I want to replace my factory HU in a 97 Expedition. It has no cd player now. just talked to a Crutchfield guy, and he said I have to buy a $50 adapter and that would make it use the factory amp. or I could run speaker wire to the factory speakers so I could use the new HU output power (50Wx4).

I have done a basic hookup of a cd player in our boat and pontoon. Will this be hard to install? I don't want to buy a new HU and not use the amp in it, will the factory speakers handle 50 watts? Where is the factory amp located, and is it easy to splice into the speaker wires from there? Anyone got a wiring diagram of the Ford Audio system?

Thanks for any help

 

Go to a car audio store around you. About $15-$20 for the dash kit and another $20 to $30 for a wirings harness that could bypass the factory amp. Thats if you were to install and after market HU.

I don't know anything about the internal amps, lucky for me no Ford I've owned has had one.

An aftermarket HU will not put out 50w, thats just it's peak power. Expect about 18w to 25w RMS from most HU's. And yes the factory speakers could handle that, though it would be best to just replace the factory speakers with at least a polk, pioneer or alpines 5x7/6x8 speakers, all 3 companies have at least model of that size that are under $100 (walmart has pioneers for $60). They will sound better then the stock.

 

does my Expedition have a factory amp? the guy on Crutchfield said all of them do, but I can turn the radio up like 3/4 of the way and its not as loud as 1/2 way up on my 97 truck I traded in

 

ok, i got a Pioneer DEHP 4300 head unit and a wiring harness from a car audio store today. went to put it in after i wired the harnesses together, plugged it up and it came on, but no sound. i think i am sending the high signal to the FORD amp, i read on installdr.com that you need a bypass wire harness to eliminate the factory amp, where can i get one of these, and where is the amp in my expedition, and is it easier to run new speaker wire?

thanks for any help

 

Mongoose...

OK, I am not sure where (but I know someone else on this board does) the factory amplifier in your expy is located.. BUT.. if it is under the dash (maybe passenger side).. all you need to do is run speaker wires from your HU to the existing amplifier and disconnect that amp. I had a premium sound system in my Ford Contour, and I did the same thing. You could run all new wiring, but then you have to take apart the door panels and all of that too. Might be easier just to run the four sets of speaker wires to the Ford amplifer and connect there. Just my $.02

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2001 F150 SC Red XLT
4x4 Off Road Package
5.4L V.8 3.55LS
Go-Rhino Grill Guard w/KC o-r lights
Pioneer Premier DEH-P410
A/D/S/ 236is front spks
Alpine SWR1040 Subwoofer
Rockford Fosgate 500.2 & 400.4 Amps
Viper alarm w/autostarter

 

thanks, i was just thinkin of splicin the wires together around the amp, but this sounds better, less cutting of factory stuff. I'm tryin to find the amp, its hard to follow the wires without takin the dash off.