RPO U58 Stereo Radio Speaker Connection

[Charles P.]

I am reinstalling the radio my car had originally. I have the convector which connects in an obvious manner to the supplied connection from the radio.

The question I have deals with connecting the speakers. The connection leading from the radio is blue, green and black. I assume the black is the common ground for the speakers. This leaves blue and green from the radio. Is blue for right and green then for left? Would this split the sound correctly for stereo? Tks.

[Alan D.]

Re: RPO U58 Stereo Radio Speaker Connection

Charles,
I have a 1977 with the U58 radio. I checked the speaker connections and the black wire connects to the terminal that is to the front of the car. The dark green wire connects to the remaining terminal on the drivers side speaker terminal. The light green wire connects to the remaining terminal on the passengers side speaker. Again this is for a 1977.
You should consider purchasing chassis wiring schematic for your year car. There are several companies that sell them and are comprehensive for solving wiring issue. Best of luck, Al Dieterle

[Charles P.]

Re: RPO U58 Stereo Radio Speaker Connection

Okay--I just threw caution to the wind and hooked up the radio, heat sync and speakers. My fear was that one of the dangling hot wires from the dash and console would find a ground somewhere but I managed to account for them all and wrap them.

Once i hooked up the radio I found that hooking radio's blue speaker wire to the drivers side and radio's green to the passengers side, the fade when turned to the left worked the drivers side and when turned to the right operated the pass side.

I think these should be reversed however. The fade knob paddle which orients at the bottom of the knob when installed, works in the opposite direction. Shouldn't the paddle (tip that sticks out) of the fade knob when pushed from 6 o'clock to 8 o'clock operate the left side? Any ops judges out there?

[John H.]

Re: RPO U58 Stereo Radio Speaker Connection

I think these should be reversed however. The fade knob paddle which orients at the bottom of the knob when installed, works in the opposite direction. Shouldn't the paddle (tip that sticks out) of the fade knob when pushed from 6 o'clock to 8 o'clock operate the left side? Any ops judges out there?

Isn't the fader knob operation covered in your owner's manual?

[Robert R.]

Re: RPO U58 Stereo Radio Speaker Connection

Charles,
Doing a search for a similar situation as yours, did you resolve your question?
I am reverting back to a Delco AM FM and unfortunately did not see any help from the Chevy Service Manual as to the speaker wire colors.
On the three prong connector, Black is Ground, Yes?, Green to Pass, Blue to Driver?

Also did you have accesss to original type speakers?
Currently I have the aftermarket ones in the dash.

Bob

[Tom L.]

Re: RPO U58 Stereo Radio Speaker Connection

Be sure that the speakers are rated at 8-10 ohms. I'm in the middle of the same project, not as far as you though, and I understand using 4 ohm speakers can damage your original radio. Good luck!!

[Robert S.]

Re: RPO U58 Stereo Radio Speaker Connection

On my 74' with stereo radio the left/right speaker control is on the right knob with the tab at the bottom. When I rotate the tab to the left the sound goes to the passenger side and when I rotate to the right the sound goes to the drivers side. I replaced my original speakers last year but used the original speaker leads and was careful to reconnect the leads as original. So I think mine is hooked up correctly and agree this appears to be backwards from how you would think it would be. The AIM does not address this topic.

[Robert R.]

Re: RPO U58 Stereo Radio Speaker Connection

Hi Lynn,
The ones in the dash now are: 35 Amp, 4-8 Ohms.
Thats what is says on the bottom of the magnet.

One friend said that it should give sound but not as full as the 10 Ohm.
My concern was to test the radio itself as long as the dash is apart.

Any clue as to if I have the wire colors identified correctly?

[Tom L.]

Re: RPO U58 Stereo Radio Speaker Connection

Not that far yet, I'll be contacting the man that rebuit my radio shortly to help with polarity and wire ID, Bubba was into the wiring. I was hoping some would chime in on the color issue. Good luck!!

[Charles P.]

Re: RPO U58 Stereo Radio Speaker Connection

Robert
I tested the Stereo radio before I hooked it up so I know this is 100% correct. When installing the stereo radio back in to your car hook the blue RADIO wire goes to the green passenger side speaker wire and green RADIO wire to the green driver side wire. The black from the radio speaker pigtail is a common ground for both. This will orient your balance pointer properly which points down at the bottom of the tuning knob. More counter clockwise gives more passenger right sound and more clockwise gives more left side. I am 100% happy with the sound quality of the U58 again. Hope that helps!

Charles,
Doing a search for a similar situation as yours, did you resolve your question?
I am reverting back to a Delco AM FM and unfortunately did not see any help from the Chevy Service Manual as to the speaker wire colors.
On the three prong connector, Black is Ground, Yes?, Green to Pass, Blue to Driver?

Also did you have accesss to original type speakers?
Currently I have the aftermarket ones in the dash.

Bob

[Robert R.]

Re: RPO U58 Stereo Radio Speaker Connection

Charles,
Thanks, will note that when I reassemble.
From the test I did, now it seems that there is a problem with the radio itself. So will have to seek out a repair for it.
Bob

[Robert R.]

Re: RPO U58 Stereo Radio Speaker Connection

Lynn,
On the post just prior from Charles, he confirms what we need as to the speaker side / radio: Black is common to both speakers, Blue goes to Driver side and Green to Passenger side.
Good Luck to you as well.
Bob