How the hell did people run new speaker wires into the doors???

[TimmyB]

Im starting to run all new 12 gauge speaker wires through the doors but I noticed at the car frame there are wire connectors instead of the wires just running through the hole. How and where did people fish the wires through? I have to get 2 wires into each door because im running both my woofer and tweater mounted side by side on a plate I made where the stock 6x9 goes.

[Matt]

I ran my speaker wiring harnesses up until the door jam and then used the factory wire from there. It's a short enough run to not have an impact.

[TimmyB]

Im running 150 watts to each front componant so using stock wiring will def have an impact, plus like I said I need to run two wires in each door for woofer and tweater. Im just going to start drilling new holes to run the wires.

[w87will]

Drilling new holes is probably the only way around it. Maybe you can buy a small boot for them.

I was pretty pissed off when I went to run my speaker wires through the doors on my WJ and saw this too. Like Matt I spliced into the factory wiring.

[TimmyB]

Dunno, to me that defeats the purpose of spending all this money on my grear, just to have it spliced into stock small gauge wiring.

Change of plans now. i was going to mount the crossover in the kickpanel, but now I think i can just barely fit one wire into the door thru the boots so ill mount the crossovers in the doors. Just have to make sure they are water tight and protected.

[Matt]

Im running 150 watts to each front componant so using stock wiring will def have an impact, plus like I said I need to run two wires in each door for woofer and tweater. Im just going to start drilling new holes to run the wires.

Not according to my research over on DIYMA and BCAE1. I also had about 150w going to my mids in the doors and I never any issues with using the factory wiring for ~12" of length. If it was the length of the vehicle, then yes, you'd probably want to upgrade, but you'll find that most guys over on DIYMA use nothing bigger than 16 guage for mids/mid-ranges/tweets for full length runs.

Either way, you'll still need to run a second set of wires through there. Have you thought about using the tweet in the a-pillar or the kick panel?

[Matt]

Change of plans now. i was going to mount the crossover in the kickpanel, but now I think i can just barely fit one wire into the door thru the boots so ill mount the crossovers in the doors. Just have to make sure they are water tight and protected.

Wrap them in bags... also be sure that they are out of the way of the window/motor path.

[TimmyB]

Wrap them in bags... also be sure that they are out of the way of the window/motor path.


Thats a question I had, how hot do the crossovers get? Do they need open air or air flow to cool, since I noticed they have resistors in them. Im basing my opinion about using small gauge speaker wires on my home stereo set up, where I have one rear surround speaker hooked up with Monster cable wiring and the other with a smaller gauge speaker wire i got from Homedepot. I did this because for the second one I had to run the wire down to the basement and up the wall because of hiding the wiring issues. The speaker with the cheap wire has half the sound it seems.

I have a 25 ft run left over of the Monster cable I want to run to the front JL XR crossovers, then run my 12 gauge speaker wire to the woofers and tweaters. Then 12 gauge to both rear componants. I have only the JL TR's so there is no crossover per say, its built into the woofer and the tweater hooks into the woofer. Your prob right about the less than 12" rule splicing into smaller gauge stock wiring, but with all the $$ I dropped I want to be anal and do everything new. In my last system years ago I just ran a length of the jl 9 conductor wire, that has 8 18 gauge speaker wires and 1 remote wire all in one wire, from the amp to the radio then hooked into the stock wiring behind the radio.

Im a bit confused as to tweater location, since I keep seeing diff applications. The JL install book says its best to keep them no more than 8" apart, and crutchfield even says the same yet looking at pictures they have i noticed some have the tweater mounted on the door near the mirrors and woofer down at the stock location. Before I went all JL I was looking at CDT speakers. I liked how they have some of there componants that have the tweater brackets right on the woofers. Then i came across the JL upgrade on wjjeeps.com where they made a template for the 6x9 opening to mount the woofer and tweater side by side, which is what im going to try.

[TimmyB]

Not according to my research over on DIYMA and BCAE1. I also had about 150w going to my mids in the doors and I never any issues with using the factory wiring for ~12" of length. If it was the length of the vehicle, then yes, you'd probably want to upgrade, but you'll find that most guys over on DIYMA use nothing bigger than 16 guage for mids/mid-ranges/tweets for full length runs.

Either way, you'll still need to run a second set of wires through there. Have you thought about using the tweet in the a-pillar or the kick panel?


see, thats where im confused as i said above. I hear keep the tweater and woofer together for better stereo imaging. I would just mount the tweeter in the dash at the stock location.

Tell me if this is correct what im doing, im keeping all the wiring the same lenth, meaning from the crossover im using the same lenth of wire to the woofer and tweeter even if its not needed. Say I needed 1 foot of wire from the crossover to reach the woofer and 2 ft from the crossover to the tweeter I am running 2 ft of wire to both. My theory is I want the signals to be reaching each componant at the same time, or am I being anal? And what I run on the drivers im matching on the passenger side. With my amps both power wires from the distribution block are the exact same length going to each amp, same with the ground wires.

[Matt]

Thats a question I had, how hot do the crossovers get? Do they need open air or air flow to cool, since I noticed they have resistors in them.

I've seen some well-respected installers use plain old Zip-Loc bags to house their crossovers when installed in the doors. So, no they won't get nearly hot enough to melt the plastic (mine never did either).


I have a 25 ft run left over of the Monster cable I want to run to the front JL XR crossovers, then run my 12 gauge speaker wire to the woofers and tweaters. Then 12 gauge to both rear componants. I have only the JL TR's so there is no crossover per say, its built into the woofer and the tweater hooks into the woofer. Your prob right about the less than 12" rule splicing into smaller gauge stock wiring, but with all the $$ I dropped I want to be anal and do everything new. In my last system years ago I just ran a length of the jl 9 conductor wire, that has 8 18 gauge speaker wires and 1 remote wire all in one wire, from the amp to the radio then hooked into the stock wiring behind the radio.


No problem using the factory wiring for a short run...


http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u197/ucf52/Untitled-2.jpg


I'd use the factory wiring for the signal to the crossover (from the kick panel to the door), then use whatever else you have for the crossover >> driver signal.

Im a bit confused as to tweater location, since I keep seeing diff applications. The JL install book says its best to keep them no more than 8" apart, and crutchfield even says the same yet looking at pictures they have i noticed some have the tweater mounted on the door near the mirrors and woofer down at the stock location. Before I went all JL I was looking at CDT speakers. I liked how they have some of there componants that have the tweater brackets right on the woofers. Then i came across the JL upgrade on wjjeeps.com where they made a template for the 6x9 opening to mount the woofer and tweater side by side, which is what im going to try.

What are you using for processing (what receiver are you using)... lol, I think I confused yours and Andy's (Karpe) build. haha. He's running active. If you're staying passive (i.e. using the crossovers) and it seems you are then yes, you'll want to keep the woofer and tweeter relatively close together. I'd try a few locations to see what sounds best, but that all in one door location seems like it'd be perfect.

Tell me if this is correct what im doing, im keeping all the wiring the same lenth, meaning from the crossover im using the same lenth of wire to the woofer and tweeter even if its not needed. Say I needed 1 foot of wire from the crossover to reach the woofer and 2 ft from the crossover to the tweeter I am running 2 ft of wire to both. My theory is I want the signals to be reaching each componant at the same time, or am I being anal? And what I run on the drivers im matching on the passenger side. With my amps both power wires from the distribution block are the exact same length going to each amp, same with the ground wires.

There is absolutely no reason to do that Timmy. Length of wire is irrelevant when speaking of when the sound will "reach you." Please don't feel like that will make a difference.

[TimmyB]

matt, can you send me that program above or link me to the site? thats an awesome program to have.

[TimmyB]

So, what your saying is i can run my 12 gauge right up to the door then splice into the stock wiring into the door, then hook up my crossovers to the stock wiring and have zero signal and audio power loss?

[TimmyB]

Ok, I figured out how to run my wire through. On the plastic clip I trimed off one of the tabs and some of the plastic, so now the wire fits right in there and does not effect installing the clip and boot back. I def did not like the idea of just splicing into the factory speaker wiring so I made it work.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk37/tdiglar78/DSC01057.jpg
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk37/tdiglar78/DSC01058.jpg


I cant believe no one else thought of this, and half-assed it splicing into factory wiring. Lol. j/k

[w87will]

Nice job

[TimmyB]

If anyone is going to do this, to remove that grey plastic clip/harness I used an O-ring puller, reached around to the back side of the clip and pressed the tip against the tabs while pulling then I did the front facing ones. I cut the tabs with a set of wire cutters, first prying them outwards with the tip of the O-ring puller to grab them.

[Matt]

Glad to see you got it to work Timmy!!! I'd a done the same if it was necessary ;) :p

Now hurry up and get to work on the baffles!!!! :D

[TimmyB]

yea, but look at that big fat current carrying speaker wire I have now, f-ing fantastic. Haha. I would not feel I did my best splicing into factory, dunno, I said at the beginning I was doing all new and i'll be damned if I dont follow thru.

And im hurrying, I keep popping on when im getting another beer, so I guess you can see im well into my 12 pack already. lol

[Matt]

yea, but look at that big fat current carrying speaker wire I have now, f-ing fantastic. Haha. I would not feel I did my best splicing into factory, dunno, I said at the beginning I was doing all new and i'll be damned if I dont follow thru.

And im hurrying, I keep popping on when im getting another beer, so I guess you can see im well into my 12 pack already. lol

hahahaha, that-a-boy!! Looks like it might be time to crack open a new case :D

[TimmyB]

I have my power wire installed and front speaker wires installed. Plans for tomorrow(sunday).

-Mount distribution block and run power wires to both amps
-Run ground wire from both amps
-Run rear speaker wires thru doors
-Install nav bezel and pioneer head unit (w/can-bus harness)
-Mount speakers (crossovers and wire it up)
-Install power wire fuse and power it up!!!!
-Finish sub box if I have time

[Frankie]

Looks good Timmy...Way to get it to work!

[B.P.O.D]

looks great!!! good idea!!!