Rocket Man's 2008 Bagged CC Silverado Build AKA "THE MACHINE"

[Rocket Man]

Cowl area is finished. Gotta be real careful spraying the textured plastic so it looks right.

 

[Rocket Man]

The shit just got real. I got the stereo today! Man this looks like a challenge as far as the wiring goes, and I used to do this for a living about a hundred years ago. This is my first experience with the iDatalink Maestro stuff so I'll let you guys know how it goes. The first thing I have to do is hook up one of the boxes to my computer's USB and program it. Actually the first thing I did was install the right rear door speaker since I had the door panel off to check the blown OEM speaker. The adapter and wire pigtail worked good. Then I pulled the stock HU which is a challenge since the guys at All Star didn't leave much extra air hose where it goes to the pressure gauge. Good thing it has quick-disconnects but there should be enough slack that you can pull the dash piece out a bit more. That's one of the first things I learned when doing air bags and gauges on my Harleys.

 

[05Single]

Yes buddy! Jam out with your clam out

 

[iamdub]

Ehh, it really narrows it down once you single out the speaker, constant and switched power and ground wires. It'll be fun.

You a crimper or solderer?

 

[Rocket Man]

Ehh, it really narrows it down once you single out the speaker, constant and switched power and ground wires. It'll be fun.

You a crimper or solderer?

Solder and heat shrink. The Maestro stuff looks pretty cool. Hook up ADS-MRR to the computer, download the software and set up an account, choose the make, year, model of vehicle, then the steering wheel type, then HU brand, model and serial #, then choose how you want the SWC's to work, what factory options you want to keep like parking assist, etc, and it flashes the firmware and makes you a wiring diagram in PDF for you to print.

 

[iamdub]

Solder and heat shrink.

Word. I geek out on making neat and clean custom plug-and-play stereo harnesses.

The Maestro stuff looks pretty cool. Hook up ADS-MRR to the computer, download the software and set up an account, choose the make, year, model of vehicle, then the steering wheel type, then HU brand, model and serial #, then choose how you want the SWC's to work, what factory options you want to keep like parking assist, etc, and it flashes the firmware and makes you a wiring diagram in PDF for you to print.

That's bad ass! I may end up doing what I should've done when I upgraded to the OEM nav unit and go aftermarket. I've heard of the Maestro plenty of times and will seriously consider it. Looking forward to updates!

 

[Rocket Man]

The Maestro stuff is nice. Very organized way to do it. They list all the wires on the maestro harness and the wires on the Pioneer harness so you just follow the directions as to what to connect to what, then plug all the Maestro connections into the box and there you go. Ready to plug one end to the HU and the other to the truck. Last picture is all the harnesses I have left over at this point. I might end up using some, not sure. I'm tired and done for the night. There's still 2 OBDII wires that I have to connect to the back of the vehicle connector but I think that's it.

 

[iamdub]

The wiring is looking good!

 

[Rocket Man]

The wiring is looking good!

Thank you. It's as clean as I can make it; I finished up the prep this morning except the 2 OBDII wires I need to hook up in the truck which I'm about ready to tackle, then it should be plug and play. This is it except for the backup cam video coax and the mic. I had a question this morning on one last thing that wasn't perfectly clear in the diagram- there's a data cable and an audio cable that go between the Maestro and the radio. The radio diagram showed the data port (specifically for iDatalink Maestro) but nothing for the audio. I called Crutchfield and he looked it up and said it goes to the Aux input on the Pioneer. Sweet; almost there.
Edit: does anybody else have an issue with pictures getting flipped upside down when you load them here? I swear half of mine get flipped, then I have to delete them, go into my computer and flip them upside down, then reload them here, then delete them here, then go re-flip them on my computer, then re load them here. SMH.

 

[Rocket Man]

Today should have been cake but no. First, I got the deck installed in the dash. It was a challenge getting all that stuff to cram in there but I got it. The Maestro and most of the wiring barely slid into a pocket at the back of the radio cage. Barely. Then I bolted the thing in and replaced the remaining 3 door speakers in record time. At this time things went downhill because as soon as I turned the thing on, I knew something was wrong because there was very little sound. If I started the engine I couldn't hear anything but the engine. I thought something might have happened when I flashed the firmware on the Maestro so I went back and it looked like the factory amp box was checked so I reflashed it with no amp. No change. Then I saw they wired the amp turn on wire with either diagram so I connected it. No change. Then I reflashed it for an amp. No change. It seemed like there was resistors on the speaker leads...then I looked at the harness for the Maestro and there were black heat-shrunk little circuit-board looking things so I called Crutchfield and sure enough, they said use the other leads that had RCA's on them and cut off the RCA's and wire them direct. Success! It sounds friggin awesome. I barely has time to check out the sound before I have to leave and take my Husky to a cancer specialist today. He was diagnosed a couple weeks ago I am hoping and praying he can be helped. I'll be back to finish the install. It's been a great way to keep my mind off things today.