Planning decent system, some questions

[JasonF]

Right now I have the 4 stock speakers in my 04 XLT but I have replaced the head unit with a Panasonic CQ9700U which puts out 60Wx4, or about 17W RMS per channel. I am quite happy with the sound of it right now, but I know it can be better. Ideally I would like to install a set of Infinity Kappa 50.7CS 5.25" components up front and a set of 682.7CF 6x8" 2-ways in the back. I would just like to be able to install these with factory wiring, and hopefully avoid the trouble of an amp. However it has been suggested to me by various sales people that you "need" an amp with components. Is this true? My Head unit puts out slightly more power than your average unit and I would like to know if you guys think it can handle these speakers. If I did have to get the amp I have no idea where I would put it, or how I would make the speaker connections. Could I just run the speaker wires from the amp up under the dash and connect them to the stock speaker lines that went to the head unit? If I don't take that option it seems like I would have to pull up the carpet, fish new wires through the rubber boots in the doors, etc etc. I hate to tear up my relatively new truck like that. So, anyone used components without an amp? Any trick amp installs under the dash or something to avoid nasty wiring projects?

 

[ericradford01]

dont put your amp under the dash... way to much heat and to close to alot of other wires...if you got a 4door you have plenty of room to put them underneath the back seat... it is a damn good place to put it because you will be able to find plenty of places to ground the wires and run your wires underneath the drivers side door seal thingy... it comes up in a sec just pops up and then run your power wire on the other side...if you reaad up its better to run your power wire on the opposite side than on the same side as your speaker wires...it should be pretty easyt and wont mess up a thing...as for the speaker wires...run new ones...if its coming from an amp the stock wires wont handle the power your amp is giving them.. 14 or 12 will do fine...

 

[dannyb420]

Do you have the third row seat? What I did was mountd my changer under one seat in the second row and my amp under the other. There is plenty of air space plus I mounted them to the bottom of the seat instead of to the floor. If I need to access it to change a CD or view the amp, the seat just flips ip and there I go. Its a clean install, and easy to do.

 

[JasonF]

Yes I have the 3rd row seat. I am leery of mounting an amp under the second row because when I flip the seat up to let people in the 3rd row they would be walking on my amp. Seems like mounting them upside down under the seat is bad also since the heat will rise back into the unit. I will take a look later to see if I can mount the amp under the center portion of the second row seat that doesnt flip up. Now about the speaker wires...does anyone have pics or tips of how you ran wires to each of the 4 doors from under the back seat?

 

[ericradford01]

the only way to do it is really play with it for a while what i did with mine was open the door and take the panel off...then feed the wire through that rubber hose like the power locks and wires run through it... it will prolly get stuck and get kinda frustrating but take your time it will feed through eventually... then pry up the floorboard flap thingy be careful doing this you can break the clips....but be easy...then you will have totall access to the floor underneath the carpet...from there wire it to the amp doing all the right pos to pos and neg to neg run your turnon wire from the cd player and power wire from the battery on the opposite side if possible this reduces the chance of messing up your signal feed from the amp... any more questions you can hit me up on aim...oscardriver13.... oh yea there is always the idea of mounting a small well powered amp in the hidden pocket on the rear wall of your explorer...ERAD