Stereo Install Troubles

[abladeafficionado]

I've started my install, got the HU done, that was a pain. That beam that runs behind the HU made things very difficult to squeeze in, the RCA's plugs are pretty stout so they didn't want to flex, and I didn't want to stress the RCA out on the HU and break them off because it was extremely tight, and getting the HU to go in without crushing the RCAs was a pain.

Now I've got some questions from those that have already done an install.

My RCAs aren't long enough to run around the side of the vehicle, right now they're up to the center console, but I'd like to hide them. Right now they're hidden until the back of the center console, and then they're dumping behind the front passenger seat. Is there an easy hole in the carpet to run them through to the middle row? I tried to use a coat hanger to do the run, but it caught something somewhere along the way and is stuck, so I snipped it and now have a coat hanger somewhere underneath my seat... I didn't want to just pull in case it was caught on a wire, I don't want even more problems. It was definitely stuck.

I have to run speaker wire from my middle row amp to the front doors for my components, but it appears that I have to pull the front seat in order to get all of the panels up so I can run the speaker wire along the base of the door underneath the panels. I have to run the power anyways, so I'll have to pull the panels anyways. Do you have to pull the seat to get the panels up?

Also, the mounting hole on my speaker adapter brackets is far too small for my 6.5" comps, so I'm going to have to make an MDF ring to space the speaker off of the bracket. The way GM mounted the Bose speakers is a terrible idea, using clips to attach the speakers when using 4 screws has been standard since before I was born amazes me.

Overall I'm just frustrated. I did an install in my Blazer and that car was dead simple, and took less than 6 hours to do the power, HU, and speakers, granted speaker wire was already ran. This Denali is going to be the death of me. It doesn't help that I'm doing it alone either.

I've done installs for friends, and none of them have been half this bad. Maybe ****** cars are just easier to do stereos on than nicer cars are. I like my car, but this stereo is a miserable install.

Sorry for the bitching and complaining, I just need to vent and could use some advice from those of you that have already done all of this.

 

[Rosario Estrada]

hey i know u can use the factory wire to run to the door all u hafto do is splice in to the harness after ur boss amp. the colors are the same as behind the stereo,that way u dont run another wire. iI did it to my hoe and it sounds great, I got type R components and a 300/4, and man it sounds clean. Then ur RCA's if ur amp is in the very back u r gonna hafto ad more RCA's ! I did and i got it right were the factory powered sub is, i took it out and made a custom braket to hold my 300/4 and my 1000/1.

 

[abladeafficionado]

I've given up on this piece install. I started pulling my interior today, and 3 of the bolts holding down the seats in the back are seized to high hell. I worked one of the four back bolts out (took 45 minutes), and the damn thing was completely rusted up the bolt.

The other 3 won't even budge. I bought the external torx socket and used a 2 foot cheater bar, and the slipped, shot shards of metal onto the carpet, and the bolt is basically toast. I had probably 75 lbs of force on the socket so that it wouldn't slip, and it literally jumped the teeth and sheered them nearly off. It didn't slip off, it sheared the teeth off of the bolt. There's basically nothing left for the socket to grab anymore.

Anyhow, I'm almost to the point of going back to stock and calling it a day. I refuse to have any exposed wires.

/rant

 

[chauncey0337]

You should be able to remove the door sills without pulling the seats, at least that's the way it is on my tahoe. They just pop up. I ran power on the driver's side and rca's on passenger side. It's much easier to do with rca's that will run below the door sills.

 

[abladeafficionado]

I can't get the trim panels that run along the floor board up without pulling the seats. I need to run all new speaker wire and everything. The rear, outer seat bolt on the seat bolts down the plastic panel that run along the base of the door. And it's extremely tight to the carpet, so I can't fish even 8ga through the crack, let alone the 2ga I planned on running.

I can always run power underneath the car, but that doesn't solve running new speaker wire and RCAs. I'm going to drop by the local installer and see what he thinks. This car is killing me. I really despise modern cars when it comes to working on them. I came from a '00 Blazer where doing the entire install took an afternoon, so this thing is frustrating.

 

[aldrichg9]

Ya I forgot to mention in my build thread about busting out the support behind the HU

 

[02GMCyukon]

I've given up on this piece install. I started pulling my interior today, and 3 of the bolts holding down the seats in the back are seized to high hell. I worked one of the four back bolts out (took 45 minutes), and the damn thing was completely rusted up the bolt.

The other 3 won't even budge. I bought the external torx socket and used a 2 foot cheater bar, and the slipped, shot shards of metal onto the carpet, and the bolt is basically toast. I had probably 75 lbs of force on the socket so that it wouldn't slip, and it literally jumped the teeth and sheered them nearly off. It didn't slip off, it sheared the teeth off of the bolt. There's basically nothing left for the socket to grab anymore.

Anyhow, I'm almost to the point of going back to stock and calling it a day. I refuse to have any exposed wires.

/rant

PB Blaster, It works well when used...

 

[aldrichg9]

PB Blaster, It works well when used...

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^