s14 speaker install

[98koukile]

Has anyone run speaker wires to their front doors? There's too much clutter with all the computers and hvac components and I'm just wondering if anyone has any tips to help make it easier.

[forgottenpromize]

yeah i ran speaker wires to the doors and its such a pain in the ass man. you have to unbolt the ECU.. and then use like a coat hanger or i used a flexible claw type thing.. and fished it throught the opening from the outside of the door throught the body to the computer location.. its a lil easier if yuo remove the glovebox so you can sorta see what you are doing.. and be really carefull with the wires and such just kinda push them to the side as easy as you can...

[projectRDM]

Why? Unless you're running more than 500watts to the speakers the OE wiring is more than sufficient.

[sbanzer123]

ya why not use the existing wire?

[98koukile]

My factory wiring crackles and stops working randomly and I have components all around so I just added an amp which will make it sound so much more crisp. I would much rather use the factory wiring, trust me

[projectRDM]

I highly doubt there's a problem in the OE wiring. I'd check the speaker itself and the connections to it, then move on to the source unit.

[MAGILLA]

the best way I found to run the wire is to run it from the door jam outward in both directions:

1. remove the door panel.
2. remove the speaker housing from the door.
3. remove the kick panel
*(on the passenger side remove the glove compartment)
4. pull the gromet from the body out toward the door jam to expose the wires inside. they will be taped but you can get through it.
5 push the gromet into the door on that side.
6 feed the wire into the gromet ,in the door jam, through the body side that you pulled out toward the door. while dooing this reach inside the door through the void from the speaker housing or by pulling back the plastic.
7. work the groumet with the hand inside the door while feeding the wire through. it likes to bunch up inside the gromet but just keep moving it untill it goes through.
8. feed the other side of the wire into the body. after feeding a foot or so you should be able to see it or feel for it from the inside of the car.
9. pull out the slack. push the gromet back in place( hooking the back of the gromet then pushing in the side closest to you) it is tough the other way.
10 pull the gromet in place on the door side.
11. drink a beer

it took me about 30 minutes per side including installing my components

[98koukile]

We'll see what goes on with that... I just can't stand taking the easy route to only be disappointed in quality. My speakers run 250 watts each if that makes a difference, 1000 watts total. If I ran factory wiring they would only be getting 18 watts each

[projectRDM]

Originally Posted by 98koukile

We'll see what goes on with that... I just can't stand taking the easy route to only be disappointed in quality. My speakers run 250 watts each if that makes a difference, 1000 watts total. If I ran factory wiring they would only be getting 18 watts each

What sort of math did you use to figure that?

The OE wire is 18gauge stranded, it can support about 35amps of current. I don't remember the wattage/amperage conversion but I know for certain it's way more than 18 watts. I also doubt that 250 watts is nominal power output either, if it's rated at 250 watts you're getting maybe 100-120 watts, which is fine for the OE wire. If anything you'd want to use solid core wire as there's less resistance, but the differences are so neglible you'd never notice it.

[98koukile]

My headunit only puts out 18w a channel. If I run an amp and component speakers with a crossover to the stock speaker locations there's so much wiring splicing that it wouldn't make sense to do. Wiring is my most hated enemy when it comes to cars so I just do what I know. If there's an easier way I'm all for it but I'd rather be able to return it to stock if I sell it or something.

[projectRDM]

Simple.

You're mounting the amp in the trunk, correct?

The rear speakers are right there, so just run a pair of wires to them from the amp. Done. For the fronts, go behind the radio and tie fronts and rears together. Now back in the trunk, the OE rear speaker wires hanging under the deck are now directly connected to the front speakers. No wire running needed.

[98koukile]

Actually the amp is under my front seat and new wires are run to the rear. When I do stereo stuff I like to make sure the head unit is the only thing you can see that isn't stock. I'll try MAGILLA's way before I start splicing

[ohspizzill]

Originally Posted by R240NA

Simple.

You're mounting the amp in the trunk, correct?

The rear speakers are right there, so just run a pair of wires to them from the amp. Done. For the fronts, go behind the radio and tie fronts and rears together. Now back in the trunk, the OE rear speaker wires hanging under the deck are now directly connected to the front speakers. No wire running needed.

thats the best thing you can do. its just front speakers. your not doing any db comp and most of you sound comes from the back. just run an extra set of wiers to the trunk it still looks clean just hide the wiers. and the spliceing is not hard.

[s14alex]

You could catch the door speaker wires just inside the car. The factory wiring in the door is going to a crossover anyways right? not much room for error in that area.

[blownoffvalve]

use the wire taps to connect and the wall connectors

[projectRDM]

Originally Posted by boosteddet

use the wire taps to connect and the wall connectors

Fuck what? Explain please.

[PITCH]

Originally Posted by MAGILLA

the best way I found to run the wire is to run it from the door jam outward in both directions:

1. remove the door panel.
2. remove the speaker housing from the door.
3. remove the kick panel
*(on the passenger side remove the glove compartment)
4. pull the gromet from the body out toward the door jam to expose the wires inside. they will be taped but you can get through it.
5 push the gromet into the door on that side.
6 feed the wire into the gromet ,in the door jam, through the body side that you pulled out toward the door. while dooing this reach inside the door through the void from the speaker housing or by pulling back the plastic.
7. work the groumet with the hand inside the door while feeding the wire through. it likes to bunch up inside the gromet but just keep moving it untill it goes through.
8. feed the other side of the wire into the body. after feeding a foot or so you should be able to see it or feel for it from the inside of the car.
9. pull out the slack. push the gromet back in place( hooking the back of the gromet then pushing in the side closest to you) it is tough the other way.
10 pull the gromet in place on the door side.
11. drink a beer

it took me about 30 minutes per side including installing my components

Did it that way also. Works well. Hardest part for me was putting the door and frame grommet back into precut hole.

[s14dr1ft3r]

I just did this yesterday. Is yours an SE model? My right front was crackling and cutting in and out. I figured it was my stock amps. so I ran wire yesterday and bypassed my amps. I took out my glove box and was able to run a coat hanger through the grommet and into the door for the passenger side. The driver side was even easier. Same concept but didnt have to remove anything. Hardest part was getting around the brain for the factory alarm. All crackling gone after that BTW.

[Mikey444]

Ok i know this is old. but i see in the wiring diagrahm in the FSM that the S14 had two factory amps. I found the rear one, on the hump. But where is the front amp ? Ugh Should i just run new wiring from the Front component system, directly to the amp (Putting it on the rear hump). Also run new wire from the rear speakers directly to the amp. Then just Hook the amp into the head unit. Thats sounds like the best plan without dealing with the Factory amp wiring.

[projectRDM]

Originally Posted by Mikey444

Ok i know this is old. but i see in the wiring diagrahm in the FSM that the S14 had two factory amps. I found the rear one, on the hump. But where is the front amp ? Ugh Should i just run new wiring from the Front component system, directly to the amp (Putting it on the rear hump). Also run new wire from the rear speakers directly to the amp. Then just Hook the amp into the head unit. Thats sounds like the best plan without dealing with the Factory amp wiring.

Both amplifiers are mounted together below the rear deck. There are no audio components on any 'hump'.

As said, all the OE wiring is already there and more than sufficient for anything you're doing. It's your call whether you want to make more work of it by running new wiring but you're gaining nothing by doing so.

[nsn240]

RDM i know you said the OEM wiring is capable of handling power, but would there be any benefit for the sound quality to run new wire?

Just curious since I'm cleaning up my factory harness and now would be the best time to run new shit

[projectRDM]

Originally Posted by nsn240

RDM i know you said the OEM wiring is capable of handling power, but would there be any benefit for the sound quality to run new wire?

Just curious since I'm cleaning up my factory harness and now would be the best time to run new shit

The only advantage you'll see with upgrading the wire is if you're using solid core wire. Stranded wire can carry the current fine unless you're running a LOT of wattage, like more than 250-300 watts nominal. I don't know very many people who have speakers in the doors or rear deck that are taking that type of power.

Kids often think bigger is better in terms of speaker wire, but you must first realize that the radio or amplifier you're using isn't really putting out what it's rated for, a 50Wx4 radio *might* put out 12-18W a channel. Plus when using stranded wire, the wire itself can add resistance as the signal 'jumps' between strands, the bigger and more stranded the wire is the more signal deterioration you'll have since it's a low voltage signal in the first place. For a battery wire carrying over 100amps, you want the biggest wire possible, but the same doesn't hold true for speaker wire.

In the end though you're not going to hear any difference unless your ears are subsonicly tuned and capable of amplifying the frequencies the speaker distorts. Which is impossible.

For people who complain about using a component set in the front and needing to split the signal to and out of the crossover, the OE wiring already has a junction block, behind the passenger side airbag. Both inputs from the radio/amp and outputs to the door speakers and Apillar tweeters are all merged at that point. You can easily cut the joint connectors off and mount the crossover right there, still eliminating the need to run wire.

[Mikey444]

Well thanks RDM That clarified things for me. Also i only have one amp so i'm guessing front and rear both go there. I appreciate the insight, i guess i will just Replace the speakers and Go from there. Also U said the junction box is behind the passenger air bag. Could it be accessed by pulling out the glove box?

[projectRDM]

Originally Posted by Mikey444

Well thanks RDM That clarified things for me. Also i only have one amp so i'm guessing front and rear both go there. I appreciate the insight, i guess i will just Replace the speakers and Go from there. Also U said the junction box is behind the passenger air bag. Could it be accessed by pulling out the glove box?

There's two amps but they're mounted together.

The junction connector can't be reached without removing the dash and airbag, it's fully behind the bag.

[Mikey444]

DAMN IT Batman. So if i wanna wire in Front components just use the connections that are already iexist in the factory locations? Sounds like my best bet lol.

[Mikey444]

Bump..........

[Persona]

Yes its two wires, hook them up and put your door panel back on.

My little brother can do it easily trust me you'll be fine.

[alex_s817]

i ran all new from the 4 channel amp in the trunk and i just ran the wires from the amp to the dash and mounted the crossovers underneath it. Then i ran the wires from the crossovers (for both the mid and the tweeter) to each side. Obviously the tweeter wires went up to the pillars. I then took the front fenders off which makes it much easier to get to the factory pass-through grommet. Then you can reach up and push the new wire through the first part of the grommet, pull the slack through, and then through the rest and down into the door. You should be able to see the wire hanging down and the rest is self explanatory. Just make sure the wire is on the correct side of the window framing so it cannot get caught when you roll them down.

[projectRDM]

The only issue with doing this is *if* you have to remove your door, you have to cut your pretty speaker wire. Then it's spliced back together when finished, which is shitty as hell.