Rear Shelf Speaker Question
 

I installed speakers on the rear shelf this past year - but failed to remember that the shelf has to come out in order to get at the engine. With the speaker wire running front to back, it makes it very challenging to remove the shelf as I have to then pull the wire out to get enough slack....

Does anyone have a suggestion on what one can do to insert some sort of easy connect/disconnect spliter in the speaker wire itself?

The factory rear speaker kits have a quick disconnect clip behind the passenger side. Did yours not come with this?

Not a factory set up....I soldered the speaker wires directly to the speakers on one end and the radio on the other. Yes, a bit shortsighted.

Assumed there must be some sort of male/female connectors to join speaker wire with speaker wire...?

Yes just clip the wires somewhere easy to get to. Then you can crimp on some male and female connectors. Easy.

There are a few different types of connectors - are there some that are better than others for audio usage?

Maybe Woody or someone else can set you up with the male and female plugs from a factory rear speaker shelf. Then everything can only be plugged together one way and the right and left speakers will always be hooked up correctly.

You should be able to buy a 2-wire (or 4-wire depending on how you installed it) connector at any auto/hardware/electronics store, just make sure they will work with the gauge of speaker wire you used. Normally the plugs only fit together one way, so you shouldn't have to worry about crossing the wires when disconnecting/reconnecting. It doesn't really matter what kind of plug you choose, but I would try to get one in a dark color that is relatively flat so it is less conspicuous.

The OEM plug is black and clips to the roll bar (picture). With an aftermarket plug a zip tie will serve the same function (probably better, since my plug never stays in place)

Make sure to mark the wires if they are not different colors, before you cut them to insert the connector.

This is what I ordered :

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Auto-4-Pin-wire-connector-4-Way-4P-auto-connector-Male-Female-Waterproof-Electrical-Connector-Plug/32679777717.html?spm=2114.13010608.0.0.opoy9m

I mounted this to the side of the box:
http://www.parts-express.com/Data/De...2-053_HR_0.jpg

and all 4 speaker wires hooked up to this connector:
http://www.parts-express.com/Data/De...2-192_HR_0.jpg

These are 4 pole twist and lock connectors, so you have to make sure you put the socket in a place where the plug has enough room to twist into place.

Tony

for this application, doesn't make a difference
You can use bullet or push on terminals. Easy to get at Home depot

I use these simple quick connectors for all kinds of auto wiring applications:

Quick Connectors with Pigtail