85 Radio Install Question

Topic: 85 Radio Install Question (Read 1832 times) previous topic - next topic

85 Radio Install Question

January 04, 2012, 08:52:44 PM

I don't know what happened to my stock radio and the metal bracket that slides onto the mount in the back of the radio. So..... I have a nice aftermarket cd player I came across and I want to install it in the Bird, question is do they make a dash kit for it that I can put in without needing that metal bracket on the stock radio? And do they hopefully make a wiring harness for it? Thanks

85 Radio Install Question

Reply #1 – January 05, 2012, 07:02:40 AM

Sorry I'm still new to the forum and missed the radio section completely, Mods please move this to the radio section. Thanks.

85 Radio Install Question

Reply #2 – January 06, 2012, 06:53:13 PM

Your talking about the bracket that the bolts on to the stud at the back of the radio and then slides into a notch on the dash frame to support the radio right?

85 Radio Install Question

Reply #3 – January 09, 2012, 10:34:29 AM

Yeah that's the one, do I need it? Also does anybody know the part number off hand for the wiring harness adapter kit, and dash kit? Thanks

85 Radio Install Question

Reply #4 – January 09, 2012, 12:46:29 PM

No, you won't be using it. The aftermarket radio won't have the stud on the back to bolt it onto and will probably be a lot lighter than the factory radio anyway.

The wiring harness you will need will be similar to this one, for 82-85 year cars.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Radio-WIRE-HARNESS-INSTALL-STEREO-PLUG-1982-1985-/380340922282?hash=item588e15e7aa&item=380340922282&pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr

I don't think I used a dash kit when I installed an after market radio in my 86, but it has been a decade so I can't say for sure. I think I took the mounting brackets off the old radio and put them on the new radio.

85 Radio Install Question

Reply #5 – January 23, 2012, 06:54:10 PM

I bought that kit, but when I went to install the radio I found that there is no ground wire coming out of that kit, I hooked all the speaker wires up correctly with the harness that hooks only the speakers up,then I hooked up the smaller one with the yellow wire, the orange wire, Red and blue wire, and I get no power, there is no ground wire coming out of the aftermarket harness to hook the ground for the aftermarket radio, There is a RED wire with a connector on it, that went on that bracket I was talking about, and it had a nut that held it down on the FRAME of the back of the radio. Now when I push that RED wire in to the aftermarket harness the radio gets power but NO SOUND through the speakers, and keep in mind there is NO GROUND hooked up,I've done aftermarket radios before but never in anything this old, I looked at the wiring diagram I found somewhere on here I believe and it says that the FACTORY ground wire is black and light green, the only OTHER wire that is not connected in with the factory harnesses is that RED wire, sorry for the long read but I am stuck and frustrated, am I missing something? Any help is appreciated guys.

85 Radio Install Question

Reply #6 – January 23, 2012, 07:05:12 PM

The red wire that went to the stud on the back of the radio is the radio ground.

85 Radio Install Question

Reply #7 – January 23, 2012, 07:27:37 PM

Cool, so I just need to hook it up to the radio ground on the aftermarket head unit and it should be good then right? Thanks Alot

85 Radio Install Question

Reply #8 – January 23, 2012, 07:39:02 PM

Yeah, I am pretty sure that is how I hooked it up. If you have a digital multimeter you might check for continuity between the red wire and a known ground just to be sure.

85 Radio Install Question

Reply #9 – January 26, 2012, 08:04:19 PM

Hooked up that ground to the ground on the radio, The radio gets NO POWER what so ever. I dunno what the deal is.

85 Radio Install Question

Reply #10 – January 28, 2012, 09:30:12 PM

Ok hooked EVERYTHING up BY color, using factory wiring diagram AND the diagram that comes with the wiring harnesses, hooked up that ground wire, AND ran a power wire STRAIGHT from the battery, Radio is powered but WILL NOT turn on, and IF it does no sound comes through the speakers, I'm done with it. If anybody has a stock radio they would sell I might be interested let me know please and thanks.