High Power AM/FM (120-1996) Installation Faxback Doc. # 6971 Stereo Car Cassette Player BEFORE YOU BEGIN THE INSTALLATION Precautions Improper installation can damage your stereo and other components in your vehicle's autosound system. Before you begin installing the stereo: a. You do not feel confident about being able to: Properly install your stereo, or Make needed modifications to the dash, or Remove obstructions behind the dash. b. You do not know the answers to questions such as: Does my vehicle have a 12-volt negative ground electrical system? Which wire is the power wire? How do I connect a wire to a fuse? Then we recommend you have your stereo installed by a professional autosound system installer. Before you mount the stereo, temporarily connect the speakers, power wires, and antenna. Then turn on your vehicle's ignition and test the stereo to be sure it works properly. Setting the Shaft Spacing The size of pre-existing openings in the dash or installation kit determines the best spacing between the stereo's shafts (knobs). The space between the shafts is preset to 5 13/16 inches at the factory. You can change the spacing to 5 5/8 inches, 5 3/8 inches, or 5 1/8 inches. If you need to change the shaft spacing, follow these steps. 1. Loosen the nuts on both shafts. 2. Move each shaft positioner to the correct pair of holes. 3. Hold each shaft positioner in place as you tighten its shaft nut. Preparing the Mounting Area Before you mount the stereo, confirm that the stereo fits your vehicle's stereo mounting area. Note: If the mounting area is too large, you should be able to mount the stereo with the supplied gasket or an optional in-dash installation kit, available at your local Radio Shack store. Follow the installation kit's instructions to mount the stereo. Routing Speaker Wire If you install speakers, avoid routing speaker wires near moving parts or sharp edges. You can usually route them along the wiring channel beneath the vehicle's door facings by carefully removing the molding that holds the carpet in place. After routing the speaker wire, replace the molding. Testing the Stereo Before you mount the stereo or any speakers, test the stereo first by temporarily connecting the speakers, power wires, and antenna. Important: Do not cut these wires. If you cut any wire, you cannot obtain a refund or exchange on this product. Radio Shack will provide warranty service if you cut a wire and find the product is defective. MAKING THE CONNECTIONS Your stereo comes with one wiring harness, which can be used for both two-speaker and four-speaker systems. Cautions: Be sure your speakers can handle 28 watts of power (14 watts per channel). Each speaker must have an impedance of at least 4 ohms. Your local Radio Shack store carries a full line of speakers. For added safety and to protect your stereo, disconnect the cable from your vehicle battery's negative (-) terminal before you begin. You must connect a separate wire to each speaker terminal as described in the following procedure. Do not use a common wire or chassis ground for any speaker connection. Using an Adapter Harness If you are replacing an existing stereo, or if your vehicle is factory- wired for autosound components, you might be able to use an adapter harness to connect the power and speakers. Radio Shack stores sell adapter harnesses for most vehicles. Follow the directions that come with the adapter harness to temporarily connect the power and speakers. Then connect the vehicle's antenna cable to the antenna socket on the back of the stereo. Speaker Connections If you want to use only two speakers, either front or rear, connect them to the front speaker wires. Be sure to secure any unused wires with a wire tie and insulate them with electrical tape so they do not touch metal. 1. Connect the gray wire to the front right speaker's positive (+) terminal. This terminal is usually marked with a plus (+) sign or red mark. 2. Connect the gray/black wire to the front right speaker's negative(-) terminal. This terminal might be marked with a minus (-) sign or it might have no marking at all. 3. Connect the white wire to the front left speaker's positive (+) terminal. This terminal is usually marked with a (+) sign or red mark. 4. Connect the white/black wire to the front left speaker's negative (-) terminal. This terminal might be marked with a minus (-) sign or it might have no marking at all. 5. Connect the violet wire to the rear right speaker's positive (+) terminal. 6. Connect the violet/black wire to the rear right speaker's negative (-) terminal. 7. Connect the green wire to the rear left speaker's positive (+) terminal. 8. Connect the green/black wire to the left speaker's negative (-) terminal. Power and Antenna Connections Follow these steps to connect ground and continuous, accessory, and remote power. 1. Connect the black ground wire to a chassis ground, such as a metal screw attached to the vehicle's frame. Be sure the screw is not insulated from the frame by a plastic part. 2. Connect the red power wire (with in-line fuse holder) to a point in your vehicle's fuse block that has power only when you turn the vehicle's key to the ignition or accessory (ACC) position. This connection provides power to the stereo when you turn on the ignition or set the key to the ACC position, and turns off power when you turn off the ignition. This prevents your vehicle's battery from being drained if you leave the stereo on when you turn off the ignition. 3. Connect the yellow wire to your vehicle battery's positive (+) terminal or to a fuse that provides a continuous source of 12 volts. This connection provides continuous power for the clock and tuner memory when the ignition is turned off. 4. Connect the blue wire to any optional equipment that you want the stereo to turn on and off, such as a power antenna. This wire does not provide power to the component. It simply turns it on and off. If you do not use this wire, secure it with a wire tie and do not let it touch metal. Note: The optional equipment must be designed for use with a switched power lead. 5. Plug the wire harness into the stereo's wiring socket. 6. Connect the vehicle's antenna cable to the stereo's antenna socket. 7. Reconnect the battery cable. TESTING THE CONNECTIONS Turn on your vehicle's ignition and verify that everything works properly. If the stereo does not work at all, or does not work properly, IMMEDIATELY TURN OFF YOUR VEHICLE'S IGNITION. Then disconnect your vehicle battery's negative (-) terminal, unplug the wiring harness, and recheck all the connections. If you verify that the stereo works properly, mark the connections to insure easy identification of each wire. MOUNTING THE STEREO Be sure you test the stereo first and verify that it works properly. Follow these steps to mount the stereo. 1. Disconnect your vehicle battery's negative (-) terminal. 2. Disconnect the wiring harness and antenna. 3. Position the stereo in the dashboard as follows. a. Place one supplied nut and washer on each shaft and tighten the nuts about half-way up the shafts. b. From behind the dashboard, insert the shafts through the holes in the mounting surface. c. Adjust the nuts on the shafts until the stereo's front panel lines up properly with the dashboard. Insert the supplied gasket if additional front panel support is needed. d. Place another supplied washer and nut on each shaft and tighten the nuts to secure the stereo against the dashboard. 4. Place the trim plate and shaft-spacing adapters over the shafts. Select the shaft-spacing adapters that fit over the shafts and into the cutouts in the trim plate. 5. Place the trim plate bevels over the shafts. Be sure the bevel's curved surface is flush against the shaft-spacing adapter. 6. Place the barrel nuts on the shafts and tighten the nuts against the trim plate bevels. Note: To further secure the stereo, attach one end of the supplied metal strap to the bolt on the back of the stereo. Then attach the other end of the strap to a solid metal part of the vehicle using an existing bolt or the supplied self-tapping screw. This strap also ensures that the stereo is properly grounded. 7. Place the inner and outer knobs on the shafts. 8. Reconnect the wiring harness and the antenna. 9. Reconnect your vehicle battery's negative (-) battery cable. (SMM/smc-05/06/94)