Amp installation on a 2000 ford f150

[speedgt078 10+ year member]

This is my first install so any tips are welcomed. I was looking around my cab and was wondering what is the best way to wire my amp to my battery (4gage wire), i looked all over the cab but i dont see any place to get through the cab to the battery unless i start drilling and i dont wont to drill. Also, any tips on first installation, like were to ground my amp....i can hook it under the seat on a bolt or????? any help is appreciated... ohh and its a ford f150 2000 single cab....

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[budman88]

I just installed my first amp a couple of days ago, but it was in a ZX2. I ran my wire under the trim (trim usually just pops off) and out through the door (with the door open you might have a space to shoot it right through under the hood). Don't know if that will work on your truck but it worked on my car. As far as where to put it, I guess anywhere would be ok, as long as its not in an area where there would be any heat (amps produce enough heat on their own) or moisture. I grounded mine in my trunk (which is where my amp is) on the trunk lid itself where it connects to the car. Wherever you ground it just make sure its not a painted surface.

 

[taylor 10+ year member]

don't be gay and run power wire through the door jambs....it looks like crap....if you have to drill and use a grommet to protect the wire....don't ground to seats....drill a hole clean all the paint off and use that....make sure your ground wire stays as short as possible....

 

[Frraksurred 10+ year member]

When I installed the 4g for my 2 V12's I couldn't find a spot on the firewall to go through without screwing with factory wiring, and there was no room to drill. My solution was to go UNDER the car. I traced the inside of the passenger side of the frame, utilizing factory plastic conduit as a support to zip-tie it to. I tucked it as far up and out of the way as possible (I didn't want peeps thinkin' it powered my alarm and clipping it, and just to avoid general hazards). I did have to drill a hole under my rear seat for the wire to re-enter the car and go to the trunk, but I had much better access there to work. I used a large grommet and some thick black sealant to plug the hole and avoid chaffing of the wire insulation. It's worked great so far!

Make sure to file any sharp edges from drilling and use a grommet (at least) cuz 4g. just ain't cheap. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eek.gif.771b7a90cf45cabdc554ff1121c21c4a.gif

Have fun, and God bless!

 

[bean 10+ year member]

Originally posted by taylor don't be gay and run power wire through the door jambs....it looks like crap....if you have to drill and use a grommet to protect the wire....don't ground to seats....drill a hole clean all the paint off and use that....make sure your ground wire stays as short as possible....

funny......

You're right though, don't run it through the door jam not only does it look gay, you may damage the wire later.

Pull the carpet back a bit (up under the dash) and look for a factory grommett. They're usually rubber and you can poke through them fairly easily.............Or just drill a hole dude, it's not that big a deal.

 

[speedgt078 10+ year member]

Hey..thenks for all the help..i found some plastic under the driver's carpet were i can easily cut and run i wire to my battery. All thats left is grounding my amp. so ill do that tomorrow (im in no rush).

 

[BLACK NAVI 10+ year member]

Lay down and look up under the dash. On most ford vehicles there is a plug just above the gas pedal. This is where you can run the wire through.

Black Navi

 

[budman88]

Nope not gay, stop listening to your boyfriend. On my car I ran it under the trim and through the little space between the hood. You can't see it unless your looking for it. The door doesn't shut on it so its not getting damaged. I just didn't want to drill. As long as it sounds good, I don't give a **** if you can see an inch of wire. But I did hear ***** are real peculiar about anything looking out of place. I guess thats why they make such good decorators.

 

[speedgt078 10+ year member]

I looked above the gas pedal and found a circular plastic thingy....I dont mind drilling through or cutting through plastic so thats what i did... Also..any good suggestions on grounding...i heard if you dont ground it right it will make a lot of noises.

 

[taylor 10+ year member]

or you could not do a job the half assed way and drill a hole....i find wire through the door jambs looks so awesome....i have even seen some people run it out side their fender....man am i gay or what for drilling a hole and doing it the right way instead of running it through the door jamb.....

 

[Frraksurred 10+ year member]

If it's a high powered deck then use 8g - 10g and ground it to bare metal (scrap a spot if necessary) on the firewall. This is your easiest and fastest solution. You may have to move it around a couple times if you get noise. Once your sure there's no noise then paint it or put sealant on it to avoid rust or corrosion. If you want to go the extra mile then you can run 8g through the same hole you ran your power wire and ground it straight to the battery's ground.

Have fun. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif

 

[MikeofTulsa Moderator]

the ground should be as short as possible...and be the same gauge wire as the power....the general rule is to keep the wire less than 18"....good luck

 

[Alaxan 5,000+ posts]

To the lil ********* in here.....get a ******** life. Run the wire properly and it is in thru the firewall nd typically a grommet. Most vehicles already have a nice grommet going thru that is easily punctured and even if not it is not hard at all to run it PROPERLY and be picky about this because if you were to say go to a semi serious event you would be nothing more than laughed at for sticking it in a door jamb. There are those that are serious about their systems and those that are GHETTO! By being a picky *** hole and ensuring it goes only thru the firewall and not in a door jamb or under the vehicle..... is just not being a ghetto fabulous *******. Do the job right and send it thru the firewall and quit whinning about it. If it is hard to send thru the factory grommet.... try a oat hangar! Push it thru then tape the power wire on to that.

 

[bean 10+ year member]

Originally posted by taylor or you could not do a job the half assed way and drill a hole....i find wire through the door jambs looks so awesome....i have even seen some people run it out side their fender....man am i gay or what for drilling a hole and doing it the right way instead of running it through the door jamb.....

Hey, if you're not doing anything later....................

LOL, fuc k dude do it right, it's not that difficult.