Amp Install - speaker tapping

Mahodil · April 4, 2003

I've seen some good posts on this board so I'm hoping some of you can help me out with a few questions. I've got an amp that does not have speaker-level inputs, so I have a line-out converter. What's the best place to tap into the front door speakers? (separate 6.5 & tweeter in 2001 ext cab silverado). I see that the wire from stereo goes to wire harnesses near kick panels, then the speaker wires are split (1 pair in, 2 pair out) in order to provide signal to both speakers in each door. I'm assuming I should tap into it BEFORE it splits? What's the best way to do this without making a mess?

2) Theory says all wires should be the same length. If I run from the pass side back over to driver side in order to keep signal wires separate from power (power is on pass side form an old amplified tube I had) should I make the driver side speaker wires longer & just fold a section over to take up the slack? (Amp will likely be mounted to rear wall)

3) For amp output to speaker input - I'm using stock speakers for now - where's the best place (if at all) to get the plastic connectors so I can leave OEM connectors in place?

Thanks for your help!

Darren

seadoons · April 9, 2003

1) Is your truck an extended cab? If so, the speaker wires for the rear door speakers run down the driver's side under the plastic floor piece that holds the edge of the carpet down. If not, I would suggest that you tap into the wires before the split, although I don't really think it is going to matter either way. In order to tap into those wires, I would go buy some wire connectors (the kind that you can slip onto an existing wire, and then slip the other wire into the other side, and use a pair of pliers to smash down the metal thing that cuts into each wire) - these are the easiest.

2) Have never heard this theory.

3) I would suggest leaving the connectors in the speakers, but just follow the wire that runs from the speaker to the current headunit and cut it and re-run to the new amp. The only problem with this is if you ever want to go back to the factory headunit/amp, you will have to re-run those wires.