Radio Harness: Metra Kit - WM-FD1

[Brain75]

So I have enough electrical knowledge to be less than dangerous.... meaning I learned from a licensed journeyman, have rewired 3 or 4 houses, put a complete basement in from scratch - passing all code and inspection, etc.

Someone with more familiarity on Ford radios explain why Walmart says this kit is NOT compatible with a 1990 Ranger...

Robot or human?

Looking very closely at the pinout of the 7 pin, it obviously is missing several pins, but by pulling up the schematic here on TRS I see it is redundant ground (2&7 - so missing one ground), and redundant illumination (4&5 - so missing one illumination).
All those are non-issues since you are splicing a 7+8 connector (ford factory) to a ISO (every radio aftermarket now), and can just marry redundant together in the splice anyhow.
a Metra 70-1770 lists for like $15 everywhere, and then the ISO is another $15.... this has both in it for ~1/3 the cost ($11 instead of $30).


Am I just being blind to some other issue or is there an actual reason why it wont work with ANY Ford that has 7+8 connector including the all the 2nd gen Rangers.
metra's own website disavows any knowledge of a part number WM-FD1 and points you to the $30 solution.

Metra Online | Parts | Metra Auto Parts Online Warehouse

Metra Electronics, the Installer’s Choice as the leading manufacturer of car stereo dash kits for 65 years.

www.metraonline.com

Metra does have an install sheet for a "FD1" but that is the steering wheel control and software interface module that is way out in left field.

 

[SenorNoob]

Lots of things that Metra ships to Walmart have WM part numbers like that. It's infuriating. Pioneer is similar. Special part numbers for Walmart. Pioneer even has a special website just to list the Walmart parts. Must be some kind of contract thing.

Anyway. I can only say that I bought my connectors at Walmart when I put my first radio in. It worked fine. As for the ISO thing, I've always had the radio side connector with it.

 

[WutUp Clegg]

So I have enough electrical knowledge to be less than dangerous.... meaning I learned from a licensed journeyman, have rewired 3 or 4 houses, put a complete basement in from scratch - passing all code and inspection, etc.

Someone with more familiarity on Ford radios explain why Walmart says this kit is NOT compatible with a 1990 Ranger...

Robot or human?

Looking very closely at the pinout of the 7 pin, it obviously is missing several pins, but by pulling up the schematic here on TRS I see it is redundant ground (2&7 - so missing one ground), and redundant illumination (4&5 - so missing one illumination).
All those are non-issues since you are splicing a 7+8 connector (ford factory) to a ISO (every radio aftermarket now), and can just marry redundant together in the splice anyhow.
a Metra 70-1770 lists for like $15 everywhere, and then the ISO is another $15.... this has both in it for ~1/3 the cost ($11 instead of $30).


Am I just being blind to some other issue or is there an actual reason why it wont work with ANY Ford that has 7+8 connector including the all the 2nd gen Rangers.
metra's own website disavows any knowledge of a part number WM-FD1 and points you to the $30 solution.

Metra Online | Parts | Metra Auto Parts Online Warehouse

Metra Electronics, the Installer’s Choice as the leading manufacturer of car stereo dash kits for 65 years.

www.metraonline.com

Metra does have an install sheet for a "FD1" but that is the steering wheel control and software interface module that is way out in left field.

The WM-FD1 will work. The difference between the FD1 and 70-1770 is, the FD1 has extra plugs for Fords vehicles with the premium system. Metra might say it will not fit because of the extra plugs. You can get the 70-1770 on Amazon and eBay for less than $10.

 

[Curious Hound]

They probably say it doesn't fit because it's not an "exact fit without modifications". Since you seem knowledgeable and confident in making minor changes and adjustments, it should be fine for you. They don't want the hassle of having hundreds of people complaining that it's not a perfect plug-n-play solution for their application.

 

[Brain75]

I went to the local walmart (45 minute country drive one way for me), cause they said they had it in stock - get there.. no such luck, spot for it, same price as online nothing there.... Chalk that up to "loss management" (aka theft), just to open the box and look at the connectors closely. Guess I will order one online and wait for it to arrive. I have not ordered the radio, but I was planning on a cheapy and it does not show the iso/radio side connector in their picture so not counting on it being in the box. Will report back once confirmed, but I had a high degree of confidence and thank you guys/gals for confirmation and info.

 

[WutUp Clegg]

I went to the local walmart (45 minute country drive one way for me), cause they said they had it in stock - get there.. no such luck, spot for it, same price as online nothing there.... Chalk that up to "loss management" (aka theft), just to open the box and look at the connectors closely. Guess I will order one online and wait for it to arrive. I have not ordered the radio, but I was planning on a cheapy and it does not show the iso/radio side connector in their picture so not counting on it being in the box. Will report back once confirmed, but I had a high degree of confidence and thank you guys/gals for confirmation and info.

A little background on me... I was a professional Master Certified installer for 15 years. I have worked on hundreds of these. A 70-1770 will fit your truck. If you would like, post a picture of the back of the radio or the factory harness, and I will verify the exact harness you need.

 

[desertdog71]

A little background on me... I was a professional Master Certified installer for 15 years. I have worked on hundreds of these. A 70-1770 will fit your truck. If you would like, post a picture of the back of the radio or the factory harness, and I will verify the exact harness you need.

Which one would work on a 1994?

 

[Brain75]

Based on the fact the WM-FD1 has all the extra connectors in addition to the 7+8, AND the label on the box says 85-2000, I would say most likely the WM-FD1 would work on the early 3rd gen as well. (Couple those two bits with the fact I have seen a lot of 93/94 in the junkyard and the harness plug ends don't have any wow surprising new connectors.) But I have not seen YOUR 1994 to know what the connector ends look like. Best advice, remove the dash trim, remove the radio, look at YOUR ends to make sure they are still factory and not butchered up/etc, then head to the local wally world and check the connectors all line up.

 

[WutUp Clegg]

Which one would work on a 1994?

the 70-1770.

 

[Brain75]

As far as what did I order - well I ordered this:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805584972639.html

and if the connectors are all that is useful and I have to cut the middle and splice so be it - $5 to get both ends / all 3 connectors instead of ~$30 (this comment they are available for $10 on amazon I just do not find, amazon, autozone, oreilly all have em and they all want $15+ for each)

 

[desertdog71]

As it turns out, it doesn't matter because the crackhead that owned this thing before me hacked up all the wiring beyond usefulness. So I stripped the interior today and will just be rewiring a bunch of stuff because I wanted a radio that worked. The one shoved in the dash wasn't hooked up to anything. I've never seen so many wire nuts and electrical tape.

 

[Brain75]

If you are totally butchered up and starting from scratch you might consider just putting the ISO end directly on (16 pin standard on just about all aftermarket now a days) directly to your harness, eliminate all the wire nuts, etc etc and then instead of putting a factory end on and then an adapter which could be spliced in the middle to get to the radio end, just go direct to ISO - it limits you to modern aftermarket radios, but that includes just about all modern aftermarket.

 

[desertdog71]

If you are totally butchered up and starting from scratch you might consider just putting the ISO end directly on (16 pin standard on just about all aftermarket now a days) directly to your harness, eliminate all the wire nuts, etc etc and then instead of putting a factory end on and then an adapter which could be spliced in the middle to get to the radio end, just go direct to ISO - it limits you to modern aftermarket radios, but that includes just about all modern aftermarket.

At this point I think I'm just going to run a hot, acc, ground, and new speaker wires for the 4 stock positions and get a new set of the 6 x 8's that are surprisingly still made and cheap. It really is hacked to pieces in there and I can't even find the original speaker connections. The only thing useful in there is a ground at this point.

 

[WutUp Clegg]

So you are aware, the 6x8 speaker is very popular with just abou6t all Fords. Every brand makes a 6x8 speaker. Even the really high end ones. Make sure you don't try and get the most powerful speakers you can. You are not running amps, so you will be wasting your money on them. A cheap set up $40 Pioneer 2-way speakers will sound pretty good.

 

[desertdog71]

Some success today. I had to disassemble way too much stuff for such a simple job but I have tunes in 3 of 4 speakers. I'll probably just replace them with some cheap Pioneers and call it good. I do still need to sort out the balance/fade since every single wire I could track down for speakers was red and I have things crossed up somewhere, should be easy enough to figure out.