New Hertz Build, but 9 wire question

[Ethosb 10+ year member]

Need a little info. My Ram Forum is a little limited with audiophiles so I wanterd to check with you guys. I have built and installed a few systems, but due to life and kids it has been about a dozen years since I built my last one. I purchased the following, but they said to install it with a 9 line wiring of which I have never done. Here is what I have and would appreciate any input:

2012 Ram 1500 Cew Cab

Non-Alpine System

Factory RES Head Unit (keeping for now)

Purchased the following to replace exisiting:

Hertz HCX-165.4 (Rears)

Hertz HSK-165.4 2-way (Fronts)

Alpine MRX-F30 4 CH Amp

Dynomat for doors

9 Conductor Speed wire

8 gauge Amp wiring kit

LOC wiring harness (bought before when I had planned on only adding a sub)

My question is, Do I use the LOC harness to tap into the wiring harness so as to avoid taping into the actual factory wiring harness? Or am I missing something?

My plan is to install the tweeters in place of the 3.5 in the dash.

Thanks,

Brian

Click to read more...

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

will this work with your specific HU?

Pac-Audio.com Product Details | iPod Integration for your car and More by Pac-Audio - Connecting you to the future

http://www.pac-audio.com/PACProductData/C2A-CHY23/1_Instructions/c2a-chy_c2a-chy23_instructions_031411.pdf

otherwise, you can tap the factory harness at either the amplifier or the speaker, for the LOC. you need to find your factory amplifier. sadly, wire pin-out will be difficult to find, maybe your Ram forum is good for schematics and wiring diagrams?

your plan for speakers is good. you'll need to make custom mounting adapters out of wood, no biggie, just waterproof them.

i'm not familiar with the term "9 conductor speed wire"

 

[kramer_212 10+ year member]

will this work with your specific HU? Pac-Audio.com Product Details | iPod Integration for your car and More by Pac-Audio - Connecting you to the future

http://www.pac-audio.com/PACProductData/C2A-CHY23/1_Instructions/c2a-chy_c2a-chy23_instructions_031411.pdf

otherwise, you can tap the factory harness at either the amplifier or the speaker, for the LOC. you need to find your factory amplifier. sadly, wire pin-out will be difficult to find, maybe your Ram forum is good for schematics and wiring diagrams?

your plan for speakers is good. you'll need to make custom mounting adapters out of wood, no biggie, just waterproof them.

i'm not familiar with the term "9 conductor speed wire"

_^^ its just 9 seperate wires twisted together in one casing.

 

[Bettr n' Revrse 5,000+ posts]

It's usualy realy small gauge though now sure I'd use it for amp speakers...

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

_^^ its just 9 seperate wires twisted together in one casing.

like CAT6? what for?

 

[daboyfrumdabx 10+ year member]

like CAT6? what for?

Not quite that small. (each stand is 18-22ish) At best buy (lol), it's used for 4 channel installs. They run signal to amps via RCAs, then connect speed wire to the outputs of the amp (it will be the standard HU colors -green, purple, gray, white), back up front and tap into the harness to get signal to the speakers that way. They don't run new wire to the speakers. The blue remote wire is also in that casing to run back.

 

[winkychevelle 10+ year member]

like CAT6? what for?

its usually 8 speaker wires like the back of the radio green, white, purple, and grey and an amp turn in. it was popular for installing radios in older cars where the harness had to be run to the back of the car.

its usually like 18-22guage and can easily hold 75w

i personally use it when i run a processor to a factory radio. i just run 1 9wire and power and ground and put my processor where i want it rather than right behind the radio

 

[Ethosb 10+ year member]

Keep_Hope_Alive:

It does not have the factory amp. Only runs off the HU. I figured if I used the LOC to tap into, then I would avoid tapping the factory harness. I don't like the idea of tapping into the harness. I plan on running new speaker wire from the amp to the speakers/crossovers and just sealing off the factory ones for later use if I remove the speakers.

As for speaker brackets I have a sheet of stainless steel that I will manufacture brackets from and then will put a rubberized coating on the brackets prior to install to reduce vibrations.

 

[winkychevelle 10+ year member]

Keep_Hope_Alive:
It does not have the factory amp. Only runs off the HU. I figured if I used the LOC to tap into, then I would avoid tapping the factory harness. I don't like the idea of tapping into the harness. I plan on running new speaker wire from the amp to the speakers/crossovers and just sealing off the factory ones for later use if I remove the speakers.

As for speaker brackets I have a sheet of stainless steel that I will manufacture brackets from and then will put a rubberized coating on the brackets prior to install to reduce vibrations.

you are going to have to tap the factory line somewhere a few t-taps behind the radio isnt going to hurt anything

and thats going to be some expensive speakers adapters

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

i prefer tapping with solder and heat shrink.

i couldn't find harnesses that are into car and into radio (usually Metra 70- and 71-) that is my preferred method of intercepting wire behind the HU without cutting/tapping.

 

[winkychevelle 10+ year member]

i prefer tapping with solder and heat shrink.
i couldn't find harnesses that are into car and into radio (usually Metra 70- and 71-) that is my preferred method of intercepting wire behind the HU without cutting/tapping.

yea but thats usually 20 bucks more rather then 3bucks i probably will do this with my unit though

 

[Ethosb 10+ year member]

The sheet of stainless steel has been sitting around for about 4-5 years and it was free. I can now put it to good use and get it out of the shop.

 

[Ethosb 10+ year member]

Completed the initial phase of the install. The Hertz speakers are very clear, bright and produce a great soundstage. Am adding the 10" Infinity Kappa sub to be powered by an Alpine MRF-50 (300 RMS). Swapping out HU at the same time. Thanks for all the info.