Anybody inserted new stereo/CD to replace stereo/cassette tape?

[doodlebug52]

Got a 1997 Jayco Eagle 28'. Have been fixing it all up--replaced converter, replacing stripped rear scissor stabilizer, changed double mattress to queen (cheap previous owners probably switched it), cleaned and straightened blinds, and getting ready to steam clean carpet...you name it. No telling what else we'll have to fix.

NOW we want to update the current Radio/Cassette Player to Radio/CD. Yes, it works, but would love to play CDs instead of tapes. Currently have an Executive 4000. Are there replacements to fit the same slot? And if there are, can we do the installation, or is this an RV Tech person job?

Janie

[Jeff_in_The_Dalles]

My am/fm/cd player has been acting funky, so I've been considering replacing it.

I couldn't find any info on the Executive 4000, but I'd bet if you pull a few screws and slide it out, there will be some sort of a label that says what color wire is what. Dropping in a replacement shouldn't be too difficult.

E-bay has quite a few RV stereos at pretty good prices (I suspect there's been a surplus with the downturn in new unit sales). There are several identical to mine...

If you measure the opening yours fits in, you could likely determine if you would have to modify anything, or if it will drop right in (which I suspect it would).

[doodlebug52]

Thanks Jeff. Just got an email from the RV dealer 1 1/2 hours away. She says she can get us a replacement for $200-700. I hope it's the former. We just need to measure the hole. I can't use Ebay as I despise PayPal and I believe it's the only way to pay there. But perhaps I should look on the net. Good idea.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff_in_The_Dalles My am/fm/cd player has been acting funky, so I've been considering replacing it. I couldn't find any info on the Executive 4000, but I'd bet if you pull a few screws and slide it out, there will be some sort of a label that says what color wire is what. Dropping in a replacement shouldn't be too difficult. E-bay has quite a few RV stereos at pretty good prices (I suspect there's been a surplus with the downturn in new unit sales). There are several identical to mine... If you measure the opening yours fits in, you could likely determine if you would have to modify anything, or if it will drop right in (which I suspect it would).

[Jeff_in_The_Dalles]

You might dink around on e-bay or the internet generally, anyway. Some of the ones I saw previously are no longer there, but replacements for mine were under $100 and some of them take credit cards over the phone.

[jojolima]

Most of the RV radios are not good quality. I replaced with a Kenwood. The dealer make a wooden and plastic face. It looks better than factory. The sound is OUTSTANDING. The AM reception is not the greatest, but that is normal in any RV. Look for a Kenwood dealer. The same radio is used to replace broken auto units. Installed price around $200.

[StevePav]

I have twice now used onlinecarstereo.com and purchased cd players/radios. You can find prices and kits from $50 and up, brand names, some with remotes, and speakers and accessories as well.

Steve

[450Donn]

For the price that the dealer will want for a really cheezy unit, I personally would go out to a car stereo store and buy myself a high quality unit. It might take a bit of work to remake the location, but the end results will be worth every penny of it.

[Paul R. Haller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donn0128 For the price that the dealer will want for a really cheezy unit, I personally would go out to a car stereo store and buy myself a high quality unit. It might take a bit of work to remake the location, but the end results will be worth every penny of it.

In my current RV I had a surround sound dvd player that was OK sounding but I wanted better. When the dvd started having issues I decided to upgrade. I bought a Kenwood surround sound amp, and a quality Pioneer blu ray dvd along with a powered subwoofer insead of the unpowered sub that came with the dvd player. WOW! what a difference. The sound quality is fabulous and I can play my CDs there also with fantastic sound. Finally, I upgraded from an older picture tube TV to a 45 inch LCD flat screen monitor. Now I have all the quality of a home theater in my RV and I don't think I paid much more then 1000$ for everything including the TV. Its a Vizio from Costco. (Costco had a special on their Vizio flat monitors. If you bought a monitor with Costcos American Express card, Costco would increase warranty on the monitor to 3 years.) The monitor was 450$ the amp and the sub were about 450$ and I used the dvd I had in the house and replaced the house dvd with a blu ray recorder also. The old surround dvd originally in the living room I put in the bedroom and now have surround sound there also after putting in wireless speakers.
Do yourself a favor and leave the AM and tape player you have and upgrade your home theater system in the RV. Then you can have a theater surround sound system and play your CDs too.
-Paul R. Haller-

[Frank P. Martin]

Does your Executive 4000 have an AUX (Auxiliary) input jack? My Jayco has an Executive 7000 and when the CD player on it went "funky", I purchased a VHS/DVD/CD player and wired the sound into the stereo input AUX jacks on the rear of Executive 7000 (there are two RCA type jacks for this). This permitted me to play CDs on the VHS/DVD using the Executive 7000 as the amplifier and the coach's speakers.

As an added bonus, we turn the sound on the TV all the way down use the tuner of the VHS instead of the TV's. This arrangement outputs the sound to the Executive 7000 for TV channels, VHS tapes and DVDs. In our case, it greatly improves the sound over the tinny sounding, single speaker in my $75.00 14" TV.

[W4RLR]

When we bought our used Jayco, it had an ancient JVC AM/FM/cassette unit. We replaced it with a Kenwood AM/FM/CD/Sirius satellite receiver. it has an AUX input we could use for the TV, but the sound from the TV (a Sanyo big screen) sounds good on its own.

You can frequently do better than the units that come installed from the factory. When our rig was built, satellite TV and radio and flat screen television was the stuff of science fiction. It's now an upgrade to a solid older unit.

[doodlebug52]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rray32539 When we bought our used Jayco, it had an ancient JVC AM/FM/cassette unit. We replaced it with a Kenwood AM/FM/CD/Sirius satellite receiver. it has an AUX input we could use for the TV, but the sound from the TV (a Sanyo big screen) sounds good on its own. You can frequently do better than the units that come installed from the factory. When our rig was built, satellite TV and radio and flat screen television was the stuff of science fiction. It's now an upgrade to a solid older unit.

Hey, it makes me feel better than someone else has a vintage Jayco. lol. We doing everything we can to bring it up to par in quality. Besides, with a refrigerator and freezer door as NICE as it has, we just have to. Our next feat is to change the carpet. Problem is, they want $450 just for labor. Yikes. How long does it take to change the carpet in a 28' trailer where there's NONE in the bathroom and front of kitchen area!! Sheesh. All I can figure out is the detail work. lol.

I'm going to call Kenwood tomorrow. Thanks!

Janie

[W4RLR]

The carpet is just stapled to the floor. Find an edge, rip it up. Use good quality residential carpet with jute backing and put padding under the carpet. Half the cost of labor is ripping out the old stuff.

Most residential carpet installers won't touch an RV. But get a book on home repair that shows you how to install carpet and you can do the job yourself. If I had to pay to get things done on a nearly 15 year old trailer, I'd go broke.

I just had to take all of the aluminum siding off the tail end and replace rotted wood that formed the curved rear end. $100 an hour labor gets expensive in a hurry. The rear of my fiver is now stronger than it was when it left Middlebury, Indiana. And the money I saved I put into upgraded carpet and new vinyl graphics for the outside.

[Jeff from Michigan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by doodlebug52 Got a 1997 Jayco Eagle 28'. Have been fixing it all up--replaced converter, replacing stripped rear scissor stabilizer, changed double mattress to queen (cheap previous owners probably switched it), cleaned and straightened blinds, and getting ready to steam clean carpet...you name it. No telling what else we'll have to fix. NOW we want to update the current Radio/Cassette Player to Radio/CD. Yes, it works, but would love to play CDs instead of tapes. Currently have an Executive 4000. Are there replacements to fit the same slot? And if there are, can we do the installation, or is this an RV Tech person job? Janie

Hello Janie,

Here's a link to what I did with my stereo system in my trailer. It wasn't all that hard and turned out to be cheaper than buying a new "large" RV Stereo to fill the hole. I can give you more details to what was involved if you're interested.

Jeff

Installed the New Stereo & Outdoor Speakers

[gearman]

I replaced our 'junk' RV radio with a good automotive deck. When to home depot and bought some 1/4" oak plywood to cover the old hole, stained to match the rest of the wood work. Project cost approx $100 total w/new radio (walmart sony radio $79, wood $10)

Good luck.