Installed My Amp/Sub (Write Up)

[genob]

Hey All,

Here is my tech write up of how I installed an amp/sub combination in my 2007 h2. I used a box I built out of 3/4inch plywood which was ~14inches tall x 13inches wide x 13 inches deep. It housed a kicker cvr 10 with a 225 watt mono amp mounted to the side. The box was made to fit where the 3rd seat goes, and everything was connected using quick disconnects. It's bungeed down to the 3rd seat frame mounts.

We all know the Bose sub has no kind of output whatsoever! I ended up doing a bit of research on that magical internet and found a few different trains of thought on stereo upgrades... I didn't want to touch the factory stereo, plus I didn't want to remove the center console nor pieces of the dash.

I decided to splice a line level converter into the back speakers.

Now on to the steps I took to get this thing working:

1) Pop off the back pillar panels where the 2 speakers are located. There will be a small speaker plug all taped up. I tore some of the tape off about 2 inches from the plastic plug at the end of the speaker wire. Cut the wires and strip. Solder in new wires and run them under the panels (to where ever your new amp is located). At this point I wired everything up to my line level converter, and put it aside.

2) Now you have your speakers tapped, it's time to run the power (12 volts). I drilled a small hole under the driver side (it came out about 4 inches right of the steering assembly [if your standing in the front of the truck looking at the windshield]). I ran my 8 guage wire [yes only 8, i'm not using a ton of wattage in my amp] to the battery, remember FUSE FUSE FUSE FUSE!! Fuse until your heart is content!

After connecting the power wire, I then ran the rest of it under the panels by the driver side door (very easy to pull up panels and replace). I zip tied the power wire in different places for neatness sake.

3) Power is ready [make sure it isn't connected to the battery until your ready to turn everything on!!]. Now it's time for the remote wire. I ended up using the SEO ACCY fuse that is located on the driver side fuse box. I went to Pep Boys and bought a "mini add a circuit" which allows you to cleanly add a 2nd fused accessory wire. It's a beautiful piece of hardware! That way you don't have to shove wires down into the fuse blades...

Once I crimped the wire for the amp remote on, I then ran it down the same path as the power wire (down the driver side to the rear of the truck).

4) Now, I had to add ground. I just ran a piece of 8 guage wire right to the bolt holding the jack in place, very easy and right where I needed it to be. There are a zillion places to put ground, find one and wire it up.

5) I then put my box in and wired everything up to quick disconnects (bought all disconnects @ pep boys for under $20.00 total). I also used heat shrink tubing on the line level converter wires. I made it as clean as possible

A quick note: The rear speakers (bose factory) appear to get a full signal from the bose amp up front. I made a frequency test cd and tested all the way to 10 hz, and the kicker sub was responding just fine. I was hoping the factory amp wasn't rolling off the low frequency before it got to the speaker. When looking at the rear speakers I noticed they had caps installed to filter out the low end.

For me the kicker cvr 10 worked just fine, it gives your bose factory system the much needed punch. I tuned in the system to sound very clean with no rattles, or distortion... It has a low end like a home theater system.

Please feel free to correct any of my jabbering!

Just my 2 cents!!

[(((echo)))]

Not bad...thanx for the info on where to direct wire the remote...
But my "setup" will be a lil more complex...(note: all factory speakers will be replaced)
Amps used....
RockfordFosgate P4004, 400w 4channel...line level converted from each door speaker
RockfordFosgate P10002, 1000w 2channel (bridged)...line level converted from rear pillar

Front soundstage,,,
Rockford Fosgate T162S 6.5" Component Speakers

Rear soundstage,,,
Rockford Fosgate T162S 6.5" Component Speakers (must do a lil cutting to accomodate 6.5"speakers in rear doors)

Subwoofer's....
"2" JL Audio 10W7 10" Subwoofer's (each in seperate tubes to be mounted rear facing on rear fender wells)

with this setup i should be deaf in about a week or so

[SnakeH2]

Great write up. This is exactly what I was wanting to do. Something simple that really gives a big improvement.

Originally Posted by genob

1) Pop off the back pillar panels where the 2 speakers are located. There will be a small speaker plug all taped up. I tore some of the tape off about 2 inches from the plastic plug at the end of the speaker wire. Cut the wires and strip. Solder in new wires and run them under the panels (to where ever your new amp is located). At this point I wired everything up to my line level converter, and put it aside. Did you wire both speakers into the converter, or just one?

After connecting the power wire, I then ran the rest of it under the panels by the driver side door (very easy to pull up panels and replace). I zip tied the power wire in different places for neatness sake.

3) Power is ready [make sure it isn't connected to the battery until your ready to turn everything on!!]. Now it's time for the remote wire. What is the remote wire? I ended up using the SEO ACCY fuse that is located on the driver side fuse box. I went to Pep Boys and bought a "mini add a circuit" which allows you to cleanly add a 2nd fused accessory wire. It's a beautiful piece of hardware! That way you don't have to shove wires down into the fuse blades...

Any pictures of your work?

[(((echo)))]

Originally Posted by SnakeH2

Great write up. This is exactly what I was wanting to do. Something simple that really gives a big improvement.




Any pictures of your work?

SnakeH2.. the remote wire (usually blue in color from aftermarket radios) (labeled "remote" on all amps) simply turns on the power to the amp.
there are 2 circuits on amplifiers...1 direct from battery supplies the "umph" to push the amp...2 is the remote that shuts the amp on and off

[SnakeH2]

Thanks. I did some of this stuff some years back, but it's been a few years.

[genob]

I didn't take any pics (my digital camera is dead [has been dead for about 2 years now]). I was going to use my cell phone cam, but it's kinda crappy.

My goal when doing all of this was NOT to really change out much, or hack much of the truck up.

I think the bose system sounds fine with the addition of some low end punch...

But, I also think upgrading all of the speakers would also help, but I didn't want to go through that headache... (no time).

I may end up replacing the front speakers with those recommended rockfords (in another post)... I'll probably go for the 2 way speakers since there are tweeters up on the pillars on top of the dash.

[genob]

Did you wire both speakers into the converter, or just one?

I wired both rear speakers to the line level converter. You want to do that because some studios will mix the low frequency signals into both channels but will run them out of phase. If you have only 1 speakers connected to the line level converter, it will cause your sub to sound like - "wobble wobble wobble..." because it's only getting half of the total low freq signal... it's safe just to connect both speakers into the 2 channel line level converter, then run the 2 outs into your amp, and let the amp mix them to a single signal out to your sub(s).

What is the remote wire?
Amps have a wire which (usually) accepts a low current 0->12volt hold that controls the main power to the amp.

You usually wire it up to the ignition switch which will ultimately turn the amp on/off when you start/stop the car.

It's a way to not drain your battery by leaving your amp on when you get out of your car at night

The hummer has a VERY great fuse which goes high (12 volts) when you turn on your ignition. Again, I bought that fuse link (thingy) at pep boys [make sure you get the 'mini' fuse]. It's a piece of cake to run the remote wire right down and through the panels on the driver side to the back of the truck.

The really nice thing about the hummers are how the panels are clipped on!! Very easy to pop off, no crappy plastic clips [like most foreign cars]...

[SnakeH2]

Much grass!!!

Thanks!

[vlxjim]

I'm going to add a sub as well. How did you "pop off the back pillar panels"?

[genob]

Originally Posted by vlxjim

I'm going to add a sub as well. How did you "pop off the back pillar panels"?

You simply have to pull the panels off by hand... I kind of worked them by tugging the edges a little, then they just pop off.