Moving Amp/Sub and Wires

Hi all,

I’ll be ripping out the stock sub and amp from my double cab.
My goal is to remove everything from the back of the cab for more storage space.

I am aware that my speakers will stop working when I do this but would like to know if I need to cap any wires or anything like that.

In the future, I’d like to get a different amp and put it up front somewhere. I previously considered putting a new sub and amp under the front driver’s seat, but am not sure this is a good idea with water, dirt, and mud easily able to get down there - any ideas of places to install an amp and sub up front that wouldn’t be as exposed to these elements?

 

They are all just plastic connectors so nothing will need to be capped of. Pull the Radio No2 fuse in the engine fuse box if you want extra piece of mind.

If you ever want audio back, you will need to reinstall the factory amp or a DSR1
This even applies to adding aftermarket amplifiers.

As far as best place for an amp to not get dirty... the back wall, exactly where it is now lol

 

Thanks for the reply.

why only factory or dsr1?

i’m gutting the back of the cab for a goose gear install.

i’m also thinking of adding noico/mlv while i’m at it...


Any other ideas where the amp might go to stay safe? Maybe inside the dash somewhere? Under the middle storage compartment behind the gearshift?

 

You have to keep the factory amp or a DSR1 because the JBL system doesn’t work like a normal radio. The radio doesn’t send a normal audio signal to the amp. It sends a data signal for the amp to decode. So without the amp or DSR1 to decode this signal, you can’t hook anything else up.

you can get the PAC amppro harness for your specific year, and use that to extend all of the wires (there are a lot) to wherever you want the amp. I can’t think of too many places the factory amp will fit though. Under a seat, maybe under the center console if you remove the factory power inverter for the 120v plug in the bed.

 

I’m not really worried about the radio or even the touchscreen display that came with the truck.
Really, I only use the speakers for bluetooth (and would use an aux connection if I had one).
Considering this, could I hook up the remaining speakers to a different type of amp?

as far as location, what about inside the dash somewhere or in the compartment where the shifter knob is?

 

I might look at the Kicker PXiBT100.2

It’s a power sport amp meaning it can get dirty and wet. Mount it in the underseat cubby and wire the front 4 speakers to it. Then run the controller up to the front somewhere. And boom, completely separate (and Bluetooth) audio system

 

I’ll look into power sport amps!
Are there any that would integrate with the steering wheel controls?

 

No. You’ll have to play stuff through the factory radio to use the steering wheel controls (which like we said, requires the factory amp)

 

I heard there was some sort of connector that does allow the use of the steering wheel controls?

maybe this?
https://*********.com/shop/toyota-tacoma-audio-products/double-cab-audio-products/toyota-tacoma-stereo/toyota-tacoma-steering-wheel-interface-adapter-kit/


Is there a reason why that wouldn’t work?

 

I'm confused as to why you would need a steering wheel interface if you aren't replacing the factory stereo.

 

This thread is about me getting rid of the amp and sub

 

its an odd scenario, for sure

He wants to get rid of the JBL amp and sub to clear space on the back wall.
Which means he will lose all audio in the truck
So he wants a way to add an aftermarket amp somewhere in the truck
But without the factory amp (or a DSR1) there is no way to even hook up any aftermarket amp to the JBL radio
So he wants to know that if he installs something like the Bluetooth amp I mentioned, if he could make the steering wheel controls work, on a totally separate device like a phone NOT connected to the radio at all (which obviously the answer is no)

 

no, that will not work

just extend the amp wiring and put it somewhere else. that is the only reasonable option

 

I think you’re all being a little weird about this.

deleting the stock amp and sub is pretty common.

the only difference is that i’m not planning on removing all the door speakers at this point.

i really don’t have a strong attachment to the stock radio or display, so i’m open to throwing that out too.

i find it pretty hard to believe that there isn’t an amp out there that can take attachments for the door speakers and the steering wheel controls - or that someone hasn’t done a mod for something like this.


Why will the link i posted not work for aftermarket amps with the steering wheel controls? It seems like that is exactly what it is designed for

 

We aren’t being weird man, it’s just that no aftermarket steering wheel interface directly controls any aftermarket amplifier, they are solely meant to retain your steering wheel controls when replacing the factory radio.

Amplifiers will either come with, or have as an additional option, either a bass knob, or a small unit that performs several control functions, such as switch inputs or act as a global fader, maybe let you tune a little. There isn’t anything in an amplifier for your steering wheel buttons to control however, it’s simply not a source unit.

So, rip out your sub and amp, that’s cool go for it. People do that all the time. If you want sound after doing that, you will need to have something that communicates with your factory radio, hence the devices Destin mentioned, because as he explained, the Toyota factory radio is not sending a conventional analog signal to the JBL amplifier that comes with it, it has no speaker outputs, you need something for translation and without that something you will have zero sound.

Alternatively, there are amps and DSPs that will provide to you aux inputs. You can bypass the factory radio altogether if you use something like that and a harness to get the output (speaker) side of the JBL amplifier harness connected to it. You can’t control that with your steering wheel controls no matter what you try. For that you will need a source unit, either your existing radio or whatever you replace it with.

 

Ok you guys have all given me good info.

Here’s what i am thinking:

-pull factory sub and amp
-(probably replace the steering wheel with something i like better because i don’t need controls that won’t work anymore)
-get a dsr1
-get a power sport amp or something equivalent that has a relatively waterproof amp
-wire the power sport amp up to the dsr1 for radio integration and use of the four door speakers


Does this make sense? Should i be ripping out the radio too?

 

These are the connectors to the OEM Radio for the steering controls.

 

Connections (signals_Gray is shared Fused Power) between Head Unit and Amp.