I'm about to run some 4 gauge wire from the battery back to the trunk for an amp install. To those that have done it, do you have any secrets or suggestions as far as the easiest path to run it through the car? I'll take any insight I can get before I start tearing it apart. Thanks.

 

Sure do. The best way is to go through the rubber grommet behind the battery and down the passenger side of the car. Be sure to seal up the area with silicone sealant. Tuck the wire down in between the door sill and the carpet, remove the rear side panel and run it into the trunk area.

 

and if I remember correctly, everything including the passenger side kick panel, the door runners, rear side panel all snap in place. It was fairly easy to get stuff apart. Hardest part was the rear seat, and that just required pulling HARD the first time (subsequent pulls have been less difficult).

 

There are release pulls on the back seat. If you gust give it a big yank, you're going to break the plastic retainers. Look for the rear seat release pulls where the seat meets the carpet.

JH

 

right

 

Thanks for the input! I've taken apart the passenger footwell area before, but haven't messed around with the rear seats. Hopefully the service manual is clear.

 

Really don't need the service manual Mech.

First step is to remove the seat cushion. There are 2 plastic tabs sticking out from the seat cushion. One on each side. Pull out on the tab on one side, and lift the front of the seat up. Do it again from the other.

Remove seat cushion.

Next get a 14mm socket.

About 2 inches or so below the bottom of the seat back you will notice that there are two nuts holding down two U shaped wire bracket for each seat back.

Remove these 4 nuts. You may need a breaker bar the first time around. These things were TORQUED down on my G.

Now that you have these bolts removed, pull out on the bottom of the seat back, and then lift the entire cushion up.

Voila! No more seat backs.

 

Bah! 4 gauge is for the weak!

I have 0 gauge. And 2 usb cables, and 2 pairs of 12 gauge speaker wire, and a VGA cable, and various 18 gauge activation wires. They all fit no problem, down the passenger side of the car. You don't have to remove the seats, only the panel on the side. Use the trunk latch to lower the seats forward, and you can get through to a small hole on the passenger side and run the wires through there. It's honestly really easy, and you can clearly see where to run them when you remove the panels.

Dave

 

0Awg as well,CAT5,Changer cable,10Awg and 2 runs of 14Awg down each side.

 

If he has the reclining rear seats its a bit more work...

 

So the 0 gauge fits no problem eh? I also have 18 feet of 2/0 gauge (5400+ strands) sitting right here, which is way overkill for a single 250 W amp in the back. I just figured it'd be more trouble than it's worth to run through the car.

Have you calculated what your peak voltage drops would be with 4 gauge versus 0 gauge?

 

No, I never bothered calcuating, but since I have a 500/1, a 450/4, and a 75x2 amp, along with a carPC all running off that, I figured it couldn't hurt.

And yes, it does fit no problem

Dave

 

I would agree with overkill, although generally aside from voltage drop most miss the length of run when considering the size.

In your case 4Awg is fine. Overkill certainly is possible.

 

Not sure of the draw for the carpc, but 2awg should be sufficent for those regulated amps.

Actually over gauging wire Could hurt. Ever try running a garden hose through a fire hose...not much pressure there..

 

We're not worried about the inductance of the power rail cables as they carry relatively low frequency currents. And the last time that you grounded something to the chassis, you effectively connected it to the battery with an incredibly large wire.

Maybe I'll run the 0 gauge back just cause I have it lying around... haven't decided yet. It'd run in to a distribution block anyway where I'd run 4 or 8 gauge to the amp.