1980-86 Ford F-Series Stereo Wiring Identification for Install 

Glad you got it working.

My pleasure brotha, thank you

Right on brotha, that's what it's all about!!

Not a problem sir, thank you!!!

Thanx for the follow up

Matt Aragon Thank you Matt....I'm glad it worked for you brotha!!! Happy Holidays!!!

Thank you so much for your comment, but thank you even more for telling us what other wires could be the power wires. I know which wire your talking about, I just didn't know that that was a power wire. Thanx a bunch!!

Thanks for the response! I had to add a follow up correction after doing more research and finding the wiring diagram - since I hate cutting factory plugs off! The factory radio power plug on these trucks is just a small rubber, two-prong female connector that exits the factory loom on the upper left of the radio opening. (my truck still has it) It has the yellow with black hash key switched power lead and the light blue with red stripe dimmer wire that you describe. The factory radio had no continuous power wire in these years since it was not electronic with no memory. There was also no ground wire, the factory setup was to ground through the metal chassis of the radio. The four prong grey square plug I described above that exits the factory loom on the lower right of the radio opening is for the factory digital clock from 1980-1982. It has all of the wires you describe but with the white/pink tracer wire for key on power. I see no reason not to use these wires to power a modern stereo, but I am going to use the yellow/black wire for switched power as the factory intended, like you did. Side note - this clock plug changed in 1983 and the illumination wire changed to brown. On my truck, someone put in an 83-86 clock and never hooked it up since the plug doesn't match, further adding to my confusion! Sorry for the essay, hopefully it saves someone some time. Thanks again for the great video!

You can get a mounting kit on Ebay (not sure what the number is)....but....you have to modify it to get it to work.

@@bryzgarage5028 I went to a place down near me called pro sound and I git a mount for legit $7 works amazing just having issues with radio which is radio trying to learn it

Any info on this kit ?​@@nathanwelch2082

My pleasure!! Thank you!!

BryzGarage I've been working on cars for about 12 years now and hate wiring. Just picked up an 85 f250 with a rats nest of confusion behind the radio and couldn't find a wiring diagram for it anywhere. Your video was exactly what I needed to get it straightened out. Thanks man

@@mestupkid689 the I k

@@malinakrodriguez what?

+Nick Fry I cut and pulled mine from an unused wire harness on the right side of the ash tray. Is that what you are asking? Or are you asking something else? Thanx!

I used a floating ground on my 83 it come with my kit from Crutchfield. It sounds great and makes for a cleaner install since there’s only a 1 common ground for all the speakers.

I never did have a radio to begin with when I bought the vehicle

I believe so. All I had were a bunch of random wires. However, just judging by the cutout in the bezel, it appears the radio was a cassette with a dial on each side.

I really dont know. I'd like to do it myself, but I've never measured it. You would definitely have to cut the bezel, but you have to do that anyway if you going to put in a single din.

It is just a single din

I'm pretty sure you could fit a double din in there, but you'd still have to modify the bezel no matter what.

My truck is a 1981 Ford F-150 Ranger Lariat

I can do that

BryzGarage really? Thanks so much!

It is the blue wire inside the truck. You may not have to hook it up though, depends on the stereo.

Yes. I'd send you a pic of what it looks like but I'm not sure how to on youtube. You do have to cut the bezel and get the right kit. Not sure which one it is though.

@@andyrodriguez942 there u go

The blue wire is an illumination wire. Some radios need it hooked up, some dont. Find your blue wire in the truck and connect it to your illumination wire on your stereo. I believe its blue with a stripe, but cant totally remember. Keep me posted.

We got mfn power ole your a lifesaver brother. Thought it was the beer getting to me 😂 I’ll test the sound out and get back to you in the morn the neighbors are prob ready to fight me about now for yelling.

@@sexyaf25 right on, that's what I want to hear!!! Right on, it's nice to have a stereo in these old trucks.

Do you have your green, yellow and black wires hooked up? Those are your main wires, everything else is "pretty much" just speaker wires.

Also, is your black wire grounded to something? Just make sure you have a really good ground, like to a bolt or nut connected to the trucks frame work.

It is an "illumination" wire. Some stereos require it (mostly for the radios buttons) and some dont. So if you connect it and your stereo buttons are not illuminated, connect the blue/red wire up to the illumination wire on the back of the stereo.

BryzGarage oh, I connected everything and now my running lights and dash lights don’t work

@@jacobstuntebeck-lokken6927 so my guess is you blew a fuse. Did you ground (black wire) the stereo to the trucks frame work?

BryzGarage I’ll try grounding it someplace under the dash tomorrow

@@jacobstuntebeck-lokken6927 ok, that should prevent your fuses from blowing. Did you check your fuses?

+ethefire I never found a mounting bracket per se, I just used the Metra kit and harness to do my install. I can't remember the kits model # though. So far, I can't complain, it is just cheap plastic however it's worked pretty well.

BryzGarage ok thanks. i bought some kit for mine that was supposed to work, spent a couple of hours trying to figure it out and just finally decided it wasnt going to work.

+ethefire Did you but Metra? If so...the instructions are bad but it will work. Its Just confusing as hell.

Damien Young Yes...I did have to cut the bezel. I used my dremel tool to do it and then bought a mounting kit for the inside. I did not use a harness kit for the electrical hook up since it was an easy install.

you got a link for the mounting kit?

Damien Young The kit is made by Metra model #99-5700. The kit wotks, but it really sucks trying to figure out how to install it. It doesn't have good instructions.