I am going to attempt to run speaker wire into my doors I dread doing this, but feel I need to run the proper size wire vs. just using the stock wires since I will be pumping 150w RMS. My question is: I have 12AWG wire running from the amp to the stock speaker wire, and the stock speaker wire goes into the doors. From there, I have 16 AWG running from the stock wires to the crossover and out to the speakers. Since I will be switching out the stock wires, what would be better to do?

-go with 12 AWG all the way through
-go with 12 AWG to 16 AWG to speakers

I would need to order more 12 gauge wire if I want to go with option 1; would I be good to just go with the 16 gauge?

 

for 150 watts rms i would just use the stock wire

if your gonna run new wire 16 is fine 12 is better

16 works fine with your power

 

If I can't fit the crossover into the door, I will have to mount it in the kicks, which means running 4 wires through the door molex. Is there even enough room to run 4 16AWG wires through the wire harness into the door??!

 

you should be good with the 16. for the whole thing. I'm using 16 for 150rms, works well. I used the knukocepts wire which is not flat but the two wires are molded into a round sleeve. I don't think I would have been able to route 12 guage. 16 just fit. Also, you should be able to fit the xover in the door. Mine were on the big size and they fit. Just remove the middle foam part. The biggest hassle is if you're going to sound deaden. I used raamaat and edeadv4 and it was a total PIA to get the door panel back on and have the plastic snaps, snap back in. I didn't think routing the wires through the door harness with the help of the diy guides on the forum was so bad, just use a dremel, and DO NOT force anything, tincture of time and patience. Lastly, this was a personal afterthought on my install, but heading to warnings on the forum about the stock location for the tweets, I mounted mine on the door panel above and over the midbass. An alternative would be is to like you mentioned mount the xovers in the kicks and mount the tweeters direct on the kick (easy), and just run one 16 guage through the door harness for the midbass.
Hope this was helpful

 

Thanks so much for the advice I already have components and crossovers mounted, so if the Polk crossover is the same size as the Infinity Perfect crossover, I will be good with putting them in the doors. We'll see tomorrow when I get them in the mail! Otherwise I just have to run 2 16 gauge wires, not 4 (I don't know why I said 4 in my last post). If I do it, I will use my soldering iron to melt my way through; people in the DIY said that was a good way to go.

I got quoted $100 to run the speakers wires through the molex. Do you think it is a $100 job, or do-able enough for me to complete?

 

If you're patient, semi-handy it's do-able yourself. If you don't want to be pissed off/punching, breaking things then I'd pay for em to do it. But me personally like doing everything myself.

 

= me haha I'll go into it expecting it to be difficult, so I will be patient and will hopefully avoid destroying something

 

I'm pretty good with DIY things, esp. electronics. And I'm telling you, I wouldn't use a soldering gun, you're going to make a mess. That's thick plastic. Actually, even on the forum somewhere, most people realized that the dremel was better way go. All I can say is that I get my wires from knukonceptz, very impressed and reasonable shipping, and quick. I payed a bit over a hundred for the whole single amp kit and added another set of rca's and the 16's. I would try them first.

 

hehe have fun fitting that wire throu your door pieces and back....if IT was jus a 50-60 watt rms aamp or a lil bigger id just get conduct wire and run them off the back lead on the rear of the head unit......save you aloooottttt of hassle...and would stay super neat

 

I am about to embark on this mission; I have decided to run the crossovers in the kicks and attempt 2 wires through the door molex. I have decided to run a new length of 16 gauge wire from the amp up, replacing my 12 gauge currently in place (I want consistent, unbroken wiring from the amp) Also, I am going to go buy a dremel tool as well for this operation, since I have always needed one and use that if the soldering iron doesn't pan out. Got my Asian gf and her small hands on standby if my ham cans can't quite reach where I need to.

Wish me luck and patience....

 

i ran 14g wire through the harness into the loom and mount my x-over on the door carfully finding a place to mount and its been problem free.its not that bad running the wires into the door just take your time and good luck

 

I accomplished this task over the weekend... took about 12 hours to run new wire, create spacers, mount speaker, cut out stock grills, jerk the dragon, mount amp and crossovers in glove box, and put everything back together. My hands still hurt. But, I did run 2 (16AWG) wires through each molex and into the glove box, so I will never have to take apart the fricken doors ever again (hopefully). The Polk SR6500's sound AMAZING, much better than the Infinity Perfects they replaced. With the stock grills cut out, the system is on a whole other level now. So yeah, it was worth the torment

 

With it being such a pain in the a** to run new speaker wires in your doors, I think it would've been better to make some kick panels instead.

 

I considered kicks, but I want to keep the car looking as stock as possible. On top of that, I have been having audio issues since February since I installed the system, and my patience is at an end. I just want to get it done and am willing to compromise b/w location + SQ and decent SQ + no major modification.

Granted, running the wire through the molex was a b1tch, but in the future I don't have to take my doors apart to adjust my crossover, or worry about the crossover being mounted in the door and coming loose etc, or worry that my wiring isn't sufficient.