Hi folks, got another speaker wire question.

I'm installing an OEM AM/FM Stereo radio in my '76 F-250. I have the correct radio, door jamb wiring harnesses from Carpenters, and the speakers. There is evidently a harness though that I am missing that runs from the speaker connector on the radio to the door jamb harnesses. I mistakenly assumed that this would be part of the door jamb harnesses from Carpenter.
Questions:

On the door jamb harnesses, does the big black connector with the 1" grommet go to the cab side, or the door side? I'm assuming the cab side, with the small red connector and the 3/4" grommet going to the door side, but you know what happens when you assume.........

Is it one harness that runs to both sides of the cab from the radio, or separate harnesses?

Does anybody out there have one(s) that they would part with? Please PM me if so.

Thanks, Brian

 

It should be wired like this.

From the speaker connector, attached to the speaker, "the door jam harness" plugs into the speaker, goes through the door through a "rubber conduit" (about middle of the door) and the other connector should be located just inside the cab behind the dash.

From the radio, the speaker harness (that would come for a pickup) reduces and combines the six wires coming out of the radio's four speaker outputs, (Left Right, front rear, ground etc) to four wires, (left right and ground). The orange wire goes to the left side, and the white wire goes to the right, with the corosponding black wire as ground.

The stereo's in these trucks, and cars are very similar, and use the same harnesses for ease of dealer option add ons when the vehicles were new. You should be able to find compatible speaker harnesses out of any 70's to 1981 Ford vehicle with a stereo option. Either a four or six wire harness should work, though the rear speakers in a six wire harness on your install would be left unpluged, and not combined with the front like on normal truck installs.

The length of the speaker harness going from the radio, remains pretty constant through all aplications, it's the "door jam harness" that varies by length.

Hope this helps you out.

 

Do you have the plug for the harness to the radio ?

 

The correct plug is still on the radio for the speaker connections, if that's what you mean. I don't have the mating plug for it. It's a three pin plug just like 81 F-150 Explorer described, with black, orange and white wires. I need what goes between this and the door jamb harnesses. The pins appear to be standard .180" prong connectors, so I can probably make my own, but would rather have premade if I can find it. I still need to know which end of the door jamb harness goes in the truck and which end goes in the door tho Thanks, Brian

 

Take one of the "door jam" harnesses and try to plug it into the speaker, if it doesn't plug in, it's the other side that fits into the door. Whichever connector that plugs into the speaker is the one that goes into the door. It's supposed to be idiot proof. Or it is on factory stereo wiring.

The harness from the radio to the doors should be very easy to find. Ford pickups, vans, cars of varied makes and models. Anything that came with a ford stereo. Also look in Lincoln and Mercury vehicles, of the 70's to 1981.

Ford changed the connector at the radio in 1982-1983ish.

 

Sorry, forgot to mention that I'm using aftermarket speakers. You're right, else it would be obvious . I'm going to have to make adapters for that end too.

 

Ah, LOL! ok, hmmm.... You will have to wait until you get the harness, or, find a factory speaker out of a 1970's to 1981 car / truck / van. This would probably be extremely difficult than to get the harness you need.

They also changed the speaker connector in 1982/1983.

Oh, and some more information, most of the speaker harnesses you require are usually not spliced or cut in anyway. It's the "door jamb harness" , and the radio connector and wires on the radio that usually get hacked to bits. Finding one should be pretty easy.