Magnadyne Radio Replacement

Sky_Boss · 04-26-2012, 09:12 PM

Dash radio works OK but a couple preset buttons don't. Thinking about upgrading it. Can't get my hands on an OEM, even refurbished. The replacement listed on the Magnadyne site is discontinued and the touch screen versions are stupid expensive. On top of that, the radio is a crazy size (about 1.5 din) so nothing fits correctly exempt that it is standard din width.

First thing I want to know is how do I take out the OEM radio? Will it just pop out or do I have to pull the dash apart? If I find that pulling it out isn't a huge deal, I think I am home free. If I have to tear the dash out, I will probably wait till the end of the season to do that when I have plenty of time to do it.

The game plan is to replace it with a standard din set up. I know I will have to replace the Sirius tuner in the process. The standard din size will cause some gaps above and below the radio but it sits in a nice recessed square. I can fabricate a plate to fit into that square to make it look nice enough.

I just haven't had enough experience on how it got in to the dash in the first place. I don't see any screws or other fastener hardware that makes removal obvious.

John Hilley · 04-26-2012, 09:18 PM

There should be a couple of "U" shaped wires in your bag of manuals. I think Magnadyne repairs the radios.

steelheadbluesman · 04-26-2012, 09:24 PM

As I recall the wires John mentions slip in on the sides to compress the barbs that popped out to hold the unit in. I've never done it, but the manual explains how to use the wire 'extractors'.

Sky_Boss · 04-26-2012, 09:41 PM

John, Steel,

Tanx...Tomorrow I will look through the big manual bag to see if I can find such a U shaped tool. If I can't at least I have a starting point.

Keep them suggestions rolling. LOL

Muddypaws · 04-26-2012, 10:15 PM

I replace my 1.5 DIN radio with a somewhat large double DIN JVC radio. It was a PITA to install but I love the radio. It has XM, iPod in, BlueTooth audio in, BlueTooth phone sync, USB and audio ports on the front & back and programmable colors to match just about any lighting scheme you'll find. It reads every USB disk I've tried so far. Do I need a terabyte of MP-3 files on the road? Probably not, but I could do it if I wanted to.

The radio was a whopping $169 on Amazon.

I was lucky, there was enough room that I was able to enlarge the opening for the new radio. I found that it was about 1.5 inches deeper than the Visteon I took out, and that was the biggest problem I had installing it. My dremel tool got a workout.

I've seen some where a single DIN radio was installed and IMHO they look somewhat cheesy.

Muddypaws · 04-26-2012, 10:17 PM

I've used 6D nails, bent coathangers, and 4 small phillips screwdrivers to remove radios...... Whatever works.

Wizard · 04-27-2012, 06:53 AM

Replaced mine with a JVC. Just a standard radio. Used a installation kit that I got from Walmart, was on the road at the time, most autoparts stores have them also.

Still had to trim some, wiring was easy. On my '02 Winnebago Brave the dash just lifted up and over.

Sky_Boss · 04-27-2012, 07:18 AM

I saw from driVer's blog some pictures with the dash flipped up. How is that done? Is there a lever (like a hood latch) I need to find or some other securing hardware?

Wizard · 04-27-2012, 09:26 AM

Don't know if the same for your Adventurer, but mine was hinged near the windshield and you just lifted on the edge near the driver. Nothing holding it down but weight.

Paul T · 04-27-2012, 12:35 PM

I can’t find my original post at the moment but try a search as I was able to clear up failed buttons quite easily by removing and reattaching the bezel of the radio to the main body after removing it. Evidently some of the buttons were not getting a good ground but a little eraser work on contacts fixed it about 3 years ago. There should be two U shaped gizmos in your publication kit that are used for removal, or just use some nails in the four holes and squeeze toward the middle.

John Hilley · 04-27-2012, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wizard

Don't know if the same for your Adventurer, but mine was hinged near the windshield and you just lifted on the edge near the driver. Nothing holding it down but weight.

Some dashes have a very small strap with two screws, one screwed into the fixed dash and one into the lift up part. My 1999 Bave has the strap, my 2003 Adventurer doesn't, but the dash lifts up on both.

tbomn · 04-27-2012, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muddypaws

I replace my 1.5 DIN radio with a somewhat large double DIN JVC radio. It was a PITA to install but I love the radio. It has XM, iPod in, BlueTooth audio in, BlueTooth phone sync, USB and audio ports on the front & back and programmable colors to match just about any lighting scheme you'll find. It reads every USB disk I've tried so far. Do I need a terabyte of MP-3 files on the road? Probably not, but I could do it if I wanted to.

The radio was a whopping $169 on Amazon.

I was lucky, there was enough room that I was able to enlarge the opening for the new radio. I found that it was about 1.5 inches deeper than the Visteon I took out, and that was the biggest problem I had installing it. My dremel tool got a workout.

I've seen some where a single DIN radio was installed and IMHO they look somewhat cheesy.

Please share the brand and model of the radio you got from Amazon, sounds like the one I would use. I have been thinking about changing out the old radio with something new with the bluetooth apps.

Schoolsout2 · 04-27-2012, 04:15 PM

4 holes in front? A 6 penny nail in each one will allow it to slide out.

Sky_Boss · 04-27-2012, 09:10 PM

Thanks for all the help.

Couldn't find DA TOOL so, 4 X 6d nails did the trick.

Still...no help on the button issue. I slid the radio out a bit, removed the face plate with controls. I actually pulled the face plate apart to see if I could clean the contacts up but that wasn't possible with the switch set up this had. I did clean the end of the ribbon cable connecting the control plate to the radio.

I was also able to figure out how to take the top panel dash panel off. It isn't a clam shell like DriVer's 03 rig but has 4 screws to remove the top half. That was plenty of room for me to see the radio connections and evaluate my options. I should easily be able to cut a larger opening for a double din radio replacement if I choose to go that route. If I can get a replacement front control panel for the radio and that fixed the problem, then I would do that.

The only thing that puzzled me was the the Sirius tuner. I was expecting to find some kind of tuner module but didn't find it. Does any one know if the Magnadyne has a built in Sirius tuner? If not, I need to do a bit more searching for it. Ah...but I think I am getting the hang of not being too afraid to tinker with it.

THANKS AGAIN TO ALL!!!

Alfred622 · 04-27-2012, 09:20 PM

I had a problem with my Magnadyne radio about 3 years AFTER it went out of warranty. I called the factory and got an RMA number. Sent the radio back in a box and two weeks later it came back totally refurbished. Works like a champ now.

Oh, the total cost to me.... about $9 dollars to mail the box to the factory... no cost to refurbish or mail it back to me.

I was pretty happy. This was two years ago.

Schoolsout2 · 04-28-2012, 07:09 AM

I just took mine out and added the aux line for an iPod. The sat antenna plugs into the back and the tuner in built in.

Muddypaws · 04-28-2012, 10:03 PM

If the tuner is internal you'll probably find a place for the sat antenna to plug in on the radio. If it's external you'll find a small connector with (probably) 2 wires in the back of the radio. Follow those wires and you'll find the receiver.

Mine was WAY under the dash to the left of the steering column. It's a much bigger box that I expected. I was looking for something the size of a deck of cards and it's much bigger than that.

Noting that you're RV is a 2006 like mine it's probably external, but don't take my word for it.

BTW, the radio I chose was an JVC XR810. It came with a remote too.