I decided to try and install the empeg myself, and I have never done any work like this before. Anyway, I got the dash piece off and then took off 4 screws which allowed me to take out the factory stereo and the empty tray underneath it. It appears that the tray is also DIN size.

So I pull out the brackets and factory stereo and tray and take out some screws. The HU comes out fine, but the empeg tray does not fit at all. I think I'm really screwed here, because the empeg metal tray is about 3-4mm wider than the brackets. I can't really bend the brackets to fit around the tray because then they won't screw back into the damn dashboard. I really have to use these brackets too because otherwise there's just a huge gaping hole in the dash and it would be very difficult to install anything in there with support.

Also, the empeg tray does not have any screw holes in the sides, so how would you normally secure it in place?

I'm really stuck on this part, and I don't want to have to take it to a stereo place because the only good one around here charges too much.

Look through/search the Installation forum. There's been plenty of posts about this style of mounting system. You'd need to drill through the sides of the cradle and use low clearance heads (so the empeg still can slide in).

The cradle normally mounts by sliding into a DIN sized opening, not falling through it due to the "lips" up front, and is secured from moving back out by bending out the tabs at the front, just behind the panel. Often a metal strap is screwed to the back of the cradle (M4 thread hole is there for, among others, this purpose) and somewhere inside the dash to stabilize the rear part of the cradle.

Edit:
Also check out the installation part of the FAQ

/Michael

Well maybe I didn't say it too clearly, but the empeg tray will not even fit in there at all. It's way too wide for the mounting brackets, and also way too wide for the dashboard plastic that goes around the whole deal. And even if I get the empeg tray screwed into the brackets with low clearance heads like you said, the brackets won't line up with the screw holes in the car.

My Isuzu Rodeo has a similar bracket. Mine was cut in half so only the pocket is supported. When I give back the truck, I will have to buy replacement brackets to fit the factory stereo back in.

As was mentioned in the duplicate of this thread in the Installation Notes forum, please check with Crutchfield or perhaps www.tune-town.com to see if they have a proper dash installation kit.

Since this was a cross-posted thread, I am now locking this thread to encourage that all discussion on this topic be moved to the corresponding heading under Installation Notes.