Need Help with Amp / Speaker Install

[jmoney]

Hi guys. First thank you to everyone on this forum for the incredible info on upgrading the audio. I have a set of Kicker CS speakers, a kicker key amp, and a JBL Bass Pro Micro.

I need help with two things since this is the first time I've messed with an install since the 90's.

First up, the wires coming from the head unit. I successfully removed all of the trim thanks to the instructions from the board, and here is what I am looking at

Do I just start unwrapping the tape along the horizontal path there and will it reveal the output harness? I am looking for the harness or place where I can access all of the outputs to then feed to my amp.

2. Most people have said that when they are installing a woofer / amp, that they are "tapping into the kick panel speakers for the signal". Can anyone explain to me exactly what is going on with that?

2b. My original plan was to wire from the head unit to the kicker key and power the front four speakers (plan is to run wire directly from the kicker key to the front four speakers) and let the head unit power the rear pods. Where I am confused is that someone told me to get an in-line converter and run it to the bass amp in the back. I'm just not sure if this route or tapping into the kick panel speakers are better ways to go about things.

Any help is appreciated guys, thanks so much!

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[CobraKaiSG]

they are tapping in to the kick panel speakers for the signal to the sub because those speakers can provide the range of signal that would be best for a sub- you don't want other speakers that are getting less of a signal for the sub or it won't sound satisfying. then the powered sub needs power and a ground and you're good to go with that

 

[palley6]

Hi guys. First thank you to everyone on this forum for the incredible info on upgrading the audio. I have a set of Kicker CS speakers, a kicker key amp, and a JBL Bass Pro Micro.

I need help with two things since this is the first time I've messed with an install since the 90's.

First up, the wires coming from the head unit. I successfully removed all of the trim thanks to the instructions from the board, and here is what I am looking at

Do I just start unwrapping the tape along the horizontal path there and will it reveal the output harness? I am looking for the harness or place where I can access all of the outputs to then feed to my amp.

2. Most people have said that when they are installing a woofer / amp, that they are "tapping into the kick panel speakers for the signal". Can anyone explain to me exactly what is going on with that?

2b. My original plan was to wire from the head unit to the kicker key and power the front four speakers (plan is to run wire directly from the kicker key to the front four speakers) and let the head unit power the rear pods. Where I am confused is that someone told me to get an in-line converter and run it to the bass amp in the back. I'm just not sure if this route or tapping into the kick panel speakers are better ways to go about things.

Any help is appreciated guys, thanks so much!

I cant speak to the head unit wiring questions but related to the kick panel speakers:

If you're planning to connect a woofer you'll want to tap into the kick panel speaker wires (preferably on both sides) and run both to the in-line converter or alternatively the speaker wires themselves to wherever the sub will go. If you're using the METRA adapter or similar you can probably splice into it and start from there before your run. If you're not using an adapter you can still splice but keep in mind the kick panel speakers have 4 wires running into them, because 2 are passthroughs that go to the panel speakers in the dash. You can find a diagram of what color wire leads to what and go from there.

As convenient as it may seem to tap into the rear speakers for sub signal, dont. The head unit filters to the rear and as a result you wont get the low signal that you do from the kicks so the only way forward starts at the kick panel.

Again I can't speak to the head unit wires and routing but everything else you're trying to do is much easier than you might expect, just need to research the incredibly helpful posts on this forum and get in there.

 

[jmoney]

Hey @palley6 , that part about splicing in at the kick panels. Can you tell me the actual process, that is where I am hung up. Is there a specific way to splice the wires correctly so that I'm left with a pair for the kick panels and a pair to run to the sub?

 

[RagnarKon]

Ah ... audio has changed A LOT since the 1990s. Fundamentals are the same, but manufacturers can do a lot with their head units and factory amps that they did not do back in the 1990s.

Do I just start unwrapping the tape along the horizontal path there and will it reveal the output harness? I am looking for the harness or place where I can access all of the outputs to then feed to my amp.

I'm not sure what exactly the picture from, but assuming it is the output to the speakers... basically... yes. Cut the wire heading to the kicker speakers and stick your amp in-line. Then you can run lines out of your amp back to the kicker speakers and wherever you need it to go.

Left channel is the Blue & Gray/Brown wires. Right channel is Yellow/Orange & Green/Brown wires.

2. Most people have said that when they are installing a woofer / amp, that they are "tapping into the kick panel speakers for the signal". Can anyone explain to me exactly what is going on with that?

2b. My original plan was to wire from the head unit to the kicker key and power the front four speakers (plan is to run wire directly from the kicker key to the front four speakers) and let the head unit power the rear pods. Where I am confused is that someone told me to get an in-line converter and run it to the bass amp in the back. I'm just not sure if this route or tapping into the kick panel speakers are better ways to go about things.

Any help is appreciated guys, thanks so much!

Ford has DSP (digital signal processing) for the rear two speakers that limits & modifies the frequency output from the head unit to better fit the small factory 4" rear speakers. So if you patch your woofer or amp into the lines headed to the two rear speakers, you're not going to get the full output range. Not a big deal if you are running tweeters off of those lines, but you wouldn't want to run a woofer off of those lines.

The kickers seem to have the full frequency range, which is why most people are recommending you patch in to those.

Alternatively, you can take your Bronco to the dealer and ask them nicely to remove/modify the DSP with the FDRS software (Ford Diagnostic & Repair System). The steps to remove the DSP are the same steps they follow when they have to install the JBL Soundbar from the Ford Accessories site. Don't be surprised if the dealership refuses though... I do not know if many dealers will willingly do this to a customer's vehicle without actually installing the soundbar. May bring up too many legal/warranty concerns for most dealers.

 

[jmoney]

very helpful thank you for your response! I'll ask the dealer if that's something they can do.

Also to anyone else out there, I am installing an inline converter near my glove box. It will require 12V power. Anyone know the best place to grab this?

 

[CobraKaiSG]

very helpful thank you for your response! I'll ask the dealer if that's something they can do.

Also to anyone else out there, I am installing an inline converter near my glove box. It will require 12V power. Anyone know the best place to grab this?

not sure what an inline converter is but the whole vehicle is prewired for the 6 aux switches if you have those switches, meaning there are already wires under the dash that are switched by the aux switches for power. keep in mind i am pretty sure the aux switches are also controlled by the ignition so i don't believe they will work with the ignition off but that's an option for power if you have the aux switches

 

[RagnarKon]

very helpful thank you for your response! I'll ask the dealer if that's something they can do.

Also to anyone else out there, I am installing an inline converter near my glove box. It will require 12V power. Anyone know the best place to grab this?

If you have the Aux switch option there are two unconnected 16 gauge wires running from the fuse box over to the glove box area. Not sure what the power requirements are for this inline converter... but as long as it is ~10 amps or less you can use those wires to connect directly into power in the fuse box.

Or, as @CobraKaiSG, you can plug it directly into the Aux switch lines. They are already powered and terminate over by the fuse box. Could theoretically plug the Aux switch line into the unconnected lines that run to the glove box and you'll be good to go.

 

[Bryanm]

Hi guys. First thank you to everyone on this forum for the incredible info on upgrading the audio. I have a set of Kicker CS speakers, a kicker key amp, and a JBL Bass Pro Micro.

I need help with two things since this is the first time I've messed with an install since the 90's.

First up, the wires coming from the head unit. I successfully removed all of the trim thanks to the instructions from the board, and here is what I am looking at

Do I just start unwrapping the tape along the horizontal path there and will it reveal the output harness? I am looking for the harness or place where I can access all of the outputs to then feed to my amp.

2. Most people have said that when they are installing a woofer / amp, that they are "tapping into the kick panel speakers for the signal". Can anyone explain to me exactly what is going on with that?

2b. My original plan was to wire from the head unit to the kicker key and power the front four speakers (plan is to run wire directly from the kicker key to the front four speakers) and let the head unit power the rear pods. Where I am confused is that someone told me to get an in-line converter and run it to the bass amp in the back. I'm just not sure if this route or tapping into the kick panel speakers are better ways to go about things.

Any help is appreciated guys, thanks so much!

Hi guys. First thank you to everyone on this forum for the incredible info on upgrading the audio. I have a set of Kicker CS speakers, a kicker key amp, and a JBL Bass Pro Micro.

I need help with two things since this is the first time I've messed with an install since the 90's.

First up, the wires coming from the head unit. I successfully removed all of the trim thanks to the instructions from the board, and here is what I am looking at

Do I just start unwrapping the tape along the horizontal path there and will it reveal the output harness? I am looking for the harness or place where I can access all of the outputs to then feed to my amp.

2. Most people have said that when they are installing a woofer / amp, that they are "tapping into the kick panel speakers for the signal". Can anyone explain to me exactly what is going on with that?

2b. My original plan was to wire from the head unit to the kicker key and power the front four speakers (plan is to run wire directly from the kicker key to the front four speakers) and let the head unit power the rear pods. Where I am confused is that someone told me to get an in-line converter and run it to the bass amp in the back. I'm just not sure if this route or tapping into the kick panel speakers are better ways to go about things.

Any help is appreciated guys, thanks so much!

Did you complete the install? I currently have my climate control panel off and had the same view pictured. But from what I keep reading it seems like people are tapping into the kick panel speakers at the kick panel.... which seems odd to me.

 

[da_jokker]

If you want, there's a company that sells a plug that goes between the head unit and the harness that tap s off for an amp. Basically you could use their harness and it get access to all the wires you would need.

2nd, If you look at some of the other audio threads, people are using forscan to unlock the full range to the rear speakers. If you did that, you could tap off the rears, but you will have to replace the stock speakers with something of better quality because they can't handle the full signal even with their base blockers.

 

[BadK22]

If you want, there's a company that sells a plug that goes between the head unit and the harness that tap s off for an amp. Basically you could use their harness and it get access to all the wires you would need.

2nd, If you look at some of the other audio threads, people are using forscan to unlock the full range to the rear speakers. If you did that, you could tap off the rears, but you will have to replace the stock speakers with something of better quality because they can't handle the full signal even with their base blockers.

Do you know what company this is? I would like to check this harness out.

 

[BlueGhost]

If you are using the Kicker Key 4 channel and Kicker Key mono amp, you won't need a line out converter. Just tap the signal from both kick panel speakers and run it to each amp.

The 4 channel can be set up to turn on when it senses signal, it also has a remote out that can be used to turn on your sub amp. If you are running the amp to power the kicks and dash speakers, you'll get the most out of it by setting it to bi-amp mode.

 

[da_jokker]

Do you know what company this is? I would like to check this harness out.

Yes sorry I know the link would have been much more helpful....

https://plugnplaykits.com/

 

[jasonf]

Hi guys. First thank you to everyone on this forum for the incredible info on upgrading the audio. I have a set of Kicker CS speakers, a kicker key amp, and a JBL Bass Pro Micro.

I need help with two things since this is the first time I've messed with an install since the 90's.

First up, the wires coming from the head unit. I successfully removed all of the trim thanks to the instructions from the board, and here is what I am looking at

Do I just start unwrapping the tape along the horizontal path there and will it reveal the output harness? I am looking for the harness or place where I can access all of the outputs to then feed to my amp.

2. Most people have said that when they are installing a woofer / amp, that they are "tapping into the kick panel speakers for the signal". Can anyone explain to me exactly what is going on with that?

2b. My original plan was to wire from the head unit to the kicker key and power the front four speakers (plan is to run wire directly from the kicker key to the front four speakers) and let the head unit power the rear pods. Where I am confused is that someone told me to get an in-line converter and run it to the bass amp in the back. I'm just not sure if this route or tapping into the kick panel speakers are better ways to go about things.

Any help is appreciated guys, thanks so much!

Use a ZEN-A2B interface plug and play

 

[Bryanm]

Yes sorry I know the link would have been much more helpful....

https://plugnplaykits.com/

This company is also making a harness
https://lljcustoms.com/products/2018-2023-select-ford-elite-harness?_pos=1&_sid=c1eaeb1ba&_ss=r

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