Hooking up a subwoofer if using a stock deck.
#1
02-05-2009, 01:55 AM
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Guelph ontario
Posts: 2,901
Hooking up a subwoofer if using a stock deck.
Seeing as how we have had this question a few times, and that I no longer wanna go through the whole process over and over again, I've decided to give you all instructions on how to do it. Its a process that will take about 1-2 hours depending on how well you want it all to work. I'd advise you to take your time while doing this otherwise it will not work. Okay first you will need the subwoofer, amplifier, wiring kit, extra wiring just in case, and a Line Output Converter (which you can buy at Canadian tire or Future shop or any store that sells car audio equipment.
Now, you will want a philip's screw driver, a crimper, a stripper (not the one you find at a bar), and cutter's. with the screw driver you will first take off the two screws on both sides of the rear doors so that you can take off the whole door panel. Once you have removed the rear door panels you will see two wires from the speaker that will be white and purple and white and pink I believe. You will cut those wires and strip them, now make sure you remember which is positive and which is negative, because not only will your subwoofer not work, but neither will your speaker. Then after all of that you will take the wiring and connect the positive to positive with the speaker wire and same with the negative. Then you will crimp the wires together so that it doesn't get loose when you open and close the door (this happened to me so make sure you do this). Then you will make sure that the wires are lined up to go to the back. make sure you tuck the wires in so nobody can trip on them while getting into your 3. Then once you have done this you will get the LOC (line out converter) and take the wires out. Make sure you attach them to positive-positive, negative-negative as well. Then that is setup. That is one of the trickiest parts to this setup.
Now you will have to setup the power wire and the Remote wire. For the power wire it is pretty basic. From the trunk you will bring your power wire all the way down the passenger side into the engine bay, there is an opening behind the glove box you can bring it through. Once your done that get cut the wire and strip it both ways so that you can put the fuse inside it so that your amp does not fry in the event of a wire getting lose and creating sparks. You will put both the stripped ends of the wiring into the fuse box and tighten it up so it does not go anywhere. After doing this you should either screw it to the firewall or zip tie the wires to the plastic tube at the back of the engine in front of the firewall. Then you will have to disconnect your positive connection to the battery in order to put the power wire connector onto the battery. Make sure that your power wire is not connected to the amp but is stripped. Then place it in the terminal of the positive battery connector and then re-attach the positive connection to the battery.
Now comes the Remote wire. For this i used the cigarette lighter fuse and it works well. You once again will have to bring this up the passenger side as the fuse is underneath the glove box. Take the fuse box cover and look on the map of where all the fuses are and find the one that has the cigarette lighter. Take it out, then wrap the remote wire around the fuse *strip it before you do it* and put the fuse back in. Now we are almost done.
The last step before you set it all up is the ground wire. I used my jack stand as a ground wire and it works really well. Get the ground wire connector piece and put it through the jack stand screw. *take off the jack stand and put it where the spare tire is* Then you screw it on completely and this will be a good ground connection.
Now what you do is connect everything up, the LOC will have RCA's so you connect the RCA wire's to the LOC and then to the amp as well. Also with certain LOC's you can change the volume and setting to set how much bass you want. After you have hooked everything up with the right places they are supposed to go, hook up the amp to the subwoofer and you are ready to go. Put back the rear door panel's *by the way make sure you use both rear speakers otherwise it will not work*. then test it out yourself. there are settings on amp's and the LOC so set it to how you like and enjoy.
Jaimie08mazda3
Now, you will want a philip's screw driver, a crimper, a stripper (not the one you find at a bar), and cutter's. with the screw driver you will first take off the two screws on both sides of the rear doors so that you can take off the whole door panel. Once you have removed the rear door panels you will see two wires from the speaker that will be white and purple and white and pink I believe. You will cut those wires and strip them, now make sure you remember which is positive and which is negative, because not only will your subwoofer not work, but neither will your speaker. Then after all of that you will take the wiring and connect the positive to positive with the speaker wire and same with the negative. Then you will crimp the wires together so that it doesn't get loose when you open and close the door (this happened to me so make sure you do this). Then you will make sure that the wires are lined up to go to the back. make sure you tuck the wires in so nobody can trip on them while getting into your 3. Then once you have done this you will get the LOC (line out converter) and take the wires out. Make sure you attach them to positive-positive, negative-negative as well. Then that is setup. That is one of the trickiest parts to this setup.
Now you will have to setup the power wire and the Remote wire. For the power wire it is pretty basic. From the trunk you will bring your power wire all the way down the passenger side into the engine bay, there is an opening behind the glove box you can bring it through. Once your done that get cut the wire and strip it both ways so that you can put the fuse inside it so that your amp does not fry in the event of a wire getting lose and creating sparks. You will put both the stripped ends of the wiring into the fuse box and tighten it up so it does not go anywhere. After doing this you should either screw it to the firewall or zip tie the wires to the plastic tube at the back of the engine in front of the firewall. Then you will have to disconnect your positive connection to the battery in order to put the power wire connector onto the battery. Make sure that your power wire is not connected to the amp but is stripped. Then place it in the terminal of the positive battery connector and then re-attach the positive connection to the battery.
Now comes the Remote wire. For this i used the cigarette lighter fuse and it works well. You once again will have to bring this up the passenger side as the fuse is underneath the glove box. Take the fuse box cover and look on the map of where all the fuses are and find the one that has the cigarette lighter. Take it out, then wrap the remote wire around the fuse *strip it before you do it* and put the fuse back in. Now we are almost done.
The last step before you set it all up is the ground wire. I used my jack stand as a ground wire and it works really well. Get the ground wire connector piece and put it through the jack stand screw. *take off the jack stand and put it where the spare tire is* Then you screw it on completely and this will be a good ground connection.
Now what you do is connect everything up, the LOC will have RCA's so you connect the RCA wire's to the LOC and then to the amp as well. Also with certain LOC's you can change the volume and setting to set how much bass you want. After you have hooked everything up with the right places they are supposed to go, hook up the amp to the subwoofer and you are ready to go. Put back the rear door panel's *by the way make sure you use both rear speakers otherwise it will not work*. then test it out yourself. there are settings on amp's and the LOC so set it to how you like and enjoy.
Jaimie08mazda3
Last edited by jaimie08mazda3; 02-05-2009 at 02:03 AM.
#3
02-16-2009, 05:00 PM
I have my Memphis subs hooked to the stock HU. I like the look of the stock radio and didn't wanna mess it up.
#4
02-16-2009, 11:38 PM
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Guelph ontario
Posts: 2,901
thats why i did it... and then made this to show people how its done. i love how good it sounds.
#6
03-21-2009, 02:33 AM
thanks, will get my brother to read this. he's been trying his darnest to work on his subwoofer now with no luck...
#8
08-04-2009, 12:18 AM
not sure if it was already explained but if i do the same thing and hook my subs up to my stock 04 mazda 6 can i controll my subs with the stock head unit or will they always be on at the same level?
