How to Set Up Subwoofers in a Car
Sub-woofers provide the means to interpret the lowest sounds of music. The bass that is provided with a sub is unmatched by any panel or rear-deck speakers. For installation in a car (versus a van, SUV, or truck) and for budget concerns, a powered sub-woofer works best. Installing a powered sub means that you will need to connect the sub to the vehicle's stereo and directly to the battery for power. You can leave this task for an audio professional and pay for installation, or you can install a sub yourself and fashion a complete audio system for your car.
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Things You'll Need
- Amplifier wiring kit
- Wiring harness adapter
- Trim panel removal tool
- Phillips-head screwdriver
Instructions
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1
Disconnect the negative battery cable from the car's battery. Use a Phillips-head screwdriver to loosen the cable's clamp.
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2
Connect the ring terminal from the amplifier wiring kit to the positive lead of the battery. The ring terminal will have a power cable attached to it to power the sub-woofer.
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3
Drill an opening in the firewall to run the power supply cable from the engine compartment to the inside of the vehicle's passenger cabin. Place a rubber grommet in the new opening to protect the cable.
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4
Remove the stereo from the dash of the car. Specific procedures will be found in the vehicle owner's manual. Pull the stereo out far enough to access the wiring in the back of the radio.
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5
Disconnect the wiring to the stereo. There will likely be two cables and one wire group connected. Pull the cables free and grab the wire group by the plastic wire binders, to pull them from the radio.
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Connect the vehicle's stereo wiring to a wiring harness adapter. Connect the turn-on lead and signal cable (from the amp wiring kit) to the wiring harness adapter.
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Route the cables behind the stereo mounting deck and down to the floor of the car. Use a trim panel removal tool to lift the carpet and route the cables, beneath the carpet, to the rear of the car.
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8
Route the power supply cable, from the opening in the foot-well of the car, to the trunk. Run the cable beneath the carpet, on the opposite side of the vehicle as the turn-on lead and signal cables.
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9
Place the sub in the trunk of the car.
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Route the cables from both sides (signal and turn-on lead, and power supply) to the trunk. There may be openings established for wiring to the trunk. You may have to use the paths established by the rear deck speaker wires.
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Alternatively, route the cables through the sides of the fold-down rear seats if the car is equipped. If there is no established path, drill an opening for the cables to be routed to the trunk. Place rubber grommets in the new openings.
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Connect the cables to the sub. Because the sub is powered, the signal cables replace the need to connect speaker wires.
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13
Replace the car stereo into the dash of the vehicle. Installation instructions are found in the vehicle owner's manual; exact procedures vary.
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Replace the negative battery cable clamp onto the battery's negative lead post. Tighten the clamp onto the lead with a Phillips-head screwdriver.
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Tips & Warnings
The easiest location for mounting a sub-woofer is the trunk. There are low-profile subs on the market that can fit beneath a seat in the car. Those models are usually priced higher than the traditionally sized models.
