Radio wiring?

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Jan 11, 2009 | 06:50 PM

farmb0y

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From: IOWA

Radio wiring?

Does anyone have a schematic of the wiring for the plugs on the back of the radio? I can't find anything about it in the Chilton manual. The radio I have really doesn't work at all and I have another Ford radio, but the plugs are different. I also have one I took out of my semi truck that is nicer than the stock ones. I have no problem rewiring everything, just need to know which wires to connect where.

I've got more questions about the little truck, few more issues, figured this should be the easiest to fix.
Thanks!!

Jan 11, 2009 | 09:10 PM

Army_Dave

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Your best bet would be to apend the few extra dollars and get an aftermarket wiring harness adapter. It mirrors the factory radio harness and gives you pigtails to wire up an aftermarket radio. from there the harness adapter and aftermarket radio wire harness will be plug and play by color. red to red yellow to yellow and so on. Much less painful, and give you much more room to work as you can wire the two harnesses up outside the truck and simply plug them in when you're done. Take it from me, I bought my 86 with an older aftermarket kenwood and when upgrading the deck, i was hoping to find a harness adapter, alas there wasnt one, who ever installed the kenwood cut the factory wiring which i never recommend doing. If you absolutely need the info, I am digging back into the dash this week to run upgraded speaker wire for my new speakers and i can get the color codes for you . also it the model would have a say in it too soem came with indash amps and some didnt. That may be a difference too- Dave

Jan 12, 2009 | 03:50 AM

kernel-panic

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From: Yokosuka, Honshu, Japan

Not sure if the color codes changed year-to-year, that info might be helpful. I can't remember if the online repair info on autozone.com has the wiring harness info for the radio, and not sure if there is info in the tech info forum on here. I'll have to see if I can find it elsewhere.

Jan 12, 2009 | 11:09 AM

farmb0y

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From: IOWA

Where do you find the adapter harnesses? I'll agree, it didn't look like fun trying to cut and splice wires in the dash, so the adapters sounds like a great idea.

I just put an aftermarket radio in my Kenworth, it was way too easy!! I just cut the plug from the old radio and then spliced in the new one, wire colors matched, it wasn't suppose to be that easy!

I checked the autozone.com site, from what I found, it's basically an online Chilton's manual, looked exactly like what I was looking at in my manual.

Jan 12, 2009 | 03:18 PM

farmb0y

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From: IOWA

I did some calling, I guess I have the factory amplifier and since the plugs for radio are different than anything else, there isn't an adapter harness available. I may just be rewiring the whole thing.

Jan 12, 2009 | 09:34 PM

rebocardo

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From: Atlanta GA

1987 Bronco II radio with premium sound.

I suggest putting insulated 1/4" female connectors on the Ford side of the vehicle and the new radio gets male.

lb/r + ins. panel
lg/y main light switch
y/bk - main power from fuse panel radio
o/lg +speaker
pk/lb - speaker
w/lg + speaker
dg/o - speaker

radio to amp
pk/lg
pk/lg
bk/white
o/lb ?

amp
----------
y/bk - main power from fuse

db/o + speaker
lb/bk - speaker

w/pk + speaker
pk/lg - speaker