Radio install

The wife upgraded the stereo in her 2000 Stratus and I get the hand me down. The stratus unit is an AM/FM with cassette and fader for rear speakers. My 97 Cherokee has just a 2 speaker AM/FM stock SE unit.
Before I tear things apart:
Will this be a plug and play operation?
What about wires for rear speakers.
What is a reasonable option for adding rear speakers, there is no sound bar in this Cherokee.
What are reasonable speakers - I searched and have seen several references to infinity reference 5002i. These are on ebay for about 45/pair + 22 shipping. Or should I consider something else.
What about replacing the stock front door speakers? Good idea? recommendations?
I found this web page that appears to be most helpful for those considering a radio upgrade. TIA

i dont believe the new radio will plug n play with your cherokee.
there should be wires in the back hatch already for rear speakers
refrence series speakers are good not the best but good
if your gonna go through the trouble of doing all that id get a aftermarket stereo and adapter harness and do it the right way

I've had pretty good luck poking around on this site in the past:

www.the12volt.com

Somewhere on there they list the adapter plug you would need for your stock stereo plug. Just check the part number for the Stratus and the XJ. If they're the same it should work.

Fitst things first. If the stratis radio has the squared off corners (Crysler had started using the next generation radio with rounded corners in 2000 on some of it's vehicles) it will bolt in and plug in to the factory harness in your XJ. As far as the rear speakers go the factory spot for 97+ is the headliner just inside the hatch. I belive some trim levels had a seperate sound bar others had them directly in the headliner. As far as the wires being there I would say most likley for something like that. My oponion is, the no rear speaker is quite rare, and it wouldn't be cost effective to make a seperate harness without the wires. On my 2000 the wires come up from the right side behind the pannel with the cubby in it. I would look there first then go through the trouble of looking in the headliner. I also would go to a junk yard, and try to get the speaker bar with the mounting hardwhere. I believe all pre 96's used the seperate speaker bar for the rear speakers, and it shouldn't be hard at all to add it to your XJ.
This is from DoTheDew24/7's web sight
Rear Speakers
Left Rear (+) Brown/Yellow
Left Rear (-) Brown/Light Blue
Right Rear (+) Dark Blue/White
Right Rear (-) Dark Blue/Orange
As far as good sounding aftermarket speakers are conserned. It's mostly in the ear of the beholder as one speaker might sound like crap to an audiophile, and good to you. Unless your willing to spend several hundred dollers on a set of speakers your not going to get a speaker that has nice clean low bass in the size that fits in the stock locations on XJ's. What I suggest is to go to the audio store and listen to a few sets in the price your bugeting on a low power head unit (as a stock unit only puts out about 15-20 watts I believe) with no external amp. My personal opinion on the stock systems in Jeeps are they suck even the head unit. I couldn't even stand to listen to it when I first got the jeep, and spent four hours outside in the snow just to replace all that needed done.

bcguy said:

Just check the part number for the Stratus and the XJ. If they're the same it should work.

Click to expand...

Excellent suggestion, while I had trouble finding adapter information on the site you gave, I was able to find it on another site and the same plugs are used for both radios.
The Stratus radio has square corners so it also passes that test.
I'll have to start a junk yard search for the sound bar, but I haven't had much success around here with junk yards for other items. XJ's rarely go to the junk yard around here.
I understand the OEM sound systems, especially the low end stuff used in government fleet vehicles (I bought both vehicles from GSA auctions), are "junk" but given the other accoustic characteristics of this XJ, I do not think I would appreciate any sound difference unless parked.... but that's another topic. This site has OEM replacement speakers for $8.00
http://www.installer.com/speakerparts/index.html
Did Jeep really use a speaker that retails for $8.00??? I'm not even that cheap!!

OEM spkrs are always cheap...and a staters idea of a vehicle doesn't include a stereo...

in my 95 the speakers are in the front doors and the rear liftgate. - am.fm, 1 front speaker (left channel blown) DNR jeep. (hooray for staters)
no wires to the liftgate except for the wiper and washer.

XplodJeepster said:

OEM spkrs are always cheap...and a staters idea of a vehicle doesn't include a stereo...

in my 95 the speakers are in the front doors and the rear liftgate. - am.fm, 1 front speaker (left channel blown) DNR jeep. (hooray for staters)
no wires to the liftgate except for the wiper and washer.

Click to expand...

You have speakers in the lift gate and no wires???

If you can snap a picture of the front and back I could tell ya if it's plug n play........... :lecture:

If it looks like this it will work.