Bypassing Factory AMP (For idiots) (1 Viewer)

[NearJetties]

Can you confirm what the RCA leads are connected to?

Are the LC speakers should connected to this harness? If so, your likely issue is a combination of head unit power output (despite specs, likely to be not much more than 20wpc) and higher impedance speakers. And you mentioned the speakers are wired to a common ground - again this might be worth using the individual -ve wires on the harness.

View attachment 3837987

Yes, that is what the aftermarket harness that was used looks like. It then goes into a plug that plugs directly into the factory radio harness

Previously the RCA leads (4 speaker out) were connected to the speakers via the factory harness. Now they go to the wires I used to bypass the amp (run behind glove box and down the door sill) and tie in under the passenger seat as described in the TLC article.

In trouble shooting I now have the new speaker wires grounded to the metal dash support bar behind the head unit.

 

[NearJetties]

Do I need something like this?

PAC LD-10 Line Driver with Signal Booster - Sonic Electronix

PAC LD-10 • 10X Adjustable Line Driver with Signal Booster and a 96 db S/N Ratio • PAC LD-10 Line Driver with Signal Booster • Boost Your Signal and Gain the Most Power Out of Your System • 10X RCA Signal Booster • Solid State Ground Loop Isolation • Left and Right Gain Level Adjustment

www.sonicelectronix.com

 

[NearJetties]

I’ve been reading all the threads I can find on it and this quote may be a key (I’m using RCAs as mentioned above and the do seem very low voltage output with the multimeter) but I don’t exactly know what they mean. There don’t seem to be other speaker outputs.

Duncan - exactly right. The RCA's at the head unit are low level outs no speaker outs (to clarify) Be mindful of wire colors at Head unit end. As MXN said a few cruisers have been different connectors, but wire colors are consistent.

Make sure at the amp end you tie the power wires etc together as I describe in my blog.

Post in thread 'Radio replacement / bypass amp'
Radio replacement / bypass amp - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/radio-replacement-bypass-amp.638220/post-8989879

Edit: I’ll have to look at the wiring again but think I figured it out.

Use these:

Not these (which is what I’m currently using):

 

[FFFbuff]

View attachment 3912439