FAQs on stereo upgrades for Lexus - help needed-DIY included
Rookie
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: al
SC400 with NAK system.....6.5" speaker in rear deck, just remove 4" speaker and pod
the rear deck will accept 6.5" speakers perfectly if you remove the speaker and pod...the bolt holes MAY line up dead on with some speakers, i was using ts-605 premiers and i just used a slightly larger washer on the stock bolts, and it fit great.........also, i have what looks like removable panels for more speakers between the sub and outer speakers, rectangular holes with places for bolts and the panel just clips in.....this panel was rattling like crazy so if you hear a metallic rattling, that's the culprit.....you can either silicone it in or remove it like i did.....
this may have been covered, i didn't come across it but didn't read every single post either....
the rear deck will accept 6.5" speakers perfectly if you remove the speaker and pod...the bolt holes MAY line up dead on with some speakers, i was using ts-605 premiers and i just used a slightly larger washer on the stock bolts, and it fit great.........also, i have what looks like removable panels for more speakers between the sub and outer speakers, rectangular holes with places for bolts and the panel just clips in.....this panel was rattling like crazy so if you hear a metallic rattling, that's the culprit.....you can either silicone it in or remove it like i did.....
this may have been covered, i didn't come across it but didn't read every single post either....
Zombie Slayer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 6,053
Likes: 3
From: East Bumble F, NJ
Originally Posted by duckworth
SC400 with NAK system.....6.5" speaker in rear deck, just remove 4" speaker and pod
the rear deck will accept 6.5" speakers perfectly if you remove the speaker and pod...the bolt holes MAY line up dead on with some speakers, i was using ts-605 premiers and i just used a slightly larger washer on the stock bolts, and it fit great.........also, i have what looks like removable panels for more speakers between the sub and outer speakers, rectangular holes with places for bolts and the panel just clips in.....this panel was rattling like crazy so if you hear a metallic rattling, that's the culprit.....you can either silicone it in or remove it like i did.....
this may have been covered, i didn't come across it but didn't read every single post either....
the rear deck will accept 6.5" speakers perfectly if you remove the speaker and pod...the bolt holes MAY line up dead on with some speakers, i was using ts-605 premiers and i just used a slightly larger washer on the stock bolts, and it fit great.........also, i have what looks like removable panels for more speakers between the sub and outer speakers, rectangular holes with places for bolts and the panel just clips in.....this panel was rattling like crazy so if you hear a metallic rattling, that's the culprit.....you can either silicone it in or remove it like i did.....
this may have been covered, i didn't come across it but didn't read every single post either....
I'm confused as to how you got 6.5's to fit in the rear holes where the 4's were. I changed mine as well to 6.5's and the cage was WAY too big for the hole. It needed to be opened quite a bit. Do you have any pictures of your install?
Rookie
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: al
Originally Posted by mkorsu
I'm confused as to how you got 6.5's to fit in the rear holes where the 4's were. I changed mine as well to 6.5's and the cage was WAY too big for the hole. It needed to be opened quite a bit. Do you have any pictures of your install?
edit: well i checked, and they're 6.5".....i had four pioneer premier ts-605 speakers, put 2 in the rear deck and they fit well......maybe the basket design is unique, i dunno.......they're definitely 6.5" though, the sticker on the back says so and i measured them too
this one is a 1995 sc400 with the nak system....is there a difference between years and/or pioneer and nak?
like i said, i have 2 more holes that look like they may accomodate some 6x9's or something...
Last edited by duckworth; Dec 12, 2005 at 11:43 AM.
Zombie Slayer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 6,053
Likes: 3
From: East Bumble F, NJ
Originally Posted by duckworth
let me go measure the speakers, because they're ONLY listed as 6.5" speakers but i honestly thought they were 5.25" or so.........i'll double check right now
edit: well i checked, and they're 6.5".....i had four pioneer premier ts-605 speakers, put 2 in the rear deck and they fit well......maybe the basket design is unique, i dunno.......they're definitely 6.5" though, the sticker on the back says so and i measured them too
this one is a 1995 sc400 with the nak system....is there a difference between years and/or pioneer and nak?
like i said, i have 2 more holes that look like they may accomodate some 6x9's or something...
edit: well i checked, and they're 6.5".....i had four pioneer premier ts-605 speakers, put 2 in the rear deck and they fit well......maybe the basket design is unique, i dunno.......they're definitely 6.5" though, the sticker on the back says so and i measured them too
this one is a 1995 sc400 with the nak system....is there a difference between years and/or pioneer and nak?
like i said, i have 2 more holes that look like they may accomodate some 6x9's or something...
hmmmm, interesting. Must be differences in cage shape between your Pioneers and my MB Quarts. No difference between years and speaker size as far as I know, other than the sub (some 8", some 10").
The additional 2 holes (at least on my '92) look better suited to a 4 x 6, but I doubt that's what they were designed for. Although I haven't the slightest clue what in fact they are for!
Rookie
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: al
Originally Posted by mkorsu
hmmmm, interesting. Must be differences in cage shape between your Pioneers and my MB Quarts. No difference between years and speaker size as far as I know, other than the sub (some 8", some 10").
The additional 2 holes (at least on my '92) look better suited to a 4 x 6, but I doubt that's what they were designed for. Although I haven't the slightest clue what in fact they are for!
The additional 2 holes (at least on my '92) look better suited to a 4 x 6, but I doubt that's what they were designed for. Although I haven't the slightest clue what in fact they are for!
i meant 4x6, but yeah, they look identical to the design of the other speaker holes.....4 welded nuts on each, slightly recessed, etc.......just oblong.......at first i thought they had some other purpose, but there is no need for them as far as getting from the trunk/inside or vice versa.....they aren't sealed tightly.......they're in line between my sub and outer speakers, so i dunno..........it's gonna bug me until i do though lol
ClubLexus Stories
Celebrating Lexus & Toyota from Around the Globe
Top 10 Most Confusing Things Lexus Has Ever Done!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Lexus ES Review: Lexus Re-Embraces Founding Principles
Michael S. Palmer
10 Lexus Bargains That are Cheaper Than a New Toyota RAV4
Joe Kucinski
8 Weirdest Things Lexus Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
10 Lexus Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
8 Tips for Improving Your Hybrid or Plug-in Hybrid's Efficiency!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Best Lexus Models No One Remembers
Joe Kucinski
TRD Off-Road Premium: Best 2026 4Runner, Except This One Thing
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Lexus & Toyotas to Drive Before You Die!
Joe Kucinski
Originally Posted by duckworth
i meant 4x6, but yeah, they look identical to the design of the other speaker holes.....4 welded nuts on each, slightly recessed, etc.......just oblong.......at first i thought they had some other purpose, but there is no need for them as far as getting from the trunk/inside or vice versa.....they aren't sealed tightly.......they're in line between my sub and outer speakers, so i dunno..........it's gonna bug me until i do though lol
I thought the one ractangular plate to the passenger side of the sub had the sub amp mounted to it, no? It's been a while, I don't remember.
Zombie Slayer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 6,053
Likes: 3
From: East Bumble F, NJ
Originally Posted by RSTSpeed
My speakers' baskets were way to big for the whole, too, that's why I made the "new baffles" for them.
I thought the one ractangular plate to the passenger side of the sub had the sub amp mounted to it, no? It's been a while, I don't remember.
I thought the one ractangular plate to the passenger side of the sub had the sub amp mounted to it, no? It's been a while, I don't remember.
Oh, and RST.........It was your write up I used as a guide when replacing all my speakers in the car!!! THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Originally Posted by mkorsu
The sub amp is mounted there on the Pioneer systems, but the Nakimichi system uses 1, 5 channel amp and is located under the CD changer.
Oh, and RST.........It was your write up I used as a guide when replacing all my speakers in the car!!! THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, and RST.........It was your write up I used as a guide when replacing all my speakers in the car!!! THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rookie
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 95
Likes: 1
From: az
Connect 4?
To get power antenna to go down during CD operation you must connect the remote in/out, and ant in/out all together? My alpine deck is equipped with both rem and ant. leads. I've connected them to the antenna lead from the harness, but it only turns on the stock amp when the radio is on. O well I think the antenna is ugly anyways. I'll just hook it up with rem in and out.
Originally Posted by JUSROLLIN
How do I hook the power antenna up to my aftermarket headunit in my 92-96 ES300?
Look at the pin side of the stock plug that has the two plastic dividers on the long row of pins. Look at it with the row of seven pins (divided into a group of four and a group of three) on top. The pin on the right is number one, and the one below it from this view is number eight. Splice these two wires together, and connect them to the power antenna lead on your aftermarket headunit. If you hook it up to the remote wire (headunit not equipped with a power antenna lead), the antenna will be up the entire time the deck is on. If your deck is equipped with a remote, and a power antenna lead, and you connect these two wires to the antenna lead, the antenna will go down during CD operation.
Just FYI- On that same plug, main power is pin 4, ILL is pin 2, the switch power with the key (ACC) is pin 3, and ground is pin 11. Looking at this plug from the view described above sets the pins up like this
7/6/5 4/3/2/1
15/14 13/12/11/10 9/8
I can't get this to appear on my post right, but the #1 pin is directly above #8
Hope this helps someone out.
Brandon
Look at the pin side of the stock plug that has the two plastic dividers on the long row of pins. Look at it with the row of seven pins (divided into a group of four and a group of three) on top. The pin on the right is number one, and the one below it from this view is number eight. Splice these two wires together, and connect them to the power antenna lead on your aftermarket headunit. If you hook it up to the remote wire (headunit not equipped with a power antenna lead), the antenna will be up the entire time the deck is on. If your deck is equipped with a remote, and a power antenna lead, and you connect these two wires to the antenna lead, the antenna will go down during CD operation.
Just FYI- On that same plug, main power is pin 4, ILL is pin 2, the switch power with the key (ACC) is pin 3, and ground is pin 11. Looking at this plug from the view described above sets the pins up like this
7/6/5 4/3/2/1
15/14 13/12/11/10 9/8
I can't get this to appear on my post right, but the #1 pin is directly above #8
Hope this helps someone out.
Brandon
Last edited by FwC; May 18, 2006 at 08:23 PM. Reason: More advice
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,468
Likes: 0
From: California
there are 2 separate antenna wires that both need to be connected to the antenna lead.
Antenna - Pink/Blue AND Pink/Green
splice them both together and connect to the ant lead if you havent already
Antenna - Pink/Blue AND Pink/Green
splice them both together and connect to the ant lead if you havent already
Rookie
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 95
Likes: 1
From: az
Oh, I see. But I've purchased a Metra Integrated Harness and It only has one additional wire for the power ant. But it's OK I'mma use MP3 and CD most of the time anyways, tested my radio and it seems clear enough. Had one heck of a time installing the wires for my amp and sub though.
Installed:
Alpine CDA-7995 with metra wiring harness, came to find out that the color codes on the RCA inputs are backwards (Front is Rear and vise-versa).
PPI-PCX 2250 2 Channel Amp Bridged with 4G Wire. Audiobahn RCA wires.
JL 15W3 Sub (Old School)
Hardest part of project was running wire through runners from engine bay to trunk (and actually making it look neat)
It was quite and experience but the stock amp output now sounds AMAZING and the Sub has been loyal to me since my Honda. I appreciate a lot of your posts it's been very helpful in wiring and install...
Installed:
Alpine CDA-7995 with metra wiring harness, came to find out that the color codes on the RCA inputs are backwards (Front is Rear and vise-versa).
PPI-PCX 2250 2 Channel Amp Bridged with 4G Wire. Audiobahn RCA wires.
JL 15W3 Sub (Old School)
Hardest part of project was running wire through runners from engine bay to trunk (and actually making it look neat)
It was quite and experience but the stock amp output now sounds AMAZING and the Sub has been loyal to me since my Honda. I appreciate a lot of your posts it's been very helpful in wiring and install...
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,468
Likes: 0
From: California
running wires is definitely a HUGE pain. try tucking a 0 gauge wire under that carpet without leaving a hump 
what i did was jack up the car...take off the front drivers side wheel and inner fender liner. that way you get easy access to the engine bay via the port for the clutch cylinder and access to the cabin through the harness gromet. i think that way honestly takes less time then trying to fish it through the other way. also, invest in one of those grabber tools with the prongs that can extend out.
i guess this post isnt so much for you anymore but maybe more people can use the info.
what i did was jack up the car...take off the front drivers side wheel and inner fender liner. that way you get easy access to the engine bay via the port for the clutch cylinder and access to the cabin through the harness gromet. i think that way honestly takes less time then trying to fish it through the other way. also, invest in one of those grabber tools with the prongs that can extend out.
i guess this post isnt so much for you anymore but maybe more people can use the info.