I was going to copy and paste from my thread on a gm trucks forum as this build started back in january but theres a lot of unneeded stuff in there. I went back and forth alot about what i was going to do and how. This system started because i had the typical driver side front speaker failure. I was going to merely replace all the factory speakers and run the amp off high level inputs from the stock head unit...boy did that change. My on experience in car audio previous to this was my 1991 jimmy when i was 16. It involved a head unit, simple speaker replacements using factory wires and two 12 inch mtx thunder 3000 (i think) subs in a bandpass box i bought at the pawn shop, powered by a pyramid amp i also bought at the pawn shop. I actually won third place in a local spl comp with it. However i knew nothing about what i was doing. Fast forward to now, tired of running stock stereos, i decided to dive back in. But i researched ALOT first, and still had more to learn. In the end i have this list of upgrades

Headunit - Pioneer AVH-P4300DVD (currently unable to recieve video playback from my iphone, trying to work on this)

Front speakers - JL c2-650 components

Rear Speakers - JL C2-650x Coax

Amp- JL JX-360/4

Sub- SSA ICON 10 wired to 1ohm

Amp - Sundown SAX-1200D

Battery - Optima Yellow Top (need another, maybe an alternator to, but funds are low)

Sound Deadening from SDS doors got full treatment and i did the back floor, back wall and still need to do the roof with cld tiles

Wireing - Mostly KNU Konceptz

First Heres the Truck. Which has been mostly blacked out, lifted and leveled for a total of 3.5 in the front and 2 in the rear, new wheels and tires, flowmaster super 40 muffler and k&n FIPK.

So i started by recieving this for Xmas last year. (well the speakers and amp anyways, the rest i got)

The First thing i did was hack off the stock battery cable ends and hook up the optima.

Then i decided to order more because i dove into this.

I had to keep my XM radio so the add on for that is there, along with the PAC unit to mate this all to my factory wiring and onstar. Which i still need to put the speaker in for so i can hear it. Note to self, pick up a cheap speaker. Also the preamp output cables are there as well.

After finding my front seat bolts were a different bolt i bought this handy tool set which became invaluable throughout this process. Later I will have bought a Torx head set as well.

I started a very long weekend with this (was a short friday night of work)

Edited October 15, 201212 yr by arctictwist

Day 2 was more involved. My dad let me work on the truck while at work on saturday ( i was using his warehouse for the work). I would forgo pay that day, but still do my job if needed in the store.

So i stripped out the carpet, the door panels and speakers, the stock head unit and got to work.

i started with some cld tile work (i had decided to just to that in the beginning)

Then i moved on to the speakers where i edited the after market speaker adapters (should have made my own) to have a water shield on them (dont know how necessary this was) and ran speaker wires.

i am definitely lacking pictures here, cus the wire running was extensive and frustrating to say the least. But these boots, were a PITA at the door frame.

i ended up running a piece of soft copper tube through it, which i then ran a wire through. I pulled the tube and kept the wire. then looped that wire around the speaker wire and pulled it through. The rear speakers were easier because the boot came off on both sides. The rear door one required you to pull off the seatbelt assembly to get to. then its cake.

Heres the components in factor location. I hacked up the stock tweeter mount, but it worked and looks stock.

Then on to the headunit....

I started by wiring up the pac unit.

because of the RCAs it doesnt fit in the stock hole, so i had to do this.

I also managed to use the vacant area next to where the factory satellite tuner is for the aftermarket one and the stock antenna wire. You just need to pull off the yellow end. When it was all said and done it fit.

But thats jumping ahead a little on the weekend, next i had to do the big three before i could button this up for the weekend as well as run power for the amps.

Edited October 15, 201212 yr by arctictwist

I ran my power cable through the driver side just under the brake booster.

Next was the big three and adding more terminals to the battery. Along with the huge fuse.

Then i was able to drive my truck to work, i was actually a little late for my third shift on sunday night. I spent close to 40 hrs in my truck that weekend. It was rough. Then i waited.... I had planned to use my center console as a sub box for a couple 6.5 inch subs, then i was going to go 8s...then a JL W6 10....and then i stopped planning that idea and rethought the sub stage all together.

I decided i my speakers could sound better and ordered the mlv and CCF from SDS and did up the doors some more.

and to be honest i havent gotten to the back doors yet but it really helped the fronts.

Then i started to think about my sub stage again and decided i would go under the rear seat with a couple of sa-8s. I had heard alot about them on the forums like CA. when searching for them to buy i came here and was intrigued by the SSA subs. I really wanted something in the SA10 price range. And after asking and searching came to the conclusion that I would probably be pretty happy if i jumped the gun on an SSA product so shortly after that decision this arrived.

and inside?

this beast of a 10

Then i needed something to power it and found The sundown amp barely used for a good price.

Edited October 15, 201212 yr by arctictwist

Nice work man!

I started with 1/4 MDF and covered it with some black fabric to look a little cleaner. Then mounted the amps and ran the wire

I then had to edit it when found the seat brackets would hit it. But it was just a cutoff at the bottom. No need to clog this up with extra pics of that. But then i tried to fit the seats and it was too close to the amps. I would have to move my seats forward or figure something else out. So i planned on moving them forward a tad, no big deal...

Also i hadnt quite finished the big three... so i fixed that. With this connection by voltage jumped to 14.3 steady.

also some updated and easier to see pics of the battery connections.

I have one postive terminal spot open... its for when i add the second battery. Which i plan to set up a permanent jumper cable block off of as well.

And that brings us to march...where it gets SLOW. I had surgery, and life got busier as soon as I was done. On top of grad school, full time job, once a week part time job and martial arts training, i picked up a job at the martial arts place part time teaching and assisting with other things around the school. So everything went to the back burner as i barely had free time and family and girlfriend need some time to.

Fast forward to end of summer and I got motivated again. I got my seat lift cut up and drilled and installed the seats finally. I used some heavy heavy steel c-channel and grade 8 bolts to do it. Drilling and cutting that c channel was not fun at all.

Then came the fun of planning how this sub was going to get under there. I took lots of measurements and played around with lots of numbers. But even after hearing over and over that it cant be done, i got to work.

I figured first id get the fun of cutting the holes for my double baffle out of the way. I found out that the jasper jig is a little off...and the sub didnt fit. But after hours of sanding it fit.

Then a couple weeks later i got to work again and banged out this box.

A little trick that i picked up someone for getting the proper volume...packing peanuts.

Test fit

I planned for that...

Drivers side

Pass side

Wire which was probably more trouble than it was worth doing

And a slight view of the sub

And thats where i am left off at now. Its been a couple weeks and I feel pretty satisfied with the box so i need to pull it out and carpet it. Also on my to do list are:

(1) to put the center console back with wiring ran through it for the usb and 3.5mm hook up with the head unit along with extra cigarette lighter outlets inside it

(2) mlv and ccf on rear doors

(3) cld tiles on roof

ANd maybes....

Second battery, seal up front doors (fiberglass or just plywood?), alternator (big maybe) and mids (also big maybe)

oh and yea i NEED to figure out this video problem with the iphone. Its really bugging me...and i dont really use it lol.

Oh and hey does anyone have a pic of the SSA logo in just an outline with either a white or solid color center of the letters?

Nice equipment!

nice work man.

thnx guys!

really nice work... question? How much space is left behind the sub...?

You mean between the magnet and the top? Some its over an inch some a lil less than an inch. I made the whole i cutout pretty wide around it to give it space. and its really only the center cone thats that close.

great install!

made a custom background for my HU. I have a few others im gonna try tho, cant see the logo very well in this one.

Nice build arctictwist! Would you be ok with me tweeting this thread on twitter?

Yea thats kool with me!

Edited October 15, 201212 yr by arctictwist

I like your approach to the build. Definitely taking your time to think the process through instead of just throwing the stuff in. Not sure how the specs on the enclosure turned out, but I love the determination you showed to shoehorn that sub under that seat, lol. With all the trouble you went through on the installation of the sound deadening and such I would have figured you would have tossed the flimsy plastic on the doors for some better, custom made wood ones and give your mids something something really solid to mount to.

That is about the only thing I can see that I would definitely have done different myself. Keep up the great work on this truck, it's sweet!

That is something i plan on changing. Its been bugging me for a while.

Also the enclosure net volume is ~1.5 cuft and its tune to ~33hz.

Clean install !!!

Yea thats kool with me!

Thanks man, posted!

Tuned in. I did a little build in my 09 a few years back.