Question for 1stMP3.....

[LazerBlueP5]

I ended up rigging my Best Kits kit with a strip of butal rubber to stop it from rattling in my dash so it's cool for now. My question is about other options for a single din in a Protege 5. I've talked to someone who used an MP3 pocket in the area below the radio and it worked out fine. However, when I first went to tweeter they originally tried to do a similar set up- mount the radio with a pocket. They had problems, they said the stock opening was too wide and the sleeve didn't fit right (wasn't snug). Now when I went to Mazda to get a price on the MP3 pocket I saw that there was a part # for a bracket that went with it. But to the best of my knowledge it was just a bar that went between the pocket and the radio to fill the gap. Are my installers looney, or is there a real problem with getting an aftermarket radio w/ it's cage to fit in the dash without a kit?
If I decide to go with an MP3 pocket in the future, how or what should I do to alleviate the problem with the headunit fit?

 

[1sty]

If you use the MP3 pocket you will need the bracket you saw the number for. That bar is what allows the radio cage and pocket to stay tight. With out it youwill need to have a shop custom install your gear since they will have to fabricate something.

 

[LazerBlueP5]

But that bracket looked like a horizontal bar that fit between the radio and pocket. The main area that wasn't seeming to fit right were the vertical edges (ie, sides of the radio). Unless that bracket is more than a bar to fill the horizontal gap between the radio and pocket I dont see how it can help the radio/cage not fitting snuggly on it's sides.

 

[1sty]

The bar just goes across and the tabs of the radio b\cage grab it. It also somewhat holds the pocket in place by defining its upper limit but this is for the MP3's pocket alone not the metra pocket. the metra or anyother pocket will need custom install.