Rear speaker fader

[Ghoste]

Just how does that thing work?  Is it nothing more than a front to rear balance control?

[b5blue]

It's not even that...it's just a potentiometer to the rear. It just reduces the volume to the rear. "Balance" will increase one while reducing the other. 

[Dino]

So the 'fader' part is really turning down the volume?  That's hilarious.   

[Nacho-RT74]

on 3rd gens they make the balance between rear and front. in fact, the speaker output goes to the fader first, then to both speakers

[ODZKing]

If it is installed properly it should not increase or decrease the volume to the front at all.  
If it is you have a resistance imbalance somewhere.

[Ghoste]

So how would they be correctly wired in 2nd gens?

[ODZKing]

So how would they be correctly wired in 2nd gens?

Depends on the fader pot. 2 speaker, 4 speaker, Stereo, Mono?
http://www.bcae1.com/resistnc.htm
http://www.bcae1.com/resvsimp.htm

and here is some very helpful stuff
http://www.termpro.com/asp/pubs.asp?ID=119
balance and fader half way down.

[Ghoste]

Would the factory have had a stereo setup.  There would just be a speaker in the dash and two in back, no?

[Nacho-RT74]

Bob, yes, Rear fader decrease the front volume when setting full volume on rear, and backwards.

usally rear fader knob is on Mono Radios... on Stereo, the fader and balance are on outer pots of Radio

[Ghoste]

So on the factory ones, this option would only have been available on AM equipped cars?

[ODZKing]

I say again, if the front speaker volume decreases when you turn on the rear, it is an impedance mis-match.  Most common cause is an 8 ohm speaker in the rear and 4 ohm in front (which is correct-factory car radios are 4 ohm). It should not do that.
And yes, mono.

[Ghoste]

So is there a factory wiring diagram for the thing?  I don't see it in the fsm.

[Dino]

So is there a factory wiring diagram for the thing?  I don't see it in the fsm.

This is all I could find.  A tiny 68 diagram.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=23129.0

[Ghoste]

Hey thanks! 

How did you find that?  I did a topic search first and turned up zip.

[Dino]

You're welcome!   

When I need a diagram I google it and look among the images.  This popped up right away.

[Nacho-RT74]

I'm using stock Speakers. true, front was rebuilt...

[moparfan53]

Bob, yes, Rear fader decrease the front volume when setting full volume on rear, and backwards.
usally rear fader knob is on Mono Radios... on Stereo, the fader and balance are on outer pots of Radio

on 3rd gens they make the balance between rear and front. in fact, the speaker output goes to the fader first, then to both speakers

I agree with Nacho. My '70 Swinger 340 has the AM radio with factory rear speaker. Turning the fader control all the way clockwise gives front speaker only, all the way counterclockwise gives rear speaker only. Anything in between of course, is both speakers with the front/rear balance changing as you turn the knob.

I found this explanation in an old thread from here using Google.

"non-stereo "stock" Mopar thumbwheel radios only had 1 speaker output (Green/Blk wires).  In 68-69 Dodge Charger applications with the standard (4" x 10") dash speaker and optional single rear speaker installed, the speaker output from the radio was fed into a fader switch, which then allowed the driver to switch the radio between the front speaker, back speaker, or both.  This fader switch served 2 purposes, a splitter and an impedence controller.  As a splitter, it split the radio's single speaker output into two outputs, 1 set for the dash speaker, and 1 set for the rear.  As an "impedence controller" it maintained the combined speaker impedence at 8-10 ohms regardless of the switch setting."

Here is the thread link;
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=63400.0

 

[moparfan53]

Just how does that thing work?  Is it nothing more than a front to rear balance control?

Yes, the factory installed fader/rear speaker (option code R31) is a front/rear balance control. It is a great option to have. It is nice to be able to adjust the sound between the front and rear speakers. It is probably one of the reasons why I have not upgraded my Dart radio like I did to my Charger which had only the one front speaker. Chrysler also sold the fader/rear speaker as a package to add on.

I am wondering if the different opinions concerning how it works is due to confusion between an original/factory install and the aftermarket ones that were available.

[Ghoste]

Maybe.  I'm definitely meaning the factory one with the original question.

[moparfan53]

Maybe.  I'm definitely meaning the factory one with the original question.

Yes, I thought that was what you meant.

Also, anyone with any year/model car who wants to know how it should work can probably find out in their owner's manual. In my '69 Charger manual (page 20) it says the fader is used to "balance" both front and rear speakers.

-Alan

[Ghoste]

Never even thought to look there.

[Lord Warlock]

Mine was a factory AM/FM, but only had the one center dash speaker and one in the Right Rear when I got it.  The fader still operates the volume between the two speakers.  Don't know if it was ever stereo or mono, the front to rear fader was a neat option at the time, took a while for me to figure out what it was for.  The thumbwheel stereo still works fine which is surprising considering its age.  I'll likely put in a hidden aftermarket system once i get it driving again.  Definitely won't be cutting the door panels or kick panels to install speakers so looks like it will be two in the rear shelf.

[Brock Lee]

I had a green 69 383 car that had 5 factory speakers! 3 in the front (8 track car), 2 in the rear with the fader. I never had the 8 track fully functional, but I never got true stereo out of it. The front center speaker and 2 rear played the same, mono signal. I always wondered if the only stereo function was if you played 8 track tapes, and did it even go to the rear?

My current 69 has the factory AM/FM and rear fader. It is mono.

[Ghoste]

Makes you wonder about cars with fm.

[Brock Lee]

Like I said, my current car is factory AM/FM with rear speakers. It is mono. I have had the radio out in my hands. It looks like a regular AM radio with one speaker out.