Wiring subs to stock headunit

[clubcar13 10+ year member]

Hey guys,

I will be putting one subwoofer and an amp into my 04 ford explorer. It has the factory jbl subwoofer/amp. I took those out today so that I can use the wires for the new amp. I would like to take the wires out of the factory sub and add wire to them and plug that into the high level inputs in the back of my amp. Is this possible? I took pics. Also, where can I wire my remote for the back of the amp? I dont know this because I am using the factory head unit. Also, I have to wire the power wire from the battery to the new amp still right. I want to do this myself to learn rather than taking it to best buy. Do you guys think that the factory amp had remote already going into it and I can just cut it out of the harness and use it. If so, which color wire is it?

Here are some pics I took of everything. Am I doing this right or do I have to leave the stock sound system the way it is and run a LOC from the back of the headunit to the amp. Id rather do it straight from the factory subwoofer. Is that stupid?

stock amp

stock amp upside down

harness going into factory amp from headunit i guess

factory subwoofer

factory subwoofer wire harness.

Click to read more...

 

[SethPhillips 5,000+ posts]

haha for a newbie installer you picked the wrong car. if it didnt have all the factory stuff i'd say go for it..... if you do go for it. make sure you get the right signals for the input of your amp... and dont use the power and ground off that factory amp!!!!!

 

[clubcar13 10+ year member]

haha for a newbie installer you picked the wrong car. if it didnt have all the factory stuff i'd say go for it..... if you do go for it. make sure you get the right signals for the input of your amp... and dont use the power and ground off that factory amp!!!!!

How do I know which wire it is for the high level inputs. Also, how do I know which wire it is for the remote?

I am going to have a shop install the power wire because that looks like a *****. Is finding which wire is the high level input really that hard? It sounds pretty easy man.

Mike

 

[genxx 10+ year member]

Have fun with that. Be easier to mabey use a LOC but I am tired so. If you have the shop run the wire just pay them to install the amp its not going to be much more money and it will be worth it.IMO

 

[genxx 10+ year member]

You are getting ready to open a can of worms there as a newb installer. If you new the wiring schematics it would help. Mabey the shop will be nice and tell you which wires.

 

[clubcar13 10+ year member]

Alright... There is 5 wires going into the factory amp. On the far left of the harness there is a yellow wire which is the biggest so I would assume that it is the power wire. Then on the other side there are 4 wires, 2 up top and 2 on the bottom. Two of them are orange and the other 2 are red and blue

 

[clubcar13 10+ year member]

Do you guys think I should put the whole thing back together and just take it to the shop. If I take it to the shop will they be using the factory system at all? If they do shouldnt I just keep it taken apart for them so they dont have to go through the trouble of taking the rear panel off? Or will they just run a wire from the headunit to the amp and they will not even bother with the factory system?

 

[genxx 10+ year member]

I do not now the wiring schematics on that. The shop should though or try and find it by doing a google search. I have not messed with factory wiring in so long hell even on the HU now I just use a METRA plug at the house. I run all new wire every where else.

 

[Chevyaudio 5,000+ posts]

Time to get the DMM out, play music, and search for wires in that harness that have an AC voltage readout with the music.

But I have a feeling its going to be a weak signal.

 

[genxx 10+ year member]

You can use the DMM if you know what you are doing. I have a feeling he does not. Mabey you can explian it to him. I am to tired to explain that one. Later

 

[Qbenjamin 10+ year member]

You should leave that factory amp in, there is more usually connected to it than just your radio. Sometimes they run your lights and other things through that also. You need to get some help from someone that knows what they are doing, otherwise you do not have the knowledge to install that yourself. If I were you, I would pay the shop to do it. We cannot explain every single detail on an install via this online forum.

 

[Qbenjamin 10+ year member]

Especially if you have no clue about what you are doing //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif