Amplifier Install, Will This Work?

[mykalhenry]

Hi All,

I own a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport. I have slowly begun to upgrade my audio and have already replaced the head unit with a really nice Pioneer head unit. Now to take this further I bought a Hifonics Warrior Eagle for a 4 way speaker set up which will be 4 Pioneer 6x8 four way speakers. So my system all in will be less than $500 but will kick out decent sounds. The Amp will go under the drivers seat since I will be the only one driving and since I am 6ft tall the seat will be always covering it. Rough neighborhood is the issue so I need to conceal. The Hifonics Warrior Eagle is advertised to measure 8.7 and 7.6 inches approx with 50 RMS for a 4 way setup, right at where my Pioneer speakers are advertised to kick out.

Questions.

1. How is the Hifonics Warrior Eagle, any experiences?

2. Does proposed location of the amp pose any problems? The size of this amp should allow it to fit under the drivers seat correct? I notice that there are some wires going from the rug to the both driver and passenger seat but I have nothing power with respect to the seats... Funny that. Anyone know what those wires are? Leads to a small yellowish harness in the bottom of each of the front seats.

3. Could I run the speaker wire from the amp to the back of the head unit and connect the speaker wires at that point? (of course not involving the head unit in the connection) Is this how it is usually done? I see a lot of folks doing their own speaker wiring but that makes a day job a two day job for me and time is limited.


Thanks in advance, will be my first amp install!

Mykal

 

[wingot]

First off I was thinking about putting the amp under my front seat when i was looking for spots but mine didnt fit... if you want to adjust your seat and stuff i wouldnt recommend there, although if your not gonna do much adjusting its a nice concealed spot. personnally i chose under the back seat for one of my amps cause it was just easier. your gonna need a power and a ground wire under there, which are usually pretty thick and i dont see how your are planning on concealing them, unless you have floor mats. second i would definatly run speaker wire, it will sound better, plus if you have a stock amp or anything it might make things sound distorted. ive honestly never heard of that band, but i like your choice of speakers, thats what i have, and they do sound good for a good price. and honestly, i dont think running wires to the back of the head unit to direct connection would save you a whole lot of time. then again im dont know because ive only looked worked on my explorer... it took about 3 hours to run all the wires for the amp, which i didnt think was that bad.

 

[AMMO_HOOAH]

2. Does proposed location of the amp pose any problems? The size of this amp should allow it to fit under the drivers seat correct? I notice that there are some wires going from the rug to the both driver and passenger seat but I have nothing power with respect to the seats... Funny that. Anyone know what those wires are? Leads to a small yellowish harness in the bottom of each of the front seats.

Don't forget about heat. You need to make sure while you're trying to conceal it you don't suffocate it. Just food for thought. BTW if you want total concealment you could always put it behind the cargo area panals.

Here's what I did:

 

[DOZIER]

Well first off, you can't put the amp under the rear seat. The 2001 sport has no room between the seat and the floor board.....It sits right on the floor. Just run the wires to the amp and then run the amps wires to the speakers seperately. I would assume less travel through the wires back to the head unit and all around the vehicle will give more power and less chance for distortion and interference. I might be wrong. I just think it would sound better if you ran the speaker wires from the amp directly to the speakers themselves disconnecting the stock speaker wiring of course. I see Ammo likes to work with MTX and plexi glass also. Looks a little rough though.

 

[AMMO_HOOAH]

Well first off, you can't put the amp under the rear seat. The 2001 sport has no room between the seat and the floor board.....It sits right on the floor. Just run the wires to the amp and then run the amps wires to the speakers seperately. I would assume less travel through the wires back to the head unit and all around the vehicle will give more power and less chance for distortion and interference. I might be wrong. I just think it would sound better if you ran the speaker wires from the amp directly to the speakers themselves disconnecting the stock speaker wiring of course. I see Ammo likes to work with MTX and plexi glass also. Looks a little rough though.

Someone's a little handier with the router than I am ^^^

 

[DOZIER]

That was my first time using one. I used a dremel from a pawn shop and then sanded the rough edges out. I took a piece of card board and traced the mtx logo on it and then layed the plexi over the card board and traced with a pen onto the plexi then used the dremel and sanded smooth.

 

[mykalhenry]

Hi all,

Some fu***n punk walked by and saw me measuring out my stuff in the cargo hatch and then walked by the next day and saw my crispy head unit in my dash the next day. 2 days later broke into my sh**. Busted the rear glass and now I am thankful for Geico's glass coverage. The punk saw there was nothing back there and just walked away. Funny thing is I know who did it but can't proove it. Yeah gotta conceal.

On to other biz. Thanks for the replies. I guess I will have to go rear driver panel with the amp and wire the speakers myself. It is just that I have so little experience, though I wired my head unit and it works very well. I may have to take the equipment to a professional because the last thing I need is to do it in my neighborhood and have someone rip my sh** out because they saw me putting it in.

Mykal

 

[DOZIER]

Dang dude that sucks. Hope it does not affect your insurance.

 

[TTG]

Get a good alarm and a gun, or put a viper alarm sticker and an NRA sticker on the back of your truck. Or both.

 

[mykalhenry]

Hi all,

Licked my wounds and will now do the install myself again.

Ok I own a 2001 Explorer Sport

Gonna tackle the install this weekend coming, hopefully. I have a Hifonics Warrior Eagle 8.7 x 7.9 dimensions. Maybe 1 1/4 inches thick. Gonna install it in the back passenger hatch. What should I do about an amp rack or some kind of base for the amp? Do I do wood or are there kits for this thing.

The one thing I can't really say I know what to do about is the mount. I know where I want to mount and how to wire but how to mount and what to mount to are my questions. Anyone have a 2001 Sport with suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

Mykalhenry

 

[DOZIER]

Well if you seriously want to conceal it then you could put it behind the panel on the passenger side. Just pull the panel off and wire it up and you can use double sided adhesive all over the bottom and it will gladly stick to the metal side of the truck behind the panel. Weight won't be an issue if you use alot of double sided tape. High strength 3m or something like that. I think in your area it is your best bet. I know there is not much space under my rear seats and the front seats. The rear will be visible if you just put it in the back. You don't want that so, hide it behind the plastic trim on the passenger side.

 

[mykalhenry]

Thanks CPL.

More specifically since we agree on the location of the amp (except I want to have upgrade space for a JL box so I must put on driver side), I want to fasten it to the bar running at the top of the panel space on the driver side back cargo panel and the one running I think right over the wheel well. This is where people seem to conceal their amps if they put them in the back driver side cargo panel, they fasten them to the metal running horizontally. What do I need to do this? Do I get some wood cut and put that between the amp and the metal? Is there a recommended amp rack to suffice this? I was thinking get some wood, cut it about a half inch to an inch thicker on the sides that contain the fasten holes and just put that between. If I cut the wood to match the metal bars then the amp can be fastened to the wood without having to touch the metal in any way correct? Does that work? If I could square this issue away then I will be almost all set.

Thanks.

Mykalhenry

 

[DOZIER]

Yes, you have the right idea. Cut a piece of wood and secure it to the wall inside the explorer and then fasten the amp to the wood. What I said about the double sided tape was that it is strong enough if you use enough of it to support the amp on that wall permanently, just use alot of it, and also it will be something to keep the amp off of the metal wall. Your choice how you want to do it.