'94 Bayliner capri 1800 head unit replacement

[DBrimer]

I have a '94 Capri with an Audiovox marine tape deck and I'm trying to swap it out. I took the flip-down cover off only to find that that is actually part of the head unit itself...and THEN only to find that I have about 1" of slack in the wires before it pulls tight from behind!

Has anybody else had this problem when removing the old factory unit? Any tips on how on earth I can get this thing out?? I can't even see the back of the unit as it sits plugged in now.

Thanks!

Dustin

 

[NYBo]

Re: '94 Bayliner capri 1800 head unit replacement

Welcome to iboats!

You may have to do this by feel if you can get your hand to the back of the unit. Alternately, since you're replacing the unit anyway, maybe just pulling it out will pop the wiring harness plug out of the back. If you damage it, no great loss (assuming you don't want to use it for anything).

 

[delirious]

Re: '94 Bayliner capri 1800 head unit replacement

awesome removal tecnique if you wanto damage the harness. the harness will have universal aftermarket wire colors which could be handy when installing a new deck. there might be another harness back there too, so yoinkin it out could endup ruining a second harness as well. then you`re stuck rewire frm inside a small hole...not fun...trust me. too many times i have replaced head units in boats only to have to extent the harness to make it "servicable" later if need be.

Welcome to iboats!

You may have to do this by feel if you can get your hand to the back of the unit. Alternately, since you're replacing the unit anyway, maybe just pulling it out will pop the wiring harness plug out of the back. If you damage it, no great loss (assuming you don't want to use it for anything).

 

[delirious]

Re: '94 Bayliner capri 1800 head unit replacement

if you can get access behind there, from underneath perhaps. you can cut the zipties securing the harness and free up enough useable length. seen deck (boat deck not audio) upside down on saw horses at the boat plant i worked at....all 12vdc accessories wired very neatly but no servicable length on the wires.

 

[NYBo]

Re: '94 Bayliner capri 1800 head unit replacement

I didn't mean to yank until something gave. A gentle tug might pop the plug.

There has to be access somewhere.A picture of the setup would help. You may have to cut an access hole.

 

[DBrimer]

Re: '94 Bayliner capri 1800 head unit replacement

I'll try and give it a gentle yank this afternoon and see if it feels like giving. There's definitely no access anywhere...tried behind the bow seating, and that's just fiberglass...the "dash" that the head unit sits above has a nice, deep glove box (almost like a bathroom sink) in front of it and restricts much more than the thickness of your fingers from passing around it...even then, it'll pinch your wrists before getting past it. I'll snap a picture if it might give everybody a better feel for what I'm working with.

In the end, the best idea might be to cut an access hole...maybe behind that bow seat I managed to pull back....

thanks guys!

 

[NYBo]

Re: '94 Bayliner capri 1800 head unit replacement

Those glove boxes can usually be removed.

 

[delirious]

Re: '94 Bayliner capri 1800 head unit replacement

i think the glove box the OP is refering to is part of the deck...moulded right in...lid is seperate and removable. a picture they say is a thousand words. i would think laying on your back looking up underneath the dash you would have some limited access????

 

[DBrimer]

Re: '94 Bayliner capri 1800 head unit replacement

Sorry I never got back to anybody on this one...just bringing her back out of storage and decided to tackle this radio again. Delirious is right, the glove box is molded directly into the body of the boat, and the bottom of the bowl comes so low to the lower deck shelf that not much more than your wrist can get past it on any side.

Long story short, I destroyed the faceplate to get a better peak at what was holding it in. Turns out it wasn't the wiring, there was a mild amount of slack to that. The back of the receiver was bolted to a flexible metal strap that was also bolted to the body of the boat (kind of like an exhaust pipe strap). With the front of the receiver busted off, I was able to get a screwdriver back there far enough to undo the strap and out it came!