WHats the best ground in the trunk for an 03 civic

[krisfnbz 10+ year member]

Im trying to find a good ground spot to ground my amp and I cant seem to find a good ground location, anyone know? I found a location but its not exactly the spot where im looking to put it(the back screw thats holding in the 6x9)

Thanks!

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[innsanes 10+ year member]

the bolt that holds the seats down

 

[krisfnbz 10+ year member]

will try that soon, thank you.

 

[mjf 10+ year member]

use a meter.

 

[innsanes 10+ year member]

also remember to sand the paint off

 

[krisfnbz 10+ year member]

^^ Will do!

 

[starkfu 10+ year member]

the bolt that holds the seats down

I wouldn't do that, those bolts are anodized and do not provide a good electrical connection, so even if you are scratching off the paint and making that connection, depending on where you live, if the metal oxidizes or corrodes, the bolt will not make the ground.

I would find a nice spot either under the seat or in the trunk floor that you can access from the outside of the car, drill a 3/8" hole and get a bolt and nut that fit the hole, make sure it isn't coated at all, on the bolt use two star washers to make connection to the metal on both sides and use a lock washer on the outside of the car.

So bolt exiting the car from the inside going through your ring terminals then through a star washer, then through the car, then a star washer, then a lock washer, then a bolt. When done use dielectric grease or silicon (silicon is the better choice) and cover the portion of the bolt and nut sticking out the bottom of the car.

It is also a good idea to ohm this out to the battery ground as well (not the negative terminal, but the main chassis ground). Any variance has potential to create noise or pops.

 

[Louisiana_CRX 5,000+ posts]

Since your car is a unibody and there is no frame.....There is no good ground in the trunk...your best ground is to take a 8g ground wire and run it from the battery to some bolt in the trunk then ground your amps to that point....It will work fine upto about 1500 true watts...once above that you'll need to up that to a 4 ga or larger depending on application....

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

one of the strut bolts in the left or right corners near the fold down seats will work.

you can see one in this picture. on the floor of the trunk on the right hand side above the wire cutters there is a small black cylandrical thing with 3 bolts around it. clean off the paint and ground it to that. should work fine.

 

[dyohn 10+ year member]

The "best" ground is usually to drill a new hole through the bottom of the trunk (being sure to NOT drill into the gas tank) grind off all the paint and install a new 3/8" bolt with star washers to create a ground point within 18" of your amps. Then be sure to meter it and if it's greater than one ohm back to the case of your alternator, you have other issues.

Ditto the above comment that a seat bolt (or the seat belt bolt) is a bad place for grounding. Also, if you use the strut bolts also suggested, be sure you scrape off all the paint.

 

[krisfnbz 10+ year member]

I think Im just going to say **** it and run a 4awg line from the main neg terminal on the front battery to a location in the rear that is easily acessable.

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

that will usually yield a more restrictive line that just grounding within a few feet of your amps in the trunk. not to mention its more expensive.

 

[krisfnbz 10+ year member]

Acctually im going to take your advice and look for that black thing on the trunk on the right hand side... thanks man

 

[DemonaL 10+ year member]

one of the strut bolts in the left or right corners near the fold down seats will work.

you can see one in this picture. on the floor of the trunk on the right hand side above the wire cutters there is a small black cylandrical thing with 3 bolts around it. clean off the paint and ground it to that. should work fine.

I also had a problem finding a ground in my friends 03 civic I ended up doing the same. Worked out fine.