idk if any of the regular installers here are familiar with the 99+ mercury cougars, but with they way they provide electronics to the door you cant (very easily at all) just run speaker wire into the doors...

so, i ran speaker wire from my amp and have it (dare i say) wire-nutted to the metra harness which then continues on through the stock wiring

now... if any of you can tell me a better way todo this

a) connect the wires to the metra harness

-or-

run after market wire into the doors to bypass the stock wiring altogether

i would be really appreciative

thanks

Depends on how much power you're sending to the speakers. Less than 100 watts rms I'd say just use the factory wiring. More then I'd run new wires to the speakers.

wire nuts

wire nuts

is there a better way? i mean, i cant forsee soldering those connections... but in all honesty, my 4 speakers are running half mode... i ran out of wire when i amp'd them so unfortunately the fronts are tied together and the rears are tied together (thats 2 pairs for 4 speakers)

so im getting a spool of shielded monster cable to run (b/c radio shack stuff sucks balls) and i really wanted to know the proper way to connect the wiring

@cntrl: i think im pushing 100-125 or maybe 150... im not sure... u saw the amp im using when i PM'd you so i dont think im breaking that barrier...

ideas?

and again, i know... the wire-nuts made me laugh too, but at the time it was a brilliant idea

YEah that amp is not outputting more than maybe 75rms at the best. So reusing the factory wiring is fine.

ok... have u ever done an install on a cougar where u had to run wiring into the doors?

id be interested to know how you did

the way the electronics are provided to the door is kinda wierd... they have a multi-pin barrel connector on either end with no open way to pass cables, at least i saw

ideally id like to run all new wiring so I could upgrade the amp at a later date and be sound as a pound

Most fords that I can't go through the factory grommet, I'll remove the door and punch a new hole in the door and the car. Get a flex loom to waterproof the holes and call it a day.

can u provide a link to a place where i could find the grommets and loom you would use

As far as connecting the wires, solder is best, but if thats not practical, crimp on butt connectors would be a lot better than wire nuts lol

wire nuts FTW!

Wire Nuts... LOL. Brilliant.

can u provide a link to a place where i could find the grommets and loom you would use

Wish I could, but I get that stuff through our parts supply from work.

factory wiring is fine. we hardly ever run new speaker wires, unless the wiring is damaged already. save yourself the headache, use the factory wire, you will not notice a difference.