Installed Sirius Stiletto 08 Taco

[Oilcan]

I installed my Sirius Stiletto into my 08 Taco.
I used the FM relay instead of the Metra Adapter, simply because I already had the relay. After the install, the Stiletto plays though my OEM stereo without ANY static.

Here's the report:

I won't post photos of the OEM head removal, cus it's already doumented well in the AV formum in the Basic Install thread.

Here's what I encountered.

1)
Be VERY careful how you pry off the climate controls. The snaps are "friction-only" (they don't need to have any tab depressed to release). But the face finish of the plastic faceplate and the dash body is very soft and suseptable to marring by any light contact with anything sharp and hard. If you can "lift" the control faceplate before slidding in whatever pry tool you use, you'll avoid scratching the edge of the faceplate. If you can protect the dash body with tape before you start to pry, that'll help protect the finish too.

2) Here's a photo of behind the OEM stereo:

I attached the relay to the antenna socket and re-attached the antenna cable to the relay.

3)

I tucked the relay between the electrical harness and the top of the head body.

4) I pulled off the shift cover (same friction clips), zip-tied the rolled up excess cable/wire

5) I tucked the excess cable/wire under the cup hold. The cup hold has molded-in clips that need to have their tabs depressed to remove. The only way to easily access these is from the removed shift cover.

6) Final Install.

The power/FM/antenna wires are exposed from under the shift console side to the Stiletto. Hiding these in a cleaner install is my next project. There's no real clean location to pull these from/through. I'm thinking about cutting a small hole to run these through.

Does anyone have any experience or advise on this?

I'm happy with the overall install. I like the Stiletto car dock and how it can be adjusted for optimum viewing. The relay works really well. While the Stiletto is powered up, it "blocks" ALL FM reception and redirects the FM modulator signal to the tuned frequency. I'm in Southern California, where EVERY frequency is used and most stations are pumpuing out enough wattage to blead over into the adjacent frequencies. I can tune my Stiletto to the strongest local FM station and the relay will totally block the signall for static free, CD quality sound from my Stiletto.

Success!

-Oilcan

[Oilcan]

Here are some more pics:

1) The relay:

2) A shot of the female slots for the climate control friction clips:

3) Shot of the underside of the shift cover:

4) A shot of the excess wire under the cup holder:

And some additional advise:

1) If you don't unplug the climate controls for the installation, wrap it up in a cloth and rubber-band it. This will protect the dash face from being scratched by the sharp corners and edges of the control face plate.

2) I thought of this after- There might be a way to pull the climate control face plate from the dash to slip in a pry tool by pulling off the knobs and using something to pull the controls from BEHIND. Just a thought.

Enjoy!

-Oilcan

[lsocoee]

Great Posts. Thanks.

[roonie287]

Awesome Post.

Be careful with the edges like he said, everything scratches easy.

You can use a credit card to pry the A/C controls off, won't scratch and works awesome.

[ChrisDeSoup]

any ideas where to place the antenna?

[roonie287]

I have mine mounted just above the front window on the driver's side. the wire runs in the space between the window and the A-Pillar to the hood, there is sneaks in between the body panels and into the door. You can pull up the weather stripping on the door jam run the wire under it, this will keep it from getting pinched when you open and close the door. then I have it running in the space just above the pedals, I zipped tied all the wires to one of the support beams and have mine attached right by the change bin the the right of the wheel.

[roonie287]

Any have some good idead for getting the power adaptors hidden. I have seen some attachments in my other trucks. I was thinking about find an attachment to hook my sirius and my nav system up, making all the connections under the center console. Any one done this?

[ChrisDeSoup]

Originally Posted by roonie287

Any have some good idead for getting the power adaptors hidden. I have seen some attachments in my other trucks. I was thinking about find an attachment to hook my sirius and my nav system up, making all the connections under the center console. Any one done this?

Do you want to hard-wire the power?

[roonie287]

I don't believe its a true hard wire kit. It taps into the power supply to the cigarette lighter behind the dash, like the one below. I have seen them with the snap on connections, that you just clip around the live wires and they pierce the insulation, but haven't been able to find them.

http://www.tss-radio.com/cigarette-l...er-p-4057.html

[ChrisDeSoup]

http://www.myradiostore.com/sirius/s...2vsiduvoh.html

^ here is a link for harwire power.

I ordered a cig lighter replacement from these guys and they sent me the wrong one. They were really cool about the return for a refund (I just went and bought one at a local radio shack). Only bad thing was they don't refund shipping and I had to pay for return shipping. I lost out on $6.00 total for shipping a $9.00 item ($3 to ship & $3. to return).

[kab85]

Great article! Just got mine hooked up today....Looks clean, I just wish I could find a better place for the antenna, I hate the look of it on the roof so I just have it on the dash close to the windshield.

Anybody have some alternate ideas on antenna placement?

[ChrisDeSoup]

Originally Posted by kab85

Great article! Just got mine hooked up today....Looks clean, I just wish I could find a better place for the antenna, I hate the look of it on the roof so I just have it on the dash close to the windshield.

Anybody have some alternate ideas on antenna placement?

I have been going through the same problem. I don't want it on my roof in case I want to go through a car wash. I have been asking in various threads and everyone seems to put it on the roof. I have been toying with the idea of putting it on the bedrail below the rear window. The only downside is there is only view of the sky opposite the direction I drive and the 'tenna will not stick to the plastic (composit) bedrail. I might try some doublesided tape. Honestly I don't know what the hell I'm gunna do, I don't like the look of the antenna on the roof with the wire trailing to weatherstripping. If I get a cap I'll put it on there but for now I just listen to CD's in the car and use my boom box+starmate at home to catch stern and bubba. If you have any Ideas let me know, I miss my sirius on the road.

[kab85]

Yeah I just don't know what to do either... On the dash works for now but there is no way I'm gonna put it on th roof, just cant stand it haha. Below the rear window might work... I'll have to give that one a try when I get the chance.

I just cant live without my Sirius any more. I haven't had it since I bought my truck 2 months ago and it's just is no fun driving 4 hours up to mammoth with just some cd's and the radio! Anyways I just might have to live with that ugly antenna up on my dash for now.

[ChrisDeSoup]

Originally Posted by kab85

Yeah I just don't know what to do either... On the dash works for now but there is no way I'm gonna put it on th roof, just cant stand it haha. Below the rear window might work... I'll have to give that one a try when I get the chance.

I just cant live without my Sirius any more. I haven't had it since I bought my truck 2 months ago and it's just is no fun driving 4 hours up to mammoth with just some cd's and the radio! Anyways I just might have to live with that ugly antenna up on my dash for now.

Mammoth lakes outside of Fresno or mammoth north of Redding?

[kab85]

Yeah Mammoth Lakes outside of Fresno

[beondwacko]

Here's where I mounted my reciever. Very sanitary install.

[ChrisDeSoup]

Originally Posted by beondwacko

Here's where I mounted my reciever. Very sanitary install.

looks good, where did you mount your antenna? Did you use velcro or double sided tape?

[ChrisDeSoup]

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=240141

good ideas on sat radio placement.

[beondwacko]

If you look just above the rearview mirror you see the Ant'.

[08_TACO_offroad]

I get alot of static with the cig lighter plug. I can find a good station, but I can still hear some static in the background sometimes. I just want that CD quality sound.