Help installing stereo system.

[danicus007]

Antifreeze overheat.

I'm trying to install my stereo system but am having some trouble locating a hole in the firewall where I can fit an 8 gauge wire through. Preferably through the passanger side where the battery is located. I'm assuming there's an opening behind the computer but wanted to post here first. It's a 98 Grand Cherokee.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me out.

 

[XJNick]

Maybe you could just drill a new hole in the firewall. I would not put any major load carrying wire next to any part of the computer system, doing so may cause interference in the computer's signal lines. Also, are you wiring an Amp? 8 gauge wire sounds pretty big .

 

[jhiggins]

For a amp 8 ga. isn't that big....for a radio it is....

 

[danicus007]

Yeah it's for a 400 Watt amp that's going to be powering two JBL 10"s. I guess I could drill a hole, but usually cars have locations in the firewall that already have wires running through them. I just thought maybe someone here knew of a spot. If not, have any of you actaully drilled a hole? And where would be a safe place to it?

Thanks.

 

[XJNick]

My only advice is to make a new hole, or find a hole that is not currently used for wiring. If you really pull that much power, electrical interference can become a problem.

Hope that helps
-Nick :!:

 

[mburian02]

Rear sag

my opinion is not to run it thru the firewall but to run it along the frame , that is what i did and i am much happier having it there and not in the jeep with ppl stepping on it in places causing it to wear out and crack the insulation ..... that is my opinion use it if you wanna :twisted:

 

[Utah_jeepster]

Any place along the fire wall is fine... but make sure you do not drill near any sheet metal creases (slight bends) since they are stiffeners for the wall it-self. Any auto part supply house should have rubber gromits that fit through a drilled hole in the fire wall and allow the wire to pass through.
A small dab of clear silicone afterwaters will make it very water tight.

 

[danicus007]

my opinion is not to run it thru the firewall but to run it along the frame , that is what i did and i am much happier having it there and not in the jeep with ppl stepping on it in places causing it to wear out and crack the insulation ..... that is my opinion use it if you wanna :twisted:

I like this idea a lot. However, after you've run the power wire along the frame, where do you bring it into the vehicle to connect it to the amp? Is there a good spot, or would this require drilling a hole somewhere near the cargo area of the Jeep? Thanks.

 

[mburian02]

yes it would require drilling a hole but the bennifit to doing this is be able to drill it right where the amp is gonna be mounted and you don't have tp pull up the carpet or the plastic to run the wire and it is completely out of the way

hope this helps

 

[y2kxj]

I decided I didn't want any non factory holes in my fire wall, here is what I did. Originally I had just one amp so I ran an 8G through an existing grommet on the drivers side. I later added a second amp so instead of running a 4G and tearing out the 8G I ran another 8G everthing works well. Use a coat hanger from the interior into the engine compartment and tape the 8G to the hanger and pull it back through. Don't do a half assed install and run the wires on top of the carpet or under your floor mats, take the time and remove the driver's side seat, pull back the carpet and duct tape the wires out of the way so they don't get pinched by anything when you re-bolt the seat and any trims back into place. Keep your power wire and RCA wires away from each other to minimize noise induction. Use a good guality RCA cable as the cheap ones have less insulation and tend to pick up noise. Lastly, make a good ground connection to bare metal and screw securely in place, using existing screws if you don't like extra holes in your loved one! I have some pics to attach of where I routed them but I can't figure out how to do it! Let me know if you need to see them and I can e-mail em to ya

 

[Sound_Man]

wire routing

I spent a little $$ on a decent stereo for my XJ. Sad thing is as soon as I get over 40mph I cant hear it even with it cranked way up. 32" Super Swampers is all I can hear. :lol:

 

[XJNick]

I know what you mean, Sound Man, I can barely hear my radio at any thing above 10mph

Although, when I can hear it, I sure love the sound of my Cerwin-Vega speakers :mrgreen:

-Nick :!:

 

[jhiggins]

Just make sure the hole is higher than the water you drive through....

 

[xtremryd]

I have 2 JBL 10's running on a 600 what kenwood amp. Run the wire through the fire wall on driver side. Pull the carpet back locate the rubber firewall gasket with all other wires through it, take a knife cut a small slit to enlarge the firewall hole. Run the wire through up and around the engine incase the wire in the plastic wire protector. It will not effect any computer system inside the Jeep. I know its preferred to do it passenger side, to do that is just drill a hole threw the passenger fire wall, besure to be clear on engine side.
The wire will fit perfectly fine under the side trim that runs along the side just unscrew it push the wire under and screw it back down.
Takes about an hour or less to do it all, from driver side firewall