How hard to do your own install?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 18,236
Likes: 36
From: Haymarket VA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10
How hard to do your own install?
ok my bose system is dead and I am going to be installing all new pieces. New HU, and speakers, and I have a 4 channel amp. My question is how hard will this be to do myself? I only have 1 car so I will be driving it while it is being done, but what do I care. I just need to know what I will need to do this and how long it might take me.
I am thinking I will get a Alipne or Pioneer HU
and maybe Polk/Boston Acustics speakers.
How much and what size wire do I need
and like I said I will hook it up to a 4 channel amp where should I mount this?
And is this somthing I should do, b/c I have never done any car audio work?
I am thinking I will get a Alipne or Pioneer HU
and maybe Polk/Boston Acustics speakers.
How much and what size wire do I need
and like I said I will hook it up to a 4 channel amp where should I mount this?
And is this somthing I should do, b/c I have never done any car audio work?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,181
Likes: 0
From: When I say who is the mastah you gotsta say Shonuf
Re: How hard to do your own install? (MBVette)
If you know what your doing, it's very easy.
Ask the stereo guys at Best Buy or Circuit City about what you need exactly and I'm sure they'll let you know.
MS
Ask the stereo guys at Best Buy or Circuit City about what you need exactly and I'm sure they'll let you know.
MS
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,178
Likes: 2
From: Windermere FL
Re: How hard to do your own install? (sjbeck)
Its easy. First decide what you want. You will want a good set of front and rear speakers. I would go with coaxal as they will need a smaller amp and you only need to install at one location. Coax means they have a tweeter mounted in the center of the woofer. The other types are full range (the driver does all frequencies) and seperates(seperately mounted speakers do seperate tasks: tweeter, mid, and sub)
I like the boston coax speakers. The front will be 5 1/4 without much mod, and 6 1/2 with a little cuting. They go for about $125.
The rear are 6xp and go for around $200
Next get an amp. You need a 4 channel. I would suggest the A/D/S p450 which has 50Wx4 and is on sale for $369 on http://www.mmxpress.com
Lastly, you need a deck. The Pioneer 7300 is good for $300. Alpine is also a good brand and their 7965 top of the line was just reduced to $489 because a new deck came out with MP3 for $690. Might be a good time to pick it up. I wouldn't go much lower in the lines as you loose quality and features for very little price change.
Once you have picked out your equipment its time to start installing.
You will need a weekend to accomplish this. It would take me about 4 hours as an experienced installer to give you some perspective on how long it takes.
Equipment you need:
Dash kit for a 92
Wire harness for a 92
8 gauge power-wire 25 feet of red, 5 feet of black
Fuse holder that will work with 8 gauge wire and a 40 amp fuse
(make all 8 gauge 4 gauge if you plan to have multiple amps)
50 ft of 12 gauge speaker wire
20 feet of 16-18 gaugae wire
Crimps: Blue Butts, Yellow female spade speaker crimps
Wire ties
GM battery tap
two 8 Gauge loop wire ends
Tools:
#2 Philips screwdriver
Torx(T15 or 20?)
7mm socket with driver
Crimping tool( I like the kind that cups one side of the crimp and pushes the center of the other side of the crimp with a tooth)
strippers and cutters
black tape
wire ties
Test light or meter
Step 1 Decide where you want to install the amp. You can mount it against the back wall between the speakers, behind the back seat, under a seat if it will fit, or on a board you mount to the floor of the cargo area. Where ever you decide to mount it, be sure you can find out what is behind the pannel by physically looking. You don't want to screw into a gas tank, wire, gas line, etc. This is the only sure way to check.
I would first do the speakers. Remove the stock speakers and amps. Mount the new speakers in the housings. You may need to trim some to make them fit. Make sure you have an airtight seal especially on the rear speakers. If you don't, you may want to make a plate from 3/4" MDF(medium density fibreboard available at home depot), fit the plate to cover the hole, cut a 6x9 hole in it, carpet it, and seal it to the opening with Beutle(black gummy stuff you use to install windshields) You can get the carpet and beutle from most good sterio stores. When you install the speakers, run your 12 gauge wires from them to your amp location. Leave a couple of feet of extra wire at the amp for later amd mark each wire with the speaker that it is attached to. Also, it is good practice to attach the wire with the writing on it to the positive lead of the speaker so you know what is what at the amp.
Next, install the amp. Run a power wire from the battery, through the firewall into the area behind the dash. You will need to remove the pannel above the pedals to do this properly. Run the wire under the side kick pannel and then under the carpet and the door runner and then up the rear door pilar. Just unscrew the plastic pieces and slip it under. Don't reattach them yet. You need to put more wires under there later. Finish running the wire to the location of the amp.
Next attach the fuse holder without the fuse to the wire and then install the GM battery tap.
Run the groung wire from the amp to the frame. I did this by drilling in the side of one of the rear storage pockets to allow the wire to go outside the car and to the frame. If you drill a hole, make sure you make it the same size as the wire and then seal it with silicon or you install a rubber grommet and run it through the grommet. Attach the wire to the frame with one of the loop crimps.I did it by removing a bolt on the frame, sanding down to the bare metal around the hole, and then reattaching the bolt with the loop under it.
You should now have a power wire, ground wire, and speaker wires at your amp location.
Next is the dash board. First, remove the center console part around the shifter. There are three 7 mm screws. One is under a cup holder, The other two are inside the center console storage area. Peel back the front corners of the carpeting inside the storage area and you will see them. As you remove the console, unplug the trunk/hatch release, and the lighter. You should be able to rotate the console out of the way. It will still be attached around the shifter but that's ok. Next remove the pannel around the radio. There are two screws in the bottom, and you will also have to take out the vent on the top. This is held in by two philips head screws. After you remove these, you will see another screw holding on the pannel. Once this is removed, pull it off. It will be clipped by two clips so it will need to be popped off. Now remove the radio. Its a few screws in the front, and plugs in the back. You should now have an open hole where the deck was. Lets take this time to finish the amp. Run your 16+ gauge wire and the rcas from this location to the rear of the car. Run this and your RCAs to the drivers side area by the power wire and follow this to the amp location. Make sure you mark the RCAs so you know which is front and which is back. The red RCA is usually the right or passenger side. R for red and right. Once you have the rcas and the wire run, you can reinstall the plastic you ran the wires under around the doors and kick pannel, etc.
Next, bolt down the amp. Once it is attached where you want it, attach the wires. Put on the speaker wires, the ground wire, the power wire, and the Rcas. The 16 gauge wire is the remote or accessory wire. Attach that to the remote input usually located with the two power wires. Use crimps if necessary.
At this point, everything except the deck and the fuse should be done.
Take the wiring harness for the corvette and wire it to the decks harness. You need to attach the power, ignition, light, ground, and power antenna wires. Also, attach the remote wire to the accessory wire of the radio. This turns the amps on. The speaker wires can be taped as they are not used. Clip the harness to the plug on the car. Open up the kit and attach this to the sleeve of the radio. This is a metal box the radio will slip into. These are usually attached by bending back tabs so the hold the radio in place to the kit. Put the appropriate brackets onto the kit and bolt it into place. Now pull the wire for the radio, the RCAs, and the antenna wire through the hole of the kit. Plug these in to the radio. You should be ready for a sound check. Put the fuse into the line. Turn on the car and turn on the FM. The antenna should go up and you should hear static from all the speakers. Fade front to rear, left to right to make sure the Rcas and speakers are wired correctly. If they aren't, turn off the system, remove the fuse, and switch them to work properly. After all is well, tape the connections at the back of the radio and push the radio into the kit until it clicks in position. Retest to make sure you haven't unplugged anything when installing the radio. Then put the dash back together and enjoy your new tunes.
If you have any questions or problems, let us know. I have the same exact car (different color) and I can take a look for you.
92TripleBlack
:cheers:
[Modified by 92TripleBlack, 2:15 PM 10/16/2001]
I like the boston coax speakers. The front will be 5 1/4 without much mod, and 6 1/2 with a little cuting. They go for about $125.
The rear are 6xp and go for around $200
Next get an amp. You need a 4 channel. I would suggest the A/D/S p450 which has 50Wx4 and is on sale for $369 on http://www.mmxpress.com
Lastly, you need a deck. The Pioneer 7300 is good for $300. Alpine is also a good brand and their 7965 top of the line was just reduced to $489 because a new deck came out with MP3 for $690. Might be a good time to pick it up. I wouldn't go much lower in the lines as you loose quality and features for very little price change.
Once you have picked out your equipment its time to start installing.
You will need a weekend to accomplish this. It would take me about 4 hours as an experienced installer to give you some perspective on how long it takes.
Equipment you need:
Dash kit for a 92
Wire harness for a 92
8 gauge power-wire 25 feet of red, 5 feet of black
Fuse holder that will work with 8 gauge wire and a 40 amp fuse
(make all 8 gauge 4 gauge if you plan to have multiple amps)
50 ft of 12 gauge speaker wire
20 feet of 16-18 gaugae wire
Crimps: Blue Butts, Yellow female spade speaker crimps
Wire ties
GM battery tap
two 8 Gauge loop wire ends
Tools:
#2 Philips screwdriver
Torx(T15 or 20?)
7mm socket with driver
Crimping tool( I like the kind that cups one side of the crimp and pushes the center of the other side of the crimp with a tooth)
strippers and cutters
black tape
wire ties
Test light or meter
Step 1 Decide where you want to install the amp. You can mount it against the back wall between the speakers, behind the back seat, under a seat if it will fit, or on a board you mount to the floor of the cargo area. Where ever you decide to mount it, be sure you can find out what is behind the pannel by physically looking. You don't want to screw into a gas tank, wire, gas line, etc. This is the only sure way to check.
I would first do the speakers. Remove the stock speakers and amps. Mount the new speakers in the housings. You may need to trim some to make them fit. Make sure you have an airtight seal especially on the rear speakers. If you don't, you may want to make a plate from 3/4" MDF(medium density fibreboard available at home depot), fit the plate to cover the hole, cut a 6x9 hole in it, carpet it, and seal it to the opening with Beutle(black gummy stuff you use to install windshields) You can get the carpet and beutle from most good sterio stores. When you install the speakers, run your 12 gauge wires from them to your amp location. Leave a couple of feet of extra wire at the amp for later amd mark each wire with the speaker that it is attached to. Also, it is good practice to attach the wire with the writing on it to the positive lead of the speaker so you know what is what at the amp.
Next, install the amp. Run a power wire from the battery, through the firewall into the area behind the dash. You will need to remove the pannel above the pedals to do this properly. Run the wire under the side kick pannel and then under the carpet and the door runner and then up the rear door pilar. Just unscrew the plastic pieces and slip it under. Don't reattach them yet. You need to put more wires under there later. Finish running the wire to the location of the amp.
Next attach the fuse holder without the fuse to the wire and then install the GM battery tap.
Run the groung wire from the amp to the frame. I did this by drilling in the side of one of the rear storage pockets to allow the wire to go outside the car and to the frame. If you drill a hole, make sure you make it the same size as the wire and then seal it with silicon or you install a rubber grommet and run it through the grommet. Attach the wire to the frame with one of the loop crimps.I did it by removing a bolt on the frame, sanding down to the bare metal around the hole, and then reattaching the bolt with the loop under it.
You should now have a power wire, ground wire, and speaker wires at your amp location.
Next is the dash board. First, remove the center console part around the shifter. There are three 7 mm screws. One is under a cup holder, The other two are inside the center console storage area. Peel back the front corners of the carpeting inside the storage area and you will see them. As you remove the console, unplug the trunk/hatch release, and the lighter. You should be able to rotate the console out of the way. It will still be attached around the shifter but that's ok. Next remove the pannel around the radio. There are two screws in the bottom, and you will also have to take out the vent on the top. This is held in by two philips head screws. After you remove these, you will see another screw holding on the pannel. Once this is removed, pull it off. It will be clipped by two clips so it will need to be popped off. Now remove the radio. Its a few screws in the front, and plugs in the back. You should now have an open hole where the deck was. Lets take this time to finish the amp. Run your 16+ gauge wire and the rcas from this location to the rear of the car. Run this and your RCAs to the drivers side area by the power wire and follow this to the amp location. Make sure you mark the RCAs so you know which is front and which is back. The red RCA is usually the right or passenger side. R for red and right. Once you have the rcas and the wire run, you can reinstall the plastic you ran the wires under around the doors and kick pannel, etc.
Next, bolt down the amp. Once it is attached where you want it, attach the wires. Put on the speaker wires, the ground wire, the power wire, and the Rcas. The 16 gauge wire is the remote or accessory wire. Attach that to the remote input usually located with the two power wires. Use crimps if necessary.
At this point, everything except the deck and the fuse should be done.
Take the wiring harness for the corvette and wire it to the decks harness. You need to attach the power, ignition, light, ground, and power antenna wires. Also, attach the remote wire to the accessory wire of the radio. This turns the amps on. The speaker wires can be taped as they are not used. Clip the harness to the plug on the car. Open up the kit and attach this to the sleeve of the radio. This is a metal box the radio will slip into. These are usually attached by bending back tabs so the hold the radio in place to the kit. Put the appropriate brackets onto the kit and bolt it into place. Now pull the wire for the radio, the RCAs, and the antenna wire through the hole of the kit. Plug these in to the radio. You should be ready for a sound check. Put the fuse into the line. Turn on the car and turn on the FM. The antenna should go up and you should hear static from all the speakers. Fade front to rear, left to right to make sure the Rcas and speakers are wired correctly. If they aren't, turn off the system, remove the fuse, and switch them to work properly. After all is well, tape the connections at the back of the radio and push the radio into the kit until it clicks in position. Retest to make sure you haven't unplugged anything when installing the radio. Then put the dash back together and enjoy your new tunes.
If you have any questions or problems, let us know. I have the same exact car (different color) and I can take a look for you.
92TripleBlack
:cheers:
[Modified by 92TripleBlack, 2:15 PM 10/16/2001]
