Thinking of getting Nissan Frontier, but...

I'm thinking about getting a new Nissan Frontier Crew-cab. I test-drove a couple the other weekend and I really liked them. However, I wasn't sure about where I could install my empeg. The truck comes with an oversize factory stereo/6-CD changer that I'd like to keep installed - and there seems to be adequate space below the stereo/changer to install the empeg. The problem with the space below, however, was accessability. The 4wd shift knob and automatic [censored] knob both looked like they'd get in the way of sliding my empeg in and out of its sled.

Does anybody on this forum own a Frontier or any other Nissan model with a similar center console? If so, do you have any info on the installation of your empeg - or any suggestions?

Thanks,

- trs

I guess I spelled "shift" wrong, there. oops. hhhhh

- trs

That's funny, trs24...
(I know, it's easy to make me happy)

or any suggestions?

This may seem overly simplistic, but I'll say it anyway just in case you haven't thought of it. Why not drop the factory stereo down and put the empeg on top of it? That way, the shift knobs aren't in the way.

Oh - that's a very good suggestion. See, I was fixated on just one solution. It always pays to ask other's for advice!

- trs

And would it be in the way if you weren't in Park? What if you put it in 1 while you were inserting or removing the empeg?

I have a Frontier ('02 CC LB 4x4). I haven't installed my Empeg yet, so I can't give any suggestions. I keep trolling this board hoping that someone else posts some suggestions for me.

There's a Nissan Frontier forum on the net that has a section devoted to audio. They have wiring loom info there, too. That's actually where I first heard about the Empeg, actually.

I'll probably tear out the original HU. It's okay, and definately better than most stock systems, but there seems little point in keeping it in there one I toss in the Empeg and PCA's tuner kit.

Why not drop the factory stereo down and put the empeg on top of it?

Okay.... I went out and checked my truck to see if this is feasible. The space under the factory radio is only about half the depth of the empeg sled -- in otherwords, really only useful for putting your sunglasses in. Without taking my dash apart, I felt around behind there to see if that was just empty space or not. It's not. There's definately something back there that would prohibit dropping the factory radio down. Whatever it was I felt, it had a massive heatsink on the back, so I'm guessing that's the amp that comes with the Rockford Fosgate option. If you don't get option, that space may be free.

And would it be in the way if you weren't in Park?

In that case - I think the shift knob definitely wouldn't be - but the 4wd knob would still. Unless I put it into 4low everytime I wanted to take out/put in my peg. Maybe I'll have to test drive them again and try to figure out some possibilities.

- trs

Well, I can't stand it any longer. I'm just going to get the truck this weekend. Once I have it - I'll have pleanty of time to figure out how to install the empeg. When I do - I'll be sure to post all the info I gather on it.

Thanks guys!

- trs

What if you put it in 1 while you were inserting or removing the empeg?

Would you really want to be hindered to the point of having to move your gear shifter everytime you get in your truck to put your empeg in? I know you have to move it anyway but I like to put mine in as soon as I get in the truck. It would just be a nuisance to me to have to do it in a specific order with no other solutions.

I would agree with Meatballman on moving the factory radio down and installing the empeg on top, if there's enough room.

Well, I can't stand it any longer. I'm just going to get the truck this weekend.

Yay! Welcome to the Fronty family. I'm looking forward to your install details -- I'm almost at the point where I can earmark some of my disposable income towards getting my Empeg installed.

Hey thanks! Yeah - I LOVE it. My last truck was a 97 Nissan - but it was a REAL P.O.S. So this truck is a real step up.

But, I've been pondering it and I'm not sure how I'm going to install the peg and keep the factory installed system. If I don't want to keep the factory cd changer, I could easily enough install it with this kit. But it still might be possible to install it under the stereo in the storage area with this.

k, I'm going to go down and see how well the peg fits in that space.

- trs

Well... I was terribly disappointed to find out that the peg does not fit in the storage area below the factory stereo. So, without HEAVY modifications to the console... I think it's not possible to install the empeg AND keep the factory installed CD changer. DMNT.

- trs

Yeah, I thought that might be the case.

I thought about doing a vertical mount in the CD holder part of the center console arm rest, but didn't like the thought of losing visuals, even though I usually just listen to everything on random.

Yeah - my feelings exactly. If only I had a tuner kit, I'd yank that factory stereo right out of there. Otherwise - I suppose my rio-car is going to serve as a rio-home/office in the meantime.

- trs

Mine is also serving as a rio-home/office. I have a tuner kit, but haven't found the time to put it together yet. I haven't been in any great rush, since living 6 miles from work means I barely make it through two songs on the way to and from work (and lately, I haven't even been driving to work).

I'll hopefully have my install done by Aug. 9th, when I have to make a 9 hour drive to Tahoe for a race.

Alrighty, then. I've finally installed my empeg + pcats tuner. All I can emoticon is

I have to admit, though, I'm *really* glad I took it to a shop -- Al & Ed's Autosound (on Lincoln). Three thumbs up for them. I knew they were the guys to go to, when, during my initial drop in, the guy at the counter knew what the empeg was by my description. They've installed about 10 of them, now.

As for the install itself, there were two problems -- one easy to solve, one not so easy to solve.

The easy problem to fix was that the five channel amp could only fit behind the back seat if I took out the jack. Not an option. That left under either of the front seats. Due to an odd bump in the floor under the passenger seat, it stuck out too far. The driver seat was even worse. I ended up going with dual amps -- a 4 channel, plus a bridged 2 channel

The not-so-easy problem is that the empeg wouldn't fit in the damn console! The HU that was removed was a dual DIN unit. The console moulding fit over top the edges of the radio. There's a little edge running around the perimiter of the hole for the radio, which is supposed to fit over top the stereo -- that's the way the after market mounting kit works, as well -- so all aftermarket stereos are supposed to sit under the moulding. The empeg, of course, due to having a handle and needing to be pulled out, needs to sit flush with the surface, so the cage needed to go on top of the moulding. Enter the next problem -- the top of the moulding had rounded corners -- the empeg wasn't going to fit without some major hacksawing. Installing at the bottom had its own difficulties. The only thing we could do was mount the Empeg in the middle, and lose the idea of having a map pocket. In order to get the cage to sit correctly, they ended up cutting part of the moulding, so that when the Empeg is in the cage, the Empeg sits flush with the little bit of moulding. So, now that we have the cage in, there were holes top and bottom that needed plugging. Well, we couldn't put plastic over the top -- that looked like crap. If we put the plastic in back, there was a gap of about 5mm between the plastic, and the sled. That also looked like crap. They painted the sled black to see if that helped. It did a bit, but not enough. They ended up putting the plastic on the back, then cutting more bits of plastic that fit the shape of the holes to fill the gap.

Aside from the slightly odd look of a single DIN stereo sitting in the middle of a double DIN slot, it looks pretty decent. Will post install pics if I can find someone with a digital camera...

Cheers,

PS... they started working on it at about 4pm, and finished at about 11:30pm. They probably could have finished about a bit sooner, but it was a 20 minute bike ride for me to get to the shop when they called asking what to do about the center console.

Edit: PPS... the other car in the shop while I was there was a Rolls Royce.