just bought a subwoofer...need install hints

[Slynke]

I don't think my trim was effected at all actually. It's much lower than it. However, for some reason, I just can't get them back on... I'm obviously doing something wrong.

[robcarync]

ahhh...you can try what i did...line up the white rectangles...lay the trim on top of it...and take a fist to it and pound it on...so much easier than sliding the beast in place...

not sure if that makes any sense or not...or that may not even be your problem...not quite sure

the white rectangles do swivel a bit if i recall...make sure they are lined up longways....and pop the trim straight down on it...

[Slynke]

Yea, that's my problem. I'll try that method tomorrow.

Quick question.. *prepare for ****ty MSPaint drawing* The clips look like this:



Which edge faces closes to the door? The flat side or the curved side? I was figuring curved, but enver hurts to check...

[robcarync]

i dont really remember honestly....i havent looked at them in two years since i put my subs in...i remember they went longways with the door...

like look at the pic...the long way goes with the door...

thats as much as i can remember...

i will warn you...im not responsible if you snap a clip off...cause if you dont have gentle hands you could pop one off

or you could look at the underside of the trim and try and figure out the orientation it should be at...

[Slynke]

Actually, I was figuring you were insuring the whole thing. So if I break a clip, you will come out and give me a whole new car

[ddiorio1313]

I had one more question about tapping the rear speakers.... If I am to tap the rear speakers I would tap the wires before they get to the amp correct? I figure if I tapped them after there would be wattage going through those lines and also if there is any type of crossover in the BMW amp it would restrict lower frequencies from getting to the subwoofer, I think? Unless the crossovers are on the BMW speakers?

[DustenT]

Originally Posted by ddiorio1313

I had one more question about tapping the rear speakers.... If I am to tap the rear speakers I would tap the wires before they get to the amp correct? I figure if I tapped them after there would be wattage going through those lines and also if there is any type of crossover in the BMW amp it would restrict lower frequencies from getting to the subwoofer, I think? Unless the crossovers are on the BMW speakers?

I don't think the factory amp has any type of crossover build into it. If you tap the wires after the amp you will get a stronger, cleaner signal. Any crossover for the rear speaker would probably be on the speakers themselves. The 5" rear speakers take all the low notes you can send it, that's probably why mine are blown.

[ddiorio1313]

Good point, My rear speaker sound like **** too... I think I blew one of them about a month after I bought my car, just never been able to replace them... I may try the custom install for the rears that someone else has posted on this site.... Well, I think this weekend I am going to take my car over to my friends warehouse and we will start the install of this subwoofer....

I know what is going to happen though... I will like it soo much that I will end up forking out the extra for a new head unit and I will be running RCA's in a month or 2 oh well it is good experience....

thanks for everyones help and if I have any more questions I will post em up here... I will let eveyone know how it goes....

[DustenT]

Originally Posted by ddiorio1313

Good point, My rear speaker sound like **** too... I think I blew one of them about a month after I bought my car, just never been able to replace them... I may try the custom install for the rears that someone else has posted on this site.... Well, I think this weekend I am going to take my car over to my friends warehouse and we will start the install of this subwoofer....

I know what is going to happen though... I will like it soo much that I will end up forking out the extra for a new head unit and I will be running RCA's in a month or 2 oh well it is good experience....

thanks for everyones help and if I have any more questions I will post em up here... I will let eveyone know how it goes....

Keep in mind that an aftermarket head unit (especially a low-end one) might not be as nice as the factory unit. An aftermarket unit might LOOK nicer and have RCA outputs, but the sound might not be as good as the factory one. Keep in mind that if you do install an aftermarket head, you should bypass the factory amp. My car came with a really nice Alpine cd player, but I can only turn it up to like 12 (it goes to 40-something) before the the factory speakers distort.

This means that my RCA output is very low, even thought the rest of the system is loud. I had a Phoenix Gold Bass Cube from years ago, so I hooked that up to boost my RCA output before the Amp. Just something to consider.

[ddiorio1313]

(dustenT)That is defintely something to consider... I have put off buying one fore a long time because I like the way factory looks.... If I can figure out a way to hook an mp3 player up to the factory unit I would rather just do that... I have always kicked around the idea, about if you could hook an MP3 player up to the CD changing hookups... I also think I saw some kind of connector to hook up an MP3 player to any kind of factory head unit.... Not sure.... For now I really just want to get this sub hooked up and take it from there....