Post Stereo Install Notes
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03-28-2005, 09:33 AM
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Post Stereo Install Notes
Hi fellers (and any ladies), I thought I post a few notes about installing my stereo this weekend for those thinking about doing it. I added a new head unit, speakers, 2 amps and subs to my S'crew. For what its worth, I learned a few things not posted in the forums (that I could find anyway). Here they are:
1) Rear Seat Back Removal - You do not need to remove the seat base (where your butt goes) to get the seat back off. However, finding the clips to remove the seat back was irritating. My advice there is to get the PDF to remove the seat back (avail in another thread), study it, study it some more and then get back there with a medium size regular screwdriver. The release clips have a "spring loaded" feel to them once you can find them. You'll never be able to physically see them so don't bother looking. Be patient, you could rip the fabric if you aren’t careful.
2) Grounding the Stereo - I chose to use a distribution block to ground both amps. The ground cable to the truck is mounted on the back wall of the truck where there are two layers. The second would go outside the truck so don't go through that one (i drilled a small hole to hold the screw and sanded the paint around it off for good contact). Just make sure to avoid drilling into the floor where you might hit something.
3) Running Power Wire - I went through a very convenient opening in above the steering column in the engine bay. There is a grommet about 1 1/2" round that appears to be doing nothing. Not sure why, but it made a great spot to run power inside the truck. It comes out right above but behind your pedals. Make sure to run power on the opposite side of your signal cables (RCA's).
4) Running wires inside - A nice feature of our trucks is that snap together style clips are used ad-nausea throughout. You can pretty much pull up or off most trim pieces without worrying that you will break something. When running speaker wire from an amp to the doors, you will want to pull out the rubber grommets that channel the wires tween the truck and the doors and use a coat hanger or something to fish the wires through it. The grommets come in and out easily.
5) Mounting amps – I found that there is little point to spending a lot of time mounting the amps behind the rear seat back. There is really no chance they will rattle around and no room to ad any type of mounting structure. I chose to screw the amps through the fabric lining the rear wall. It’s enough to hold them up and keep them held in place. You are going to have very little room back there so try and choose low profile amps.
Another comment is about the subs. Some of you might be contemplating a box housing a pair of ten inchers that fit under the rear seat. This is what I got and overall I am impressed and happy with the result. Although it will stick out perhaps a ¼ “ from the rear seat bottom, it still looks nice and is functional. The bass coming out is tight and crisp and not as deep and boomy as you get with larger more efficient boxes. Make sure the subs you buy to fill the box are designed to fit in them and use less than 1 sq foot of space when running.
Hope somebody finds this helpful.
T
1) Rear Seat Back Removal - You do not need to remove the seat base (where your butt goes) to get the seat back off. However, finding the clips to remove the seat back was irritating. My advice there is to get the PDF to remove the seat back (avail in another thread), study it, study it some more and then get back there with a medium size regular screwdriver. The release clips have a "spring loaded" feel to them once you can find them. You'll never be able to physically see them so don't bother looking. Be patient, you could rip the fabric if you aren’t careful.
2) Grounding the Stereo - I chose to use a distribution block to ground both amps. The ground cable to the truck is mounted on the back wall of the truck where there are two layers. The second would go outside the truck so don't go through that one (i drilled a small hole to hold the screw and sanded the paint around it off for good contact). Just make sure to avoid drilling into the floor where you might hit something.
3) Running Power Wire - I went through a very convenient opening in above the steering column in the engine bay. There is a grommet about 1 1/2" round that appears to be doing nothing. Not sure why, but it made a great spot to run power inside the truck. It comes out right above but behind your pedals. Make sure to run power on the opposite side of your signal cables (RCA's).
4) Running wires inside - A nice feature of our trucks is that snap together style clips are used ad-nausea throughout. You can pretty much pull up or off most trim pieces without worrying that you will break something. When running speaker wire from an amp to the doors, you will want to pull out the rubber grommets that channel the wires tween the truck and the doors and use a coat hanger or something to fish the wires through it. The grommets come in and out easily.
5) Mounting amps – I found that there is little point to spending a lot of time mounting the amps behind the rear seat back. There is really no chance they will rattle around and no room to ad any type of mounting structure. I chose to screw the amps through the fabric lining the rear wall. It’s enough to hold them up and keep them held in place. You are going to have very little room back there so try and choose low profile amps.
Another comment is about the subs. Some of you might be contemplating a box housing a pair of ten inchers that fit under the rear seat. This is what I got and overall I am impressed and happy with the result. Although it will stick out perhaps a ¼ “ from the rear seat bottom, it still looks nice and is functional. The bass coming out is tight and crisp and not as deep and boomy as you get with larger more efficient boxes. Make sure the subs you buy to fill the box are designed to fit in them and use less than 1 sq foot of space when running.
Hope somebody finds this helpful.
T