Needs help installing a new sub...

[feezorlove]

I have a 4dr 1996 awd 5.0l v8 Ford Explorer (duh). It's been a great vehicle, but the stock audio system in the Subwoofer department sucks. I was lucky to grab a nice deal on eBay for a JL Power Wedge with a 10" Sub along with a Phase Linear 200 Watt Power Amp. I took residential wiring in high school so I am pretty hand on wiring, but the power wedge came with no wires or instructions so I am lost as to what gage wiring I must use or how to go about doing so.

If anyone could help me out with this it would be much appreciated. The layout to install the amp is drawn out in its booklet but I do not know what wires I need to replace going to my Stock AM/FM/Cassette player (I have a Pioneer 6 Disc Changer in the console with it's reciever installed in place of the ash tray) Which is real nice to hide that I have anything worth stealing in my car so there's a good idea for people who are interested in getting a cd changer. Anyways, I would really be in debt to anyone who could take the time to help me out, thanks

 

[davesexplorer]

sooo all you want to do is add that subwoofer to the existing factory? You already have the factory sub?

If so I believe all you need to do is dig around the area where the stock sub is, find the sub amp, add a line output converter to the stock sub input, and wire it to your amp... Sounds easy enough, but its a PITA!

 

[feezorlove]

I am wanting to replace the stock amp and sub, what I don't know is if I need to pull some new wire since the new amp (I assume) is more powerful than the existing one. I have Phase Linear 200 Watt Power Amp, I am not sure if I can just put the new amp on the pre-existing wiring circuit. I haven't been able to find any schematics at all yet so I don't even really know the wiring going on with the stock cassette player.

the stock sub is 8", i am putting in a 10" JL Audio sub in a power wedge box so I will not go back into that same area, instead I have decided to sacrifice some space. I am still unsure what to do, but hopefully you can help.

 

[davesexplorer]

IMO I would run new wire for power and ground at least... and use new speaker wire from the amp to the sub. Unless you can find some sort of remote turn-on wire for your sub, just run a new one off the wiper fuse, ignition or something of the like? But I'd look for a factory turn on lead first, because then your amp will turn on and off with the head unit.

What you need to find are the signal wires to the stock amp, wire em to a inverter (unless your amp has speaker level inputs), then run the rca's or speaker wire to the amp. I dont have any schematics or anything, I never had the need, I ripped all factory crap out, and replaced it with aftermarket....
You could use a multimeter on all the wires back there goin to the stock sub and see whats goin on...

 

[feezorlove]

Ok I went out and bought an amp installation kit and speaker cables, spent 60$ on that whish is more than I got the sub and amp for. Anyways, I connected the ground to the chasis, ran power from the battery to the back, tore out the radio to check it out and low and behold the stock POS that it is it didn't have RCA jacks. So yea I have to go in and figure out what wires go where so I have to ask will the wires from the stock work with the new amp?

Also, the stock amp had to inputs, and one output (output going to the sub)
So... the amp had a connection on top with a red white and black wire going into it, and on the bottem 2 green/black and 1 black. Am I to assume that the red white and black was its power and the 2 green and 1 black are coming from the radio perhaps?

If that's the case... the connector on the amp has 4 wires, either one it is there's 3 to 4 connection so what would I do??? everything is ready except for that and the remote. I don't really have a place for an on switch, so i am just gunna settle for the turn on with the head. So what do I look for with that?

Sorry for my lame simple questions man, i really apprectiate your time

 

[davesexplorer]

A multimeter is your friend If your amp doesn't have speaker level inputs you'll need a speaker to RCA line output converter like: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-NxT2QCqCw9f/cgi-bin/prodview.asp?i=101PL2 As for the power and ground vs speaker wires to the factory amp, you'll either have to get schematics off someone, or use a multimeter on each lead and figure out whats what..... I cant really help you with that. As for the remote amp turn on, you would luck out if you had power anteanna, you could use that for the remote amp turn on... Or you could use the ever handy multimeter, and find the ignition wire to the factory head unit, tap your new amp off of that.

This is pretty much why I've completely replaced everything in both my explorers, because just trying to add something seems more difficult....
I'll check back and see if there's anything else I can help with...

 

[92xlt4x4]

ok with the line output converter, tap into the speaker wires and it converts the signal to rca. then you need a remote wire for the amp. it should say rem on the amp somewhere. you can run the remote wire off of any switch powered wire. there should only be five wires and two rcas runnin to and from the amp. the battery wire, you have that, the remote wire, hope you have that now, the ground, you have that, and the two speader wires, one positive one negative. then the two rcas and you should be bumping.

 

[feezorlove]

alright guys here's the current status of my little sub episode. i got the radio out of the console like i said and there's no rca outputs, but the amp does have speaker level input so using the pre-existing wiring should work. In my stock FORD radio, there are 2 plugs to make everything function. One obviously it's power, and another out to the speakers..... I located which plug was the power and which was the speakers... in doing this I also found that the my (i have this) power antenna wire is located on that same plug. So I have located the source for my final 2 problems but yet again there's a draw back.

1.) I have to figure out which wire is the Power Antenna so I can run the remote wire to it for the amp to turn on.... I only have to find it on the plug, however...
2.) I have to locate which wires run back to the speaker, and I also have to figure out which 3 wires went back to the stock amp and sub. So I have to identify both connections for each side in order to figure it out.

Strangely enough I think I found which plugs (this is not for the radio) power the amp, and which one is for the stock sub. remember i figured out which set of plugs were for the STOCK amp. Once again Ford left another thorn in my back because both of the plugs that connected to the stock amp, are supplied by another metal amp like box installed right infront of the sub. It says 4drsomething on it so I assume it's a router type box of some sort. Also, none of the wires going into the old stock amp match any cables plugged into the stock radio. So now it's all a game of what wire is what... I will post the color of wires that are to where and hopefully someone will recognize them and be able to save my ass.... much love, feez

 

[barneyrubble318]

You are looking for the stock "REM" remote wire, right? I'd turn the volume down, turn the stock radio on. Use your voltmeter and find a wire with 12Volts. Turn the radio off, the wire should show 0Volts.

Your stock sub speaker wires voltage should go up and down with the volume.

This wire should go into the amp, and not the 'router' box. (I'm guessing it is a sub crossover)

Does that help?