Newb Aftermarket Install Questions

[jsampsell]

Alright, folks, let me say thank you in advance for any help you can give me. I've spent a lot of time looking around this forum for this information but I can't seem to find anything about it. I might be searching for the wrong terminology so I apologize in advance if there's already stuff here.

My wife's 96 Explorer XLT sounds horrible but she could care less. The one thing she wants is a CD player. Hers has the OE radio with the tape player. It does not have a CD changer button. It does not sound like it has a factory sub. It is not JBL branded anywhere in the truck. It has an "Auto Set" button if that helps identify the OE radio options. It was given to us and I know nothing more about it than this unfortunately.

I have purchased a cheapo aftermarket CD player radio, an install kit that will fit the single-din unit in the double-din location, and a wiring harness adapter.

There are two plugs that come off the back of the factory stereo and only one plug into the aftermarket radio. Below is the wiring diagram provided by the aftermarket radio manufacturer and pictures of the back of the OE radio and the two plugs that came out of it. The wiring harness I purchased only has one connector that plugs into the OE connector (#1). Is connector #2 not used ever again? If so, what was it for to begin with?

I have not started the project yet. I like to know what I'm doing ahead of time. Again, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jeremy

 

[Jestarr]

Does the truck have rear seat stereo controls n the back of the center console?

 

[jsampsell]

It does have rear seat controls. I didn't even know that.

 

[jsampsell]

I did some more searching and found someone posted a PDF file of the wiring diagrams. The picture below is from that PDF. According to this, it appears that my OE radio is the premium radio that has an amp. Am I correct in this based on the PDF? If so, what I'm reading is that I need an amp bypass kit. Am I going to have to order this online or do places like Best Buy sell this type of thing?

Jeremy

 

[jsampsell]

OK, more snooping confirms that I definitely have the Premium sound system with an amp in back.

What I'm confused about now is what amp bypass kit to purchase. I went to Crutchfield.com first and without putting in the specific vehicle information I found a Ford wiring harness that has a third connector pictured and the user comments said that it was an amp bypass. When I added it to the cart it asked me to walk through what year/make/model the truck is so that it could check to see if it was compatible. NOPE. It says that it isn't.

So I do some more searching and find a post that says the regular harness recommended by Crutchfield for the truck just doesn't have the hookups for the amp and that is how it "bypasses" the amp. Is this what they consider bypassing the amp?

It kind of makes sense in that a signal will pass through an amp whether it is powered on or not because the physical connection is still there for the signal to flow through. I realize that may not be the "best" way of doing things from a signal quality perspective but this is for my wife's vehicle and she thinks sound from a tin can is just fine.

I'd appreciate it if you know if there is something I'm missing.

Jeremy

 

[aaronajb1981]

This is the harness that you need.

metra 70-5600

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item...oogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=froogle

your "b" harness is the speakers.

just make sure to hook up your remote turn on and ground the amp ground in this harness.

 

[jsampsell]

Thanks aaronajb1981. I picked up Best Buy's version of that harness last night.

I have one other question, though. I do not want to use the factory amp and I don't have an aftermarket amp to use either. I just want to run the stock speakers powered by the HU. Does this wiring harness allow for the "amp bypass" that others have talked about on this forum? That's where I'm still confused. I'd like to get this installed tomorrow or Saturday but I don't want to get into it and realize that I can't finish it because I needed something else.

Thanks again for the help.

Jeremy

 

[jsampsell]

Ok, radio is in and working great. I wasn't aware that you could just continue using the stock amp with the aftermarket head unit.

Took me about an hour from soldering to getting it in the dash. I got to brush up on my soldering so that was good. This does the trick.

Thanks to those that have helped.