Sub + Amp Install Help

Hey there! I am very new to the community, but I have been reading for a long time. I am installing a new subwoofer and an amplifier in the back seat of my Tacoma, but I don't know what wiring harness(es) that I may need to plug the amp into the Head Unit. Can anyone help?

 

This one: https://a.co/d/fUs0Ix2

I just got one myself last week, and it went great. It'll hide in the dash behind your head unit, so I wrapped some soft foam around it to keep it from rattling around.

The red wire will turn on your amp, then just run RCA cables from the side of the little unit where it says OUTPUT.

 

Does it work with the 2020+ models?

 

Does your amplifier use RCA or speaker level inputs?

 

It has inputs for RCA and a High Input plug.
Heres the amp I am using:
https://www.rockvilleaudio.com/rva600-1/

 

Ok, then this is the harness I used (2022 non JBL). Tap the front right and left speakers for high level signal to your sub amp.

An RCA line out converter can accomplish the same, but if you can use high-level inputs, its unneeded.

$14 RED WOLF Add AMP Amplifier Subwoofer Speaker Wiring T-Harness Radio Stereo Plug Connector Compatible with Toyota 2018-2022 Camry RAV4 Tacoma Corolla Non-JBL System

https://www.amazon.com/RED-WOLF-Com...5091352&mcid=092283a00bc834ac84dae3cb0c8701fa

 

I used this harness, 2022 non jbl

$55 Add an Amp Amplifier Adapter Interface to Factory OEM Car Stereo Radio System for Select Toyota Vehicles- Add Subwoofer Bass Amp - No Factory Premium Amp- Vehicles Listed Below

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087Z1794K

 

This has worked great for me I’ve done several and it’s cheap right now. Just grab a signal from a door speaker. Has remote on wire for amp.

Kicker 46KISLOC2 Speaker Wire-to-RCA Line-Out Converter w/LOC+12v Turn on Lead

$17 Kicker 46KISLOC2 K-Series Stereo Line-Output Converter w/Remote Turn-On Output

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VKFSLKN

 

Does it need to plug into a speaker at all, or can it go directly from the amp into the back of the HU?

 

Has anyone seen a full install post for an amp? I am interested in adding one, but swapping out the speakers is the extent of my audio expertise.

 

Jesse rizzo is the one I used

https://youtu.be/ZrhT2___eAk?si=VGeVxVT9W19hyZRh

 

You wouldn’t pull the head unit at all. You would pop the drivers or passenger side door cover off yank the speaker look at the wire colors back inside the truck pull the kickpanel find those colored wires either t-tap or shave the covering off the wires and solder in a new wire run it to your amp. Good to go. Passenger side is easier.

you can also fade to the passenger front with radio on pull the passenger kick panel there will be several plugs pull one at a time until the speaker stops playing you now found the speaker connection look for 2 wires twisted together that’ll be the speaker wires hook into them. Either way is pretty simple.

 

Thanks!

 

This is the way to go if you don't want to tap into the speaker lines themselves....quick easy no soldering no splicing no mistakes..
Plugs in back of headunit....then run rca cables straight to amp.....takes some wire tucking but no big deal

 

please please don't be t-tapping things, or splicing wires. that's where problems occur. i don't care how expert anyone's soldering skills are, it's never good enough to not cause a problem later on.

use plug in harnesses like those linked.

also, there's an entire audio-specific section here that has tons of details and very knowledgeable experienced people in it

 

Not true . I had high low converter installed professionally at an audio shop to the speaker wires to get a signal to my amplifier .have been running this set up for 3 years now .

 

and this is where i come in to state that i have a little over 20 years of car electrical experience, from some crazy car audio installation to altering lighting assemblies with custom-built circuit boards. car audio has been my playground for 7 times the existence of your one install. i've seen a lot of mistakes, made a lot of mistakes, and also spent crazy amounts of time analyzing how and why OEM's use of connectors and wiring methods to better understand their mistakes, and reasons behind the things they do.

t-taps are horrific devices that work by cutting through the insulation and into part of the metal part of a wire to pick up the signal. the problem is once the insulation is cut, contaminants can be introduced to the metal, which can lead to localized corrosion and oxidation that is detrimental to the wires overall resistance. in most cases, it raises the resistance of the wire which can cause all sorts of issues. on top of that, cutting into the metal wire effectively makes it a smaller gauge wire, and the cut sections can also wear into other complete non-cut conductors during vibration moments, which further reduce the ampacity of the wire, but eventually lead to a localized breakage of the conductor.

soldering wires is heavily frowned upon within the automotive environment specifically because of solders tendency to 'wick' upwards and into the strands of a wire. specifically, stranded wire is used within an automotive environment to deal with the vibration and movement that vehicles are subjected to during standard use. the strands will move against each other like a rope, but also allow a flexibility that a solid wire won't allow. soldering stranded wire essentially converts it to a solid core wire, which increases the stress moments within the wires insulation. due to the wicking nature, the solder normally extends well past the solder joint area, which makes it difficult to control the vibrational breakage effects on the wire, which can lead to a later breakage due to joint fatigue.

OEM's use wire crimps specifically because the electrical part of the crimp is physically separated from the wire supporting mechanism. this is important, as the support can better broadly distribute the vibrational loads, which greatly reduces the the risk of wire breakage.

i'd also like to bring up here that 'installed professionally' really just means that someone else was paid to perform the task, but you don't mention if this installer was MECP certified. there are a dozen different ways to do things wrong, and only a few ways to do it correctly. i've seen and fixed countless 'professional installed' wire messes.

i'm glad that your installation is working properly, but imo, cutting into and tapping into factory wiring is a violent and brutal way to get a signal, especially when smoother, reversible, and well-engineered adapters are readily available for the purpose.

 

How do u think aftermarket parts are installed they are not plug and play . Usually they have to splice into existing wires . Great u have the experience and seen botched jobs . Doesn’t mean doing it this way is wrong and is going to cause some kind of catastrophic failure .its not like we are taking about cutting into a main power source . I see your concern . But I don’t see it being a big deal .

 

Crutchfield makes custom wiring harness for whatever you need to hook up.

 

Well, if you don’t do plug and play…you would simply run new wire and leave the factory wiring alone. I have an aftermarket system…that’s what I did. A good install shop would do the same. The benefit is that when you sell or trade in the vehicle, there’s no repair work to be done.