Im sure that you guys have been asked this question 100x but i have searched and haven't found anything on it. I have a 97 maxima se and want an after headunit to look as stock as possible. I bought a new Alpine with a V12 and MTX amp, 12" sub, polk speakers,etc., and was going to install it myself. The only problem is that Circuit City hooked me up with a dash kit that makes the headunit stick out about a 1/2 inch. It also comes with a tray that goes under it. My question is... is there anyway to make that alpine sink back into the dash a little? Any better kits on the market that i can buy?

Thanks

 

I answered this in the other forum that you posted in.

 

i have a "how to flush mount a deck" in the 5th gen forum.. actually i'ma just be nice and try to link you up.. you'll have to copy and past the links because it's from geo cities.

http://www.geocities.com/wenganator/bracketsside.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/wenganator/bracketgrind.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/wenganator/...tsnewholes.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/wenganator/flushmount.jpg

REMEMBER TO COPY AND PASTE THE LINKS INTO YOUR BROWSER, JUST CLICKING ON THE ABOVE URL'S WILL NOT WORK.

 

oh yeah i forgot to mention.. the links are not in sequence so gotta look at them and peice them together... and those brackets are off of my fifth gen.. but i'm sure it'll work the same.

 

i got my head unit to flush into the dash pretty good. if you want i can send you some pics. the thing is i had to shave down the dash plate around the radio to work. the monting kits are crap. just install the head unit with out the din plate just like the stock radio is installed screw it in to the stock mounts.

 

1st off there is no dash kit required for the 4th gen maxima. You would only need a Universal pocket for below to fill the empty DIN space. cost is like $15-20.

2nd: On the frame that houses the radio, climate controls and pockets there is already holes that line up with your stock radio and also with aftermarket radios. Now if you really want it to be flush with the rest of the dash you will have to take apart the center console, remove the radio/climate control housing and drill out new holes in the frame. The only thing with doin that is, on the sides of your new radio there is already pre-drilled mounting holes. These may not line up with the new holes your gonna drill. If thats the case you may only get 2 out of 4 screws to line up, but im not 100% positive about that. You would have to see for yourself.

Anthony
MECP certified tech

 

to make the new holes line up all u gotat do is mount the deck in the stock location.. mesure how much the deck sticks out.. record it.. take everyting apart again... and push back the holes how ever much you measured.. the links i posted shoudl give you an idea of how to do things.

 

thanx guys.. im going to take it apart this weekend and see what i can do. I really wish that they made something for the max. Oh well... any advice helps!

 

After careful drilling...I got my Alpine HU to fit flush with the dash. I'm so satisfied now.

Just wanted to back up mingo and say that his process works. BUT...instead of drilling bigger holes to remove those grooves, I pounded them down with a heat gun and a hammer. Works the same way.

 

Heat gun?

 

thanx for the compliment... those brackets shown in the pictures are new brackets i bought.. for my older deck (eclipse 7301) i pounded the groves down using a hammer and noticed how the bracket curved a little and became slightly miss alligned when i went to put everything back together (not very noticable) so i decided to go ahead and drill out the groves and grind off what ever was left of it... both way works.. pounding it down would be the easier route... i never thought of heating it up prior to pounding it, but sounds like it would be many times more efficient. good job on the deck.