Upgrading the Audio 2009 Journey

[HollywoodGT]

Well I can see lookng at the audio system in my new used coach 2009 Journey 39Z. It doesnt sound to bad but for sure needs a speaker up grade and maybe a 100 amp. The biggest thing the Jensen VR 182 is missing is blue toot and ability to connect to a phone If any one has done any up grades love to hear about it.


Thank you in advance

[cef2lion]

My experience updating my radio. Wanted to go 2 DIN which might be what your radio is.

I have a 2004 Winnebago Adventurer. It had the Magnadyne M9900 radio. It has worked ok but I recently replaced the TVs front and back and decided to do the radio as well.

The Magnadyne M9900 is 1.5 DIN radio. Your Jensen might be 2 DIN and gives you many radios to pick from. Some have made the 1.5 hole big enough to take a 2DIN radio. Requires some cutting behind the dash. I ordered a Magnadyne M99XXSDKIT kit to allow me to replace the 1.5 DIN radio with a 1 DIN.

I was researching what 1 DIN to go with. I was in my local pull it yard getting something for a car of mine. I noticed an aftermarket radio in a 93 Cadillac. It was a Kenwood and looked in really nice shape. Had removeable faceplate, bluetooth, remote, XM Radio Ready, CD, USB, AUX port, HD Radio and the microphone for handsfree. I pulled the radio and paid $20 for it.

I made a harness from some molex connectors I got off ebay. That allow me to save the short harness to my factory radio in case it would ever need to go back in. I bought the XM receiver for it. Installation with the harness I made was quick. I updated the radio firmware and all the features appear to be working. I had moved my TV/Radio switch down from the overhead cabinet. I was always forgetting to switch it when traveling. That limited my space to go to a 2 DIN.

My 04 has the surround sound system. Its dated but still works ok. Actually sounds better with the Vizio 32 inch I put up front. Switched to HDMI from my Dish receiver to the TV. Very happy with all of this.

[cef2lion]

If you click on the image it rotates to portrait. The radio allows you to adjust the colors in case you want to match the dash cluster back lighting. I think this radio came out in 2015 but has all the features I was looking for.

[HollywoodGT]

Originally Posted by cef2lion

If you click on the image it rotates to portrait. The radio allows you to adjust the colors in case you want to match the dash cluster back lighting. I think this radio came out in 2015 but has all the features I was looking for.

Very cool I believe I'll be running out of time since we will be leaving on Friday for a Thanksgiving holiday trip. Yes your correct I believe it is a 2 din setup in my coach both in the bedroom and the dash unit. The issue is no bluetooth and no aux jack setups. I want to saty with the double din because of a 7.5 inch screen and I can use it for Nav and I have a IPad 5 on my dash mounted with a Ram setup. So a bigger screen I can use for navigation, radar etc.

Actuall all my phones are on Ram mounts. My Iphone 11 Pro is on a double suction cup on the drivers side window and and a 5" arm so I can still open a window. My wife has a Ram ball mount (blk) mounts on the wood next to her seat and it looks factory. That leaves her one mounted and she doesnt have to hold it.

Like I said between mounting the Satelite Dome upgrading Winegard Antenna, larger new fron speakers, Amp and figuring out all the wiring I'll have my hands full

[HollywoodGT]

Originally Posted by cef2lion

My experience updating my radio. Wanted to go 2 DIN which might be what your radio is.

I have a 2004 Winnebago Adventurer. It had the Magnadyne M9900 radio. It has worked ok but I recently replaced the TVs front and back and decided to do the radio as well.

The Magnadyne M9900 is 1.5 DIN radio. Your Jensen might be 2 DIN and gives you many radios to pick from. Some have made the 1.5 hole big enough to take a 2DIN radio. Requires some cutting behind the dash. I ordered a Magnadyne M99XXSDKIT kit to allow me to replace the 1.5 DIN radio with a 1 DIN.

I was researching what 1 DIN to go with. I was in my local pull it yard getting something for a car of mine. I noticed an aftermarket radio in a 93 Cadillac. It was a Kenwood and looked in really nice shape. Had removeable faceplate, bluetooth, remote, XM Radio Ready, CD, USB, AUX port, HD Radio and the microphone for handsfree. I pulled the radio and paid $20 for it.

I made a harness from some molex connectors I got off ebay. That allow me to save the short harness to my factory radio in case it would ever need to go back in. I bought the XM receiver for it. Installation with the harness I made was quick. I updated the radio firmware and all the features appear to be working. I had moved my TV/Radio switch down from the overhead cabinet. I was always forgetting to switch it when traveling. That limited my space to go to a 2 DIN.

My 04 has the surround sound system. Its dated but still works ok. Actually sounds better with the Vizio 32 inch I put up front. Switched to HDMI from my Dish receiver to the TV. Very happy with all of this.

Well done like the install I wish mine was equipped with a lighter there!

[cef2lion]

Thanks. When I lifted my dash up there was two more lighter plugs under there that you could let hang down over dash if needed. Not factory. Past owner added them.

[skitime]

On my 2009 Winnebago Journey I hated two things about the dash layout. One the backup monitor was a 7" black and white picture tube. Second the radio was placed so low in the dash you could not even read the LED time on the radio much less anything else from the drivers position.

I decided to improve everything at once, the backup monitor, radio and including the GPS in one unit I removed the backup monitor and radio. I turned the radio location into a cubby to store handy things like pens, flashlight etc. I installed a 12.8 inch diagonal Android head unit that now functions as the radio, backup monitor, bluetooth phone screen, GPS screen, Pandora player, BlueFire engine monitor, front camera DVR and any android app you could have on your phone. It is now up high so I can easily see the very large screen.

[skitime]

After the backup monitor was removed I needed to make a mount for a double din. The old monitor was a heavy unit so I had solid mounting surfaces but need to make a adapter for the double din cage so I made it out of steel plate for rigidity. The Android screen rotates and tilts in all directions so you can get the perfect angle or even tilt it over to the wife.

[skitime]

While I was doing the wiring for the new unit, I added additional speakers and a subwoofer to improve the sound. The factory had only placed 2 speaker facing straight down to the dash and were hard to hear and had little bass. I added left over surround sound satellite speakers above the drivers and passenger seats to compliment the front 3 way speakers. I also added a Rockville SS8P 400w 8" Slim Active Powered Subwoofer beside the drivers seat. The audio went from poor to excellent with these 2 additions.

[skitime]

I regretted loosing the factory radio steering wheel controls but came up with a solution that was even better. I took apart the steering wheel control and modified it to house remote controls. Now I can even answer the phone or place calls without taking my hands off the steering wheel. I also added a remote to the wife's side console so she can mute or adjust the sound as well. She loves that so she can mute to sound to tell me "something important"

[skitime]

I am an offroader and a gadget guy. I installed 8 cameras on the Jeep and used some of that learning process on the motorhome. So on the motorhome I went from 3 black and white cameras to 12 color cameras. Imagine for yourself where a camera might be useful. Here is my list and a picture of the camera switches I added to the dash.

Camera Locations

1F forward windshield camera (Security Camera)
2F interior rear facing camera (Watch things behind me while driving)
3F showing underneath hitch & rear undercarriage (mounted under DP engine)

4L left mirror arm camera showing left front tire (for backing out curved driveway)
5L factory left side camera (upgraded to color)
6L left rear corner at 45 angle outward (Assistance while backing/ security)

7R right mirror arm showing across front end (View of front surfaces)
8R factory right side camera (upgraded to color)
9R right rear corner at 45 angle (Assistance while backing/ security)

10B rear facing camera above rear hitch (Watch hitch and tow vehicle)
11B factory rear camera (upgraded to color)
12B wireless camera mounted on rear of Jeep roof for assistance in lane changes or security.

13 DVR windshield camera recording front view connect via USB directly to the Android

F=Front camera dash switch
L=Left camera dash switch
R=Right camera dash switch
B=Back camera dash switch

Normally I leave each switch on the center position. This gives me the factory side cameras and factory rear camera plus a camera interior rear facing so I can see the dog or wife moving around without turning my head. But if I want something different I an move the appropriate switch.

I installed a old time pedal dimmer switch to be my trigger to turn on the rear monitor. The trigger will allow the cameras to come on overriding what is on the Android screen. The dimmer switch allow to camera monitor to come on without taking my hands off the steering wheel. This fixed an annoyance I really hated with the factory turn signal triggers. The factory setup turns the side cameras on with the turn signal. I would find myself passing a vehicle and gauging when to return to the slow lane and suddenly as I turned on the turn signal my whole view suddenly changes causing some disorientation. I wanted to be in control of that.

[HollywoodGT]

Most excellent sounds like a pretty complete system. I will be putting my coach away and it is a non-heated facility and you can not work on the coaches. So my play time might be over until spring next year