[Tibb-Ed]

While working on the install for my new front speakers I ran into a little problem. My hands are too big to get between the door and fender to reach the accordion so I could run the heavy gauge speaker wire I'm using in place of the stock wiring.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can manage this, or another method (short of drilling holes in the door/fender) to run these wires? This problem has brought my project to a screeching halt.

 

[Lman]

I will be running new wires this weekend so not much I could say right now, but have you tried removing the door from the car? Maybe just pull it a little bit so you can reach in there...

 

[Tibb-Ed]

I will be running new wires this weekend so not much I could say right now, but have you tried removing the door from the car? Maybe just pull it a little bit so you can reach in there...

I was saving that as a method of last resort. Re-aligning doors is a pita. I was hoping someone knew of a trick to get the job done a little easier than removing body parts.

 

[Lman]

I was saving that as a method of last resort. Re-aligning doors is a pita. I was hoping someone knew of a trick to get the job done a little easier than removing body parts.

Any progress? I am kinda stuck now thanks to the molex connector that is inside the rubber gromet...Some say there is a way to run the wire through (could involve some drilling) but it is a royal PITA nevertheless...So I will probably just use the factory wiring either splicing it at the kick panel or at the stock amp connector...

 

[Tibb-Ed]

Any progress? I am kinda stuck now thanks to the molex connector that is inside the rubber gromet...Some say there is a way to run the wire through (could involve some drilling) but it is a royal PITA nevertheless...So I will probably just use the factory wiring either splicing it at the kick panel or at the stock amp connector...

I ended up splicing the crossover for the front speakers into the stock wiring in the door, then splicing the speaker wires going to the amp into the wiring harness connecting to the head unit. It's not ideal, but it works.

 

[browningdr]

When I installed my speakers I ended up drilling holes in the door and door sill, one higher then the other to avoid pinching. Used some sleeving to protect the wire and then sealed the holes with lexane. It's worked so far for 30k miles. Just go slow, have a buddy and take your time. Makes for a much better, continous run, and you can run as large of wire as you need.

 

[Tibb-Ed]

When I installed my speakers I ended up drilling holes in the door and door sill, one higher then the other to avoid pinching.

As I mentioned in my OP, I was trying to avoid drilling holes in the doors and fenders, but thanks for the tip.

 

[esmokah]

I drilled a small hole in each fender and ran two sets of wire, one for tweeter, other for woofer. The only other way to do it is pull the molex connector and replace the stock wiring, but that is more than what I wanted to do.

 

[Lman]

I ended up splicing the crossover for the front speakers into the stock wiring in the door, then splicing the speaker wires going to the amp into the wiring harness connecting to the head unit. It's not ideal, but it works.

I ended up mounting the crossovers in the place of factory amp, splicing the amp output harness and using the factory wires for now...I don't know how much power those wires can handle but I guess it won't be much...My amp is 100W RMS per channel so I won't be using all that power just to be safe...I will be running new wires through the door someday though (14 gauge)

 

[Tibb-Ed]

I ended up mounting the crossovers in the place of factory amp, splicing the amp output harness and using the factory wires for now...I don't know how much power those wires can handle but I guess it won't be much...My amp is 100W RMS per channel so I won't be using all that power just to be safe...I will be running new wires through the door someday though (14 gauge)

My car doesn't have a factory amp so that wasn't an option for me. I think the way I went with the wiring, which makes minimal use of the factory wiring, will work well enough to handle the 75W/channel that I'm pushing to the door speakers. Eventually I might pay a professional install shop to run the wiring through the accordion as it should be, but what I have will do for now.

One question, though. How did you separate the signal for the door speakers for your crossover? The stock tweeter is wired to the 6-1/2" speaker and doesn't have a separate wire for its signal.

 

[NoSloppy]

One question, though. How did you separate the signal for the door speakers for your crossover? The stock tweeter is wired to the 6-1/2" speaker and doesn't have a separate wire for its signal.

Without looking, I would guess the tweeter is just passively crossed over at the speaker itself. Unless you're looking to high-pass the 6 1/2, I'd send like 200hz and up to the door.
Totally ballparking freqs there. don't know what your woofer's range is, your crossover slope etc...

 

[Tibb-Ed]

Without looking, I would guess the tweeter is just passively crossed over at the speaker itself. Unless you're looking to high-pass the 6 1/2, I'd send like 200hz and up to the door.
Totally ballparking freqs there. don't know what your woofer's range is, your crossover slope etc...

This is why I mounted my crossover in the door itself. The tweeter and 6-1/2 are wired directly to their respective spots on the crossover and the incoming signal is using the door's stock wiring harness. I was just wondering how you were separating the signal when the 6-1/2 and tweeter are running off of the same wire.

 

[Lman]

One question, though. How did you separate the signal for the door speakers for your crossover? The stock tweeter is wired to the 6-1/2" speaker and doesn't have a separate wire for its signal.

Not sure if I am following...Here's my setup : RCA cables from the HU into the amp which has 4 channel output...Channels 1 and 2 are the inputs for crossovers of the front speakers, channels 3 and 4 are bridged and straight to the sub. CH1+2 have 14 gauge wire into the crossover input (I mounted that in place of the stock amp) - one crossover for each channel. Outputs on the crossovers (woofer +/- and tweeter +/-) are the factory wires from the stock amp harness...I have the infinty sound version and it had a separate wires for tweeters and woofers from the amp...I will take some pictures and post them here if you are interessted, not that it would help much

 

[Tibb-Ed]

I have the infinty sound version and it had a separate wires for tweeters and woofers from the amp...

This is where we were having the disconnect. My car didn't come with the Infinity system so all of the wiring was contained within the doors.