Radio Swap Problems!!!!
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From: Queen Creek, Arizona
Radio Swap Problems!!!!
I picked up a 1989 radio and wanted to swap it out with my 1985 bronco radio with the "*****." Does anyone know the correct wiring set up for this swap. The connectors are dramatically different. Stock harnesses, "coming out of radio" have 3 wires on one, blue/red, orange/purple dots, yellow/brown dots, and 5 coming out of the other for the speakers.......I believe the single black wire on this harness is a common ground because there is no balance or fade o for the 4 speakers in the bronco.... is that right about the common??? Where as the newer radio has 5 coming out of the one harness, Green/yellow, blue/red, RED, black/yellow, orange/black, the second I know is all speaker wires. Is there an easy way to connect these up???? I know thats confusing but I can show pictures if you think you can help. I wish I knew how to post pictures.
Thanks.
Tim
Thanks.
Tim
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From: Fort Smith
Radio Swap Problems!!!!
The 89 radio has 2 long plugs in the back right?!?! You can not common ground the speakers with this radio. They will backfeed into it and you will have problems. I can give you the wiring diagrams if that is the correct plugs on the radio.
Let me know...
Let me know...
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Senior User
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From: Queen Creek, Arizona
Radio Swap Problems!!!!
I found this company on the web called. Sound Domain.com and they have an adapter that turns the 5point common ground from the speakers into a "floating" speaker system but that may not be the "easy fix" I think it is. If you could forward the diagrams that would be great. Here is the link to that part maybe you could tell either way.
http://64.124.186.170/sku/SCOFGA
Tim
http://64.124.186.170/sku/SCOFGA
Tim
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From: Fort Smith
Radio Swap Problems!!!!
That converter is to be used if you are keeping the stock speakers, and the speaker ground wires are separated there at each speaker. If you are looking at the wiring harness in the dash, are there only 5 speaker wires (4 positives and 1 ground), or do all the speaker grounds come up to the back of the radio also into one wire for the ground?
If they all come to the back, then you will not need the converter. Or you can run new speaker wire with both the + and - wire strands to each speaker. I am at work now, but will post the diagram when I get home this evening.
If they all come to the back, then you will not need the converter. Or you can run new speaker wire with both the + and - wire strands to each speaker. I am at work now, but will post the diagram when I get home this evening.
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From: Queen Creek, Arizona
Radio Swap Problems!!!!
The harness that is coming out of the dash has only 4 colored wires and one black one as you described. Im going off of memory too bad all these college classes are getting in the way of radio installations 
. Do you know of a place that would have the best selection of wiring harnesses and such??? Best Buy??? Kmart and Target have nothing. I think I have to accept the fact that there arent many 1985 broncos on the road. You mentioned that I could wire the speakers myself and that would be easy I think. But since I have an older radio harness where does the radio get its ground??? Do I have to run one to bare metal myself???
Tim
. Do you know of a place that would have the best selection of wiring harnesses and such??? Best Buy??? Kmart and Target have nothing. I think I have to accept the fact that there arent many 1985 broncos on the road. You mentioned that I could wire the speakers myself and that would be easy I think. But since I have an older radio harness where does the radio get its ground??? Do I have to run one to bare metal myself???Tim
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From: Fort Smith
Radio Swap Problems!!!!
Sorry it took so long - if you get a set of the Metro plug adapter harnesses, they will plug directly into the back of the factory radio you have to put in. Check the wiring harness in the dash for power and ground, and connect them to the adapters. Then run speaker wire from the adpater to the corresponding speakers. You may need to check and see if the radio you have needs a power source for the illumination. If you have the radio I think you do, then you should be able to get by without it. All it does is adjust the brightness of the radio with the interior lights.
Let me know where you stand...
Let me know where you stand...
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Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Queen Creek, Arizona
Radio Swap Problems!!!!
You know exactly what I have. Good that we are on the same page. I cant seem to find at all any sort of ground wire coming from the original harnesses in the dash. I know what wire it is on the radio......thats the easy part. Where would be the best place to get a ground for the radio??? Should I just find a bare metal spot behind the radio or just go to the battery?
Tim
Tim
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From: Fort Smith
Radio Swap Problems!!!!
I would just find a screw/bolt under the dash somewhere and use, making sure it is grounded. The ground is important as far as distortion is concerned, so try to find one on the firewall if possible, or close to the flooring. I have a color-code chart at home that should match the wires on your new radio. I will post it when I get home this evening. It will have all the speaker wire codes also...
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From: Fort Smith
Radio Swap Problems!!!!
Sorry for taking so long - bad weekend. Anyway - here we go...
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/sizeimage.php?&photoid=3426&.jpg
Let me know if this is the plugs you have. They may be different colors, but they are standard Ford plugs.
For the gray plug (from left to right in the pic):
green - memory feed
black - vehicle chassis ground
yellow/black - radio power feed
light blue/red - panel illumination
orange/black - radio display
black/light green - radio ground
For the black plug:
orange/light green - left front speaker +
light blue/white - " " " -
pink/light green - left rear speaker +
tan/yellow - " " " -
white/light green - right front speaker +
dark green/orange - " " " -
orange/red - right rear speaker +
black/white - " " " -
Your wires may not be the same colors, but they should be in the same order on the plugs. Check the power and ground with a test light to make sure, then check each speaker set to double check also...
Hope this is what you were looking for...
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/sizeimage.php?&photoid=3426&.jpg
Let me know if this is the plugs you have. They may be different colors, but they are standard Ford plugs.
For the gray plug (from left to right in the pic):
green - memory feed
black - vehicle chassis ground
yellow/black - radio power feed
light blue/red - panel illumination
orange/black - radio display
black/light green - radio ground
For the black plug:
orange/light green - left front speaker +
light blue/white - " " " -
pink/light green - left rear speaker +
tan/yellow - " " " -
white/light green - right front speaker +
dark green/orange - " " " -
orange/red - right rear speaker +
black/white - " " " -
Your wires may not be the same colors, but they should be in the same order on the plugs. Check the power and ground with a test light to make sure, then check each speaker set to double check also...
Hope this is what you were looking for...
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