2002 Mustang GT Sound System Write Up.
By: Mixedbreed02GT
Step By Step Tutorial For Integrating an Aftermarket Head Unit with your existing Mach 460 Speakers and Amplifiers (00-04 Model Years Only)
What you need:
Aftermarket Head Unit (preferably 20+ RMS Watts, and 50 Watts x 4 Channels, 3 pairs of RCA Jacks on the back of the unit to connect your sound system)
Metra 99-5026 2001 - 2004 Mustang Dash Kit
Metra 70-5519 Wiring Harnesses (only works on 2000 - 2002)
Heat Shrink Butt Connectors 14-16 gauge (2 way & 3 way connectors)
Tools:
Wire Crimpers
Wire Cutters
lighter
zippy ties
Socket Ratchet and 8mm socket
Electrical Tape
Ok you should have 3 wiring harnesses. 2 from the metra package, and one from your cd player.
Take these three harnesses, your heat shrink connectors, and your tools to
a table with plenty of work space. This way you are in a relaxed place, not in a big hurry, and aren’t in doing this in the cramped front seat of your car, dropping tools, and connectors down the sides of your seats, and having to stop to look for them.
On the Factory Plug metra (should be black)...there are a bunch of wires.
Right Rear Speaker
Purple
Purple/Black
Left Rear Speaker
Green
Green/Black
Right Front Speaker
Gray
Gray/Black
Left Front Speaker
White
White/Black
Red – Accessory
Yellow - Battery
Black - Ground
Orange - Illumination/Dimmer
Orange/Black - Dimmer Ground
On your second Metra Adapter (should be white and have RCA plugs attached to it) there are the following wires
2 wires that have RCA Plugs on the end (these go in the back of your cd player)
2 Blue/White wires - These power your Mach 460 amps
2 Black/White Wires - These are your Mach460 amp grounds
CD Player Harness.
You should have the following wires (may vary for different cd players)
Right Rear Speaker
Purple
Purple/Black
Left Rear Speaker
Green
Green/Black
Right Front Speaker
Gray
Gray/Black
Left Front Speaker
White
White/Black
Blue - Remote System Control/Power Antenna
Red - Accessory
Yellow - Battery
Black - Ground
Orange - Illumination/Dimmer
Yellow/black - mute
You want to connect all the regular wires normally. Now here's where it gets a little tricky. Take the 2 Black/white amp grounds on the RCA plug harness, and using a 3 way heat shrink connector, wire these, plus your dimmer/illum ground (orange/black), now take your 2 blue/white amp wires on the RCA plug harness, and using a 3 way connector, connect all three of these wires together..make sure you add another 3 way connector in somewhere down the harness so you can add an aftermarket amplifier later on down the road. don’t try to splice it in…this creates a bad connection. make sure you use a lighter to shrink all the connectors around the wires so you have a nice solid airtight connection that won't come undone.
Now you're ready to install the headunit.
take your new head unit which should be mounted in the dashkit and awaiting installation, and your 3 wiring harnesses and tools, and go out to the car.
Pop your hood, and disconnect the battery! Do this before starting any electrical work…no exceptions!!!
remove your shift knob, and firmly pull up on the shifter bezel, and it
should pop right out.
now pull on the trim plate that surrounds the radio and a/c panel...it too
should pop right out, make sure to unplug the 3 plugs on the back of the
panel...now put both the shifter bezel and trim plate in the back seat so
they are out of the way.
now using your socket ratchet and 8mm socket, remove the 2 or 4 screws that hold your factory head unit in place. now carefully slide the mach460 forward (you may have to play with it a little bit, but it will come out).
unplug the antenna, and the 3 plugs from the back of the radio, and take the head unit and put it in the backseat so it's out of the way.
take your wiring harnesses and plug the 2 metra harnesses into the factory
harnesses. now connect your cd harness plug to the back of the cd player.
Put the 2 RCA's from the metra harness into the "Front Output" RCA Jacks on the back of your aftermarket unit. Connect your antenna.
Now go reconnect your battery. Now go turn your aftermarket head unit
on and make sure it works. Listen to a radio station, then put in a cd.
Make sure the bass sounds good...if you think it's not working, unplug the
RCA's from the back of your aftermarket head unit. If you the sound
quality and loudness decrease dramatically, then it was working properly
when the RCA plugs were in the back of the head unit. If you hear no change, check your wiring as you probably have something connected wrong, or not connected at all.
Make sure you connect any accessories, such as Ipod, Sirius Satellite Tuner,Bluetooth Interface, Amplifier RCA Cables, Etc.
Once you're satisfied, use some zippy ties and tidy up your wiring harnesses. No need to super tighten the zippy's, just enough to hold the wires in place.
Now put your head unit/dask kit, into the hole, and secure with the 8mm bolts.
Grab your trim plate, plug in your 3 plugs (defrost, TCS, Foglights) to the
back, then firmly pop it back into place.
Now get your shifter bezel, and pop it back into place, and put your shift
knob back on.
Now get that manual out for your head unit, and set your settings to your
liking and enjoy a killer sounding Sound System for the price of only
an aftermarket head unit, a wiring harness, a dash kit, some heat shrink
connectors, and a little bit of your time.
What Did I Use For My Install?
Metra 70-5519 Wiring Harnesses
Metra 99-5026 Dash Installation Kit
Pioneer 5900IB Aftermarket Head Unit
20 GB Ipod.
Pioneer CD-i200 Ipod Interface Cable
SIRIUS Satellite Pioneer Tuner/Receiever Model# SIR-PNR2
2 way 12-14 gauge heat shrink connectors
2 way 16-18 gauge heat shrink connectors
3 way 12-14 gauge heat shrink connectors
Once I get everything wired up, and installed, I couldn't believe how great the sound was. It was probably 50% better sounding and louder than the factory Mach 460 Head Unit. The good thing about this setup is, it saved me from having to remove all the Mach 460 Amps, and the speakers, and having to rewire the entire car. This was a simple solution, that provide a quick, efficient, and affordable way to get great sound without having to spend big money.
Ipod Installation
Also, I put my ipod in a small plastic baggy, and taped the end shut to keep moisture and dirt from effecting the ipod's circuitry. I sliced a small hole in the adapter plug-in side of the bag to connect the CD-i200 cable to the Ipod. Then I attached a piece of very strong velcro to the plastic bag. I then stuck some fuzzy velcro to the right side of the inside of the shifter housing. I then mounted my Ipod here. This way it's not in the way, it's out sight of criminals who might want to steal it, and it won't get something spilled on it. My Ipod is accessed through the faceplate buttons on my head unit, and I have total control over song selection, and shuffle/repeat options.
Sirius Tuner Installation
First thing I ran my sirius antenna...this took a little thought and creativity. The best spot I could find for my antenna was on the passenger side, just above the top right corner of the back glass. The magnet holds it in place on the roof, and i ran the wire down the C-Pillar,to the trunk area, then underneath the bottom part of the C-Pillar, to the part where the glass trim and the 1/4 glass meet. Then I used a small flat head screwdriver and gently pulled the trim away from the glass, and ran the wire down there, and up to the passenger side door jamb. Then I pulled the pushtabs out of the rubber seal in the door jamb, and ran the wire behind that. I then secured the pushtabs back in the rubber seal, then pulled the wire gently until most of the slack was gone, and tucked it underneath the vinyl/plastic door trim towards the front of the car. I continued to run the antenna wire underneath the kick panel up to the edge of the carpet near the firewall then underneath the carpet and to the back of the center console so it can be connected to the Sirius Tuner box. I plugged the white harness plug into the Sirius Tuner, plugged the antenna in, and plugged the media cable to the back of the tuner, and the other end into the back of the head unit. I put my Satellite Sirius Tuner underneath the carpet close to the firewall on the passenger side near the center console, and put velcro on the bottom of the sirius tuner, and some on the metal surface underneath to hold it in place. Again, the sirius tuner is out of sight from potential thieves, it's out of harms way, and everything looks nice and neat.
Sound Destroyer Mat (Same As Dynamat)
Next Up I am putting Sound Destroyer Mat on the floorboards of my car, the trunk bottom, sides, and the area underneath my rear seats, to make the inside nice and quiet, so nothing will rattle, and it will lessen the sound of the exhaust coming inside the vehicle. Sound Destroyer Mat will also be placed on the rear side of the license plate to keep them from rattling as well.
Amp & Subs
After that I am putting in my brand new pair of 12" Kicker subs, my JL Audio 500/1 Monochannel Class D Amplifier, and my custom made 2002 Mustang Subwoofer Enclosure (custom fit to the trunk of Mustangs with the Mach 460 Sound System). My amp will be protected by a 1 Farad Audiobahn Stiffening Capacitor which keeps my battery and alternator from being drained. I also am using gold plated ring terminals, fork terminals, spade terminals. Premium 12 gauge speaker wire and pin terminals will make the connection for my subwoofers. A 150 Amp Fuse block is placed between the battery and amplifier to protect the battery and vehicle from catching fire. A ground loop isolator is placed between the Head Unit & Amplifier on the RCA Wires to eliminate any electronic sound interference the vehicle's wiring system or alternator might create. 4 gauge wire will be used for the power and ground wires, and a gold plated grounding terminal will maintain a nice clean full metal contact ground. Also a hole will be drilled in the firewall and a 7/8" grommet will be installed so I can run my 4 gauge amp power wire from the cabin to the engine compartment.
No other upgrades are planned to the sound system after the above are completed.
Finding the Necessary Parts
Where Can you find the Metra Wiring Harness?
Ebay or http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=265-790&vReviewShow=1&vReviewRand=8585322#
The Part Express shows this as working for 2000-2001, but it does work for a 2002. If you have an 03-04 Mustang you will need Metra 70-5521
Where Can You Find the Metra Dash Kit?
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=265-805&CFID=7473312&CFTOKEN=20674977
100 Square Feet of Sound Destroyer Mat
http://stores.ebay.com/B-D-COOL-STU...0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ121767619QQftidZ2QQtZkm
99-04 Custom Subwoofer Enclosure
http://motors.search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZxkQ2dxtremekustoms
(If you use the sub enclosure above be sure to send the seller a message and let him know you specifically have a Mustang GT that still has the Mach 460 Amps and Amp Rack installed, so he can build you the right box). Box is $105 and shipping is $45.
Heat shrink butt connectors can be found at any hardware store,electrician supply store, or parts store, and you can even find them on ebay.
Everything in my sound system was purchased off ebay with the exception of my 12" Kicker Subs which I got on CarDomain.com for a price. I put this custom system together myself. I spent about 3 or 4 days researching this very carefully. First I had to find the metra harnesses, the dash kit, etc. Then I had to figure out what kind subs I wanted, how many ohms etc, and peak power, rms. Then once I selected my subs, I had to find the right amp. A friendly call to my local professional audio store gave me the answering I was looking for. The salesman new right off the bat, I wasn't going to buy anything from him, but he was still friendly and helpful, and gave me the info on the J/L Audio 500/1 Amp. This amp is discontinued by JL and the new model it currently sells is the JL Audio 500/1 V2 Mono Channel Class D Amp. Brand new these amps retail for over $500!!! But if you watch Ebay, you can pick up a used or fairly new one for $200 - $350
Now if you read this and you followed it to the tooth, you should have zero problems getting your system to work properly. Take your time, make sure your connections are solid, clean, and firm. Make sure you do things right, don't do it sloppy, or half-assed, because if you do, you will get crappy results.
How Long Will It Take To Install?
Wiring the harness should take about 20 - 30 minutes.
Removing the trim plates, pulling out the old unit, and connecting your new one should take about 10-15 minutes.
reinstalling the trim plates, and buttoning everything up should take about 5 - 7 minutes.
So this install should take no more than 60 minutes to put a head unit, ipod, and sirius tuner in your car.
It will take significantly more if you have an amp and subs to install.
460 Watts for Interior Speakers/Head Unit
500 Watts for the Subs & Amp
960 Watts of Pure Ear Drum Pounding Crystal Clear Music!
And the final question you've been dying to know how much did my system cost me?
Pioneer 5900IB Head Unit (ebay-new) $146.67
Dash Kit/Wiring Harness $ 39.72
2 12" Kicker DVC 2 ohm Subwoofers $101.96
Sound Destroyer Mat $119.90
JL Amplifier (ebay - used) $231.61
Sub Enclosure $145.00
Sirius Tuner $ 42.00
Audiobahn Capacitor $ 47.94
Clips, Grommet, Amp Kit $ 83.40
Ground Loop Isolator $ 12.90
Heat Shrink Connectors $ 8.90
12 gauge Speaker Wire $ 16.98
12 gauge ring terminals $ 6.24
Heat Shrink Connectors $ 10.94
4 gauge spade terminals $ 4.94
Heat Shrink Connectors $ 6.00
4 gauge ring terminals $ 9.49
________________________________________________
Total $1,034.59
All prices include shipping & handling/tax as well.
Why did all this cost so cheap?
BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE TO WASTE MONEY ON NEW INTERIOR SPEAKERS & WIRING! I MADE GOOD WITH WHAT I HAD AND THEY WERE MORE THAN ADEQUATE TO PROVIDE THE QUALITY OF SOUND I WAS LOOKING FOR! DON'T WASTE MONEY WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO! THIS IS THE BEST ADVICE I CAN GIVE YOU. GOOD LUCK AND ENJOY!
You don't need to spend $2500 To have a good sounding sound System...unless of course you're in competitions or you just an idiot who has too much money to blow. But for us average joes, this works great, and gives us that loud adrenaline pumping sound system we all love.
If you're wanting to put an IN DASH DVD Player in, do it the same way, except you won't need the Dash Kit. Harnesses are still the same and you will get the same quality results, and the rest of the steps are the same as well.
Tech Article by: Mixedbreed02gt
October 19, 2007 12:22 AM Central Daylight Time
Questions? Email me at [email protected] and I'll be glad to help...be sure to put “Sound System” in the Subject line or it will go to my spam box.
If you want to download a printable version of these directions
click the link below ( you will need MS Word to view it)
http://www.ponyshopper.com/andrew/audioinstall.doc
Can I Get A Sticky On This?? I worked really hard to write this up for everyone!
By: Mixedbreed02GT
Step By Step Tutorial For Integrating an Aftermarket Head Unit with your existing Mach 460 Speakers and Amplifiers (00-04 Model Years Only)
What you need:
Aftermarket Head Unit (preferably 20+ RMS Watts, and 50 Watts x 4 Channels, 3 pairs of RCA Jacks on the back of the unit to connect your sound system)
Metra 99-5026 2001 - 2004 Mustang Dash Kit
Metra 70-5519 Wiring Harnesses (only works on 2000 - 2002)
Heat Shrink Butt Connectors 14-16 gauge (2 way & 3 way connectors)
Tools:
Wire Crimpers
Wire Cutters
lighter
zippy ties
Socket Ratchet and 8mm socket
Electrical Tape
Ok you should have 3 wiring harnesses. 2 from the metra package, and one from your cd player.
Take these three harnesses, your heat shrink connectors, and your tools to
a table with plenty of work space. This way you are in a relaxed place, not in a big hurry, and aren’t in doing this in the cramped front seat of your car, dropping tools, and connectors down the sides of your seats, and having to stop to look for them.
On the Factory Plug metra (should be black)...there are a bunch of wires.
Right Rear Speaker
Purple
Purple/Black
Left Rear Speaker
Green
Green/Black
Right Front Speaker
Gray
Gray/Black
Left Front Speaker
White
White/Black
Red – Accessory
Yellow - Battery
Black - Ground
Orange - Illumination/Dimmer
Orange/Black - Dimmer Ground
On your second Metra Adapter (should be white and have RCA plugs attached to it) there are the following wires
2 wires that have RCA Plugs on the end (these go in the back of your cd player)
2 Blue/White wires - These power your Mach 460 amps
2 Black/White Wires - These are your Mach460 amp grounds
CD Player Harness.
You should have the following wires (may vary for different cd players)
Right Rear Speaker
Purple
Purple/Black
Left Rear Speaker
Green
Green/Black
Right Front Speaker
Gray
Gray/Black
Left Front Speaker
White
White/Black
Blue - Remote System Control/Power Antenna
Red - Accessory
Yellow - Battery
Black - Ground
Orange - Illumination/Dimmer
Yellow/black - mute
You want to connect all the regular wires normally. Now here's where it gets a little tricky. Take the 2 Black/white amp grounds on the RCA plug harness, and using a 3 way heat shrink connector, wire these, plus your dimmer/illum ground (orange/black), now take your 2 blue/white amp wires on the RCA plug harness, and using a 3 way connector, connect all three of these wires together..make sure you add another 3 way connector in somewhere down the harness so you can add an aftermarket amplifier later on down the road. don’t try to splice it in…this creates a bad connection. make sure you use a lighter to shrink all the connectors around the wires so you have a nice solid airtight connection that won't come undone.
Now you're ready to install the headunit.
take your new head unit which should be mounted in the dashkit and awaiting installation, and your 3 wiring harnesses and tools, and go out to the car.
Pop your hood, and disconnect the battery! Do this before starting any electrical work…no exceptions!!!
remove your shift knob, and firmly pull up on the shifter bezel, and it
should pop right out.
now pull on the trim plate that surrounds the radio and a/c panel...it too
should pop right out, make sure to unplug the 3 plugs on the back of the
panel...now put both the shifter bezel and trim plate in the back seat so
they are out of the way.
now using your socket ratchet and 8mm socket, remove the 2 or 4 screws that hold your factory head unit in place. now carefully slide the mach460 forward (you may have to play with it a little bit, but it will come out).
unplug the antenna, and the 3 plugs from the back of the radio, and take the head unit and put it in the backseat so it's out of the way.
take your wiring harnesses and plug the 2 metra harnesses into the factory
harnesses. now connect your cd harness plug to the back of the cd player.
Put the 2 RCA's from the metra harness into the "Front Output" RCA Jacks on the back of your aftermarket unit. Connect your antenna.
Now go reconnect your battery. Now go turn your aftermarket head unit
on and make sure it works. Listen to a radio station, then put in a cd.
Make sure the bass sounds good...if you think it's not working, unplug the
RCA's from the back of your aftermarket head unit. If you the sound
quality and loudness decrease dramatically, then it was working properly
when the RCA plugs were in the back of the head unit. If you hear no change, check your wiring as you probably have something connected wrong, or not connected at all.
Make sure you connect any accessories, such as Ipod, Sirius Satellite Tuner,Bluetooth Interface, Amplifier RCA Cables, Etc.
Once you're satisfied, use some zippy ties and tidy up your wiring harnesses. No need to super tighten the zippy's, just enough to hold the wires in place.
Now put your head unit/dask kit, into the hole, and secure with the 8mm bolts.
Grab your trim plate, plug in your 3 plugs (defrost, TCS, Foglights) to the
back, then firmly pop it back into place.
Now get your shifter bezel, and pop it back into place, and put your shift
knob back on.
Now get that manual out for your head unit, and set your settings to your
liking and enjoy a killer sounding Sound System for the price of only
an aftermarket head unit, a wiring harness, a dash kit, some heat shrink
connectors, and a little bit of your time.
What Did I Use For My Install?
Metra 70-5519 Wiring Harnesses
Metra 99-5026 Dash Installation Kit
Pioneer 5900IB Aftermarket Head Unit
20 GB Ipod.
Pioneer CD-i200 Ipod Interface Cable
SIRIUS Satellite Pioneer Tuner/Receiever Model# SIR-PNR2
2 way 12-14 gauge heat shrink connectors
2 way 16-18 gauge heat shrink connectors
3 way 12-14 gauge heat shrink connectors
Once I get everything wired up, and installed, I couldn't believe how great the sound was. It was probably 50% better sounding and louder than the factory Mach 460 Head Unit. The good thing about this setup is, it saved me from having to remove all the Mach 460 Amps, and the speakers, and having to rewire the entire car. This was a simple solution, that provide a quick, efficient, and affordable way to get great sound without having to spend big money.
Ipod Installation
Also, I put my ipod in a small plastic baggy, and taped the end shut to keep moisture and dirt from effecting the ipod's circuitry. I sliced a small hole in the adapter plug-in side of the bag to connect the CD-i200 cable to the Ipod. Then I attached a piece of very strong velcro to the plastic bag. I then stuck some fuzzy velcro to the right side of the inside of the shifter housing. I then mounted my Ipod here. This way it's not in the way, it's out sight of criminals who might want to steal it, and it won't get something spilled on it. My Ipod is accessed through the faceplate buttons on my head unit, and I have total control over song selection, and shuffle/repeat options.
Sirius Tuner Installation
First thing I ran my sirius antenna...this took a little thought and creativity. The best spot I could find for my antenna was on the passenger side, just above the top right corner of the back glass. The magnet holds it in place on the roof, and i ran the wire down the C-Pillar,to the trunk area, then underneath the bottom part of the C-Pillar, to the part where the glass trim and the 1/4 glass meet. Then I used a small flat head screwdriver and gently pulled the trim away from the glass, and ran the wire down there, and up to the passenger side door jamb. Then I pulled the pushtabs out of the rubber seal in the door jamb, and ran the wire behind that. I then secured the pushtabs back in the rubber seal, then pulled the wire gently until most of the slack was gone, and tucked it underneath the vinyl/plastic door trim towards the front of the car. I continued to run the antenna wire underneath the kick panel up to the edge of the carpet near the firewall then underneath the carpet and to the back of the center console so it can be connected to the Sirius Tuner box. I plugged the white harness plug into the Sirius Tuner, plugged the antenna in, and plugged the media cable to the back of the tuner, and the other end into the back of the head unit. I put my Satellite Sirius Tuner underneath the carpet close to the firewall on the passenger side near the center console, and put velcro on the bottom of the sirius tuner, and some on the metal surface underneath to hold it in place. Again, the sirius tuner is out of sight from potential thieves, it's out of harms way, and everything looks nice and neat.
Sound Destroyer Mat (Same As Dynamat)
Next Up I am putting Sound Destroyer Mat on the floorboards of my car, the trunk bottom, sides, and the area underneath my rear seats, to make the inside nice and quiet, so nothing will rattle, and it will lessen the sound of the exhaust coming inside the vehicle. Sound Destroyer Mat will also be placed on the rear side of the license plate to keep them from rattling as well.
Amp & Subs
After that I am putting in my brand new pair of 12" Kicker subs, my JL Audio 500/1 Monochannel Class D Amplifier, and my custom made 2002 Mustang Subwoofer Enclosure (custom fit to the trunk of Mustangs with the Mach 460 Sound System). My amp will be protected by a 1 Farad Audiobahn Stiffening Capacitor which keeps my battery and alternator from being drained. I also am using gold plated ring terminals, fork terminals, spade terminals. Premium 12 gauge speaker wire and pin terminals will make the connection for my subwoofers. A 150 Amp Fuse block is placed between the battery and amplifier to protect the battery and vehicle from catching fire. A ground loop isolator is placed between the Head Unit & Amplifier on the RCA Wires to eliminate any electronic sound interference the vehicle's wiring system or alternator might create. 4 gauge wire will be used for the power and ground wires, and a gold plated grounding terminal will maintain a nice clean full metal contact ground. Also a hole will be drilled in the firewall and a 7/8" grommet will be installed so I can run my 4 gauge amp power wire from the cabin to the engine compartment.
No other upgrades are planned to the sound system after the above are completed.
Finding the Necessary Parts
Where Can you find the Metra Wiring Harness?
Ebay or http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=265-790&vReviewShow=1&vReviewRand=8585322#
The Part Express shows this as working for 2000-2001, but it does work for a 2002. If you have an 03-04 Mustang you will need Metra 70-5521
Where Can You Find the Metra Dash Kit?
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=265-805&CFID=7473312&CFTOKEN=20674977
100 Square Feet of Sound Destroyer Mat
http://stores.ebay.com/B-D-COOL-STU...0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ121767619QQftidZ2QQtZkm
99-04 Custom Subwoofer Enclosure
http://motors.search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZxkQ2dxtremekustoms
(If you use the sub enclosure above be sure to send the seller a message and let him know you specifically have a Mustang GT that still has the Mach 460 Amps and Amp Rack installed, so he can build you the right box). Box is $105 and shipping is $45.
Heat shrink butt connectors can be found at any hardware store,electrician supply store, or parts store, and you can even find them on ebay.
Everything in my sound system was purchased off ebay with the exception of my 12" Kicker Subs which I got on CarDomain.com for a price. I put this custom system together myself. I spent about 3 or 4 days researching this very carefully. First I had to find the metra harnesses, the dash kit, etc. Then I had to figure out what kind subs I wanted, how many ohms etc, and peak power, rms. Then once I selected my subs, I had to find the right amp. A friendly call to my local professional audio store gave me the answering I was looking for. The salesman new right off the bat, I wasn't going to buy anything from him, but he was still friendly and helpful, and gave me the info on the J/L Audio 500/1 Amp. This amp is discontinued by JL and the new model it currently sells is the JL Audio 500/1 V2 Mono Channel Class D Amp. Brand new these amps retail for over $500!!! But if you watch Ebay, you can pick up a used or fairly new one for $200 - $350
Now if you read this and you followed it to the tooth, you should have zero problems getting your system to work properly. Take your time, make sure your connections are solid, clean, and firm. Make sure you do things right, don't do it sloppy, or half-assed, because if you do, you will get crappy results.
How Long Will It Take To Install?
Wiring the harness should take about 20 - 30 minutes.
Removing the trim plates, pulling out the old unit, and connecting your new one should take about 10-15 minutes.
reinstalling the trim plates, and buttoning everything up should take about 5 - 7 minutes.
So this install should take no more than 60 minutes to put a head unit, ipod, and sirius tuner in your car.
It will take significantly more if you have an amp and subs to install.
460 Watts for Interior Speakers/Head Unit
500 Watts for the Subs & Amp
960 Watts of Pure Ear Drum Pounding Crystal Clear Music!
And the final question you've been dying to know how much did my system cost me?
Pioneer 5900IB Head Unit (ebay-new) $146.67
Dash Kit/Wiring Harness $ 39.72
2 12" Kicker DVC 2 ohm Subwoofers $101.96
Sound Destroyer Mat $119.90
JL Amplifier (ebay - used) $231.61
Sub Enclosure $145.00
Sirius Tuner $ 42.00
Audiobahn Capacitor $ 47.94
Clips, Grommet, Amp Kit $ 83.40
Ground Loop Isolator $ 12.90
Heat Shrink Connectors $ 8.90
12 gauge Speaker Wire $ 16.98
12 gauge ring terminals $ 6.24
Heat Shrink Connectors $ 10.94
4 gauge spade terminals $ 4.94
Heat Shrink Connectors $ 6.00
4 gauge ring terminals $ 9.49
________________________________________________
Total $1,034.59
All prices include shipping & handling/tax as well.
Why did all this cost so cheap?
BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE TO WASTE MONEY ON NEW INTERIOR SPEAKERS & WIRING! I MADE GOOD WITH WHAT I HAD AND THEY WERE MORE THAN ADEQUATE TO PROVIDE THE QUALITY OF SOUND I WAS LOOKING FOR! DON'T WASTE MONEY WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO! THIS IS THE BEST ADVICE I CAN GIVE YOU. GOOD LUCK AND ENJOY!
You don't need to spend $2500 To have a good sounding sound System...unless of course you're in competitions or you just an idiot who has too much money to blow. But for us average joes, this works great, and gives us that loud adrenaline pumping sound system we all love.
If you're wanting to put an IN DASH DVD Player in, do it the same way, except you won't need the Dash Kit. Harnesses are still the same and you will get the same quality results, and the rest of the steps are the same as well.
Tech Article by: Mixedbreed02gt
October 19, 2007 12:22 AM Central Daylight Time
Questions? Email me at [email protected] and I'll be glad to help...be sure to put “Sound System” in the Subject line or it will go to my spam box.
If you want to download a printable version of these directions
click the link below ( you will need MS Word to view it)
http://www.ponyshopper.com/andrew/audioinstall.doc
Can I Get A Sticky On This?? I worked really hard to write this up for everyone!
this needs to go in a sticky somewhere cuz it can answer ALOT of these mach radio question threads.
