Installing Subs/Amp to Factory Deck

[jonlyons78]

Hey all. I have a 98 xlt with a factory double deck cd/cassette player in my dash and i want to install subs into my explorer. I just dont know how to connect the amp to the factory deck. can anyone help please?????

thanks.
jon

 

[03ExplorerSPT]

You need a line level converter I think it's called. It hooks up to the speaker wiring I think and has outputs on it for the amp. I"m not sure how hard it is to install though.

 

[Mbrooks420]

The converters are easy to install. Some very affordable crossovers come with high level inputs.

 

[jonlyons78]

thanks.

 

[CougarX]

I'm not sure but i believe the factory headunits have a built in lowpass crossover to keep bass from the factory speakers. If this is the case then you won't get much bass from using line level inputs bc the low frequencies the sub needs is blocked before it ever reaches the speakers and therefore the amp.

I only say this because I tried to hook up an amp and sub to my factory headunit (Mach, dual media unit with factory sub in back) using both line level inputs from the rear speakers and trying to tap into the factory sub wiring with a set of RCAs and neither one produces much bass at all. You could turn the gain up on the amp but this still won't give you the low low frequencies that make a sub sound like a sub.

Your head unit could be different though. I know the factory premium HU is fairly complicated and probably doesn't adapt well to anything but stock.

 

[DirtMcGirt]

lol u dont want line level converter, u want line out converter. And yes you can do it on stock explorer HU (i did the other day). All u do is tap into the Right rear +/- and the Left rear +/- and ground right behind the HU, and there u go, RCA's. Then just plug amp in on those RCA's and tap into fuse wire with remote turn on and all set. Just need to run power wire for amp.

 

[CougarX]

lol u dont want line level converter, u want line out converter.

Just said it wrong, I meant the i used the high level inputs from the rear speakers since my amp has high level inputs, but the factory HU must have built in x-overs cause none of the lower frequencies come through there.

I also tried tapping into the wires that go to the factory amp/sub and running low level RCAs from there but the signal must be very weak or also have a x-over on it bc it sounds nothing like it should.