anyone use their iPod in a Jeep Wrangler?

[badkitty]

and if so...where and how did you mount it??

[en480c4]

I do... I just installed everything in my new '04 Rubicon.
I used my PIE adapter from my WJ and installed it in my TJ. It converts the changer input into RCA's, and then I used a Monster Cable RCA --> headphone jack. I ran the audio out the defrost vent and used my Power Pod w/ the IPod cable in the cig lighter, returned the cable immediately into the dash and up through the defroster.
I used some 3M wall hooks, cut them down w/ a Dremel and superglued them to the underside of the dock. This allowed the dock to sit at a slight angle, which puts the IPod almost vertical and clears the cables above the back of the sunglass tray at the top of the dash. If you remove the rubber tray liner up there, you can use the adhesive from the hooks right to the dash. It's almost a perfect distance away, and I barely have to take my eyes off the road to use it.
It looks interesting up there, 'cause the dock and hooks are white and I have a black interior, but I'm planning on pulling it and spraying it black at some point. My friend is swinging by w/ a digital camera tomorrow and I'll be sure to get some pics up then.
Hope this helps. It's kind of hard to describe, but I'm sure the pics will clear things up tomorrow.

[badkitty]

i can sort of follow it -- but the pictures will be key --
:D
i already have the radio hooked up -- but right now im still using iTrip and clipping it to the visor on the drivers side because im not sure where its final resting place will be so i dont know where to put the last cable...but that place will not work with the top off so i wanted to know where others have put their iPods --

[en480c4]

Well, here are the pics.
I figured I'd take care of them @ work while I still had light, even if it's still snowing!
Sorry the pictures aren't great, I'm not much of a photographer.
General shot:


Close up from front:


Close up from side:


View from outside:


IPod in - inside:


IPod in - outside:


I've had this set up for a week or so, and love it.
Feel free to shoot me any other questions.
Ian

[badkitty]

COOL !!! --
and that was not at all what i was picturing so thanks for the visuals

now i have to ask you -- do you take that rubi off road?
is it stock or do you have it lifted?
does the iPod bounce around up there?

[en480c4]

No problem... glad I could help.
I've only had the Rubi for 3 weeks and 1600 miles, so I haven't gotten to wheel it yet. The weather up here has been miserable, and I've been pretty busy. I will get out soon, if it kills me!!!
It's still stock, but I'm guessing it's going to be lifted sooner rather than later. The WJ I traded for it was lifted and was a blast to wheel. I've had two CJ's and now this is my 2nd TJ, and I can't wait to get it out.
That said, the frost heaves are terrible, and the IPod doesn't move around much at all. It actually seems more secure than in the cel-phone mount I had in the Grand...
Good luck with whatever setup you go with.
Ian

[djtig]

Hi, Having trouble finding a pie adapter for my tj any hints one where i might look? thanks

[en480c4]

http://www.logjamelectronics.com/piechry02aux.html

if you have an '03 and up TJ. this is where i got mine.

i'm not sure if they had changer inputs before that...
hope this is what you need!

ian


and oh yeah... update w/ the first trip offroad with the rubi:
got a call from some friends who were on a VERY muddy and DEEP-RUTTED trail and had gotten stuck. went out on a rescue mission, and noticed the following
a) (and completely off-topic) the rubicon will go damn near anywehre!!!
b) the ipod does bounce a bit up there in the dock... to the point where i lost audio once or twice. granted this was as bad a trail as i've been on, but this will require attention knowing how much off-road use it's getting this summer.
so the next step is to get some rubber or something similar to "tighten" up the place where the ipod sits in the dock. i'd still have to say this set-up is a success... it just needs a bit of tweaking.

[djtig]

Perfect, thanks. Have 04' tj. going to order in the morning.
Thanks Again

[badkitty]

i have an 01 TJ so i dont think that will work for me....

BUT congrats on taking the rubi off road -- arent they amazing??

[en480c4]

yeah, i'm not sure the TJ radio had changer control or input before '03... an aftermarket HU w/ the aux input adapter (like the alpine) looks like the best way to go. you might be able to put the HU from a '98 grand in, before they went to the oval radios. but it sounds like you don't mind a new HU anyway.

as for the rubi's capabilities... simply amazing. it's my 6th jeep ('83 DJ-5, '78 CJ-5, '99 TJ, '85 CJ-7, '99 WJ and now the '04 TJ) and I wheeled in all of them (even the 2wd DJ mail jeep!) and this thing blows them all out of the water. the '99 WJ was lifted w/ MT/R's and a winch, and it still can't touch this thing!

[Morfious]

Originally posted by en480c4
yeah, i'm not sure the TJ radio had changer control or input before '03... an aftermarket HU w/ the aux input adapter (like the alpine) looks like the best way to go. you might be able to put the HU from a '98 grand in, before they went to the oval radios. but it sounds like you don't mind a new HU anyway.

I can verify that Jeep Wrangler's did have changer controls before 03. My Jeep is a 1997 (the first year of the TJ style) and I ordered it with the 6 disk changer and updated radio. It is made by alpine but I don't think there is a way to hook into the stock cd-changer controls to add aux input, I may be wrong about that last fact though, havent' checked since I got my new stereo system.

I have an aftermarket Pioneer head unit and created a custom surface mount input adapter that hooks up to 2 RCA inputs for the aux input in my headunit. On the black plastic surrounding my Head unit I installed a small female 1/8" port (that I got from radio shack for like $1) that you plug the stereo cable into. I can either throw the ipod in a cup holder and use a male -> male 1/8" stereo plug and put on my favorite playlist, or take one of my docks and put it up on the dashboard. It fits fairly snug, but the headphone extension adapter that came with my Sony earbuds fit just perfectly behind the dock (no supergluing of 3M hooks to the bottom :-). This allows me to see what's playing and be able to change songs/volume etc on the ipod. Gotta get me a digital camera so I can show you what I mean.

[wiede]

Just ordererd a Jeep Wrangler and will pick it up tomorrow.

I follow the installation above, but didn't want to implement anything quite as elaborate. Several questions:

1. Can I simply plug the iPod into the radio (using the PIE cable) or does the iPod need to be powered (i.e. plugged in) to function?
2. If it needs to be powered, does it need to be through a dock or can you simply use a cig adapter directly to the iPod?
3. Does removing the radio and attaching the PIE cable void any Jeep warranties?

Thanks

D-dub

[en480c4]

Originally posted by wiede
Just ordererd a Jeep Wrangler and will pick it up tomorrow.

I follow the installation above, but didn't want to implement anything quite as elaborate. Several questions:

1. Can I simply plug the iPod into the radio (using the PIE cable) or does the iPod need to be powered (i.e. plugged in) to function?
2. If it needs to be powered, does it need to be through a dock or can you simply use a cig adapter directly to the iPod?
3. Does removing the radio and attaching the PIE cable void any Jeep warranties?

Thanks

D-dub

I'll see if I can answer your questions...

1. You don't need to plug it in to a power source to operate. It will charge the battery if you do, and that's why I went that route. It's easy on longer trips to drain the battery, especially if you prefer to hunt around for songs instead of using playlists.
2. If you do power it, you can use the dock, or you can use one of the other aftermarket cig-ligther - dock-type cable adapters. I actually don't use the dock anymore for a couple of reasons...
- the line-out level was too high, causing some distortion, which was the biggest reason
- the ipod didn't always stay in place, especially on the trails
- my POS Showcase broke, and my iSkin Evo isn't as easy to remove, so the dock didn't work that well anymore.
3. The removal of the radio and installation of the PIE adapter shouldn't void any warranty, or any portion of it. If you screw up the reinstallation and pinch a wire, cause a short or something like that, then your claim would be denied because it's not a factory defect. But if everything goes back together fine, and in a year, your headunit won't read CDs, they would have to replace it.

Hope that clears things up for you...
Here's a pic of my new setup w/ a Radio Shack cel mount:



And here's one with it getting used out on the trails:

[wiede]

Thanks en480c4! I'm going to order the PIE adapter and install -- sounds pretty straightforward.

D-dub/

[Morfious]

Update to my earlier post. NOW with Pictures:

iPod in adapter:


Surface mounted aux input:

[roache22]

This model is supposed to work for all Jeep models from 1995-2000. Make sure you look at the compatability info. I'm going to see if this works for my 2000 TJ.

Anyone know a good site with stereo removal instructions for a 2000?

PIE for 1995-2000 Jeeps (http://www.logjamelectronics.com/piechryaux.html)

[badkitty]

i just got the new alpine iPod adapter - and i LOVE it in the TJ !!!

[dustin69]

Yep, you're seeing it right. that's a 3g Dock installed UNDER the dash of my jeep unlimited.

This works so great with a PIE adapter, monster dock to rca cable and an xtrememac ipod charger for car. No problems with distortion like previously stated in this thread.

I bought the PIE from the link in a previous post above.

Dosen't jiggle at all under normal driving conditions on road. haven't tried it off road yet.

Probably shouldn't though. Could risk ruining the ipod's hard drive.

[ballparkfm]

en480c4,

I'm going to get the PIE adapter, but I want to figure out a way to put the ipod just to the left of the climate controls. Somewhere between the stearing column and the climate controls.

I've got the Rubicon and the reason I want to do this is for two reasons...
1) Keep it from bouncing around
2) Keep it less visible to the public :)

Think it will work?

[zena66]

:) I have played my ipod in my jeep and just used velcrow to mount it to the dash.