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!!