Stock Deere Radio $ucks!!! Best fix?

Greenpto35 · Dec 15, 2012

Waited 10 weeks for my new snow machine.Deere 5115M and after delivery turned on the new deluxe ridiculously expensive piece of junk they call a radio. The sound was reminiscent of a stock radio my Mom had in a 72 Dodge Dart Stinger. he he.... Oh ya, it is bluetooth and will take an mp3 input from a phone or player. Other than that is is almost completely useless. I'm almost 50 but I'm not dead. It has one crappy speaker in the radio enclosure right side and another on left upper side. Just now sure how they can get away with that. I mean what year is it again... Did we just walk on the moon.

Think I can just replace the $5. speakers or is it a complete tear out.. do over.. Giving up my stock Bose Chevy system for this, 12 hrs at a wack is just so wrong.

Anyone work on one of these new cabs and have good results? 5,6 or 7 series Deluxe Cab. I think they are all similar. It may be against the law to have headphones on while plowing the lots around here.

greg_g · Dec 16, 2012

I know, I've got a Bose surround system in my Porsche. Climbing into the tractor cab is a bit of a letdown. I can't speak directly to the 5000 series cab, but my 3720 has cutouts for two more speakers up behind my head. My plan is to buy 4 decent speakers - perhaps two low range/two full range - and pop the top for a little audio enhancement. But popping the top is a 2-person job, so thinking about it is as far as I've gotten so far.

And yes it's sad - that JD charges to upgrade the radio - only to run it through the low rent OE speakers.

//greg//

murphy1244 · Dec 16, 2012

Crutchfield in Virginny will fix you up.

PBettis · Dec 16, 2012

I adjusted the audio for dad's new 5085M and I thought personally it wasn't too bad at all. I know the system uses only 2 speakers and is limited in it's abilities but make sure you've set all of the audio levels (eq, bass, trebble) before giving up on it. I can't imagine with the levels being adjusted properly needing an upgrade. I would try some quality earbuds if you want the very best sound. Good luck! Would like to see some pics of your machine!

tomd999 · Dec 16, 2012

Hiya,

I have a '70 Dodge Swinger and I've never listened to the radio in it..... but seriously, there was a post on the other green tractor site that had a parts list for the connectors and wiring needed to put a universal aftermarket radio in a Deere cab. IIRC the wiring kit closest to the Deere one is for a VW Jetta and the speakers were standard door mounts.

Tom

Cigar Face · Dec 16, 2012

welcome to the world of tractor or heavy equipment radios. Work for a major construction outfit and all cat or komatsu radios are the same quality as john deere. It gives the operator some creature comforts but not full blown mercedes benz creature comforts.

Greenpto35 · Dec 18, 2012

Thanks for the ideas. Not sure if the 5115 is louder than the 5085 but interior is pretty loud. I have the corner exhaust not sure if that makes things louder in the cab or not. I did play with the controls but the speakers are of such poor quality it's ridiculous. I actually brought my portable, batt op., Tivoli in the cab yesterday for the storm I was working. I dont have time to play with the electronics now but come warm weather, I will be doing something. I'm not sure if its just the speakers or the whole system so that is what I should have asked. I assume that with todays electronics it probably is the speakers more than anything.

I just took delivery last fri after a 10 week wait for setup. I was dumbfounded that the wiper did not have a time delay. At least one setting... I realise its a tractor but I use it for winter storm work so I will be out mostly in bad weather. We are talking $85k right. Internal lights... one switchable basic. something with a directional aspect would be nice or perhaps one on each side. Now I'm asking too much. Sorry for venting. Below is a photo before loading for delivery. No, you can not run both loader and blade at once. You can transport them though. Look at the flattened front tire. Thats a lot of weight.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=293562&d=1355892301&thumb=1&stc=1

Greenpto35 · Dec 19, 2012

About that Dodge,

Almost forgot, I took my Mom's Dodge Dart Swinger, hard top convertible, on a first date with a girl named Bambi. It was looking good until I took a long, fast, right turn on a highway ramp and the carb flooded out on the slant six. Sat in the breakdown lane for 30 min until the thing dried out and started up. I forgot to map out a way to the restaurant without a full speed right turn. That car always did that. A definite Fail... As you can imagine, the date did not go well after that. That was 33 years ago. I beat the crap out of that car after that... The radio always $ucked in that rig.

Cigar Face · Dec 19, 2012

honestly. it is insane that you are really that upset about the dang radio in your machine you paid all that money for. Like i said, its the same quality you will see in cat and thier multi million dollar machines. It gives the operator some comfort but people dont buy heavy machinery to run like a european car. I run equipment for a very large excavation company that spends millions on equipment every year. they dont let machines get old in this company. From 627 pans to 385 excaavtors that cost millions new, here in 2012 they still sound like the john deere radio. These companies arent going to install bose sterios. Its not the end of the world. The way your ranting, it sounds worse than you got a tractor with a bad rod bearing. Go buy a set of alpine speakers on sale for 50 bucks aand get over it before you have a heart attack

Greenpto35 · Dec 19, 2012

CigarFace, ah, I'm not upset. Not insane either. I'm not blowing it out of proportion so don't go there. Telling it like it is... I went to visit my tractor over a dozen times while getting set up. Never once turned on the radio. I just feel the bean counters could spare a $100. on a radio upgrade that I paid good money for. I did pay for it. I should say I will pay off the note I signed. I think the line item upgrade was like $450. I have never had a cab machine or the 6 years of tractor payments that go with a machine like this. I also didn't know what to expect. Sure, I will keep paying my payments and spend a few bucks and an afternoon doing a speaker install. Simple. However, the problem may be the mass of consumers who accept crappy features even given high cost.

I would love to hear the radio in the UK or German version of the same machine. My guess is that it sounds like something.