2016 Tacoma Audio Build (Pic Heavy)

Hello. I purchased my Tacoma back in July of 2016. Coming from my previous car with a full system, the very first thing I was let down by with this truck was the audio output. I intentionally bought the non-JBL system so I could later upgrade with my own parts.



Here is the build log as I went. I didn't take as many pics later into the build as it was middle of a humid summer in FL and I just wanted to get finished.

First things first, I did a lot of research on how I could wire everything to the stock Entune Nav. Then I began ordering my parts.

List of parts:

-MrMarv Custom Box - Find him on these Forums
-(2) JL Audio 10TW3-D4 - Link
-Polk Audio DB6501 6.5 Component Pair -

Polk Audio DB6501 6.5" 2-Way Component System (Pair, Silver)

Link
-Polk Audio DB6501 6.5 Coaxial Speakers - Link
-JL Audio JX1000/1D Mono Amp - Link
-JL Audio JX400/4D 4 Ch Amp- Link
-Audio Control LC7i 6 CH Line Output Converter - Link
-Metra 70-1761 Radio Wiring Harness -

$8 Metra 70-1761 Radio Wiring Harness For Toyota 87-Up Power 4 Speaker

Link
-Metra 71-1761 Toyota Vehicle Harness -

$12 Metra 71-1761 87 - 94 Toyota Vehicle Harness

Link
-5 Feet of KnuKonceptz 0 Gauge -

$12 KnuKonceptz KCA 0 Gauge Power Ground Amp Wire Cable Black

Link
-20 Feet of KnuKonceptz 4 Gauge -

$10 KnuKonceptz KCA Kable 4 Gauge Battery Power Ground Wire Black 10 Ft

Link
-20 Feet of KnuKonceptz 8 Gauge -

$8 KnuKonceptz KCA Kable 8 Gauge Power Wire Black (Sold in 20 Foot increments)

Link
-10 Feet of KnuKonceptz 4 Gauge (silver for ground) - Link
-2 Karma Kable 2 Ch/3 Feet RCA -

Karma Kable 2 Channel 1M Twisted Coaxial OFC RCA Cable 3 Feet

Link
-1 Karma Kable 2 CH/13 Feet RCA -

Karma Kable 2 Channel 4M Twisted Coaxial RCA Cable 13'

Link
-100 Feet of KnuKonceptz 14 gauge Speaker Wire-

KnuKonceptz Bassik 14 Gauge Speaker Wire Cable 100 Feet

Link
-50 Feet of AudioPipe 14 gauge Remote Wire-

14 GA 50' Feet Blue Audiopipe Car Audio Home Remote Primary Cable Wire

Link
-20 Feet of Stinger SGW9920 9 Wire Speedwire - Link
-InstallGear 1/0 Gauge Ring Terminals -

InstallGear 1/0 Gauge AWG Crimp Ring Terminals Connectors - 4-Pack (2 Positive, 2 Negative)

Link
-InstallGear 4 Gauge Ring Terminals -

InstallGear 4 Gauge AWG Tinned Pure Copper Lugs Ring Terminals Connectors with Heat Shrink (4 Pack - 2 Positive/2 Negative) Electrical Connectors, Heat Shrink Wire Connectors - 4 Gauge Wire Terminals

Link
-Stinger SHD820 HPM MANL/MIDI Distribution Block -

$33 Stinger SHD820 HPM Series MANL/MIDI Fused Power Distribution Block with Satin Chrome Finish

Link
-Pack of Stinger SPF5880 Pro 80 Amp MIDI Fuses -

$15 Stinger SPF5880 PRO 80 Amp MIDI Shoc-Krome, 3-Pack, White

Link
-Pack of Stinger SPF5840 Pro 40 Amp MIDI Fuses -

$10 Stinger SPF5840 PRO 40 Amp MIDI Shoc-Krome, 3-Pack

Link
-Wire Crimp Connectors -

Ginsco 100pcs 10-22 AWG Assorted Insulated Straight Wire Butt Connector Electrical Crimp Terminal Connectors 10 AWG 12 AWG 14 AWG 16 AWG 18 AWG 22 AWG

Link

Accessories:

-Uxcell 5cm Rolling Wheel -

$12 uxcell Car Sound Deadener Application Rolling Wheel Roller 5cm x 3.5cm

Link
-36 Sq Feet of Noico Sound Deadening -

Noico Black 80 Mil 36 Sq Ft Car Sound Deadening, Butyl Automotive Deadener Restoration mat and Noise dampening Insulation

Link
-eLander 7 in 1 Soldering Iron Kit -

[7-in-1] eLander Electric Soldering Iron Kit - for Variously Repaired Usage, 60W Adjustable Temperature Welding Soldering Iron, 5pcs Different Soldering Tips, Solder Wire, Stand with Cleaning Sponge

Link
-NTE HG-300 Mini Heat Gun - Link
-Shrink Wrap Tubing -

JawayTool 127 Pieces Assortment Heat Shrink Tube Wire Wrap Kit Electrical Connection Cable Sleeve Tubing Sets With Durable Storage Case – Assorted Diameters- 2:1 Shrink Ratio

Link



First things First... Wire up the Metra harness to the speed wire so I can plug and play into my Toyota factory harness without splicing a thing.



I did have to depin and move a wire on one of the connectors, I honestly forgot which one, I'll look into it or somebody can chime in.

For Reference though

 

IDK its making me split the posts...

Anyways, now to the fun part.

I removed my Entune unit by firmly pulling on the dash trim around the radio, a few small bolts later and the Entune was out. I plugged my speedwire/harness I made into the factory Toyota wiring harness and fished the speedwire down the dash and out towards the center counsel since my line converter is going under the passenger seat.


BTW, I labeled my speedwire assembly with masking tape according to the color chart in the first post to make it easier to wire into the converter.

Next I removed the drivers and passenger seats to make room and plan where everything will go. Thanks to my dad for removing all the door panels while I wired everything up.





All things considering, it turned out pretty clean looking. Won't be able to see the wires once the seat is installed. Probably could have tucked them under the carpet somehow, but it was bulky and didn't see much point in it. After cleaning and prepping the front left seat bolt of passenger seat, that was my ground point.

 

Next, I took a break inside from the FL heat and started to wire the distribution block and power wire. Piece of cake.



I'm going 0 Gauge from the battery into the fuse block. Output 4 Gauge with 80 amp fuse, and 8 Gauge with 40 amp fuse, as JL recommends for their amps, since no built in fuses.

Now to install it and figure out how to get through the fire wall.



Ended up Running the 4 gauge through the drivers side firewall, then down along the floor kicker panel and behind the back seats. There was actually a perfect size grommet (after cutting the center out) that fit the 4 gauge....Pro tip... lube them with something slippery and tape something flexible but rigid, we used a very heavy duty ziptie, to the wire. It was also easier fishing up from the interior. If drive a manual, watch out for the clutch assembly, don't want to be pinching wires. That white stuff you see is lube.





The smaller 8 gauge I ran around the top side of the fire wall then down through the grommet and along the passenger floor rocker under the passenger seat. TBH... Huge pain in the ass to get both sized cables though. Led to busted knuckles and a lot of swearing.

 

With the door panels off, time to remove the 4 cheap stock speakers and tweeters. to make room for the new hotness.




Oh look, my MrMarv custom brackets finally made it. Long wait, but high quality and worth it. Time to prime and paint them. I used black primer and canned bed spray liner. Worked well I think.



Time to add some of my sound deadening to the inside and outside of door. Did as far as I could reach on the inside without tearing door apart. I'm not competing, but any little bit helps. Then I cut a piece with a hole in it and actually used that as a sort of bytle rubber washer for my speaker panels. Once screwed into the door they felt solid and secure, no rattles.




Ok my painting job wasn't perfect and some of the newspaper stuck to the wet paint as I started to get in a hurry. A storm was approaching.

Here comes the hard part. Getting the new speaker wire through the door grommet. OMG that sucked. There is no room to work. Squeeze the grommet to release from the door and use same principle with grease and rigid zip tie. Man handle it a bit if needed.



Reinstall grommet and double check for pinched wires. Nope, good. Speakers mounted. Tweeters mounted. I have no advice on getting to the tweeter locations, my dad already had all the plastics out of the way for me... Thanks dad. But installation was as simple as dropping the wire through the hole and bolting it in. Use a very short ratchet or wrench, the front bolt is a tight squeeze.





The pic is the stock tweeter, I didn't snap a pick with the Polk tweet, totally forgot....storm remember?

 

Time to prep my MrMarv box... the moment ya'll have been waiting for. This box came bare, as I was in a rush to get it to FL since I was doing all of this on my bday vacation. I live in SC.

Thing was pure beauty and solid. I will say, if you decide to order a box, be patient. He builds everything custom spec'd to the subs you plan to use. I started to grow impatient, but I was relieved when it arrived in one piece. Good job on the packaging. Honestly I'm glad I went with him for my box. Amazing customer service, solid product, answered my very early phone call, was even earlier for him with the time zone. Even after I woke him up he walked me through everything. Fair priced. No regrets.




It was so beautiful naked I almost left it that way. Time to prime and paint. I did many many coats of the bed liner (minus the insides of it of course). Lost count. oh, check out that perfectly sized amp rack.





Let's make room for the Box. After fumbling around for hours and getting frustrated I couldn't fit the box behind the rear seat, I called Marv. Little did I know if you pulled the plastics off the back of the seats they unbolt and make more room. I have the Clazzio seat covers so I totally didn't notice that. Had to remove cover completely to remove the plastics, more on that later. Took the time to add some more sound deadening. My dad pounded out/sawed/hammered/removed the metal hoops on the back. Marv said only two of them needed to be removed, the other two would bend. That proved to be too difficult so we just removed all 5, then hit them with some primer to avoid rusting though. Good luck putting the plastic tool bins back in :|







Look at that snug fit. Should have added a bit more sound deadening, but my vacation was literally up and I had to leave soon. Wired it up powered it on.

OH CRAP! The sub surround rubbed the back of the seats on the leather Clazzios where the plastic backing made its bed. Started to damage my subs, left permanent marks. Marv said the plastic seatbacks could stay... wrong, but possibly because of the seat covers. Either way I think they would have hit when the sub was full excursion. Now had to remove the stupid seats again and remove the covers, then remove the plastic, install seat covers, then install seats back in the truck. A solid hour of my time wasted when I should have been driving back. But at least we caught it before I left. My dad even skipped Church that Sunday morning to help me. He never skips Church. But he said a little line that made me smile "Father will always help thine son" seriously he's the best. Kuddos.

 

It's been a few months now, everything is holding up well and sounds amazing. Not near as much output as from my single 12 SSA ICON in a much larger ported Box, but the sound quality is amazing. Shakes the mirrors a bit. I would like it to be louder. If I ever blow these subs, I'll try another brand. Just finding slim line subs to fit the small enclosure was tough.

Overall I am satisfied. I need to snap more recent pics. You can see where the sub surround hits the back of the seat cover even still, but luckily its not being stopped by a 90 degree angled plastic. It just makes the back of the cover flap. Can't hear the flap, what I mean as its soft back there so nothing really stopping the excursion. The one down side, if I fold my seats flat to transport something back there, it would rip through the leathers as there is nothing to support the weight of resting items now. Good thing I have a truck bed and a tonneau cover

 

Very nice and clean install!

 

Thanks!

 

Good stuff man love that amp (1000)

 

I like the amp too. I'm not sure what I should tune my amps and lc7 too. Anyone have advice what to set the crossovers/filters at?

 

Just an update, everything is still going strong. The JLs broke in nicely. Still not quite as loud as my last set up or I'd like it to be, but the sound quality is amazing. I did notice sometimes my amp shows clipping. IDK much about tuning especially with the lc7. If I turn gain down too much, the bump goes away. Any advice?

 

Bass amp clipping? ... turn up the cutoff to say 35-40Hz... it takes A LOT of power to run speakers down low Hz... you're bumping it so that's the bass hogging the power. Clipping I assuming your losing sound then back on loosing sound back on ... momentarily.

40Hz in a small space like a truck you should be fine with plenty of bass. 40Hz may not be low enough... cant say for sure what your amp and speakers are capable of.

I'd start there with the bass amp and turn up the cutoff a little at a time till the clipping stops. Get a clean recording of your favorite music with bass that you are familiar with and dial it in to your taste.

Clipping can happen from distortion and/or too much gain or the amp unable to keep up with demand. Also check for proper cooling... over heating an amp is not good either.

 

First off, great post and very helpful. I'll be installing some audio in my 2013 in about a week or so and, even though we're different gens, this helps.

Maybe you know or maybe someone in the peanut gallery knows, but are these two harnesses the same for non-JBL 2013 Tacomas? It looks like they are, but I just wanted to confirm. I'd like to get a harness made similar to yours. Only an LC2i for me, so I'll be getting a 4 conductor run of wire from the headunit to the back of the truck.

 

How did you get power to your LC7, I connected the harness right and I can’t get power And my amp doesn’t turn on either???

 

I have 2017 double cab. I was able to fit 2 10w3’s. The box was also built by Marv. I assure you that you would be happy with these. I am running 250 watts to each sub and it pounds.

 

I would like to know this as well. The LC7 is only a 2 amp draw. Did you get the power from the radio harness or did you do a direct line from the battery w/ a 2 amp fuse? I was also thinking since it's such a small draw, doing add a fuse on a spot of the driver side fuse area.

 

Just did my install today, getting those metra plugs was such a blessing. Saves you from tearing up the factory harness but the neat thing was having that amplifier power signal. I noticed the factory harness was missing that pin, even though the radio had it. I was weary as to whether it would work or not, but it worked like a charm and saved me the hassled of trying to find some ignition source for the amp. The plugs fit extremely firmly which is probably the only complaint I have. Taking them out is a bitch, but that's easily over looked by the utility they provide and that I will likely not have to remove them for years, if ever. Probably the best money I spent.