Tips for running speaker wire to the front doors?

[Humpa]

I want to run 14gauge speakerwire to the Infinity 6x9's I installed in my front doors. Right now everything is off of the stock amp. But I already have a PAC pre-amp out and a jbl amp, and I want to hook them up!

The door panel, the 6x9's, and the 6x9 spacer/mount all come off easily. Then you can reach in and pop out the rubber tube that the wires go through from the door to the car. And the side kick plate inside the car pops right off, and so does the plate under the glove box, and then you have access to the inside of that cable run from the door. But I still don't have enough access to run a wire through. I might be able to jam a coat hanger through there, but I don't want to nick a wire or anything.

Am I missing something? I can find lots of posts about aftermarket amps and speakers, and I see lots of you have custom amps. But I cannot find any info about issues running wires to the doors.

I'm about to give up and leave the fronts alone (I have Infinity 3.5" in the dash as well) and work on the back instead. I guess I'll replace the rear 6x9's and sub and power those off the amp if the fronts prove too difficult to run new wires to.

[Cool_V_300C]

Originally Posted by Humpa

I want to run 14gauge speakerwire to the Infinity 6x9's I installed in my front doors. Right now everything is off of the stock amp. But I already have a PAC pre-amp out and a jbl amp, and I want to hook them up!

The door panel, the 6x9's, and the 6x9 spacer/mount all come off easily. Then you can reach in and pop out the rubber tube that the wires go through from the door to the car. And the side kick plate inside the car pops right off, and so does the plate under the glove box, and then you have access to the inside of that cable run from the door. But I still don't have enough access to run a wire through. I might be able to jam a coat hanger through there, but I don't want to nick a wire or anything.

Am I missing something? I can find lots of posts about aftermarket amps and speakers, and I see lots of you have custom amps. But I cannot find any info about issues running wires to the doors.

I'm about to give up and leave the fronts alone (I have Infinity 3.5" in the dash as well) and work on the back instead. I guess I'll replace the rear 6x9's and sub and power those off the amp if the fronts prove too difficult to run new wires to.

If it helps, I left the fronts alone up until the point they go into the kick panel. And I'm only using 16g wire from my amp to the crossover, then from the crossover to the stock wire. No one who has listened to my car can tell, and in fact before they look in, they don't believe I still have my stock radio.

[Humpa]

Thanks for the reply.

I think I'll just work on replacing the rear deck speakers, and just amplifying them. I'll go from there if I feel I need more.
Or I might just try the kicker amp.

[Kruzinhi]

hi i replaced the the 6x9 in the front door with two 8",1 horn and a tweeter you will have to remove the door pannel then remove the glove box and the trim bottom trim then when the door is in the open position use a small flat screw driver and remove the rubber booth don't remove the booth that is attached to the door only remove where the booth meets the car frame when u remove the booth u will see a white plastic that the wires run through on that plastic there is four plastic tabs u will see the two in the front and the other two is on the other side don't mistake the two slots for for the tab look closelyu will see it drepress the two clips at a time while pulling lightly the plastic will pop right out then u will be able to run the wires i also added one 8", 1 horn and a tweeter in the back doorthe back is a little harder to do not enough space to get your hand in the door but it can be done any more audio question feel free to ask

[Humpa]

Thanks Kruzinhi!

I was afraid to remove the the rubber boot where it went into the car - I was afraid that it might not go back in so easy. I remember someone asking how to get some "white clip/piece" back in. Now I know what that post was referring to.

I had the glove box and all of those other pieces off, but the access to the inside of the car where that rubber boot goes is rather limited.

I just have a follow up question:
Can I actually get that white piece out and back in easily enough? Also, it sounds like it is two separate pieces, one accessed from the door jam and one accessed from inside. I need to remove both pieces?

Thanks again

[Kruzinhi]

It's very easy to reinstall just put the rubber arrournd the plastic then push back into place. For removing the plastic don't disconnect the plug when u drepress the four clips the plug comes out as one remembe the 2 back clips looks exactly like the 2 front ones don't try to pry the slot look for the clip u could use a small screwdriver

[Humpa]

Awesome info.

Thanks. I'll have to take a pic of it this weekend when I have it apart - I couldn't find a pic of that in the old threads. Though I guess I'm over 4 years late to the 300C game.

[Cool_V_300C]

Kruzinhi, that's excellent info! I was one of those who read the threads where folks had trouble getting the plastic part back in. Didn't want to risk it so I used the stock speaker wiring beginning at the kick panel on both sides. glad to hear it can be done.

[Humpa]

Ok, I have run speaker wires to my Infinity 6x9's in my front doors.

I didn't realize that the rubber boot just slips off the white plastic base/clip that is in the door jam (on the car side). You should go at a corner of the boot with two small screwdrivers. Just sort of peel up the corner of the thin rubber boot. Once you can slip it off of one corner, it will just come off easily. Try not to tear the rubber when you're stretching it with the screwdriver - no sense having holes.

When you are trying to slip/pry off the rubber with the screwdriver, just don't pry up under the plastic with any force or you might snap one of the 4 clips and then it will be a little loose and wont snap back in snuggly (which is what makes a snug water seal).

You can run the wires without taking out the plastic clip, but in order to get the boot back on you will need to take out the plastic clip. It isn't hard, it's just that you have little room and little visibility. Kruzinhi explained it as good as can be explained.

The hardest part for me was snaking the speaker wire on the driver's side. I can't explain it clearly, but from inside the car I could reach in to a small area under the parking brake pedal, and I snaked a wire through the white plastic clip and aimed it towards that area.

All in all it went pretty smoothly. And since I was going through all this trouble, I even soldered the speaker wires to the speakers - and I used 14gauge wire. I do NOT care what other's "think" it sounds like. I care what I think it sounds like.

I still need to run the pre-amp rca's from the PAC to the trunk. And I'll run the speaker wires at the same time (they're just under the floor mats - I'm old so I'm taking a break and watching the Giro). I think I'll run them all up the center under the carpet - that all seems very very easy though. I've installed the PAC aux-in module already, so I'm familiar with that process. And it is very easy. I recommend the small size plastic putty knife to pry off the center radio console, if anyone reading this cars. They have them anywhere (Home Depot) and they work perfectly.

I'm going to remove the aux-in PAC cable though. I don't use it, plus the volume was too low when using aux-in. I've tried different mp3 players, and I have the sensitivity controls all the way up on the PAC module. I've not read any complaints of that, so perhaps mine is bad (I was having other issues with it anyway). I may decide to add the PAC aux-in/iPod cable instead at some point - I don't use or like iPod's, but the rest of the world seems to.

[Humpa]

Now I'm having an issue. I hope someone can help.

The climate control system isn't working, and the suspension light is on (efs/bas?) and the passenger airbag light. That's what happens when you forget to plug in those 2 plugs behind the climate controls, right? But I checked those and unplugged them and plugged them back in.

There are only the 4 plugs when removing the center radio console, right? Two up near the clock and two into the climate controls - did I miss one?

Also I have to turn the key and hold it to get it to start. It starts right up, but it is very odd how I now have to hold it for a good 2 seconds before it turns over. And the engine light is also staying lit.

What the heck did I do?

All I did in the trunk is add a connector onto the positive terminal and a ground to the negative bolt into the car body right near the positive terminal (I'm an electronics tech so I did quality work, like any of the pics people have posted of their battery and ground connections). That went smoothly and I tightened the bolts down good.

Anyone have any ideas?