Nightmare Install

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

So I offered to help out a guy I work with. He's got a '97 Pathfinder with the junk Bose system, and wanted me to install the stuff from his old one.

High end stuff for sure: Xplod HU, Splash amp, and the subs were called "magnum" or "hammer", don't remember. Dual 10's in a sealed prefab box. I heard it in his last truck and it sounded like total ***.

I told him $60 and I'd throw in an old set of JBL GTO's in the front doors.

Problem #1: I get the power wire through the firewall and start running it down the driver's side and find out the back door on that side won't open. WTF.... Ended up putting wire loom over the wire and laying it under the floormat until he gets the door fixed.

Problem #2: I had installed this HU for him before and used a Scosche adapter, but he just YANKED it out when he removed it, so I get a bunch of SHORT wires and no adapter. Trip to Wal Mart for another one.

Figure out how to wire it so the rear speakers will still run off the factory amp, so now I'm moving along, or so I think.

Power up the amp and it sounds like crap like I remember.

Problem #3: Only 1 sub is playing. I yank it out and it's a DVC and ALL the wiring is just stripped back and wrapped around the terminals, so of course one fell off. I get that fixed and pop it back in. Still sounds like total ***, so I check the amp settings. He's got the xover set to FULL, Bass Boost all the way up, gain all the way up, and the speakers are wired in stereo.

I wire them bridged, set everything right and it's 100 times better.

Now onto the front speakers.

Problem #4: I yank the passenger door panel and the F'ing window switch drops pieces all over the floor: miniature steel bearings, springs, etc... Spend an hour to find them all and another 45 minutes figuring out how to put it together. Obviously he's never tried to use that switch as it was broken, but he can now.

I cut out a little metal on the doors to fit 5x7's in the 6.5 holes, make a couple of 3/4" baffles and then start the nightmare of running the speaker wires through the door jambs. Had to remove all kinds of electronic controls, etc... but managed to get it done without any major hassles.

All told I spent 10 hours fixing $hit I shouldn't even had to deal with, but that's just how it went.

For a TOTAL crap system after I tweaked it it's actually pretty loud and decent sounding. Forgot how good those old JBL's sound off of HU power, 92dB efficiency doesn't hurt and titanium tweets.

I drive it out to work since he's stuck there today and I told him 2 things: you're going to be suprised with how it came out and I need a little somethin' extra for the effort.

When he heard it he was amazed beyond belief and all smiles, so that made all the trouble a little more worth it. He's going to throw another $40 at me, so it's all good.

Sorry just had to vent as I literally had to leave the garage a few times otherwise a hammer was going to find it's way through his windshield //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/pissed.gif.9f665f96bc89e98e708dabd4580bb591.gif

I still can't believe I wasted an entire day hooking up JUNK!!!!!

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[Famous_78]

nice, did you ask him if his 3 yr old brother asked to use his bike too?

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

pics of said vehicle?

 

[Imtjnotu 5,000+ posts]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/needpics.gif.edd6d28e76618c28c46f343991bcced5.gif

 

[NeverEnuffBass 10+ year member]

I hate working on hacked cars

 

[quakerroatmeal 10+ year member]

For some odd reason I find it really funny on problem #2. I can just imagine looking at him yanking the entire head-unit out with the harness still connected. So how much did you do this for him for? Bet he's happy you fixed some broken crap.

 

[blackbonnie 5,000+ posts]

well at least you kind of got your moneys worth

 

[Jep772 10+ year member]

good man!

 

[bigbangtheory 5,000+ posts]

Well at least you got the junk straightned out............to a point. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif