota.com/ileaf/ewdtmc2/ewdtmpdf/ewdsourc/2002/024runne/systemci/051aa.pdf

 

[jtdunc]

Go back to factory harness plug and find black/white wire at pin 7. With ignition ON apply 12V+ to that wire with HU unplugged. If antenna goes up, problem is in harness/HU. If not, problem is truckside. Go from there. If it's in the HU, see if the antenna wire is sending a signal and that it ends up at the wire I mentioned. If truckside, check service hints in link.

http://tacoma.site40.net/4Runner_96-02_Repair&Wiring/techinfo.toyota.com/ileaf/ewdtmc2/ewdtmpdf/ewdsourc/2002/024runne/systemci/051aa.pdf

Thanks for the information TheDurk!
With my Toyota factory radio/CD deck, power antenna worked fine. Up for radio - down when radio off or CD playing.

I don't understand " apply 12V+ to that wire" with HU unplugged.

I have a mutlimeter but have yet to use it (saddly).

 

[TheDurk]

Thanks for the information TheDurk!
With my Toyota factory radio/CD deck, power antenna worked fine. Up for radio - down when radio off or CD playing.

I don't understand " apply 12V+ to that wire" with HU unplugged.

I have a mutlimeter but have yet to use it (saddly).

Ok, let's dial it back and assume truckside is good. Take that bad boy out of the box and set it to DC 20V. Put the black wire on a good chassis ground. See if you get ~12V at that blue ANT CONT wire on your HU when radio should be on. If you do, follow that connection back until you end up at the Toyota factory plug and confirm 12V+ all the way. Confirm what color coming out of the truck you are connected to.

Just to check...all other electric stuff works right? Dome light, cig lighter, etc.?

 

[jtdunc]

Thanks TheDurk. So I can set the MM to DC20 and then black lead to chassis ground and use red probe to check where amps are not flowing?

Still don;'t understand how I'm going to check power blue antenna wire on Kenwood harness side when HU is not connected?

 

[TheDurk]

Thanks TheDurk. So I can set the MM to DC20 and then black lead to chassis ground and use red probe to check where amps are not flowing?

Still don;'t understand how I'm going to check power blue antenna wire on Kenwood harness side when HU is not connected?

No, now you need to have it connected and set to play radio, like I said.

 

[jtdunc]

No, now you need to have it connected and set to play radio, like I said.

Got it thanks

 

[Lastplace]

After taking the power antenna apart, replacing the mast and having it break again 2weeks later I took that POS power antenna and tossed it in the trash. Installed the taco whip.

 

[jtdunc]

Guys, I have a Scosche TA02B / TA02 wire harness.

Blue Kenwood wire to Scosche blue wire. Does not work. I clipped that blue and hit either my blue/white wire or another white wire that used to be connected to the factory amp tapping into a black a red white.

Something clicked and my power antenna went up a few inches.

So frustrated right now. I'm too big to fit in there with my MM too.

Was thinking of just finding an adapter for my diversity antenna and rocking that instead of the power antenna.

What wires will activate that power antenna?