I hate hack jobs!

[Jason94sport]

For the love of good do some d*mn research if your going to install a HU & speakers.

Don't be like some previous owner of mine & cut the factory wiring harness & run speakers wires to the speakers... then cut the factory amp harness & spliced those together as well.
I spent 2 hours with a meter trying to replace the HU & front door speakers.
Would have taken 30 minutes if I had the factory harnesses.

 

[Baddecision93]

Not sure if this is categorized as a rant or advice but I second your motion.

I put in 2 car stereos hardwired thinking the audio shop was trying to pull one over on me trying to sell me the adapter harness.

Then I got older and wiser and saw that some things are worth the investment. $20 for an adapter is a downright steal and makes the next owner not hate you.

So, ya I agree with you.

 

[1AJeremyD]

Sorry to hear ya didn't make out on that one. Probably would have been easier to run new wires yourself and least you would have known what was going on. Maybe not the guy after you lol

 

[keithisg]

20 dollars for an adapter? its like 5 bucks at walmart haha.

I seriously hate this too though, I've hooked up several HU for friends that have the stock harness cut out and it always takes me HOURS and tons of research to figure out what wires do what. Its even worse when they cut it so far back I can barely get my hands in there to splice in the wires. Usually theres a wiring diagram online but half the time they are wrong. Seriously to anyone that thinks theyre awesome for saving 5 dollars, please dont. If the harness cost 50 dollars I would still buy it, its just so much easier and its a one time purchase anyways.

 

[lounge lizard]

just before I sell a car I cut the plug off and spray paint all the wires black! LOL

 

[Jason94sport]

I think I might track you down for that.......lol

 

[drunkenmonkey]

just before i sell a car i cut the plug off and spray paint all the wires black! Lol

lmao!!:d

 

[lounge lizard]

ah man!

I retro fitted mine as well. someone tried to splice in a radar detector or something like that because there was glue marks all around the bezel going to the top of the dash.

then I went inside! AGH!

 

[keithisg]

just before I sell a car I cut the plug off and spray paint all the wires black! LOL

Thats the plan everytime I sell a car now, why not go the extra mile and spray every wire you can find under the dash black and snip some random ones.

 

[lounge lizard]

Thats the plan everytime I sell a car now, why not go the extra mile and spray every wire you can find under the dash black and snip some random ones.

yea!
why leave anything behind that might make it easy to figure out! :bsnicker:

 

[69Explorer69]

yea when i got my X it had house speaker wires running to the front door speakers..i took out the head unit and it looks like a 5 years old went crazy with snips but hey my aftermarket head unit works so one day i will fix it.I see a spot on the back doors for speakers but i dont even know if i have some in there never took the door panel off to see all i know is they dont work

 

[waskly]

just before I sell a car I cut the plug off and spray paint all the wires black! LOL

dang it i thought i was the only one doing this... im going to upgrade to pink paint tho!

 

[69Explorer69]

Can i find a wiring diagram someone for a 1st gen...i need something to tell me what color does what!!

 

[69Explorer69]

hell i am just gonna steal/borrow sum before i sell mine

 

[lounge lizard]

I have found though most common people that say " yea! I just put a stereo in my car! "

really meant to say " yea! I just had (circuit city, best buy, wallmart, you name it) put my stereo in!"
then you look at the installation job and you say "you didn't put this in did you?" that's when the truth comes out.

and when they say I'm sellin my ride I walk away.

 

[Jason94sport]

Can i find a wiring diagram someone for a 1st gen...i need something to tell me what color does what!!

http://www.the12volt.com/installbay/vehicles.html

 

[BigRondo]

Can i find a wiring diagram someone for a 1st gen...i need something to tell me what color does what!!

Try http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=204044.

 

[NRA4ever]

My rant is having stereo shops do the hack jobs. My F250 had a decent stereo in it when I bought it. I couldn't get the bass controls to work. They hooked the sub amp to the rear speaker outputs.That really isn't bad. They ran the number 4 power wire between a grommet & the cab. It had the pressure of the grommet pushing it against the sharp metal of the firewall. I found several other wiring issues also. The job was done by the biggest stereo shop in Memphis. I do my own installs. That way I know its safe.

 

[lounge lizard]

it definitely needs to be safe above all else!

I hate to see a ride burn down because some foll doesn't know the proper technique on running power wires for amps.


that's also why I do my own installs on my radios

 

[guilateen]

my bros 98 navi burnt down from a power wire. prev owner removed all evidence of after market sound except well hidden pw under rear cargo carpet.set his toolbox on it and got ugly.