I'm installing new speakers in my '99 Lariat with the factory Cass w/ 6 disk changer. I ordered the standard speaker adapters (metra 72-5512) form Parts Express, but they do not fit. My connectors are like a rounded box with the pins off to one side. Where did I goof? Is there an adapter for these? Why are mine different? Is this considered the "premium system"? Should I be looking for a factory amp?

 

I had the same problem when I bought speaker adapters for my truck. The guys at Circuit City told me that no one made adapters for the newer connections and they usually cut the wires and spliced into them. I ended up just running new wires because I was installing an amp anyway. My stock connections are still hanging in there if I ever need them.

Bob

 

Thanks Bob, I will be adding a 4ch amp since I'm keeping the stock HU. I don't mind splicing the wires, but I havn't decided on running new wire. Did Ford use a factory amp in these trucks? If so, where did they hide it?

 

I've heard that the Premium sound systems had some sort of amp but I'm not too sure on that. I don't think mine had one and I had a factory single CD player.

Bob

 

Crutchfield has the correct adapters. They are free with speaker purchase or you can buy them outright.

 

I got my adapters at Best Buy. They do have the adapters for the new premuim sound systems. My stock HU had two square connectors. Once the Pioneer HU wires were spliced into the wires from the harness, everything worked just fine.

 

There are a couple of different versions of the "premium" sound system from Ford. There is one with separate amps, which is what I assume Lariats and Expys have in them. If you want to use an aftermarket headunit or amps you'll have to deal with bypassing these amps in sending your signal to the speakers.

The other version is the one which came on my L. The window sticker had "Premium Sound System" listed on it, but it's really not. There are no separate amps. The headunit is a AM/FM/Cassette and the CD changer is a separate item located behind the passenger seat. Output is probably only like 7W/ch, which is fine, because the factory paper single cone w/ whizzer speakers are complete crap. (IMHO) The good part about it was that it was pretty painless to do a stereo-ectomy. All you need is a connector for the headunit connections. Those are EVERYWHERE.

As far as the speaker connectors go - these are custom. No aftermarket speaker I know of uses these connectors. Most just use the two sized spade connectors. If you really want to keep the factory connectors, you'll have to make some up. Or - you could just buy your speakers from Crutchfield. They include adaptors with every speaker sold. Maybe you could call them and see if they'd sell you just the connectors. If not, maybe buy their cheapest pair of speakers and just keep the connectors?