Amp/Sub to factory deck (1 Viewer)

[Docmallory]

Hi all,

I just bought an amp (JBL, 150W 1 channel) and a sub (8 inch dual cone Cerwin Vega) for my cruiser. I need some advice on how to wire it up. I still have the factory deck and will likely have the factory unit for 5 more months. Then I can use RCA jacks, but until then I am forced to use a converter or the speaker level inputs on the amp.

My proposed plan is to place the amp in the area where the factory sub and amp are currently. The sub will be in an enclosure box in the cargo area. I plan to run heavy gauge wire for the power supply to the new amp. My questions here are:

1. Should I run the power lead directly off the battery, or since the positive terminal is getting crowded with accessories, is now a good time to add an auxillary fuse block and run off that?
2. Specifically where should I run the hot wire to get back to the passenger side of the cargo area?

I also figure I could use the remote switched power lead that leads to the factory sub amp, and I could run the speaker wires that lead to the factory sub amp to the speaker level inputs on the new amp (until head unit is replaced later). I seem to recall these speaker wires do not run through the main amplifier for the head unit. People who know, please correct me if I am wrong on any of the above speculation.

Thanks! I'm new to the amp/sub thing and you will not hurt my feelings if you tell me I have it screwed up.

 

[lx450landcruiser]

alright i did a sub install in my lx450 i took out my factory sub that sat inbetween the seats in the center consol. i bought a line converter that is deisgned to wire a stock cars stereo to a sub woofer. i ran the wires that went to the onld sub woffer and used those to run the new sub. that way i could turn the bass level down on my factory head and it would do that to my sub in the back. run an aux fuse block now. no need to do 2 seperate fuses for no reason. i also ran on off on the amp to a switch i mounted in the center consol. that way if i have a song that sounds bad with alot of bass i can simply flip the switch off and listen to the music normaly. i have pics of the total install i did if u want them ill dig them up.

let me know if u have any more questions.

mike

 

[Docmallory]

Pics of your fuse block and switch would be appreciated.

 

[Riley]

dumb question (I guess) but on the 80 series, does the rear sub have a seperate amp? and it's located near the rear sub?

My sub has never worked since I've owned the truck. With the factory setup is it worth replacing the speaker to get it working?

I'm surprised that it failed.

 

[sea2skydad]

Riley,

The amp and sub (and we're being generous in the terminology dept.) are mounted together on a common bracket.

 

[MoJ]

Heh, that things so s***ty I forget it's back there.

 

[ogsuv]

The power wire will have to be hooked up directly to the battery with a fuse within 18"(to protect the wire. If you have other accesories to hook up, you can find all kinds of distribution blocks at any car audio shop, I guess you could put that anywhere that makes that hooking up your accesories easier. Just make sure the wire to your amp is big enough, the wire is only as good as its weakest link, same goes with the ground.

For a switched power (turn on) I am sure you can find that at the factory sub amp. I assume you can also tap into speaker wire inputs there as well, but would be nice if someone on this list could provide you with colors for that.

I have a similar set up, with a 5 channel Kenwood amp stuffed in that side panel. Hope that helps.

 

[Docmallory]

I assume you can also tap into speaker wire inputs there as well, but would be nice if someone on this list could provide you with colors for that.

Yep, that would be really nice! (hint, hint)

 

[Bear80]

My sub has never worked since I've owned the truck. With the factory setup is it worth replacing the speaker to get it working?

I'm surprised that it failed.

Well you'll be even more surprised when you pay out the nose for the speaker and that doesn't solve the problem. Then a new amp and still that doesn't fix it. Well you are the 7th person I know that has a faulty sub/amp setup.

Now if it just doesn't play then maybe it is the speaker...but if it does play but just not any bass or much sound..you have a similar problem to what I'm talking about.

I will post up a scanned pic of the wiring for the radio system and continue from there

 

[Bear80]

New post up! Trying to keep from hijacking this one.

 

[Riley]

I just won't bother. If I knew that replacing the speaker would fix it and it sounded good then I'd consider putting in the effort. I've never had a sub and given my age, I probably never will.

I'd rather focus on my inverter and wiring up the second battery.

 

[Docmallory]

I've never had a sub and given my age, I probably never will.

I used to think subwoofers were for ghetto boys with their hats turned backwards cruising the mall parking lot.

But after buying a home theater system, upgrading my PC's speakers, and riding in my wife's Lexus with the high grade audio system (all of these things have nice subwoofers) - my cruiser's stereo just sounds like total crap in comparison. I think a real sub will make a world of difference in the music quality. I listen mainly to Buffett and older country music.

FWIW, the factory sub in my cruiser is so weak that you can only tell it is working by turning up the radio really loud and then putting your ear on the subwoofer. You can't even feel the cone vibrate. I replaced it with a 6 inch Harman Kardon sub and it made absolutely no difference. I'm guessing the amp is the weaker link.

 

[sea2skydad]

One of the reasons the sub is so poor is due to the fact that there is no enclosure. I built one out of 5/8" MDF and it made a difference. I still plan on replacing it with an aftermarket sub and amp, but it's not at the top of my list.

 

[Bear80]

FWIW, the factory sub in my cruiser is so weak that you can only tell it is working by turning up the radio really loud and then putting your ear on the subwoofer. You can't even feel the cone vibrate. I'm guessing the amp is the weaker link.

Doc I know you looked at my thread about the wiring, I'm just adding this to anyone who hasn't yet.

"Now to address the function of the factory sub......

Now my fathers 95 and my 97 both have a semi-fuctioning sub. It plays...but no bass and plays at a low level. This led me to belive the amp wasn't turning on. Well the amps get power, ground and remote turn on power. Next step was that the amps went bad...nope (bought a new one and speaker)! I do not have an Oscope to check speaker inputs...so my theory is that one or more of the factory splice points from the speakers are bad/wrong. This would give the amp some signal but not a complete set...leading to low/no amplification."

More here : https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=34071