I recently purchased a 2k 3.0 Ranger. It came with the stock radio cassette player. Obviously, it had to go, so I checked e-bay and found a 05' Ranger 6 changer. Waiting until the final 20 seconds I made my bid for $51.50 and won; plus $10.50 shipping it came to $62.00 bucks. I was not sure that I would fit exactly right but I can deal with some wiring issues for $62 bucks. Much to my delight, the unit fit perfectly, went in easy, and the harness plugged right in. My problem was that I broke the antenna wire at the back of the unit. So, a trip the local automotive recycling center was in order to pick up a new one. Luckily for me, there is one that specializes in trucks just 1.5 miles from the house. I picked up the new (used) wire for $6.00 and went home to install it.

To install this wire the fender needs to be removed to gain access to the bottom of the mast. Upon attempting to remove it I discover that the rust is so bad in the inner fender behind the head light that I was unable to remove the fender. If I had a cutting torch I could have blown the bolt off but I do not have a cutting torch. I go ahead and put everything back together.

At this point I start looking for an alternative to get me radio hooked up until I can have the front clip replaced and decide to try the wire all by its self and just tuck it up behind the dash. Upon testing this method I find that It does work but only for the best stations. The stations that I might listen to most often were poor at best.

I then wondered if I could affix the antenna to the wire as it hangs up under the dash and poke the antenna up there with it. There just was not enough room up there for an antenna to go up there; though the wire did fit nicely behind the glove box and fed out at the right kick panel. So I started looking for somewhere in that area to put the antenna.

What I decided on was to tuck it inside the upper door seal. Keep in mind that I had to grind the threads down to fit inside the antenna wire to make a good contact. It did not take much but the mast is no longer usable in the stock mount.

 

go thru the fire wall dude....that looks hacked.....not to be a dick, just get a amplified universal antenna and stick it to the inside of the windshield and run the wire thru the headliner and down the pillar and into the dash and BAM it works....good luck with your set up

 

I appreciate the input, this setup is just a quick fix for my problem of rusted broken fender bolts. This will do until I can spend some money on getting a new front clip and antenna parts. I know it looks a little skanky but no one can see it with the door closed and it works good.

I do like your idea, though. I may end up doing what you are talking about.

 

"A little Skanky" Lmfao lol hahah GL dude, the fender mount ants. are a pain i hear ya..

 

what wire broke? the one in the dash?

 

That's right, The end broke right at the radio. I spent $6 bucks for a new one and couldn't get the fender off to replace it. This bites because I was wanting to do the cowl intake mod through the fender. It will have to wait.

 

why didn't you just splice them together?

 

They make replacement end, don’t they… ?

How is the reception ?

 

i believe they do make a replacement end, actually, and i think walmart sells them

 

that would have been fine but the wire broke due to it being rusted. I wonder if the previous owner worked in a salt mine.