Installing radio into 90

Defender90td5 · Jan 24, 2020

Hi all,

I have recently bought myself a 200tdi 90. It doesn’t have a radio and has never had one by all accounts. How do I go about installing a radio I.e where do I tap into etc? Also what’s the best place to put speakers in a 90, I have headlining in the front. I don’t really want to be drilling into it or cutting holes out if I can help it.

Any help or insight would be appreciated

Rob.

frog hopper · Jan 24, 2020

Unless you have seriously made an effort with sound deadening you are going to need the biggest fuck off speakers you can get in the back.

Defender90td5 · Jan 24, 2020

frog hopper said:
Unless you have seriously made an effort with sound deadening you are going to need the biggest fuck off speakers you can get in the back.

Yeah i know what your saying, most of the time im doing under 30mph round where i live so it should be alright. Im not expecting to be able to hear it on the motorway or anything like that. Just wanting to know how id do it, how i wire it up and where to put speakers etc.

Sofasurfer · Jan 24, 2020

I've got a radio in my 90, waste of space, can't hear it. The engine, tyre and wind noise plus the booming of the panels blocks the sound. It switches itself off over bumps.

Defender90td5 · Jan 24, 2020

Sofasurfer said:
I've got a radio in my 90, waste of space, can't hear it. The engine, tyre and wind noise plus the booming of the panels blocks the sound. It switches itself off over bumps.

Luckily mine has sound proofing the same as my dads 200tdi and in his its easily heard. Just wanting to know how to do it and install one.

mick the builder · Jan 25, 2020

In the dash above the fuse box should be three spare wires, two, if your cig lighter is wired up. One is perm live and one is ignition live. Ign live is main feed to radio and perm is to hold preset stations. You can put speakers where you like.

Rougharse Racing · Jan 25, 2020

I think the factory fitted speakers went in the corner of the dash, one in the removable cover for the wiper motor and one in the same position on the driver's side.

wireman · Jan 25, 2020

Rougharse Racing said:
I think the factory fitted speakers went in the corner of the dash, one in the removable cover for the wiper motor and one in the same position on the driver's side.

This is correct. You could fit the speakers to the gutter just above the B post, that way the music is getting straight to your ears. I have a factory headlining in my 90 with the speakers set in the back corner, again close to my ears!

kermit_rr · Jan 25, 2020

I had a radio in my 2a for a while, didn't last though, too much of a faff dealing with a neg earth radio in a pos earth vehicle!! Wrong earth didn't do anything for the reception!!

Defender90td5 · Jan 25, 2020

mick the builder said:
In the dash above the fuse box should be three spare wires, two, if your cig lighter is wired up. One is perm live and one is ignition live. Ign live is main feed to radio and perm is to hold preset stations. You can put speakers where you like.

Thankyou, I’ll have a look for them. My cigarette lighter is wired up so I guess that’s the 3rd feed

Defender90td5 · Jan 25, 2020

wireman said:
This is correct. You could fit the speakers to the gutter just above the B post, that way the music is getting straight to your ears. I have a factory headlining in my 90 with the speakers set in the back corner, again close to my ears!

Was it fairly simple fitting it to the headlining?

Defender90td5 · Jan 25, 2020

kermit_rr said:
I had a radio in my 2a for a while, didn't last though, too much of a faff dealing with a neg earth radio in a pos earth vehicle!! Wrong earth didn't do anything for the reception!!

Surely it’ll work fine in a defender?

Gmacz · Jan 25, 2020

Just get the radio panel that fits in the dash. Couple of small speakers either side and you are good to go. £6.50 on ebay for a non original one.

kermit_rr · Jan 25, 2020

It'll work fine for you, but if you can't earth then you don't get much reception lol

wireman · Jan 25, 2020

I didn't fit the speakers into the headlining, they were already there when I bought it. It wouldn't be difficult though I don't think, just cut a round hole the correct size, make sure the back of the speaker is small enough to fit in the void behind the headlining. You can run the wires behind the trim on the A post to keep the job neat.

dag019 · Jan 25, 2020

wireman said:
I didn't fit the speakers into the headlining, they were already there when I bought it. It wouldn't be difficult though I don't think, just cut a round hole the correct size, make sure the back of the speaker is small enough to fit in the void behind the headlining. You can run the wires behind the trim on the A post to keep the job neat.

This would also be my advice. Fit them in the headlining right next to your ears! As said above just cut a suitable sized hole for the speaker, fit speed fasteners in suitable locations (do not just rely on a self rapper through the headlining it will very quickly work loose) and screw the speaker in. As @wireman has said you then follow behind the plastic trim next to the windscreen for your wiring, and make sure you get slim line speakers so they are not too deep and hit the roof.

Defender90td5 · Jan 25, 2020

dag019 said:
This would also be my advice. Fit them in the headlining right next to your ears! As said above just cut a suitable sized hole for the speaker, fit speed fasteners in suitable locations (do not just rely on a self rapper through the headlining it will very quickly work loose) and screw the speaker in. As @wireman has said you then follow behind the plastic trim next to the windscreen for your wiring, and make sure you get slim line speakers so they are not too deep and hit the roof.

I’ll take a look at that. I’ve been wanting to fit it in the headlining but like you’ve mentioned, speakers would be an issue.

Litch · Jan 26, 2020

My 90 was not fitted with radio as standard so I used an OE mounting for the radio, fitted 6-inch speakers under the dash (in the standard positions) and a second set in the centre bulkhead.
Been like that for 20-years and I don't have any trouble hearing it regardless of speed. Soft-top with no sound-deadening and it is perfectly audible as long as you adjust the volume to the speed / wind noise. On longer journeys (like yesterdays 242-mile trip up the M1 for instance) I listen to audiobooks and being able to hear them clearly is a must but I have no problems.
Since the original installation I have changed out the original mounting to a Raptor console but the speakers are still in the same place.

OE mounting in dash.

Pair of 6-inch speakers in centre bulkhead.

NS speaker, 6-Inch on double mounting rings (so magnet clears the wiper motor), OS speaker sits on single mounting ring..

Later fitment of Raptor console provides a better solution for fitment of audio & aux switches.

Defender90td5 · Jan 26, 2020

Litch said:
My 90 was not fitted with radio as standard so I used an OE mounting for the radio, fitted 6-inch speakers under the dash (in the standard positions) and a second set in the centre bulkhead.
Been like that for 20-years and I don't have any trouble hearing it regardless of speed. Soft-top with no sound-deadening and it is perfectly audible as long as you adjust the volume to the speed / wind noise. On longer journeys (like yesterdays 242-mile trip up the M1 for instance) I listen to audiobooks and being able to hear them clearly is a must but I have no problems.
Since the original installation I have changed out the original mounting to a Raptor console but the speakers are still in the same place.

OE mounting in dash.

View attachment 198943

Pair of 6-inch speakers in centre bulkhead.

View attachment 198950

NS speaker, 6-Inch on double mounting rings (so magnet clears the wiper motor), OS speaker sits on single mounting ring..

View attachment 198946 View attachment 198947

Later fitment of Raptor console provides a better solution for fitment of audio & aux switches.

View attachment 198948

That seems like an idea, behind the centre divide.Are they that easily heard as im not too keen on drilling into the dash.

Litch · Jan 26, 2020

Remember that under the dash is the standard location, I just used larger speakers which required the use of spacers.
I don't know if rear facing speakers on there own would be very effective, I have four and with fader the set 50 / 50 the front speakers are definitely the ones that give most of the sound.

Alternatively you could get the housings that fit them at the rear of the tub, I personally didn't go for this solution as I thought I might damage them when carrying rubbish in the back.

Installing radio into 90

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