Speaker grounds

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rrrs
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Nov 07, 2018 8:51 pm
Location: Hawaii

Speaker grounds

Post by rrrs »

Just installing new head unit and wiring the connection to the speakers.
As new unit does not tolerate common grounds for front and rear speakers will have to separate those.
Instead of puling new complete speaker wire I would like to find where are front and rear speaker grounds actually tied together?
This way I could just add one ground wire from there to the head unit.
Would anyone know the actual location in the car where the front and rear speaker grounds are tied together?
Is this maybe behind the front speakers?
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86_6series
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Posts: 1069
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2007 10:08 pm
Location: West Nyack, NY

Re: Speaker grounds

Post by 86_6series »

In the future please list your year and model so we know what direction to go in.

I just picked 1986 ETM. You launch your year and should be about the same.

Pages 6500-0 & 6500-1, looks like the common ground is @ the fader control

on the dashboard.

1986 ETM

https://www.millerperformancecars.com/f ... Manual.pdf

Zero in on your year

https://www.millerperformancecars.com/u ... anual-list
86-635CSi
96-MB C220 SOLD
98-740i
71-Continental MK3
rrrs
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Nov 07, 2018 8:51 pm
Location: Hawaii

Re: Speaker grounds

Post by rrrs »

Thanks, in the end I just pulled new rear speakers wires and used the existing grounds for front speakers, so all good now.

I did find it really difficult to get rear speakers to fit the old style speaker pods; seems all modern 6x4 speakers got much larger magnets then original speakers, so the pod would no longer close.
Only solution was to swap left and right pods to make speakers fit; not perfect but it works....
Jlc
Posts: 287
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2020 5:27 pm
Location: Atl

Re: Speaker grounds

Post by Jlc »

I put in a pair of Retrosound speakers in the rear - about $60 for the pair. Not the greatest speakers but they fit and are fine for my needs. I put kickers in the front and they fit with the original grilles. I pulled the fader out, ran new wires for the front and tapped into the original wires at the connector with some spade fittings. I put a fog light switch from an e30 in the fader hole and tapped the antenna leads into it to allow the antenna to go up separately when the radio is on; of course I have some issue with the antenna not working but it was a problem before I did this as well so it's on my list to troubleshoot.
85 635CSi Bronzit
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