Identifying Positive + Negative Speaker Wires

[RANGermanGuy]

Trying to figuring out positive from negative speaker wires throughout my 1999 Ranger single cab with front + rear speakers. I came across two different layouts of the wire colors showing which are + and - … For the right front speaker I can’t seem to figure out which wire is positive as these two examples are opposite from each other for that side. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[fastpakr]

View attachment 82081



They are the same.
+ Orange/Red
- Brown /Pink

If you re-read the OP, he's referring specifically to Right Front. Those are not the same.

 

[Ranger850]

Somehow I read right rear.

My apologies.

 

[fastpakr]

This is what I have from Metra that I used to wire the radio in my '99:

It should apply to your '98.

Edit - grabbed the wrong screenshot, sorry.

 

[2011Supercab]

This is what I have from Metra that I used to wire the radio in my '99:
View attachment 82082

It should apply to your '98.

The problem is which wire to hook to the Gray wire
Fig. 1 says Dark Green/ orange
Fig. 2 says White/light green

And which wire to hook to Gray/Black wire
Fig. 1 says White/light green
Fig. 2 says Dark Green/ orange

 

[RANGermanGuy]

The problem is which wire to hook to the Gray wire
Fig. 1 says Dark Green/ orange
Fig. 2 says White/light green

And which wire to hook to Gray/Black wire
Fig. 1 says White/light green
Fig. 2 says Dark Green/ orange

Yea I’m having a hard time understanding…also can’t find anything else which may show the correct way…

 

[fastpakr]

The problem is which wire to hook to the Gray wire
Fig. 1 says Dark Green/ orange
Fig. 2 says White/light green

And which wire to hook to Gray/Black wire
Fig. 1 says White/light green
Fig. 2 says Dark Green/ orange

Crap, I think I took a screen shot of the wrong page. I'll be back later with the right one.

 

[fastpakr]

Realized after the fact that I don't have one for the factory wiring handy. But this looks like a reasonably official diagram.

 

[Curious Hound]

Maybe the terminals on the speaker are marked. Have you looked?

 

[RANGermanGuy]

Maybe the terminals on the speaker are marked. Have you looked?

I know positive from negative on the speaker terminals, what I don’t know is the positive and negative wires for the front right side…color wise

 

[RANGermanGuy]

Realized after the fact that I don't have one for the factory wiring handy. But this looks like a reasonably official diagram.

View attachment 82087

So dark green/orange is the positive for the FR speaker I’m assuming…?

 

[RobbieD]

You can check the OEM speaker's wiring polarity by using a 1.5 volt battery (like a flashlight battery). Add a short length of wire to each end cap; even wrapping electrical tape around the battery will work for this. Briefly "pop" the speaker by touching the jumper ends to the speaker's terminals. The speaker cone will move out with the correct polarity. Then just note the which wire color matches that orientation in the original speaker plug, and wire your aftermarket speaker the same.

The stock speaker wire colors can change. On older Fords I've seen he speaker wire colors reverse in the connectors from the body harness to he door harness.

 

[Curious Hound]

I know positive from negative on the speaker terminals, what I don’t know is the positive and negative wires for the front right side…color wise

I guess I don't understand the problem. If you know which speaker terminal is positive and you know which color wire is connected to it, then you know which wire should be connected as positive at the other end.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

If you’re trying to identify positive and negative wires in the harness, why not use a voltmeter? Keep the wires from touching and play music, if you have the positive (red lead) and negative (black lead) touching the correct wires then you’ll have a positive reading, if it’s backwards it will be a negative reading. I’d have to dig out my wiring stuff though to try and tell you colors

 

[pjtoledo]

in the tech section.
note some wires are specifically called out for 1999-2000 as being reversed for those 2 years
Ford Ranger Radio Wiring Diagrams - The Ranger Station