New Factory Head Unit in Old XJ

[bjoehandley]

Has anybody ever tried putting one of the newer Hard Drive equipped U-Connect head units from a JK or other modern Mopars into their XJ's? My Chrysler 200 has one of the basic HD equipped AM/FM/CD/DVD/Satellite Radios and I love it, but would love to put one of them in my '98 XJ Limited at some point.

Here's what mine looks like.

 

[Veeb0rg]

The newer Units use the vehicle CAN bus signal to turn on and off. Without the can bus there is no way to even turn the thing on to play music.

 

[Johnnie Walker]

There are a couple of write-ups to install DD HU's. A decent aftermarket unit will most likely cost much less than a late model OE unit. Overall simpler to wire as well.

 

[techno1154]

I have been looing at doing something like that some time ago using an after market unit but other projects were more pressing. Then of course all the good units are double dins, i.e. two spaces. The XJ uses a single din space. I think someone on here removed the center air vent and successfully integrated a double din system.

 

[urban yan]

You can fit a 2din unit without modding the vents
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1024604&page=3

I contemplated a mygig deck install ages but I wrote off the prospect when I realized the bus fiasco.

 

[bjoehandley]

Well, that sucks, guess if I ever go beyone just maintenence on the truck, I'll have to just do that then.

Thanks guys, appreciate the info!

 

[Johnnie Walker]

I have been looing at doing something like that some time ago using an after market unit but other projects were more pressing. Then of course all the good units are double dins, i.e. two spaces. The XJ uses a single din space. I think someone on here removed the center air vent and successfully integrated a double din system.

96-down XJ's used single-DIN HU's. 97-up use the 1.5-DIN HU's.

 

[Cottontail]

That is the same unit in my '13 WK II. In that second photo, are you playing a movie, and if so, how?

 

[bjoehandley]

Easy, just make sure it's in park and is set to play a disk, then put the disk it and it'll give you all the options on the touchscreen that you would get on a traditional DVD Player or Computer. If it's not in park or neutral, it just plays the audio track like it was a music disk though, so you can't watch it while you drive........although I've been told by my boss's son that there is a wire that runs to the shifter assembly that has to see ground only in park or neutral to allow the DVD portion to work and if you move that to a constant ground, that can be bypassed, although I have had no reason to do so (no kids of my own or nieces and/or nephews) on mine.

 

[Alexia]

If it just needs the presence of the CAN bus physical interface that would be incredibly easy to wire up. If it needs a "turn on" command that would could be done with a cheap Teensy and a bit of CAN bus sniffing.

 

[bjoehandley]

I would have no idea where to begin on doing something like that though.

 

[Digger87xj]

here ya go... a "little" pricey tho... heh

http://viperspecialtyperformance.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=187

 

[urban yan]

700bucks plus the cost of the head unit?
bwahhaaahaha... oh that's rich!

 

[bjoehandley]

Damn, I'll have to look at the paperwork, but I think I paid less than that as a part installed in my 200 at the factory!

 

[Digger87xj]

700bucks plus the cost of the head unit?
bwahhaaahaha... oh that's rich!

I know huh? stupid for a DIY but it looks like it was developed for repair guys for bench testing... So if your repairing them regularly, then it makes sense.

I wonder if a rasberry pi board could be used to access the CAN bus? I'm no programmer either so ??

 

[IslanderOffRoad]

I'd look into an android auto or Apple car play unit instead