How do you get these damn things out?

There is generally locking tabs on it on both sides of the deck.

You need something like a feeler gauge to slip down the sides and it should pull right out. Some are differesnt and require two pick tools to lift up the locking tabs.

Sawzalls don't care what kind of stereo you have .....................

Seriously, and competent car sounds shop can tell you how to do it. The Cap'n

Been to a car stereo shop lately? Real sharp ones...

I thought I'd ask the gang here instead.

When I was younger and didn't know how to do stereo stuff I just stop by a stereo shop and BSed with them for a sec. Then I said.. "Hey, could you guys get my deck out for me?" They did it quickly and didn't charge.

Thanks, but I'd rather sit here in my comfy living room chair and let one of the guys here that know how to remove these things tell me how to do it.

What, you don't like the 16 year olds, that claim they know what they're doing, touching your car? Why don't you have one of them put an alarm in there while they're at it

Taking the deck out is very easy for them though. I think it is the first thing they learn... I would hope.

How bout a picture -

Most din mount radios have special keys (shaped like little handles left and right) that release them from the cages. This was an attempt at making them more theft proof. The keys would come in the box with the stereo. You would slide one in on each side and it would release the unit from the chassis, and lock the keys in position so you could slide it out.

Then you would disconnect or cut any wires going to the harness and remove the radio.

The cage is then removed from the opening by bending tabs located all around the opening back to a neutral position. Depending on the guy who put it in, this can be easy or difficult. I use a dental pick to get under them and pry them up. You will have to straighten all these out before you reinstall it. Some radios also had a grounding strap located at the rear of the unit. Usually an 8 or 10mm nut holding a strap to the radio and then bent and fastened to the car with most often a sheet rock screw. This was for a better ground to the cahssis and it would help to anchor the unit more evenly in the dash. Most installers would chuck this piece and never look back, as it was time consuming to do, and not necessary in almost 80 percent of the vehicles you would be working in.

If you have the keys - this should take you about ten minutes to remove properly. If you dont have the keys, then you should swing by a stereo shop, they have keys for all sorts of units, and some keys are universal. This ain't rocket science and they would not mind doing it for you.

If you do not really care about the radio and intend on chucking it when you are done, then take two mini sized flat blade screw drivers, or butter knives work well also and slide them into the gaps located to the left and right of the stereo at about the center and wiggle them up down in and out while pushing on the back of the stereo. You will be essentially releasing the locks, but not getting the grasping of the keys, so you will have to push on the back of the unit while you do it. Try doing one side at a time. This will not destroy the radio, but it aint pretty and not reccomended if you intend on keeping the unit.

You may also want to go to the manufacturers website and enter the model number in a search - you may be able to download a pdf version of the users manual which will include installation instructions. Done in reverse order they become removal instructions.

A picture and model number would allow me to give you more help.

Try This


Or try to work on the locking tabs. Some stereos require you to stick something into slots to remove the tabs.
Or you could google your car stereo model and check the Aiwa website.

Thanks for the input. Here's some pics. Dark out already, but I think these will do.

Click to view attachmentClick to view attachment

here is a tool for a Kenwood

PS: you have to take off the plastic ring around the faceplate to access the holes on either side!

Any flat narrow piece of steal slid in the sides should release it! Just make one. Sometimes they use a round one and you can use a paperclip for that!

You need to take the face ring off first See the arrow in the photo

Be gentle with the ring, sometimes the clips will break off so don't force it just pull it sideways or down to disengage the clips then pull out gently

Again, thanks. It's the stereo in my 914 installed by some PO somewhere and naturally I don't have the keys. I want to get a good look at the hookups on the back and possibly wire some additional speakers/sub, etc...

And when I went to a stereo shop the last time I met some bonafide rocket scientits ( scientits! I was going to change the spelling on that and I realized it was kinda funny) that said they didn't have any keys for an Aiwa unit and were generally less than helpful.

Edit: Thanks Jeff!

I edited with a bit more info so see above if you have not yet done so

Got it. Thanks again!

Done. Out... Thanks!

I knew that surplus of PC case card slot blanks would come in handy some day. Worked great.

Sorry for the fuzzy pic.



Click to view attachment

LOL

Thats exactly what I was talking about!!

I should be an installer

Be careful what you wish for - I hated installing stereos for a living. I enjoy doing full blown custom systems, but not day to day crap. Sales people would stuff that does not go together and expect us to make it work. Blahhhhh. Maddening... Glad you got it out. I am planning 800 watts and a ten inch monitor in the 914 - its gonna be all james bonded out. Even got plans for an oil slick and smoke screen...

i have that AIWA deck, and i found that you have to put one tool in each side at a time as opposed to tryin to get em both in at the same time. you can "feel" around for the part that "catches" the tool and then push outward on the tools and it should slide right out, depending on how well you installed it originally.

good deck btw, and pretty cheap too