Things You'll Need:
- Amplifier
- Subwoofer speaker
- Subwoofer box
- Wiring kit
- Tools: Phillips & flathead screwdrivers, and wrenches.
- Plenty of time (don't start just before the sun sets)
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Step 1
The first step is figuring out everything you're going to need. This is a hefty project, so you'll need a toolbox with standard tools, such as screwdrivers and wrenches.
Also, you'll need the main components, such as the actual speaker, and the box that it goes into. The whole idea behind the subwoofer is air pressure. If you do not have a speaker box, the sub will not produce sound like it's supposed to.
Next, you'll need an amplifier. This amplifier wattage depends on the subwoofer used. Keep in mind, you'll want to look for the RMS output power, NOT the MAX power.
Finally, you'll need a wiring kit. This is a package of wires you can get from most stores, meijer, walmart, online, etc. It contains a power wire, a ground wire, a start-up wire, and possibly speakers wires. These come in different gauges. The smaller the gauge, the larger the wire. The larger the wire, the better, although for most applications, going larger than a 4gauge wire is unnecessary.
Optionally: You can buy a capacitor. These typically come in 500-1000 microfarads. Essentially these are hooked between the battery and amplifier as a way of controlling surges and dips in the power. I personally have never used one and my sound is just fine. -
Step 2
Get to installing! The first thing you're going to need to do is the wiring. The wiring kit should come with instructions on how to wire it. The power wire connects with the + terminal, then runs through the car to the amplifier. The ground wire runs from any metal part of the car to the ground terminal on the amplifier. Grounding the amplifier is very important, so be careful. The third wire, typically blue, is a starter wire. This wire gets power from the battery as soon as the car is turned on. This runs to splice in with a wire on the back of your cd player.
Installing wires to the cd player will be in the next step. -
Step 3
There are 2 types of cd players. Factory (came with the car) and aftermarket (purchased after the car, and was installed).
For factory cd players, you will have to do some searching online to find which wire to connect the starter wire to in step two. You may also need to search online for this with aftermarket cd players, but it should be either labeled on the wire, or through the companies website.
The installation of the sound signal wires is determined at this point.
For most aftermarket cd players, there will be an auxiliary output in the form of female white and red RCA plugs. RCA wires are plugged into here and run to the input of the amplifier.
For factory cd players, such as what i have, you will need to do some extra work. Since there is no direct sound output out of the back of the cd player, we'll need to splice wires into the speaker wires. Be very careful with this step! Each RCA cable, for instance the white tipped one, has two wires in it. One positive and one negative. It's not vitally important you know which is which. These two wires must be spliced into the positive and negative of the speaker.
Once the RCA cables are either spliced, or plugged in, plug the other side into the input channel of the amplifier.
The next step will be final touches. -
Step 4
You should have the amplifier powered, and should power on when the car starts. You should have the input audio running from either the car speakers or from an AUX input on the back of the radio. At this point, run speaker wire from the positive and negative channels of the amplifier into the plugs on the speaker box. This should be a completed process at this point.
You might need more information about the different types of amplifiers, such as mono-channel, and stereo channel. Or different types of subwoofer speakers and the boxes for them. These are all very important things to consider, and I would recommend spending a few days of research on this topic before any purchase has been made. -
Step 5
Congratulations, your subwoofer is set up. Another possibility is adding a switch to turn the amplifier on and off. For my case, I got lazy and didn't find out which wire on the back of my factory cd player was the starter wire. Instead, I installed a switch, so I can turn my subwoofer on and off at any time. As I said before, this wire is simply a wire that turns the amplifier on when the wire has power running through it (+). So, I ran one wire (I just used speaker wire) from my battery terminal to one side of the switch, then another wire to the starter-wire input of my amplifier. Voila, a switch-controlled subwoofer.
Comments
guitarmunkey05 said
on 2/22/2009 good call about the capacitors. You're right. If your headlights are dimming on bass hits, you should probably get a capacitor.
i4getlots said
on 2/22/2009 also capacitors have no effect on sound quality. capacitors are made to store power only. so when you have high demands of power coming from the amp, it wonnt put much strain on your electrical system. if your your headlights dim or your dash lights dim when your subs are bumping shall we say. you need a capacitor. how ever you really dont need one unless you're using amps the size of 1000watts or more
i4getlots said
on 2/22/2009 splicing your RCAs is not the best way to hook up RCAs. there are things called line out converters that you can hook up. your best bet is to just buy and after market headunit. you can buy cheap head units at walmart.
kimarkent said
on 1/23/2009 Wow, I never realized when my son installed a subwoofer in his car all the work it entailed! Thanks for helping me appreciate the effort he did. Very detailed, and informative. 5* RRR