About to do Audio Install/Upgrade - Questions

Hey guys.

Before I get flamed, yes I've searched. I've also read numerous, numerous threads here on door panel removal, audio FAQ post, equipment recommendations, Cleansweep, etc.

That said, I have the following components ready to go:

• Cleansweep
  
• Driver and Passenger Stealth glass 10" enclosures with my subs already mounted (2x200 RMS Orions)
  
• 1 4x100 Lanzar Vibe amp (I know it's a little much for the Polks but I already owned it)
  
• 1 2x150 Sony amp
  
• 4 Polk DB650 door speakers
  
• Various accessories: wires, fuses, distribution block, battery tap, soldering stuff, etc.

This is not my first self-install. I've done my last 5 or 6 cars and am pretty good with it. I just have some questions for those of you who've already done it:

• Can I get away with using the OEM wiring back to the door speakers? I've seen one post saying they must be replaced but want another perspective.
  
• What's the best way to connect the everything up to the harness, tap/splice or get another harness from Crutchfield, Sh** Shack, etc.?
  
• How are you all with the stealth boxes securing them to the trunk, Velcro? The thought of screwing them or brackets into my trunk's sheet metal makes me cringe.
  
• How did you guys run low gauge big wiring from the battery to the cabin/trunk? Did you drill new holes? Are there existing holes to use? Pixors?
  
• Where's the optimum place to place the Cleansweep?

Thanks.

Wow. I was just perusing the boards about to call it a night, but the level of detail with which you presented these questions makes me want to answer.

First off, you have a nice set of goods there and they should work just fine for you. No worries on the Lanzar, just be sure to tune it lightly (note that for question 1).

IMO......here we go:

1. Can I get away with using the OEM wiring back to the door speakers?

Yes. The OEM wiring will carry the signal just fine.

The gauge and quality of wiring are of course important, but the components they connect determine their suitability in a system. For yours specifically, the factory wiring will handle the load properly if you tune judiciously. The chain is only as strong as the weakest link, the tolererance of the highs you're running will dictate the achievable clean level of that part of your system.

2. What's the best way to connect the everything up to the harnes?

Personally, I prefer a good strip and splice. Now that comes on the condition that you can do so with minimal intrusion. If you can't remove your work without leaving scarring, go with a harness. By that I mean, if you could leave a clean point of sutcher after extracting the system at a later time. Never work within two inches of the plug at the harness' end.

3. How are you all with the stealth boxes securing them to the trunk?

There is no reason to be drilling holes in your trunk to secure you stealth boxes. There are a few forms of friction based securing methods like velcro that work extremely well. The only note there is "Don't be stingy", use only the coarse side of the velcro and attach to the enclosure properly (more than just the sticky that comes on it). To be sure (if you're really worried) you can screw strategic brackets into the enclosure and wire tire to opportune locations.

4. How did you guys run low gauge big wiring from the battery to the cabin/trunk?

This is a bit of a broad one. But the same as before......There is no need to drill holes (unless low gauge means 4, 2, or aut and if so, then this is reeeally broad). Well that's for cabin entry at least (no wire gauge will interfere with your passage to the trunk once you've passed the the firewall). As for the firewall there are exsisting gromets that you can use for 8 gauge (4 gauge if your good) you just have to look at both sides of the firewall. (Sorry, I don't recall specifically and you didn't specify the gauge)

5. Where's the optimum place to place the Cleansweep?

I think this one is personal preference, there is no optimum place. It a matter of taste and skill, closest to the source would be best (all things considered).

Hope that helps.

Wow. I was just perusing the boards about to call it a night, but the level of detail with which you presented these questions makes me want to answer.

 

First off, you have a nice set of goods there and they should work just fine for you. No worries on the Lanzar, just be sure to tune it lightly (note that for question 1).

 

IMO......here we go:

 

1. Can I get away with using the OEM wiring back to the door speakers?

 

Yes. The OEM wiring will carry the signal just fine.

 

The gauge and quality of wiring are of course important, but the components they connect determine their suitability in a system. For yours specifically, the factory wiring will handle the load properly if you tune judiciously. The chain is only as strong as the weakest link, the tolererance of the highs you're running will dictate the achievable clean level of that part of your system.

 

 

2. What's the best way to connect the everything up to the harnes?

 

Personally, I prefer a good strip and splice. Now that comes on the condition that you can do so with minimal intrusion. If you can't remove your work without leaving scarring, go with a harness. By that I mean, if you could leave a clean point of sutcher after extracting the system at a later time. Never work within two inches of the plug at the harness' end.

 

3. How are you all with the stealth boxes securing them to the trunk?

 

There is no reason to be drilling holes in your trunk to secure you stealth boxes. There are a few forms of friction based securing methods like velcro that work extremely well. The only note there is "Don't be stingy", use only the coarse side of the velcro and attach to the enclosure properly (more than just the sticky that comes on it). To be sure (if you're really worried) you can screw strategic brackets into the enclosure and wire tire to opportune locations.

 

4. How did you guys run low gauge big wiring from the battery to the cabin/trunk?

 

This is a bit of a broad one. But the same as before......There is no need to drill holes (unless low gauge means 4, 2, or aut and if so, then this is reeeally broad). Well that's for cabin entry at least (no wire gauge will interfere with your passage to the trunk once you've passed the the firewall). As for the firewall there are exsisting gromets that you can use for 8 gauge (4 gauge if your good) you just have to look at both sides of the firewall. (Sorry, I don't recall specifically and you didn't specify the gauge)

 

5. Where's the optimum place to place the Cleansweep?

 

I think this one is personal preference, there is no optimum place. It a matter of taste and skill, closest to the source would be best (all things considered).

 

Hope that helps.

Wow! Thanks man! Kudos...

I used the OEM wiring to the rear speakers only because they are connected for surround sound purposes, no music is sent back there. I replaced the wiring to the front speakers with aftermarket.

My installation required some splicing to the OEM harness. Soldier and electrical tape/heat shrink.

Velco would not have worked for my "stealthbox" installation, nor was there anything to wire tire it to. I did not want to drill through the trunk floor as my car sees a lot of winter action and salt. I had a friend weld a bolt to the floor, then I drilled a hole in the bottom of the sub enclosure and used a nut and washer from the inside to secure it. Easy, no. Solid, yes.

There are plenty of grommits on the firewall to pass through power wire into the cabin. There's on on the driver's side, right near the strut tower that has one nipple still open. There's also an unused grommit behind the TMIC large enough for just about any wire you would use. It requires a little more wire in the engine bay to reach and a little more difficult to fish once in the cabin.

[*]What's the best way to connect the everything up to the harness, tap/splice or get another harness from Crutchfield, Sh** Shack, etc.?

Simple, just use a wire stripper to strip back enough insulation so that you can see bare copper. Then use a lighter to heat up that section. Use your finger nail to pull back the insulation while it is still hot. Wrap your wires together. Solder them. Heatshrink the splice. Done.

[*]How did you guys run low gauge big wiring from the battery to the cabin/trunk? Did you drill new holes? Are there existing holes to use? Pixors?

I ran my Amp wire (4awg if i remember) through the driver door. You can go through the top of the fendor all the way from the battery to the driver's door gap (Jamb). Then i just made a slit in the boot for the other cable harness in the door and added my Amp wire into it. After that it's easy just use a popper to run it all the way back to the trunk through the bottom door sills.

Ill get pics for you if I remember

How the heck did you manage that? Stereo source into amp, amp to speakers... unless you are watching surround sound DVD's...

rear speaker level outputs from the head unit itself were tapped into the factory wiring behind the OEM headunit. My headunit uses DSP so I;ve got options from dolby digital, DTS, WOW, prologic II music... Basically I don't use my rears unless a DVD is playing

• What's the best way to connect the everything up to the harness, tap/splice or get another harness from Crutchfield, Sh** Shack, etc.?

If you do want to go the harness route, you'll need two — a "forward" one ("into car"), like what everyone sells to install an aftermarket HU into a Subaru, and a "reverse" one ("into factory radio"), like you would use to install your Subaru factory radio into another make of car.

You need to make sure they both have all 14 pins populated. Most out there, including the ones Crutchfield sells, lack one of the two illumination wires. The illumination on your stock HU will not work without that wire.

See my homepage for ones that do have all 14 pins. If you've already bought harnesses that only have 13 wires, e-mail me.

Connect the two harnesses together like a short extension cable — it will go in between the car and the stock head unit, and will connect several of the wires (but not all 14) to the radio the same way they were before.

The wires for ground, +12V accessory (key-switched), and +12V constant ("memory") will still run from the car to your HU.

Those wires will also go to the CleanSweep. The Black (ground), Red (+12V accessory), and Yellow (+12V memory) wires between the the forward and reverse harnesses will also go to the same-colored wires on the CleanSweep's harness ("GND", "IGN", and "+12V").

So the car's power and ground wires will go to both your HU and the CleanSweep.

You'll also connect the car's Illumination (Orange, Orange/White) and Antenna remote control (Blue) wires between the forward and reverse harness. These wires do not connect to the CleanSweep.

The CleanSweep's Blue "Rem Out" wire (amplifier remote control) goes only to your amp(s). You may find this is a Blue/White wire on the amp harnesses.

The HU's speaker outputs (from the reverse harness) go only to the CleanSweep's speaker input ("OEM Input Connector").

If you want to re-use the factory speaker wires, you can connect the outputs from your amp(s) to the car's speaker wires via the forward harness.