Help Wiring Amp - 97 Tacoma

Hey guys,

New man to the forums here. I just got a sub and amp for my Tacoma, but can't figure out the best way to wire it.

-- What's the best way to run the battery/power wire from the battery through the frame and to the amp? It doesn't look there are any easy openings to work with.

-- Where's a good place to attach the ground wire to the frame?

-- Best way to run the remote and RCA cables to the back of the head unit?


I'm new to installing sound systems, so any advice would be great. Thanks guys.

 

I understand how to install the wires, I'm seeing if anyone has advice for routing the wires in a Tacoma 1st gen.

 

I'll go take pics in a minute but if you pop the hood and look around where the power steering pump and resovior for the brake fluid is then there is a rubber grommet that has power wires going through it already you can just make a tiny "x" cut in it and push the wire through and it'll be hidden under the carpet and run it back to the location of the amp. For a ground you don't have to go straight to the frame just make sure that it is a metal to metal contact, sand off any paint and primer until you see a nice shiny metal, drill a hole and put in a nut and bolt a cheap $0.10 thing will work fine. My amp is under my passenger seat so I ran my remote from the hu straight down to the transmission hump and hid all the excess wires under the cup holder plastics. When you remove the cup holder and other trim around it you'll see a spot cut out where the shifter has to go down to the trans just slip the wire under and run out the carpet by the ac vent. If you're running wires to the back do the same just remove the rear seats and go straight back because the carpet ends at the back wall. If you don't want to pull the seats up you can remove the plastic trim in the door jamb and the trim around the seat belt and run it down that little canal with the other wires.

 

Thanks man. If you could post pictures of how you routed the remote and RCA wires from the amp to the head unit that'd be great. I want to put my amp in that same spot. I think I see how to do the battery wire.

 

Ok I'll get some in the morning when it's daylight.

 

Sorry I got swamped down with classes yesterday if you look by the empty space by the brake booster you'lll see this grommet it's best to cut a little hole in the grommet and feed it through but I was lazy and just pushed it in the side.
Inside the cab.


This is the open space where the grommet is.


Here is with the wire running through it. I just went straight under the carpet and over to the passenger side and ran the wires out the ac vent hole that's cut in the carpet.


Under passenger side seat wires out the ac cutout.

 

Oh man! That power wire scares me. I can see the metal slowly cutting through the sheilding on the wire and causing some serious sparks, or worse. I would really re-route the wire if I were you. That really doesn't look safe.

 

agreeed....i punched a hole in the gromet and ran the wire thru that vs between teh gromet and the metal. it may take a while, but that is asking for trouble.

i'd reroute it, or do something to try and protect it some more.

 

I was going to do a little 'x' cut in the grommet like I normally do when I install for other people but I was just being lazy and didn't feel like doing it. I've since filed everything down smooth but I should move it to inside the grommet just don't feel like it.

 

The seat bolts are good ground points. Just put a spade connector on the ground wire and slip it under the bolt.

You should have some tubing over the power cable if it's contacting a metal edge like that. Always have a big fuse on the power line near the battery.