BLUE2K
I have a '97 and my color codes don't match yours so all I can do is throw out a couple of thoughts.

What did you do with the pieces you cut off? I'm pretty sure the connector was indexed to fit on the speaker. That would help you identifly the pos. and neg. poles. From your description, it sounds like you've connected the speakers out of phase. This causes the one speaker to move in the opposite direction of another which actually cancels out some frequencies. This makes your system sound really thin and 'wimpy'

WIthout the old pieces, all you can do is reverse the wires on each speaker until the system sounds better. Keep in mind that the rear speakers must also be in phase with the front speakers or you will still get frequency cancellation. Start with just one of the rear speakers and make sure it sounds good with the fronts. Then connect to other rear speaker and flip the wire around until the sound is good. Hope this helps.

 

Mr. Wizard,

I still have the clips that I cut off, but they weren't marked as to which was pos and neg (at least not that I noticed, I'll check again).

Are your wires atleast consistent in the color coding (the same color is ground or positive on both sides of the vehicle)?

Thanks for the suggestions.


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2000 F-150 XLT, 5.4L, 4x4, auto, Extended Cab, Deep Wedgewood Blue, 3.55, Towing Package, Sliding window, CD player, 4 wheel abs/discs, 255/70/16's, build date 11/99, bedmat, K&N Filter and more to come

 

For what it's worth what I usually do when I get desperate is go down to the local stereo shop (Best Buy, Circuit City, etc...), ask for the factory wiring harness kit for an aftermarket head unit or speaker install (assuming it's not on a self serve rack somewhere), and read the schematic that is printed on the outside of the plastic bag. Then hand it or put it back, thank them and go fix it Requires a trip to the store but at least then you are sure.

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2000 F-150 Lariat S/C 4x4 ORP 5.4L Bright Red/gold

 

Need a little help here.

I just installed a pair of 6x8 Polk speakers in the rear doors of my truck. Not having an adaptor for the factory speaker harness, I just snipped it off and added my own female leads to the end. I didn't know which wire was positive or negative, so I attached a digital voltmeter to the wires and turned the stereo on. I believe that when the wires are connected properly (meaning positive to positive and neg to neg) the meter should read positive. When they are reversed, it reads negative. I did this on both sides and I got different results. On the passenger side the ground wire was the orange wire. On the driver side the orange wire was positive. I hooked the speakers up the way the meter read, but now they don't sound any better than the factory speakers, so I think they are wired wrong.

Can anyone tell me which wire (orange w/ red stripe or purple w/ pink stripe) is ground or positive.

Sorry for the long post. Hope someone can help me out.

I also bought a Chilton manual and it doesn't have the stereo wiring scheme in it, so it was no help.

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2000 F-150 XLT, 5.4L, 4x4, auto, Extended Cab, Deep Wedgewood Blue, 3.55, Towing Package, Sliding window, CD player, 4 wheel abs/discs, 255/70/16's, build date 11/99, bedmat, K&N Filter and more to come

 

BLUE2K
The color codes for my speaker wires are:
Right Rear = BRN/PNK and ORG/RED
Left Rear = GRY/Lt.BLU and TAN/YEL

The designations for the polarity is on the stock speakers, not the connectors. The indexed connector only fits on the speaker one way so if you put the connector back on the stock speaker, you should be able to tell which is which.

Otherwise a trip to the store as Ransome123 suggested might be your only hope.

 

Thanks for suggestions. Unfortunately I got rid of the stock speakers already. I swapped them into a car I just sold, that's where I pulled the Polk's from. I remember looking at the speakers and don't recall any pos or neg designations on them. I guess a trip to Circuit City is in store.

Thanks for the help.

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2000 F-150 XLT, 5.4L, 4x4, auto, Extended Cab, Deep Wedgewood Blue, 3.55, Towing Package, Sliding window, CD player, 4 wheel abs/discs, 255/70/16's, build date 11/99, bedmat, K&N Filter and more to come