Radio/Speakers install
03-12-2012, 11:00 PM
#1
Radio/Speakers install
Ok so my stock radio took a dump on me. Theres no tape player, but it Flashed Tape, went dim, and then quit working
So today I went to best buy and got a new Sony stereo and figured while I was at it I would replace the speakers too since they were starting to get fuzzy.
Got a Sony Stereo and Kenwood Speakers and came out for $90
I was going to get geek squad to install until I heard their price... $150 plus "materials charges"
No way in hell im paying $160 to install $90 worth of equipment.
So I figured I'd try and put it in myself. But I have no clue where to start. I know the speakers will be easier since its just two wires. Not a clue on the stereo though.
Any help would be appreciated, and thanks in advance!
So today I went to best buy and got a new Sony stereo and figured while I was at it I would replace the speakers too since they were starting to get fuzzy.
Got a Sony Stereo and Kenwood Speakers and came out for $90
I was going to get geek squad to install until I heard their price... $150 plus "materials charges"
No way in hell im paying $160 to install $90 worth of equipment.
So I figured I'd try and put it in myself. But I have no clue where to start. I know the speakers will be easier since its just two wires. Not a clue on the stereo though.
Any help would be appreciated, and thanks in advance!
03-12-2012, 11:05 PM
#2
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Wires are color coded. You can get a harness that will clip right in or cut the wires and twist em together. Its not to hard. Just dont touch the yellow or red with the black or it will more than likely short it. Its pretty easy.you can find diagrams on google if u need them. Good luck. Also make sure to undo the battery so you dont short or ruin anything
03-13-2012, 12:17 AM
#3
Yea I figured undo the battery.
Is the harness like a converter to change the wiring pattern from the new radio to the stock configuration or will I need to cut and connect wires to hook up the harness.
Best buy was out of Ford 1980-1996 harnesses.
Is the harness like a converter to change the wiring pattern from the new radio to the stock configuration or will I need to cut and connect wires to hook up the harness.
Best buy was out of Ford 1980-1996 harnesses.
03-13-2012, 12:27 AM
#4
Senior Member
Try walmart too. And for the door speakers you need to remove the panel. Its 2 screws and then a bunch of plastic retainers that make you have to muscle the panel off... pretty straight forward though
03-13-2012, 12:41 AM
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If you get the connection kit. It will connect to the factory harness but you will need to wire it to the back of the stereo.
03-13-2012, 07:12 AM
#6
Whats the best way to connect the wires?
03-13-2012, 08:03 AM
#7
Autozone had metra connectors that fit, and identified the original wiring. The problem was there was noise after the install. I thought the problem came from bad radio and returned it to amazon. But then problem could be from all the connections - original connector, new connector, radio's connector. I took a risk on Boss radio with usb and sd card, cut off the original connectors and wired directly to radio. On power hub, there were 2 green/black, one of which was not identified by metra or any website. I assumed both were ground and tied both to radio ground. No problem so far.
Wire connection - I used 2 layers of heat shrink tubes, maybe overboard. Twist wires like interlaced fingers, bend the fray back toward home, heat shrink tube with a lighter.
Organize the connections with a chart. First the wire purpose, then original, connector, then radio. Before you do any cutting, write down the colors for all wires, even if you are not going to use some of them. I did not need power antenna connections, etc. I ended these with shrink tube. I am keeping extra copy of this chart in the car.
BTW, I have 1996 4.9L reg. xl.
Wire connection - I used 2 layers of heat shrink tubes, maybe overboard. Twist wires like interlaced fingers, bend the fray back toward home, heat shrink tube with a lighter.
Organize the connections with a chart. First the wire purpose, then original, connector, then radio. Before you do any cutting, write down the colors for all wires, even if you are not going to use some of them. I did not need power antenna connections, etc. I ended these with shrink tube. I am keeping extra copy of this chart in the car.
BTW, I have 1996 4.9L reg. xl.
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03-13-2012, 11:04 PM
#8
Autozone had metra connectors that fit, and identified the original wiring. The problem was there was noise after the install. I thought the problem came from bad radio and returned it to amazon. But then problem could be from all the connections - original connector, new connector, radio's connector. I took a risk on Boss radio with usb and sd card, cut off the original connectors and wired directly to radio. On power hub, there were 2 green/black, one of which was not identified by metra or any website. I assumed both were ground and tied both to radio ground. No problem so far.
Wire connection - I used 2 layers of heat shrink tubes, maybe overboard. Twist wires like interlaced fingers, bend the fray back toward home, heat shrink tube with a lighter.
Organize the connections with a chart. First the wire purpose, then original, connector, then radio. Before you do any cutting, write down the colors for all wires, even if you are not going to use some of them. I did not need power antenna connections, etc. I ended these with shrink tube. I am keeping extra copy of this chart in the car.
BTW, I have 1996 4.9L reg. xl.
Wire connection - I used 2 layers of heat shrink tubes, maybe overboard. Twist wires like interlaced fingers, bend the fray back toward home, heat shrink tube with a lighter.
Organize the connections with a chart. First the wire purpose, then original, connector, then radio. Before you do any cutting, write down the colors for all wires, even if you are not going to use some of them. I did not need power antenna connections, etc. I ended these with shrink tube. I am keeping extra copy of this chart in the car.
BTW, I have 1996 4.9L reg. xl.
On the new radio there is a harness with a F***load of different wires. 11 6'' wires and a 15 inch wire with a clip on the end. If I connect a ford harness to these wires with the heat shrink will I then be able to plug into the connector in my truck?
And how do I get the stock radio out...
Thanks!
03-13-2012, 11:50 PM
#9
Just Creepin
Dunno how you get your gen radio out but for the rest..
Wires are color coded. The cd player comes with a pigtail that plugs into the back, every wire has a color to it (and usually marked in a very light, sometimes hard to read, writing) that WILL directly match a wire adapter kit for you truck. Ford has used the same plugs for like 20+ years so should be easy to find. IIRC They generally have 2 plugs back there. One is mostly power, one is mostly speakers. The adapter 'kit', or the wire harness adapter you buy for your truck, will plug right into those factory plugs and give you the color coordinated wires that will match your radio. Don't be scared if you find yourself with extra unused wires. The pig tails on the back of players are meant to splice in to many MANY cars, so they now come with connections for dimers, mute, power antenna, and even steering wheel control wire hook ups. So you will end up with unused/un taped wires. You mainly will use Dimmer Maybe (sometimes it's labeled Illumination), Power lead (yellow I believe), Turn on lead (Red I believe, if not reverse power and turn on colors), Ground (black), and then your speaker wires.
Heat shrink and all that is up to you, but I've always just stripped the wires, twisted them together, lay them flat against the un-stirpped wire, then electrical tape. I've pulled out a professionally installed radio out of a friends car that had this exact same hook up method. Haven't felt bad about mine since.
Pro-tip: Splice the factory harness adapter and the radio pigtail together first before installing, then plug it all in when its done. Saves you from staying hunched over your dash while you try splicing it all in with it plugged in.
Sometimes you will get engine whine noise from your speakers. If this happens, get a peace of scrap wire and connect the case of the radio to bare metal. This more of then than not eliminates that.
Good luck! It's very simple. The most aggravating part of the whole project is getting your door panel off, having to pull that sucker off can be a pain.
Wires are color coded. The cd player comes with a pigtail that plugs into the back, every wire has a color to it (and usually marked in a very light, sometimes hard to read, writing) that WILL directly match a wire adapter kit for you truck. Ford has used the same plugs for like 20+ years so should be easy to find. IIRC They generally have 2 plugs back there. One is mostly power, one is mostly speakers. The adapter 'kit', or the wire harness adapter you buy for your truck, will plug right into those factory plugs and give you the color coordinated wires that will match your radio. Don't be scared if you find yourself with extra unused wires. The pig tails on the back of players are meant to splice in to many MANY cars, so they now come with connections for dimers, mute, power antenna, and even steering wheel control wire hook ups. So you will end up with unused/un taped wires. You mainly will use Dimmer Maybe (sometimes it's labeled Illumination), Power lead (yellow I believe), Turn on lead (Red I believe, if not reverse power and turn on colors), Ground (black), and then your speaker wires.
Heat shrink and all that is up to you, but I've always just stripped the wires, twisted them together, lay them flat against the un-stirpped wire, then electrical tape. I've pulled out a professionally installed radio out of a friends car that had this exact same hook up method. Haven't felt bad about mine since.
Pro-tip: Splice the factory harness adapter and the radio pigtail together first before installing, then plug it all in when its done. Saves you from staying hunched over your dash while you try splicing it all in with it plugged in.
Sometimes you will get engine whine noise from your speakers. If this happens, get a peace of scrap wire and connect the case of the radio to bare metal. This more of then than not eliminates that.
Good luck! It's very simple. The most aggravating part of the whole project is getting your door panel off, having to pull that sucker off can be a pain.
Last edited by TheJcode; 03-13-2012 at 11:54 PM.
03-13-2012, 11:52 PM
#10
Chimp Racing
crutchfield.com is your best bet for a converting harness. they have EVERYTHING for stereos.