Radio fixes

[TrippinTrout]

Hello. I’m new here and was told you guys know your stuff. Here it goes.  I have a 1988 Jeep Comanche MJ. 4wd 

 

I am trying to make the fm radio work but all I am getting is static from it.  If the radio is turned all the way up though I can hear music through it faintly.  Am works great.  Ohmed out from the antenna to the unit and am getting 2 ohms. If I tilt the head unit sometimes it cuts in better. I have cleaned all of the connections and checked the ground on the back. What do you guys think.  

[SVPete]

As a starter suggestion, go to the "MJ Tech: DIY Projects and Write Ups" section. Read "What Minuit know about stock Jeep Radios". It is on the first page.

 

May not have the answer, but a lot of knowledge there.

[TrippinTrout]

I did I appreciate it that’s actually how I found the forum lol.


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[Jeep Driver]

The antenna wire is 2 pieces, there is a connection at the passenger kick, check that connection. 

[TrippinTrout]

I pulled the antenna off and checked the lower connection seemed tight and traced all the way back to look for eaten wires.


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[Minuit]

Internal failure inside the radio. If shaking the radio around makes it better, more than likely bad solder joints. The AR-7752 is old enough now that that's a concern. I can see the display is bleeding around the edges as well. That will get worse. I normally see that in radios that have spent a lot of time in direct sunlight or have been dropped.

 

That radio is nothing special. That model was used in '92 and '93, which means it isn't original to your truck anyway. All 1988 through 1996 single-DIN Jeep radios are interchangeable. To fix it would cost two or three times what it's worth.

[TrippinTrout]

I Will do an aftermarket stereo than. I want to keep the truck looking mostly stock inside that’s why I was trying to see what I could do to make this work. Is there a stereo you would recommend to keep the look. I was going to get an older one to replace it and they are around 70$ I’m seeing. I really appreciate the reply.


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[Pete M]

Hit the junkyards!  XJs are still out there    

[TrippinTrout]

Rodger dodger thank you everyone!


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[Pete M]

15 minutes ago, TrippinTrout said:

Rodger dodger thank you everyone!


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and be sure to add in your location and then some details about your truck into your signature.  

 

also, old radios look good even in newer Jeeps.     This is an 92? XJ radio in my '06 Liberty.  Minuit's taking a break from the radio stuff because of work, but eventually I expect him to be back in the saddle and adding in AUX ports like he did to mine.  And I have since added a bluetooth dongle to that port which makes my 25 year old radio more modern than my 13 year old Jeep's original.   (that cable under the unit is for charging my phone when it's in the cubby)

 

[Deleted]

heyy glad you made your way over here! (I'm the guy from reddit who directed you here lol)

[TrippinTrout]

Thank you Pete going to do some looking at the junk yards to see it I can find anything. Looks good


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[TrippinTrout]

heyy glad you made your way over here! (I'm the guy from reddit who directed you here lol)

You sent me to the right place! Thanks for the help!


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[70barracuda]

This radio is actually pretty good. I bought it when it was 19$. I hated the look of all the aftermarket radios for the interior my Comanche. Looked way to futuristic and out of place.  This one fits really well and works great. I was expecting way worse for a 20 dollar radio but it surprised the hell outta me. Bluetooth. Phone mic built in. My friends say they here my really clearly. And it fits in the stock spot super well. Lasted 6 months perfect (Comanche is away for the winter currently)

[DirtyComanche]

43 minutes ago, 70barracuda said:

This radio is actually pretty good. I bought it when it was 19$. I hated the look of all the aftermarket radios for the interior my Comanche. Looked way to futuristic and out of place.  This one fits really well and works great. I was expecting way worse for a 20 dollar radio but it surprised the hell outta me. Bluetooth. Phone mic built in. My friends say they here my really clearly. And it fits in the stock spot super well. Lasted 6 months perfect (Comanche is away for the winter currently)

 

Thanks for that.  Now my Amazon cart, it's going to replace the insanely bright blue spaceship POS that currently inhabits my dash.

[NickyV]

Not sure if this is the appropriate thread to resurrect, but I have a version of the radio that the OP had. I think there are a few that look like that -- with bass and treble sliders -- based on the Minuit post. Unfortunately the sticker on mine is gone and I can't seem to find a serial number, though maybe I can find it on the circuit board?

 

Anyway, the reason I'm here is that I'm having a hell of a time getting this radio into place.

 

There are a couple of factors here:

1. I didn't leave myself much room with the harness connections, which makes preparing the space difficult. However, if I add more wire length, I'll just create more material to get in the way.
2. I am trying to fit a line converter in the radio cavity. This didn't initially seem like an issue, because It does fit nicely along the right hand side (passenger side/glove box side) of the HVAC control unit. (Note: I have all the factory speaker wire connections tucked along that side too, because I'm running RCA connections to an amp behind the seat).
3. THE MAIN FACTOR: The two frontside wings of the bracket -- which are how you attach the bracket to the dash with screws/speed nuts -- appear to be the main thing blocking me from getting the radio into place. It appears that I'm supposed to have the bracket mounted to the top of the unit and that the tab on the top of the bracket is supposed to click into place on the underside of the dash. I feel like I'm getting the tab to hook into the receiving bracket on the underside of the dash, but then the wing on the left hand side/driver's side can't get past the trim around the clock. I'm terrified that I'm going to break my beautiful factory clock if I try to force it past. Any suggestions here?
4. It is just dawning on me as I type this that I have an 87 MJ and the perhaps the bracket and radio are not quite right? The bracket came with this unit (which was off an XJ from the junkyard) might not be an ideal fit? 

By the way, I have already bench tested the unit and it works and I LOVE the green vacuum display. So cool. The radio is also way louder and I think richer sounding than the more modern Dual head unit that came with the truck when I bought it (I hated the way that looked).

 

ONE MORE BIG QUESTION: Before I finish getting this head unit in, are there any repairs or mods recommended? I am going to go back and read the Minuit post more closely, but I don't recall that this unit was very prized, or that there was an easy way to sneak a Bluetooth module in there. I was thinking it might be possible to solder some connections that might take over the AM1 or AM2 banks. I listen mostly to FM frequencies, so I'd be fine having only one bank of AM presets. I'd also be fine if I could take over one of the FM banks. Anybody know if this is possible?

 

If not, I already have identified a covert place to put Bluetooth receiver and a method for switching between the radio and the Bluetooth. But just wondering if this is possible.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions or videos or anything on how I can get this into place without brute-forcing it? Maybe I need to remove the two little spacer screws on the sides of the radio? Haven't tried that yet.

[Spinnakerblue89]

Oof it's been a little while since I pulled my head unit out, and I actually did have the same one the OP showed, same as you apparently. I distinctly remembered that something on the bracket was bent, and I had to correct that for it to fit. You may double check that. 

 

Now on my '93 ZJ, I had the same problem as you and I am not looking forward to the day that I have to ever pull the head until out because I fussed and fussed with it for a while until finally I held my breath, shoved the radio back into the cubby without damaging anything, and I got lucky. I'm not suggesting that here, but I am saying that I did have to do that once and it specifically was because of the cables being plentiful.

 

 

[Eagle_SX4]

1 hour ago, NickyV said:

I feel like I'm getting the tab to hook into the receiving bracket on the underside of the dash, but then the wing on the left hand side/driver's side can't get past the trim around the clock. I'm terrified that I'm going to break my beautiful factory clock if I try to force it past. Any suggestions here?

The clock is easily removed one screw above and one below. The one on the bottom also hold the cigarette lighter socket in place. Once the clock is removed it will slide right on to place.

[NickyV]

Thanks to @Spinnakerblue89! But I'm hoping that @Eagle_SX4has my answer. I was working on this in the dark last night and it did not occur to me to remove the cigarette lighter. I am thinking that this is the solution I was looking for!

[NickyV]

UPDATE: Success! I got the damn thing in. After moving the clock plate out of the way it was still giving me trouble, but I think I figured out the issue.

 

The part of the bracket that attaches to the radio (male?) did not want to fully lock into place on the receiving bracket under the dash. I was wiggling and trying all kinds of things. Then, I accidentally applied some downward pressure on the top of the bracket while I was pushing and it went in. I ended up having to take the radio out once more and when I put it in again, I did the same thing.

 

I think by applying a little pressure I shifted the hook on the bracket just enough to go into place. Maybe it's designed that way? Not sure.

 

But now I have yet another question. The display looks great when the running lights or headlights are on. But when they are off, I can't make out the dial (even in the daytime). I wonder if this is just because the unit is old or if maybe there is a setting I can access by pressing down buttons and twiddling knobs.