Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.
I figured I'd post up my installation of the Big 3 to help the guys out. Its enough I think for everyone to get an idea. I did mine with the plan of having Audio system grounds to the frame. In which I grounded the battery directly to it.
Here we go, I will acknowledge a couple things I didn't utilize cuz it was too late...lol (sorta)
These will be the areas your going to be workin with when you pop the hood
I tried to make my pics user friendly as possible. The first wire I'm doing is the battery to frame ground.(This could be run to the chassis but for good current flow from the back grounds I'm going to the frame directly.)
You can run this wire down next to the radiator. UTILIZE the plastic loop that is open on the radiator!! I cut my wire already before I noticed it. 1/0 fits right in it. You may have to put your terminal on after its through there though.
Then there is the bumper support bolts that make a perfect ground connection. They're right under the Washer Fluid jug behind the drivers side fog light.
Grab your 15mm socket and remove the 3 bolts that hold it on. Easy job except for the damn dirt in your face. Wear goggles...lol
Then use whatever tools you got to clean the metal off to make it bare. I used a Dremel but whatever you can come up with will work as long as you get everything off of it.
Then do the same thing on the mating face of the support and where the connection will be me made.
I used a step bit to make the terminal hole larger to fit the bolt. Gravy. Then just bolt the support back on with your wire connected to it.
Make the connection at the battery and your finished with the battery to frame ground. I used KnuKonceptz terminals which have "compression fittings" so not having the terminal on yet was fine but I cut the wire too short to utilize the loop on the radiator. I didn't see it before hand oh well.
The Alt to Positive is very simple and I'm sure everyone has a grasp on that. I've determined that fusing this thing is installers preference. I'm not to worried about it myself.
Then there was commotion over the chassis to engine ground on mine being quite long. Well I probed all over the place and the old ground seems to me to be the best since its a pain the ass to get to the other end of the stock one. I just went from the stock chassis end to the mount bolt on the Alt bracket.
May not be perfect but should put everyone in the right direction on doing this thing...lol Zip tie at the end. I also used rubberized undercoating to coat the battery to frame ground.
Ask away!
here's a question that I don't think has been answered yet on this:
Every person I've seen talk about this has major stereo or lighting deals, so they usually run 1/0 cable when doing this upgrade. Is there a some kind of guide to what gauge cable you really need?
Someone who is running a stock system could use.....?
Someone running a 200w sub and a 4x50w amp for door speaks could get by with....?
Right now I'm running bone stock stereo. Plan is to eventually add a 200-250w amp and sub, 4x50w for the doors. I doubt I need 1/0 for that. I know, the bigger the cable, the less resistance therefore better current flow, but I think 1/0 would be overkill. Would 4 gauge work just fine? Maybe 2 gauge?
You guys get what I'm asking here?
