can i just swap the HU??

[liquidx9]

I have the premium sound system in my ltd with the sub in the back, etc, and i was told that i couldnt just swap out the head unit for an aftermarket one, something about the factory JBL unit being more of a media unit rather than a straight HU?? basically, can i just swap the aftermarket HU i have in now, and finish the rest of the system when i get more money? thanks a lot for any help!!

 

[LudusHatesReese]

You sure can. All you need is a new wire harness and you'll be set.

 

[Mainfraim]

I thought that if you wire a new deck directly into the factory amp that you can blow it? New decks all mostly have a power supply of their own, but the old deck had the factory amplifier in the back. The way I always do it is I put a bypass on the amp in the trunk, but you lose the sub when you do that. I do'nt know the better way around that, but I"m always wary of hooking up a powered deck to the amp.

 

[liquidx9]

how do you bypass the amp? ive already got subs to put back there, i just need to save a bit more so i can buy my door speakers and amps at the same time, thanks

 

[Mainfraim]

All of the audio shops and Best Buy and Circuit city and the likes all carry wiring harnesses and you can buy a Ford amp bypass harness... It's just got two plugs on it so you pull the panel on the amp and plug the input and the output plugs directly together so you don't have to rewire the car. Works great.

 

[liquidx9]

ive got wiring harness, but thanks for the heads up on the bypass harness, ill check out a local ford dealership sometime today.. to do that, will i need to remove the entire back panel, or is there an easier way?

 

[Mainfraim]

I doubt that the ford dealership would have them... that's not something they would want you to do. You can buy it at the install bays of Best Buy, Circuit City I assuem, Good Guys as well I would think (I've gotten one at Best Buy), and any local shop should have them... They have two plugs on them and about 8 inches of wire inbetween them I'd say. One side is a little bigger than the other. It should be called a factory amp bypass harness.

To do it, the only way I could was to take off the back panel. PIA but I figure I might as well take the extra time.

 

[liquidx9]

well, if ive got to do that, wouldnt it be easier to just take the damn amp and sub out, since id be doing it eventually anyways?

 

[Mainfraim]

Picky picky... Geez! Yeah if you want to take all that out do it then too. But you still have to bypass the amp if you're going to still use the factory wiring. I didn't because I knew I am going to install a new sub back there at some point.

 

[liquidx9]

damned complicated systems, factory wiring isnt all that great, but i dont know if im willing to remove my entire interior to rewire, decisions decisions, oh well, soon ill have my new clarion head and changer... WOOHOO

 

[Mainfraim]

Yeah I've decided that when I get new speakers and hook up the amps, I'm going to rewire the car... what a weekend that will be, but it can't be any more of a PIA that installing the remote start will be

 

[liquidx9]

remote start, yet another project i need to do, thanks for the reminder

 

[Mainfraim]

no problem... if you need the wire colors, let me know, I can get them from DEI.

 

[liquidx9]

any help is welcomed, post it on here, email it, whatever you want

 

[Mainfraim]

YEAR: 1997 MAKE: Ford MODEL: Explorer STYLE:

| ITEM | WIRE COLOR |POL | WIRE LOCATION |
| 12V |yellow | + |ignition harness |
| STARTER |red/lt. blue | + |ignition harness |
| IGNITION |green/purple *1 | + |ignition harness |
| ACCESSORY |gray/yellow *1 | + |ignition harness |
| SECOND ACCESSORY |black/green | + |ignition harness |
| POWER LOCK |pink/yellow | - |driver's kick panel |
| POWER UNLOCK |pink/green | - |driver's kick panel |
| LOCK MOTOR |pink/black | |driver's kick panel |
| UNLOCK MOTOR |red/orange | |driver's kick panel |
| DISARM DEFEAT |pink/orange *2 | |driver's kick panel |
| PARKING LIGHTS + |purple/white *3 | |driver's kick panel |
| PARKING LIGHTS - |white/purple | |driver's kick panel |
| HEADLIGHTS |red/yellow | + |light switch |
| DOOR TRIGGER |black/lt. blue *4 | + |driver's kick panel |
| DOME SUPERVISION |black/lt.blue | + |driver's kick panel |
| TRUNK/HATCH PIN |common with doors | | |
| HOOD PIN |tan/lt.green | - |driver's kick panel |
| FACTORY ALARM ARM |arms on lock *5 | | |
|FACTORY ALARM DISARM |dk. green/purple | - |driver's kick panel |
| TACHOMETER |tan/yellow | |PCM *6 |
| SPEED SENSE |gray/black | 8 |PCM *6 |
| BRAKE WIRE |lt.green | + |driver's kick, brake switch |
| HORN TRIGGER |yellow/lt. green | - |steering column |
| WIPERS |wht & dk.blu/org *7 | + |wiper motor or relay |
| LF WINDOW UP/DOWN |wht/blk - red | A |at motor in dr door |
| RF WINDOW UP/DOWN |wht/yel - tan/lt.blu | A |sw dr door or dr kick |
| LR WINDOW UP/DOWN |gry/org - yel/lt.blu | A |sw dr door or dr kick |
| RR WINDOW UP/DOWN |yel/blk - red/blk | A |sw dr door or dr kick |
| POWER ANTENNA |orange/lt blue | + |power antenna module *8 |


NOTES:
NOTE: Some models of this vehicle are equipped with PATS (Passive Anti
Theft System). Use DEI module 555F to over-ride during remote start.
*1 Two wires each at switch, both are common, only need to power 1 each
during remote start.
*2 You may also use the pink/green power unlock wire.
*3 Also found to be white/black at the rear of the switch.
*4 To avoid the dome light delay and dome light time-out use the separate
door triggers. In the drivers kick panel find yellow/black for the drivers
door, lt. green/yellow for the drivers rear door, and white/purple for the
rear hatch. In the passengers kick panel find gray/red for the passenger
front door, and pink/lt. blue for the passengers rear door. All five wires
are negative trigger and must be diode isolated together.
*5 Arms on lock only with door open. It is necessary to send a signal to
door trigger as well as lock to arm factory alarm.
*6 The PCM is located at the top of the firewall towards the passenger
side, the tan/yellow tach wire is also found at the back of the instrument
cluster.
*7 Also found yellow/white (-) at the firewall connector.
*8 The power antenna module is in the right rear quarter panel.


(c) 1994-2002 Directed Electronics, Inc. All Rights Reserved

IMPORTANT: This wiring information is being provided free of charge on
an "AS IS" basis, without any representation or warranty. It is your
responsibility to verify any circuit before interfacing with it using
a digital multimeter. Directed Electronics, Inc. assumes no responsibility
with regards to the accuracy or currency of this information. Proper
installation in every case is and remains the responsibility of the
installer. DEI assumes no liability or responsibility resulting from an
improper installation, even in reliance upon this information.