pics on how to run speaker wire into front doors

[mlrman]

I installed component speakers in the front doors of my '01 Elantra and wanted to use heavy gauge speaker wire. I finally found a fairly easy method to get this done, and thanks for some info at this site that helped!

pic#1: remove factory speaker and using a straightened coat hanger, fish that through the factory wire loom, being CAREFUL not to cut the factory wiring.

pic#2: pull the rubber cover away from the wire harness plug at the door pillar, and ensure the coat hanger comes all the way through. leave the hanger there for now, you will use it as a tool to pull the new wire through.

pic#3: now you need to get the wire from the door pillar, and into the door trim area. use a spare piece of wire as a tool and fish it through the area where the junction box goes and bring it out the door pillar. again, this will simply be used to pull the new wire through.

pic#4: this is where the wire runs through this slot which is already in the junction box. now, use the "tools" already in place to pull your new wire, simply tape the new wire to the tool and pull through. make sure you cut lengths long enough to reach the trunk.

Run one door wire across the dash to the side opposite your power wires. Now run both door wires down this side to trunk and attach to amp. Re-install speakers and door panels, and you are ready to rock.

P.S. you may want to consider adding Dynamat, or a similar product at this time, since you have everything apart. This is an excellent product, and makes your car sound and feel like a Cadillac with the low road noise, increased audio, heavy doors, and solid "thunk" when you close the door.

I hope this helps someone in the future.

[CTele02]

So how much power are you using for the door speakers? I was considering having that done with mine but the shop I went to said that stock wires are good for at least 200-300watts and I'm only using 100rms from an amp.

[Vampyrate]

the stock wires are good for that much, but to really get more power out of them you have to upgrade

[mlrman]

So how much power are you using for the door speakers? I was considering having that done with mine but the shop I went to said that stock wires are good for at least 200-300watts and I'm only using 100rms from an amp.

some here will say that statement is correct. I tend to wonder.

the factory speaker wire is a joke as it is in most vehicles, 20 gauge at best. for mids and highs @ 100 watts RMS, it may be good enough........maybe.

currently, I have 50 watts RMS x 4 going to them and rears, but I just bought an amp for my subs and will buy a bigger amp for mids and highs soon, delivering 100 watts RMS x 4.

I have the attitude that you should run wire for the best sytem you could have in your car, cuz you never know when you will want to upgrade. You know how it goes....I started out with one 50 watt amp, then added a second 50 watt. Then I changed those for two 100 watt amps. etc. etc. etc, lol.........it's easier just to run the heavy stuff the first time, although more expensive initially.

[acarzt]

some here will say that statement is correct. I tend to wonder.

the factory speaker wire is a joke as it is in most vehicles, 20 gauge at best. for mids and highs @ 100 watts RMS, it may be good enough........maybe.

currently, I have 50 watts RMS x 4 going to them and rears, but I just bought an amp for my subs and will buy a bigger amp for mids and highs soon, delivering 100 watts RMS x 4.

I have the attitude that you should run wire for the best sytem you could have in your car, cuz you never know when you will want to upgrade. You know how it goes....I started out with one 50 watt amp, then added a second 50 watt. Then I changed those for two 100 watt amps. etc. etc. etc, lol.........it's easier just to run the heavy stuff the first time, although more expensive initially.

Where do you have your 4 channel amp mounted?

Heh, i've never installed an amp for interior speakers before :tongue: but when I do get one i'd like to install it myself, so i'm trying to gather as much info as I can right now :-D

[mlrman]

well bro, currently my 800 4 channel is at the factory being repaired!! :eek:
I discovered a faulty front crossover switch during install, so sent it back for warranty repair.

In the meantime, I am running my 400 4 channel and a 300 2 channel to get me by, and I have temporarily mounted them on a piece of MDF I carpeted and literally just set flat in the trunk area. looks ghetto and I can't wait to get my amp back for permanent mounting.

I am looking for ideas to permanently mount the amps in the trunk area, too. I think I may build a MDF carpeted platform custom fit to the trunk floor. I did this in my extra cab truck.....I set the platform across the floor in the X cab which gives a professional looking mounting area for the amps, dist. blocks, etc. AND you can cut holes in the platform (underneath the amps) and run all wires UNDERNEATH the platform so they are totally concealed. all you see is the equipment.

[only1db]

i just cut the stock speaker wires and then ran them through the door....i have 85 watts going through them...300 watts might be an a little over the limit...i'm sure the resistance would detoriate the sound.

[Cyberz XD]

man when i did my compones it was a ***** to do after a while but hey put some pics for when you finished

[mlrman]

man when i did my compones it was a ***** to do after a while but hey put some pics for when you finished

man I should have taken some pics of the dynamatted doors and comps after they were in place. now that the doors are back together, everything looks stock except the tweeters I mounted on the outside of the stock location.

it's cool though......I like the stock look. when I roll up to a light thumpin, people look all around trying to figure out where the beats are coming from...they are expecting some custom low rider or something. heh

[BlueRush]

I'm pullin my doors off and plan on takin picks of my whole setup, including the MDF floor I currently have, with cutouts under the amps to access my extra batt. and wires and such.

[johnblaze94]

The problem with using the factory speaker wires is that you loose power to the speaker. They will handle 200-300 watts, but your speaker will probably only see 150-250 of it

[mlrman]

I'm pullin my doors off and plan on takin picks of my whole setup, including the MDF floor I currently have, with cutouts under the amps to access my extra batt. and wires and such.

post em up dude, would love to see.

I have a real sweet "fake floor" in the back of my extra cab 4x4 that I made out of MDF and covered with black carpet purchased at RadioShack. I mounted two amps, dist. blocks, and a crossover to the top and drilled slots for the wires to come through. You can't see any wires, just equipment. Cheap, easy, and looks pro.

Now I am waiting to do the same in the XD.

ANOTHER winter project, lol

:D

The problem with using the factory speaker wires is that you loose power to the speaker. They will handle 200-300 watts, but your speaker will probably only see 150-250 of it

exactly! and it really is NOT that difficult to run aftermarket speaker wire through the doors, if you do your homework and take your time.

well worth the effort. and besides, it's fun to tear stuff apart!

[lapoltba]

ok, so i searched again after posting a question about this in the audio section....

How in F*U*KS sake do you get to the driver side one? I am installing components and i dont want to put the crossover in the door so i need to run new wires. I dont want to splice into the stock wires as that (to me) is a hack job and if you are going to do something you need to do it right...

Thanks.

-Brian-

[matt_melvin]

why would you run your driver speaker wires across the dash and down the passenger side?

[seanski]

why would you run your driver speaker wires across the dash and down the passenger side?

so that the signal leads don't run next to the power leads for the amps. you get signal loss, interference, and static from running them together.

[Ugzz]

mlrman, what are your amp rms numbers for your interiors? you threw out alot of numbers on this thread, but they all look like peak numbers. 300 400 800 etc. whats the rms on what you are running that you wanted to redo the wiring?

i think its a great idea, and if it was really easy i was going to do this as well, but honestly the factory wires handle my infinity true 111x4rms with no issues. It actually works out better then i expected.

[matt_melvin]

you know it is only the rca wiries that can pick up noise from a power wire. speaker wires are not affected at all by power wires because they are so high of a voltage and are alternating current....

so there would no point to run the wire across the dash and down the opposite side.

[Kawi57]

I am installing some components in the front, alpine spx17 ref series, I drove my self crazy trying to run the stupid hanger through the driver side wire loom...impossible!!! there is some sort of junction box that is inpenetrable!!! I had to get creative, there is a grommet/plug above that box that can be routed with a hanger and fished. The downside is that the speaker wire is partially exposed and I had to puncture the door loom to finish, but I sealed it with some silicone type stuff, I hope it holds. I should finish everything tonight I will post results later. I have eclipse point source 6x9 in the back with a Phoenix gold xenon 100.4 100x4 RMS.ok, so i searched again after posting a question about this in the audio section....

How in F*U*KS sake do you get to the driver side one? I am installing components and i dont want to put the crossover in the door so i need to run new wires. I dont want to splice into the stock wires as that (to me) is a hack job and if you are going to do something you need to do it right...

Thanks.

-Brian-