How To Add A Subwoofer To Your Existing Car Stereo
10-21-15, 09:27 AM
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How To Add A Subwoofer To Your Existing Car Stereo
In order to increase the bass in your car, you may want to add subwoofers. But if you're like me, you may not want to replace all the door speakers or your existing amplifier. This guide will explain how to add a subwoofer(s) to your car, and it's for even the simplest of beginners so it should be very helpful. Pics will be added as soon as I can.
First, you're going to want to find your car's current amp. You want to find the PRE-AMP input signals. That is the signals going from your cars headunit to the amplifier. Be sure to look up a diagram so you can figure out which ones which.
Next, once you've found it, there should be a Left +/- and Right +/-. You're going to split each one before it gets to the AMP. For more info on how to split a signal, try a quick YouTube search, but basically you're going to either cut the wire that leads in, and solder on another, then solder the original back together, or just use an insertable fitting, it literally crimps on to a wire, and makes a connection and splits it. Sorry for vagueness, again, I'll have pics on the way soon.
Once you've split BOTH signals, you should have two wires that lead to nothing. Now you need to pick out an AMP and Subwoofer(s). I could go on for hours about matching the watts, and RMS ratings, but basically get a subwoofer(s) whose total OHMS are the same as the AMP, and whose watts are close. It's okay if the AMP is slightly more wattage, or vice versa, but if the AMP is too overpowered, you'll blow the subs, if the subs are too overpowered you'll fry the AMP. If you're really sweating it, you can buy a Bass package that comes with a matched set. Remember it MUST MUST MUST be a MONO block AMP.
Now, we're really getting there. All that's left is to run the wires from your amplifier to the NEW mono AMP's input signals. Run output wires from your AMPS output signals to your sub or subs. Finally, you'll gonna have to run power and ground to the amplifier. Power wires are sold online or instore, brand doesn't make a big difference make sure to get 4ga for a high powered setup or even 0ga, but with a small setup you may be able to get away with 6ga. Then, you're going to run it along the body (or wherever you put the subs. If it's in the trunk, the frame rails are great to run down) and to the battery. Once at the battery, cut the end of the wire, and add on a terminal to it, then put it between the positive lead and the battery, and bolt back to the battery as normal.
You can either ground to the battery or to the car. For anything more than one sub, I'd recommend grounding to the battery. It's the same thing, except for the negative terminal. To ground to the body, find bare metal, test it to make sure it's a ground, then sand or file a little area to get bare metal, or add a terminal, and bolt it in. Otherwise, just ensure it stays, I'd recommend bolting).
You should now have an added subwoofer system without tampering with the existing one at all! Thanks for reading, and I'll add pics soon. Helpful opinions are welcome, as this is my first post!
First, you're going to want to find your car's current amp. You want to find the PRE-AMP input signals. That is the signals going from your cars headunit to the amplifier. Be sure to look up a diagram so you can figure out which ones which.
Next, once you've found it, there should be a Left +/- and Right +/-. You're going to split each one before it gets to the AMP. For more info on how to split a signal, try a quick YouTube search, but basically you're going to either cut the wire that leads in, and solder on another, then solder the original back together, or just use an insertable fitting, it literally crimps on to a wire, and makes a connection and splits it. Sorry for vagueness, again, I'll have pics on the way soon.
Once you've split BOTH signals, you should have two wires that lead to nothing. Now you need to pick out an AMP and Subwoofer(s). I could go on for hours about matching the watts, and RMS ratings, but basically get a subwoofer(s) whose total OHMS are the same as the AMP, and whose watts are close. It's okay if the AMP is slightly more wattage, or vice versa, but if the AMP is too overpowered, you'll blow the subs, if the subs are too overpowered you'll fry the AMP. If you're really sweating it, you can buy a Bass package that comes with a matched set. Remember it MUST MUST MUST be a MONO block AMP.
Now, we're really getting there. All that's left is to run the wires from your amplifier to the NEW mono AMP's input signals. Run output wires from your AMPS output signals to your sub or subs. Finally, you'll gonna have to run power and ground to the amplifier. Power wires are sold online or instore, brand doesn't make a big difference make sure to get 4ga for a high powered setup or even 0ga, but with a small setup you may be able to get away with 6ga. Then, you're going to run it along the body (or wherever you put the subs. If it's in the trunk, the frame rails are great to run down) and to the battery. Once at the battery, cut the end of the wire, and add on a terminal to it, then put it between the positive lead and the battery, and bolt back to the battery as normal.
You can either ground to the battery or to the car. For anything more than one sub, I'd recommend grounding to the battery. It's the same thing, except for the negative terminal. To ground to the body, find bare metal, test it to make sure it's a ground, then sand or file a little area to get bare metal, or add a terminal, and bolt it in. Otherwise, just ensure it stays, I'd recommend bolting).
You should now have an added subwoofer system without tampering with the existing one at all! Thanks for reading, and I'll add pics soon. Helpful opinions are welcome, as this is my first post!
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exaktoh (03-15-17)
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