I have a 2004 LS and it doesn't have the 6x9's in the back but I wanted to put some in at some point. Before anything however I wanted to install my subwoofers in the car but since there is no RCA out on the factory radio (which i want to keep, and this is what the dealer told me so i could be wrong) I need to tap off the speakers somewhere. Since the 4 speakers in the car are in the door I was wondering if anyone knew an easier way to get a signal to run into the amp. Is there an audio hookup for those rear speakers somewhere in the back that I could tap off of, or would it have to be ran from the headunit or tapped off the door speakers? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Serious Issue with installing Subs
- Thread starter Visalize
- Start date
2k2ls
Well-Known LVC Member
you gotta get a line converter installed
Motts
Dedicated LVC Member
2k2ls said:
They are like 14.99 at best buy or circuit city, if you need instructions on installing let me know!!
Alright.........I just installed a sub and amp in my car. I spliced into my rear door speakers. I'll give you a step by step........Visalize said:
Step 1. Take off your door panels
Step 2. Remove your speakers.
Step 3. Cut the speaker wire about 2 inches above the clip and peel back some of the wrapping/tubing from the speaker wires.
Step 4. Splice in 6" of wire to have more to work with to the factory speaker wire and then splice to the connector and a new wire that will run to your trunk.
Step 5. Run the new speaker wire through the rubber in your door jams.........the easiest way is to pop it out of its holes and hook your wire up to a screwdriver and push it through. From there, it just runs down the B-pillar down and underneath the seat and into your trunk.
Step 6. Hook the wires up to your Line Output converter and than the rest is easy. Make sure you wire it correctly (pos/neg)
NOTES.
This process took about 4 hours to completely hook up........it wasn't that bad. The hardest part was getting the speaker wire through the rubbers in the door jams, but if you stick the speaker wire on the screwdriver and push it through, it isn't that hard. The other way you could do it is to run the speaker wires from a splice behind the radio (which you have to splice into a wire back there anyway to run the remote wire for the amp). The only reason I didn't do my speaker wires like that is because I plan on upgrading my rear door speakers in the future and would need to cut the clips anyway.
Best of luck! I also kept my stock headunit because I like the controls on the steering wheel and the factory look. I only installed a 200W Lightning audio amp/12" sub because I had taken it out of my 85 Mustang GT convertible which I no longer am driving. When I get more money, I'll be upgrading, but for now it sounds good. It blends nicely with what I already have in my car.
LikeNew02
Well-Known LVC Member
make it a little more simple
dls8k gave good description of the how to get the audio signal off the rear speakers. However, it can be done a little easier.
Instead of opening up the doors, you can tap into the signal before the wires go into the rear doors. Just remove/pull back the center pilar below the seat belts (upsidedown plastic T at the floor). You will see about 10 wires. The white wire is positive, and the gray is negative.
good luck.
Alex
dls8k gave good description of the how to get the audio signal off the rear speakers. However, it can be done a little easier.
Instead of opening up the doors, you can tap into the signal before the wires go into the rear doors. Just remove/pull back the center pilar below the seat belts (upsidedown plastic T at the floor). You will see about 10 wires. The white wire is positive, and the gray is negative.
good luck.
Alex
2k2ls
Well-Known LVC Member
i went off the input off the rear speakers.
Thanks people. I already got the Line Converter, I was just wondering where the best place to tap into the speakers would be. Is it a real pain to run from the T between the doors back to the trunk? I also had a question in regards to the line converter. It says to tap into all 4 speakers, but can I get away with just tapping into one of the rear door speakers? I don't need to tap both do I?
Also, can I just run speaker wire from the tap to the trunk and then go into the line converter?
What about the remote wire? What color wire is on the back of the factory head unit? Do you necessarily have to hook the remote wire up to the head unit? If it is, how hard is it to get the head unit out and run the wire back to the trunk?
Also, can I just run speaker wire from the tap to the trunk and then go into the line converter?
What about the remote wire? What color wire is on the back of the factory head unit? Do you necessarily have to hook the remote wire up to the head unit? If it is, how hard is it to get the head unit out and run the wire back to the trunk?
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2k2ls
Well-Known LVC Member
the remote wire has to be switched or the amp wont shut off.
Visalize said:
On my 2000 LS, I removed my center vents (simply take a small flathead screwdriver and pop it loose........pull out......disconnect the switch from the back that controls the info display. Remove the cover surrounding your ashtray with a flathead screwdriver and unscrew the screws holding the ashtray in (2 of them on mine). The radio/temp is held in by 4 bolts.....unscrew those and you're set. Keep in mind, your 2004 may be different but you get the jist of the procedure. The wire you will tap into on the back of the radio will be your "hot in run or accessory" wire which means when the car is running or your key is turned to the on position, you will have power. When you car is off, you wont........hence, using that wire will power your amp off when the car is off. I'm having troubles finding what color that wire will be.........hopefully someone else will post.......sorry. If I can get the page to load, I will post ASAP.
Alright, so I think I am going to try and run the remote wire and speaker wire from behind the head unit. First question, do I only have to run one pair of speaker wires? Secondly how do I run the wire back to the trunk? Through the door runners or is there a way you can go down the middle? Where can I find a color listing of the outs on the back of the head unit?
pdzcallday
Active LVC Member
you only have to have a pair (left and right) and run the wire down the side of the car(pass side). the pins are with the clip at the top - going from the right to the left : top row (Pin 2 driver -) (Pin 3 driver +) bottom row (Pin 1 Pass -) (Pin 2 Pass +) REMBER THESE ARE FROM RIGHT TO LEFT. Don't know the wire colors off the top of my head.
TOPHERMAYNARD
LVC Member
Visalize said:
You can do like I did, since you are already in the door, run the remote wire from the rear window power wire. When you shut you car off the amp will remain on till you open the door. Good luck!
:dj:
TOPHERMAYNARD said:
Thats it! :I TOPHERMAYNARD made it easy. That's exactly what I did. The most simple way to get this sub installed is to open up the rear passenger door trip and A pillar covers, tap into the Right Rear speaker wire before it goes through the frame into the door, as well as tapping into the power window switch before it goes into the door. I wish I had taken some pics or notes on what colour the wires were! It was really simple, you don't have to run any long leads either cuz the trunk is less than 5ft of cable/wire away!
Alright, it seems like going off the rear window speaker/power is the easiest option here. Last thing I need to know is some colors of the wires. What are the colors of the speaker wires and what is the color of the power wire that I will tap into with the remote wire.
Also, if I go off the passenger rear window power for the remote, will the amp turn off if I turn off the rear window control from the front?
I just wanted to say thanks alot everyone, you guys have been really helpful.
Also, if I go off the passenger rear window power for the remote, will the amp turn off if I turn off the rear window control from the front?
I just wanted to say thanks alot everyone, you guys have been really helpful.
pdzcallday
Active LVC Member
I would not go off of the power window for remote power. Just go behind the radio. That is the best way to do it. Also grab your speaker wire from behind the radio, it is so much easyer this way. I saw a guy said it took about 4 hrs to do it throught the door jam. It sould only take you about 1 - 1 1/2 hrs to do it behind that radio plus wire up the whole system.
2k2ls
Well-Known LVC Member
yea I dont think the window motor is a good idea. honestly thats kind of a hack job.
bigpappy33
Well-Known LVC Member
i just recently spoke to a sound guy and he definatly rooted on ford head units. i really want to keep my volume controls, and he said a line out converter doesnt give you the same "quality sound" that an aftermarket head unit would give you. he also said that there is a problem with the remote wiring, and that since it is tied into your ignition, that when you turn off the radio, the amp is still on if the car is on a will still recieve a signal resulting in a loud wierd noise. just wanting to clarify any of this before i make a decision to go w/ the factory head unit on my system.
itsnotmydaddys
Dedicated LVC Member
yes, theres a constant power coming from the hu. i put a LOC in my ls and when ever i power off the HU the subs just go crazy. in order for this not to happen u need to hook a switch up to the remote wire so u can turn the signal on/off
2k2ls
Well-Known LVC Member
my istaller wired into a switched fuse so the amps shut off. we kept the stock hu. its sounds real good to me
bigpappy33
Well-Known LVC Member
thanks i didnt want to waste money on a head unit, and loose my volume controls and 6 disc changer, where did you guys locate your switches btw? and are there any differences when buying a line out converter? any brands that perform better? sorry for all the questions but i dont wanna spend money on the wrong goods.
Yeah........it took about 4 hours for me to do it but that is because I didn't splice into the wires behind the head unit to get to my speaker wires. If I had to do it again, I would do it that way. I should clarify that it took me about 4 hours to wire, install, and mount the system (that is using solder and heatshrink instead of wire connectors). If I were doing this for a living at an audio shop, I am sure I would have been fired for taking so long. :slampdzcallday said:
In response to bigpappy33, I haven't had a problem when my radio is off in regards to the amp still receiving a signal and causing the subs to go crazy. In all my other cars I had systems in, I never encountered this problem either. Does it matter if the car already has an external amp in it such as the audiophile system?
pdzcallday
Active LVC Member
No there are 2 plugs on the back of the radio. One is for the sound system and the other has the steering wheel controls and the constant swiched power. You want to go off of the one that is for the sound system. This has an acc wire lead on it, that way when you turn the car off the amps turn off. Go to a Circuit city or best buy get a wire harness for the car and use that as a diragram. Then you can return it. Just make sure you don't cut into that aftermarket harness and go through the factory harness. As for that output of a LOC. You will loose SQ because an aftermarket Headunit do have better EQ controls on them. But yet I had a LOC on my system for about 6 mo and sounded GREAT!
There is definatley a difference in the LOC you use. Like most things, you get what you pay for. Soundgate makes a good one - Cost about $50, but I saw one sell on ebay for $17. As for keeping the stock deck or the quality of the LOC, I think it greatly depends on the quality of the equipment you will be running. Average, circuit city stuff, keep that stock look if you like. But, if you have anything of qood quality, you will not be taking advantage of the output of that speaker or amp. A factory deck, even with a good LOC does not have a qood quality output signal. I was going to keep the stock deck myself, but time after time, every shop I called (even though I already had a deck and wouldn't be offering any business), told me it would be a waste of the speakers I have.