rear speaker wires
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Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2011
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From: Clarksburg WV
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
So last week I ordered 6 speakers online ( 2 for fry doors, 2 for sound bar and 2 for back hatch assuming there were vents for all 3 so there were speakers in all three) .they came in the mail today and i started installing all was great then I started tearing apart the back hatch breaking about half the clips just to look inside and find there's no speakers in there ( what a surprise) and no wires I've already got the speakers so there going in one way or another . My question is there a wiring harness somewhere in the area on my jeep to run speaker wire from or should I just splice into the wires in the soundbar and run them through the hatch.
CF Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 7,874
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From: Northern Ontario, Canada
Year: 1990, 1999, 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
back drivers side corner tucked tight in the roofline, if hatch speakers were an option. there should be a wire loom/harness that goes into the top of the hatch.
if not, you may have to splice into the soundbar wires.
if not, you may have to splice into the soundbar wires.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 47
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From: Clarksburg WV
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Thanks every time I try to do any work on this thing its Murphy's law every time if something doesn't break taking it apart I promise either parts are missing from where I thought they were or bolts and screws mysteriously disappear that I had in my hand 20 min ago
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 47
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From: Clarksburg WV
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
By the way you wouldn't possibly know what colors the wires are if they're there so I'm not looking at something else thinking they go to the speakers
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From: St. Albert
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6
I would triple check to make sure that there are no speaker wire connectors in the hatch area... It would probably be a 4 wire connector.. For example I have the base model Cherokee and have probably 3 or 4 "random" connections in the hatch which are not in use. To test for speaker wires, just put a multimeter on AC volts, turn the stereo up loud, and see what happens! If you get more voltage when louder, etc... Those will be the speaker wires. Honestly, splicing with the soundbar will suck.. Getting a wire through the hatch-to-body braided protection wire thingy could be difficult. (At least on an 89. the system for a 91-96 may be different). And just to add, using some common sense, it would seem that the soundbar-equipped xj's would be higher-line, thus having hatch speakers... But I could be wrong for sure
Best of Luck!
Best of Luck!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 47
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From: Clarksburg WV
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Yeah the 95 have the braided protection thing and it will be difficult if i have to try to run wires though it but as a last resort that's what I'm gonna try . I'm gonna take another look today after work hopping that i somehow overlooked some wires somewhere thanks
CF Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 7,874
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From: Northern Ontario, Canada
Year: 1990, 1999, 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
i cut into my braided wire loom.
i can't remember exactly what the speaker wire colours are, but i know they're green with black stripe, purple w/bl stripe, and i think grey and possibly yellow...
i might be able to double check for you in a bit.
i can't remember exactly what the speaker wire colours are, but i know they're green with black stripe, purple w/bl stripe, and i think grey and possibly yellow...
i might be able to double check for you in a bit.
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 289
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From: Joliet, IL
Year: 1998,2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Don't quote me on this but I am almost 100% sure that they came with only one wiring harness for the back. So if you have a sound bar that means no hatch speakers and if you have hatch speakers no sound bar. I would get "trailer connectors" and tap into the sound bar wires (this is what I plan to do). I have a sound bar and the speaker vents in the hatch but no wires run to the hatch (I took out my headliner so it's easy to tell that there are no wires.) I plan on running 2 soundbars (already moved one up front) and hatch speakers.
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From: St. Albert
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6
Well assuming DrShaggfords post to be true... Behind this panel (drivers side rear panel behind your spare) There are all of the connections for all the rear wires to run up to the front of the vehicle. I would remove this panel (and all the others required for its removal), or at least partially remove it (I didnt want to mess with the seat locking mechanism for the backrest part, so I just pulled it out and had enough room to work [ I have an 89' 2 door so it may be a different situation for yours]) and I would splice it here. It just gives you a nice sized hole and some decent wire play or looseness to work with, as well as the versatility to unplug connectors if necessary for splicing. Just a thought, if anybody has anything better to add please do
Seasoned Member
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 289
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From: Joliet, IL
Year: 1998,2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Well assuming DrShaggfords post to be true... Behind this panel (drivers side rear panel behind your spare) There are all of the connections for all the rear wires to run up to the front of the vehicle. I would remove this panel (and all the others required for its removal), or at least partially remove it (I didnt want to mess with the seat locking mechanism for the backrest part, so I just pulled it out and had enough room to work [ I have an 89' 2 door so it may be a different situation for yours]) and I would splice it here. It just gives you a nice sized hole and some decent wire play or looseness to work with, as well as the versatility to unplug connectors if necessary for splicing. Just a thought, if anybody has anything better to add please do


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Joined: Oct 2011
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From: St. Albert
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6
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Joined: Nov 2011
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From: Manhattan, Kansas
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
DO NOT SPLICE INTO THE SOUNDBAR WIRES!!!! there is a reason they have only those four speakers. you will need to get another/new amplifier to run extra speakers.
to everyone telling him to splice in: have you ever heard of resistance? the speakers are going to be either 4 or 8 ohm, and as soon as you splice the wires and try to run to extra speakers, you'll **** that up and end up blowing something.
if you're going to bother hooking them up at all, do it right and buy an amplifier.
to everyone telling him to splice in: have you ever heard of resistance? the speakers are going to be either 4 or 8 ohm, and as soon as you splice the wires and try to run to extra speakers, you'll **** that up and end up blowing something.
if you're going to bother hooking them up at all, do it right and buy an amplifier.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 731
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From: St. Albert
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6
DO NOT SPLICE INTO THE SOUNDBAR WIRES!!!! there is a reason they have only those four speakers. you will need to get another/new amplifier to run extra speakers.
to everyone telling him to splice in: have you ever heard of resistance? the speakers are going to be either 4 or 8 ohm, and as soon as you splice the wires and try to run to extra speakers, you'll **** that up and end up blowing something.
if you're going to bother hooking them up at all, do it right and buy an amplifier.
to everyone telling him to splice in: have you ever heard of resistance? the speakers are going to be either 4 or 8 ohm, and as soon as you splice the wires and try to run to extra speakers, you'll **** that up and end up blowing something.
if you're going to bother hooking them up at all, do it right and buy an amplifier.


