Install Sub Woofers
Want to turn heads when you go down the street? A good sound system is just what you need! And part of a good sound system is sub woofers!
Steps
- Go to the audio shop and buy some wiring adequate for the amperage of your audio amplifier. The wiring kit you get should include: large amounts of positive and ground wiring, battery terminal adapters, blue remote turn-on wire, RCA interconnect cable, speaker wire, fuse holder with fuses, connectors & wire ties.
- Disconnect the negative battery terminal before any wiring modifications to your vehicle.
- Install the positive wire. You need to run it from the battery to the amplifier. Since the wires are thick and there is no tool big enough to strip them, the best way is to use a straight edge razor blade. Make cuts on 4 sides down the wire then carefully connect the 4 slits with a slit in the middle all the way around the wire. Then the insulation will come off easily.
- Make sure you install a fuse in the positive wire to prevent damage to the amp, your car, yourself and others, in case of an electrical fault.
- After the fuse has been fitted, run the wire though the car to your amp. Since wires go to your trunk anyway (if that's where your amp is) find them with a repair manual and follow those with your new wires.
- Install the negative. Sometimes any bare metal works. but to be sure it's a good ground. Connect your positive and with a multimeter switch it to 12v dc and touch one end to the end of your positive and the other to your ground. If it reads 12v then it's ok. If it reads OL or 0, you'll need to find somewhere else for the ground.
- Put in your RCA and REM. The RCA is the wire with two connectors on either end and they plug in to your head unit. They usually go to wires sticking out of the unit labeled sub out or output. the White is always negative. Run the RCA in the same place your negative is going to your amp
- Hook up the solid blue REM wire. This tells your amp to turn on. You will need to pull the radio and connect it to the wire label System Remote. You can find it in a wiring diagram for your radio or sometimes its blue with a white stripe or solid blue.
- Hook up your amp with the provided instructions (Make sure your negative battery terminal is disconnected) and tell your radio to turn on the subs or just turn on the radio. If the power light come on on the amp then you did good. If your going to do this right you should secure the amp with screws. you can do this with a mounting bracket but this take time and fabrication and is not really necessary.
- Hook up the sub wires to the subs and amplifier with the car off.
- Pray a lot, turn on the car and get ready to bump! If it doesn't work, check your fuse on the positive wire. You did put a fuse in didn't you? If it blew you screwed up the wiring. go back and check it out!
Tips
- Same goes for the subs.
- Many car audio stores do installation for you if you are unsure or inexperienced.
- Make sure you wire the subs to the correct ohmage, some amps cannot handle certain ohm loads, be very careful!
- Use an amplifier that is not cheap because the cheap ones blow up when you crank the volume or use them for long periods of time.
- Work with an experienced buddy to help troubleshoot and save time.
Warnings
- Be careful with razor blades they are sharp and can severely cut you.
- Always work with an experienced buddy.
- Always disconnect the negative battery terminal when working with automotive electronics.
- Always wear safety glasses they could save your eyes.
- If you can't do it just take it to a trained professional. They know what they're doing and they won't blow up your unit or car.
- Always fuse your positive line or fire/ damage to your unit could result.
Things You'll Need
- Multi meter
- Soldering iron
- Solder
- Amplifier wiring kit
- Amplifier
- Sub woofers
- Socket set
- Safety glasses
- Buddy
- Car repair manual
Related Articles
- Hook up Your iPod to a Car Stereo
- Make a Good Sound System for Under 80 Bucks.
- Install a Car Stereo
- Solder Stereo Mini Plugs
