Aftermarket head unit '97 Mountaineer

[jtre]

Im stuck here. I am trying to hook my head unit to the speaker positive and negatives (cutting the wires, not using an install harness). i am looking at the two connectors that are going into the back of the stock headunit, and the wires dont match to the wiring diagram i am using (the power and grounds match, so the unit powers on). Is there another connector i should look at to cut wires? I see one that is big that connects to a box on the drivers side which has many of the same wires as the connectors to the head unit. Has anyone done this before?

 

[VR4]

You're gonna have to bypass the stock amp or run your own wiring.

 

[96Green]

I've got an aftermarket HU in my 2nd Gen.

I purchased it through Cruthfield, and got the amp bypass harness with it. It's well worth getting their premade harness IMO, as it will plug right in and make the entire install very easy. You will need to access the factory amp, which is in the rear of the truck, on the right hand side of the cargo area.

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[jtre]

I've got an aftermarket HU in my 2nd Gen.

I purchased it through Cruthfield, and got the amp bypass harness with it. It's well worth getting their premade harness IMO, as it will plug right in and make the entire install very easy. You will need to access the factory amp, which is in the rear of the truck, on the right hand side of the cargo area.

Let me know if you have any questions.

i am attempting to find the wires to cut for the speaker wires, too late for a harness

 

[VR4]

i am attempting to find the wires to cut for the speaker wires, too late for a harness

I don't think you understand what's back there and what you're doing. Won't find any speaker wires behind the stock deck. The stock deck in 97 feeds everything to an external amp on the right rear. You must bypass this or run your own wiring.

 

[jtre]

I don't think you understand what's back there and what you're doing. Won't find any speaker wires behind the stock deck. The stock deck in 97 feeds everything to an external amp on the right rear. You must bypass this or run your own wiring.

oh, i see (have only done this on other vehicles before where there were speaker power wires behind the deck.) So what happens after i bypass the amp? obviously, I need to connect + and - to the speakers, so will that require running + and - from the new head to each speaker?

 

[96Green]

jtre,

There are no speaker wires behind the HU. The speaker wires all terminate at the amp, in the rear. That's, essentially, what the amp bypass harness does for you. It relocates the speaker wire ends to the front, behind the dash.

 

[jtre]

jtre,

There are no speaker wires behind the HU. The speaker wires all terminate at the amp, in the rear. That's, essentially, what the amp bypass harness does for you. It relocates the speaker wire ends to the front, behind the dash.

so doing this (http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/index.php?threads/how-to-bypass-factory-explorer-amp.169530/) bypass wont help? What about just running + and - from my new HU to the speakers directly?