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2023 Bronco Sub Delete DIY wiring to add Kicker Key 500.1 and Kicker Sub

6inthefamily

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This weekend I installed a kicker key 500.1 and 8” kicker sub in my 2023 bronco that came with the sub delete. I used a plug and play wiring harness for the kicker key 200.4 I ran for the front speakers, but I decided to go without the plug and play harness for the sub since I needed to run a dedicated power wire anyway.

Wire color coding for the (brown/white) plug going into the fake amp on 2023 Broncos with the sub delete. (I call these OEM wires below)

1. White with Orange stripe = upfitter switch (dont use, tape off)
2. Yellow with red stripe = power (dont use, tape off, ran new 8 guage power wire)
3. Violet with green stripe = speaker positive
4. green with white stripe = speaker negative
5. black with green stripe = ground
6. Yellow with Violet stripe = remote turn on

Install steps:
1. disconnect battery
2. snip off brown/white plug going into fake amp. Tape off the OEM wires you will not be using. (white with orange stripe and the yellow with red stripe)
3. Solder OEM speaker wires to kicker key speaker input pigtail (cut RCAs off speaker input cord that comes with key 500.1)
3A. Positive from OEM wiring (Violet with green stripe) soldered to positives on Key input pigtail. (white and gray wires)
3B. Negative from OEM wiring (Green with White stripe) soldered to negatives on Key input pigtail. (white/black wire and gray/black wires)
4. solder extension wire for remote turn on. take Yellow with Violet stripe OEM wire and extend it to reach the remote turn on input on the kicker key 500.1 (used wire I already had. Input located between the power and ground on the amp)
5. connect the ground wire from the kicker amp wiring kit from chassis above the sub to the key 500.1 and the OEM ground wire.
6. Connect dedicated AMP power wire to amp (I used kicker 8GA amp wiring kit)
7. connect sub to key speaker outputs (per sub mfr)
8. make forscan changes to turn on Sub
9. reconnect battery
10. follow kicker setup steps for amplifier

Hopefully this helps others. Take your time and its not too bad. My hardest part was seeing the color coding on the wires in my poorly lit garage! I will be adding more lighting soon.

I also highly recommends shoving A shop towel in the sub enclosure port and seeing what you think. It sounds much better than with the port open for the music I listen to.

Ford Bronco 2023 Bronco Sub Delete DIY wiring to add Kicker Key 500.1 and Kicker Sub IMG_2108
Ford Bronco 2023 Bronco Sub Delete DIY wiring to add Kicker Key 500.1 and Kicker Sub IMG_2110
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6inthefamily

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Here is the white with orange stripe wire that I am confused about.
Ford Bronco 2023 Bronco Sub Delete DIY wiring to add Kicker Key 500.1 and Kicker Sub IMG_2110
 
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74Bob

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That wire you show looks to be the one run for the upfitter switches. White/orange stripe.
 

vicorjh

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I’m sure this has been covered a few times and I am struggling to find the answer. If someone can reply with a link or reply it would really help me out.

I am currently installing a kicker key 500.1 and 8” kicker sub in my 2023 bronco that came with the sub delete.

I am lookingto understand the color coding of the OEM plug that goes to the fake amp.

wires are:
1. Red/white
2. Red/yellow (thicker wire)
3. Black/green (thicker wire)
4. Purple/white
5. Yellow/ brown

and yes I am installing a kicker power wire kit from the battery as well.

thanks for the assistance!
The connector that you are holding is C4452B.

Ford Bronco 2023 Bronco Sub Delete DIY wiring to add Kicker Key 500.1 and Kicker Sub 1692557104418


Ford Bronco 2023 Bronco Sub Delete DIY wiring to add Kicker Key 500.1 and Kicker Sub 1692557133415


The separate wire is part of the aux upfitter wiring.
 
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6inthefamily

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Thanks, got it figured out this afternoon.
 

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6inthefamily

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I updated the first post with color coding for the OEM wires used, and the steps to get the sub working.

And like others have stated, it's worth it!!!
 

TahoeDog

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This weekend I installed a kicker key 500.1 and 8” kicker sub in my 2023 bronco that came with the sub delete. I used a plug and play wiring harness for the kicker key 200.4 I ran for the front speakers, but I decided to go without the plug and play harness for the sub since I needed to run a dedicated power wire anyway.

... (see first post for full description)

8. make forscan changes to turn on Sub
9. reconnect battery
10. follow kicker setup steps for amplifier

Hopefully this helps others. Take your time and its not too bad. My hardest part was seeing the color coding on the wires in my poorly lit garage! I will be adding more lighting soon.
After you enabled the forscan changes to turn on the Sub, do you see any separate controls for the sub volume/levels in the sound setting in the front display screen?
 
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6inthefamily

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After you enabled the forscan changes to turn on the Sub, do you see any separate controls for the sub volume/levels in the sound setting in the front display screen?
Unfortunately no
 

TahoeDog

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@6inthefamily Starting my sub/amp install on my 2 door. Where did you route the 8 Guage AMP power wire through the firewall? I’ve opened up side/floor paneling on the passenger side so far. Seems to be large rubber grommet with lots of wires going through. Engine side just under the window wash reservoir? Any tips before I start making room in the engine bay to access it?
 

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I ended up running the sub amp power wire through the drivers side of the firewall. Super easy. Took out the rear seat bottoms and was able to fish the wire across the section where the seat bottoms unbolted just using my hands.
 

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This weekend I installed a kicker key 500.1 and 8” kicker sub in my 2023 bronco that came with the sub delete. I used a plug and play wiring harness for the kicker key 200.4 I ran for the front speakers, but I decided to go without the plug and play harness for the sub since I needed to run a dedicated power wire anyway.

Wire color coding for the (brown/white) plug going into the fake amp on 2023 Broncos with the sub delete. (I call these OEM wires below)

1. White with Orange stripe = upfitter switch (dont use, tape off)
2. Yellow with red stripe = power (dont use, tape off, ran new 8 guage power wire)
3. Violet with green stripe = speaker positive
4. green with white stripe = speaker negative
5. black with green stripe = ground
6. Yellow with Violet stripe = remote turn on

Install steps:
1. disconnect battery
2. snip off brown/white plug going into fake amp. Tape off the OEM wires you will not be using. (white with orange stripe and the yellow with red stripe)
3. Solder OEM speaker wires to kicker key speaker input pigtail (cut RCAs off speaker input cord that comes with key 500.1)
3A. Positive from OEM wiring (Violet with green stripe) soldered to positives on Key input pigtail. (white and gray wires)
3B. Negative from OEM wiring (Green with White stripe) soldered to negatives on Key input pigtail. (white/black wire and gray/black wires)
4. solder extension wire for remote turn on. take Yellow with Violet stripe OEM wire and extend it to reach the remote turn on input on the kicker key 500.1 (used wire I already had. Input located between the power and ground on the amp)
5. connect the ground wire from the kicker amp wiring kit from chassis above the sub to the key 500.1 and the OEM ground wire.
6. Connect dedicated AMP power wire to amp (I used kicker 8GA amp wiring kit)
7. connect sub to key speaker outputs (per sub mfr)
8. make forscan changes to turn on Sub
9. reconnect battery
10. follow kicker setup steps for amplifier

Hopefully this helps others. Take your time and its not too bad. My hardest part was seeing the color coding on the wires in my poorly lit garage! I will be adding more lighting soon.

I also highly recommends shoving A shop towel in the sub enclosure port and seeing what you think. It sounds much better than with the port open for the music I listen to.

IMG_2108.jpeg
IMG_2110.jpeg
Hi, I know this is an old thread. I'm going to use this to set up a key 500 soon. How did you end up mounting it? Did you make your own bracket to place it where the oem fake amp was?
 

swamp2

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...
Wire color coding for the (brown/white) plug going into the fake amp on 2023 Broncos with the sub delete. (I call these OEM wires below)

1. White with Orange stripe = upfitter switch (dont use, tape off)
2. Yellow with red stripe = power (dont use, tape off, ran new 8 guage power wire)
3. Violet with green stripe = speaker positive
4. green with white stripe = speaker negative
5. black with green stripe = ground
6. Yellow with Violet stripe = remote turn on
...
Super helpful post, especially the part quoted above. Just installed my 500.1 and 8" Kicker sub.
Thanks for sharing.
 

swamp2

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A repost but hopefully helpful to others doing this project.

Kicker 500.1 sub amp and Kicker CompR 8" subwoofer install:

Some general tips and tricks I've not seen mentioned here:
  1. Don't cut the larger mounting hole concentric with the factory hole. Offsetting it so the new driver clears the front protrusions in the enclosure prevents any required cutting/removing of these main body protrusions and repairing/plugging them later. I cut with a side cutting drywall bit in a dremel with the drywall router type base on the dremel tool.
  2. Shave off the small protrusions from the factory screw holes and various tabs/stiffeners that prevent a totally flat mounting of the new sub.
    PXL_20240913_223958549.jpg
    PXL_20240913_224338926.jpg
  3. The standard depth 8" sub (48CWR84) is just a hair too deep. Easily remedied by taking a sharp knife or box cutter to a couple of the ribs on the back wall.
    PXL_20240913_224014161.jpg
  4. Trim any interfering ribs away from your new mounting holes with wire cutters.
    PXL_20240914_183710878.jpg
  5. The plastic case is very epoxy "resistant" so I used #8 aluminum rivnuts for mounting.
    PXL_20240914_215139206.jpg

  6. I sealed the port (and stuffed the enclosure with poly fill). I used a Husky brand closed cell foam knee pad from Home Depot and Liquid Nails Fuze It. Fuze It is supposed to adhere to just about any substrate. Due to the poor adhesion of a dedicated plastic epoxy, I actually tested the adhesion of Fuze It to both the foam (stronger than the foam) and to the enclosure (decent, no where near a well bonded epoxy, but good enough for sealing). I cut and oversize piece of foam, sanded the inside of the terminus of the port with 60 grit and scared it with a dremel cut off wheel, cleaned everything with IPA, slathered up the foam with Fuze It and held it in place with clear packaging tape while the Fuze It cured. Worked great.
    PXL_20240915_202908520.jpg
    PXL_20240915_202356705.jpg
    PXL_20240915_202924551.jpg
  7. Don't struggle making custom plastic mounting plates for the amp and then struggle more trying to get perfect alignment and clearing the large plastic cover panel (or denting the cover panel badly as some did...). Mount the amp using:
    1. Standard upper left enclosure mounting hole, through the existing upper left amp base plate hole. Have the power side of the amp face the woofer itself. Cables will be tight but will fit without undue kinks/stress.
    2. Standard lower left enclosure mounting hole and simply drill a new hole in the amp base/mounting plate to line up.
    3. An offset aluminum L beam (hobby or good hardware store) and the existing enclosure upper right mounting hole.
      PXL_20240914_195348192.jpg
    4. A custom fastener "stack", based on a threaded rod, through the existing lower right amplifier mounting hole through a drilled hole, all the way through the enclosure near the plugged port. From near side toward outside of the truck the fastener stack is: #8 nylock nut, #8 washer, 3.75" long #8 threaded rod, #8 fender washer (much larger OD than a standard washer), 2nd #8 nylock nut. I'll try to post a picture to better explain this.
    5. P.S. Don't try to get away with just 3 mounting points for the amp. I tried only #1-#3 above and she rattled good, hence I added the threaded rod solution in #4.
  8. The speaker positive on the vehicle harness should be wired to both the L AND R amplifier positive inputs, similarly for the negatives.
She really moves some air and provides much more feel to the bass as compared to stock. I was definitely cursing trying to use my snap ring pliers trick to get the huge 8 Ga cable through the firewall grommet, but it was definitely worth it.
 

Acewizard

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Thanks Brian this info was exactly what I was looking for. Great explanation. "It was worth it."
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