Audio Systems: which wire goes to the speackers from the radio in a 96 chevy tahoe, chevy tahoe, sticky labels

Question
which wire goes to the speakers from the radio in a 96 chevy tahoe

Answer
The answer is.... the speaker wires! two per speaker, 8 in all.


Fitting a radio to an unknown harness.

I run this test when working on a car where a previous owner has ripped the connectors out of a used car and we don’t have a schematic, so it covers all the basics and should sort you out. So armed with your 12v probe or test meter, some paper, masking tape and a felt tip pen, here ya go!

You will need a test meter set to 20vdc or a 12v lamp or test probe.
An AA or AAA battery (nicked from the TV remote for an hour)
Paper and pen for notes
Some sticky labels or masking tape to label wires,

Speaker wires; (non-amplified)
These are normally twisted together in pairs (if you are lucky) and usually in a loom before going of to the four corners of the car and are the same colour for each pair but one with a colour trace on, i.e. blue and blue/white,. These are tested by BRIEFLY flashing the battery across a pair and you will hear a 'crackle’ from the speaker. Label it (e.g. left rear), continue until all four pairs are identified and labelled.

Power connections;
Earth one side of your meter or tester to a metal part of the car, probe each wire until you have a wire that is live all the time with the ignition OFF, label this ‘+30’.
Switch to accessory or ignition and re-do the test until you find another previously dead wire now live, this is ‘+15’ (this will probably go dead when cranking the engine on ‘start’).
Switch off ignition and switch on the side / park lights, repeat test until you find a third live, label this ‘dimmer’ (this is for front panel dimmer if fitted as a feature of the radio). Switch off the lights
You should now have two or three left. One will be earth, (usually black or brown); one could be to an amp and or electric ariel (usually blue or blue white) and one for phone mute if (rarely) fitted. If you have an electric ariel it will go up when 12volts are applied. If using a ISO DIN connector (recommended) then connect your plug to the correct wires if not use an strip multi-connector block or bullet connectors crimped on and jobs a good un’.

ISO DIN connections are.

Speakers

Right rear -,  right front -,   left front -,  left rear-,
Right rear +, Right front +, left front +, left rear +

Power block viewed from cable side

Phone mute (white),/   n/c, /      ariel & amp (blue), /ignition (red)

N/c, / 12vlive, (yellow or orange), / lights, (various colours),/ negative (black)