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Adding Steering Wheel Audio Controls

What do you find the most distracting while driving? You may not realize it but the radio is one of the top distractions for drivers today. Changing the station, picking a different song on the CD or fumbling around to find your favorite CD you just dropped. You can take your eyes off the road for just a second and suddenly disaster looms ahead.

I never realized how much my eyes left the road because of the radio until I installed steering wheel mounted audio controls on my 2000 Chevrolet Silverado. Having the controls for the volume, seek, mute and programmed stations on the steering wheel allowed me to focus my full attention on the task at hand; driving.

JP Customs has put together a kit that allows you to have this convenient safety feature for your Chevrolet Avalanche. The kit isn't difficult to install, but you will have to remove some dash trim pieces, the radio, the steering wheel and the airbag. In actuality the airbag is a very safe unit if disabled & removed correctly. That is why JP Customs has included the actual steps GM uses for disabling and removing the airbag safely.

JP Customs uses factory connectors whenever possible. You won’t find any wire twisting or black taping in any of their kits. They pride themselves on keeping the “factory” look and that goes all the way through the kit. From outside appearance down to the connection of the wires and mounting of the parts, your steering wheel controls will operate and look like an included option straight from the factory. To even the trained eye it will look like the same controls found in the Cadillac and the GMC.

When JP Customs first set out to develop this kit they knew the directions would have to be clear and easy-to-read. The installation instructions were designed with a beginner in mind. They don’t use technical jargon that will confuse the installer - just simple to the point instructions for simplicity and understanding. The instructions tell the required tools and sizes, a description of the parts included in the kit, color photos throughout the process, and when to put everything back together. They are total instructions from A to Z and back to A.

JP Customs recommends everyone read through the instructions fully before beginning the install. Once you read through the 51 steps (20 pages) you’ll know what to expect before, during and after the install. Pictures are used in many steps to connect a picture with a description. I know from personal experience, seeing a picture helps understand and connect everything together. If you still have questions after reading through the instructions, no problem, JP Customs is also there to help you during the installation. You can send them an email at jpcustoms@jpcustoms.com or call them during normal business hours.

If you purchase the paint-to-match kit, painting the trim piece is very simple. The most important thing to remember in painting anything is preparation. If you prepare the surface to be painted correctly, the paint will stay for as long as you own the vehicle. JP Customs has added information to their site regarding painting, but for those not wanting to hassle with the painting process, JP Customs also offers painting services to go with your purchase for an additional fee.

Jason Pendlum of JP Customs recommends that customers obtain a spreader. It is a tool that works like pliers and can be purchased from most auto parts stores for under $5. It is designed for removing certain types of washers or retaining clips. This will help you remove the special kind of washer/retaining clip that holds the Airbag Coil in place on the steering shaft. Without the spreader you will spend a majority of your time wrestling to remove the washer, a common first time installer problem. Fortunately for those not able to obtain a spreader, JP Customs has included a new washer with the kit so don’t worry about saving that washer if it gets a bent up in the process.

Another area many customers have difficulty with is disconnecting the passenger’s side airbag. You will not remove the passenger’s side airbag, but as a precaution, JP Customs requires you to disable the unit. The difficult part in disabling the passenger’s side airbag is finding and getting to the wire connector. The connector is located above and behind the glove box. There is a metal support running horizontally across the inside of the dash. General Motors was nice enough to hide the connector on the backside of this support. It is attached to the support with a clip and can be released by sliding it horizontally left or right. Once it is released from the support, it is very easy to disconnect.

You will not be disappointed with this kit. Many people have the perception that by purchasing the parts from the local dealer that the installation will be easy and self-explanatory, but they are very wrong. This installation is very involved, but with the complete kit from JP Customs we have turned the process from extremely difficult into a fulfilling afternoon project. Average install time is between two-and-a-half to five hours. For more information you can visit their website at http://www.jpcustoms.com.

Author Credit:  Jason Pendlum