[Caddylack]

I am getting ready to put a basic sound system in my 95 Fleetwood. I've got the super long harness that goes from the dash to the trunk, but I'm a bit confused as to how this is all supposed to go together. The only reason I bought this harness is so I would be able to use the factory speaker wiring. I thought it would be nice to save myself the hassle of running new wires to each speaker. Now that I am digging into this situation, I don't understand the purpose of this harness.

If I want to add an aftermarket amp to power my coax speakers, don't I still have to run wires from the amp to the speakers? Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like this harness is only useful if your goal is to run your speakers off of your head unit.

 

[96 Black]

Yah, the old '94-5 split design sure is a head-scratcher. I'm creeping along like a glacier toward a Nexus 7 to replace mine, so thanks be all that '96 put everything in the front finally.

The "a basic sound system" makes me ask is this a new 1-pc slip-in, or another split head unit / separate amp setup? If the latter, then I would have presumed that harness is intended to just allow replacing the old amp with new in the same location and connectors to head and speaker pigtails. If the former then why need the trunk harness at all? Can you get any help from wherever you got that harness (was it Crutchfield?)?

Well, that's 4 new questions without answering any of yours! lol Hey, in case you don't have an FSM I can ship you whatever pertinent WDs I might come across.

 

[Caddylack]

If I understand correctly, I think I just yank the factory harness out of the factory amp, and plug it into the trunk end of this new harness, thereby bypassing the factory amp. To add an aftermarket amp to the equation, my best guess so far is that I would remove the individual speaker wires from the factory connector, and run them to the new amp.

Initially, I will only be installing a head unit and speakers. Eventually, though, I will be adding an aftermarket amp, so I want to have whatever wiring in place that I may need at that time (like RCA cables, etc). I don't want to have to pull the car apart more than once.

I did get the harness from Crutchfield, so I will reach out to them. I know they are awesome when it comes to this type of customer service.

I will shoot you a PM concerning FSM stuff.

 

[96 Black]

OK, a little less "unclear" now lol. So, you bought a full-length harness. Have you already purchased said head unit, AND a new 'future-intended-to-install' amp? I woulda' just presumed everything would be combined the same time as a kit in order to assure everything will mate on both ends to that harness - without further adapters. And if you're doing just the head part now, then have you confirmed whether or not there'll be an additional adapter to connect it (the head) to the oem speaker plug(s)?

Share any model / part numbers on the new $HI* you got or plan on eh.

EDIT: It just dawned on me this mighta' been even better post under our section to snag more guys with history on the 2-part radio.

 

[Caddylack]

I have the head unit and speakers. I have not yet purchased an amp.

Head unit wiring is virtually identical on every head unit I've ever seen. There isn't much to think about on that end of things. The harness that I purchased connects my new head unit to the wiring in the trunk seamlessly. What it doesn't do is integrate an aftermarket amp.

When I did the system in my previous Fleetwood, I wired everything from scratch. So, none of this stuff came up at that time.

I think I am probably on the right track as far as isolating the speaker wires from the factory harness and pulling them out of the connector. The amp will be in the trunk right next to all of this stuff, so it would be a matter of simply moving these wires from one terminal to another. The long harness I purchased would then only be used for power, ground, 12v, antenna, etc.

 

[96 Black]

You have a 'Conversation'

Ques: You said 'basic' system. Does the new head unit support apps like Torque, GPS, BT, rear cam..... ?

 

[Caddylack]

By "basic" I mean the cheapest head unit that Crutchfield sells. It doesn't support anything.

 

[Caddylack]

Semi-related:

The Fleetwood has a pair of tweeters in the front doors. What would happen if I plugged an additional pair of coax speakers into the connectors for the tweeters?

This would be with an aftermarket head unit and no external amp.

 

[Z09B4U]

So you are going to run a new harness from front to back (and pay for the harness). Then later rip up the same parts to install RCA cables, amp turn on wire and amp power cable, then remove the now useless adapter harness that only was needed when you installed the head unit without the amp.

Seems expensive and time consuming. If you start running serious power to the front speakers you will also have to run new speaker wire front to back.

 

[Caddylack]

So you are going to run a new harness from front to back (and pay for the harness). Then later rip up the same parts to install RCA cables, amp turn on wire and amp power cable, then remove the now useless adapter harness that only was needed when you installed the head unit without the amp.

What? Why would I do any of those things?

Besides installing the harness that I already have, anyway.

 

[Caddylack]

Semi-related, and contained in this thread for neatness:

What do you guys know about the factory amp in the (particularly 94-95) Fleetwood? Is there a reason it needs to be bypassed?

If a person were feeling thrifty, would it be possible to use this amp to power aftermarket speakers or a small sub?

EDIT: After looking at the schematics that 96 Black sent me before, I answered my question about the tweeter wiring. They are, indeed, wired together with the front door speakers.

 

[Caddylack]

Semi-related, and contained in this thread for neatness:

What do you guys know about the factory amp in the (particularly 94-95) Fleetwood? Is there a reason it needs to be bypassed?

If a person were feeling thrifty, would it be possible to use this amp to power aftermarket speakers or a small sub?

Just bumping this question.