So I was going to show how to pull the brackets off the OEM stereo and use it on the aftermarket stereo and bezel. But I put the OEM stereo in the aftermarket box and couldn't find the box. So instead, I decided to show another idea I had.
Anyone who has changed the OEM radio or added satellite to it knows how easily the stereo can be removed from the truck. Probably 20 seconds tops and the stereo is out. Perfect opportunity for a smash and grab. So I decided I was going to make it a little harder to get my stereo out of my truck. Went to the hardware store and picked up the following:
4 feet of 1/16" uncoated steel cable (aircraft cable)
two 1/8" wire rope clips
package of #10 flat washers
three packages of M5x10mm screws (only needed 2 packages for a total of 6 screws) (see below for pictures of the screws)
Total cost was under $5 with tax.
The screws that came with the new stereo are too short. Almost impossible to use with an aftermarket plastic fit kit. You will strip the screws trying to get them to grab hold. So longer ones are definitely needed and I should have got some the first time I installed the stereo.
In order from left to right:
#10 washer, original M5 screw (cheese head?), M5 raised head machine screw, M5 hex head bolt (these were all they offered in a short M5 screw)
The end of the thread on the original screw is stripped as you might be able to see. The shortest they had was the 10mm screw which was OK. If you get longer ones, you can use washers to take up space so you don't screw too far into the head unit and damage something.
Here's a picture of the packages if you need to find them. I got these at Lowe's.
I put a washer behind each screw so they would hold the plastic bracket better. On the last screw, I used two washers. I unwound the end of the steel cable and pinched it between the washers.
I did this on both sides of the stereo. On the other side, I actually ran the wire behind 2 screws just in case.
I wanted to wrap it around the steel support bar under the dash, but wasn't able to find a proper way to do it where I could get to the clips. So I passed the wire through an eye in a brace that comes off the bar. This is right under the stereo.
Install the stereo and pull the slack in the wires. Then I wrapped it around another support behind the glove box (above the cabin filter), pulled the wires tight and put on two wire clamps to act as my locks for the stereo.
You can get through the wires with wire cutters, but you have to find them first. If you try to pull out the stereo, you aren't going anywhere with it very fast. This should hold up to most people pulling on it. Either they give up, or cause enough damage to the stereo where if they get away with it, a pawn shop can hopefully tell it was ripped out of a vehicle so the thief hopefully gets nothing for it.