Amplifier Install

Joined
Jul 6, 2020
Messages
26
Location
Mandeville, LA
I wanted to install 2- MB Quart micro amps under the steering wheel and had seen in someone else’s post where they use a plastic cutting board as their installation platform. I decided to use a metal plate instead. I wanted to show the dimensions i used to create it.

The tab on the front is slightly offset to the passenger side. If I wanted to spend more time with it I possibly could’ve made the whole thing larger to accommodate a bigger amp but I didn’t need to so I didn’t bother.

My amps did not allow me to use existing hole at the base of the steering column because the bolt hole was underneath one of the amps and I couldn’t get it to work. I ended up drilling a hole through that same plate and using a self tapping screw between the 2 amps to hold it in place. ( Circled in red).

The first pictures show the dimensions on the plate, including a tab on the front that slips into the U-shaped section of the steering column. I used a piece of wood as a spacer so I could bolt that tab into place as you see in the pictures. I went to Ace Hardware and got some nylon spacers so the amplifiers had a little bit of airflow between them and the metal plate. I had to offset the left hand amp closer to the firewall because it was bumping into the structure around the steering wheel.

One of them is a four channel amp and the other one is a mono amp for the subwoofer. It certainly wasn’t as easy as I imagined it but I’m very pleased with the outcome. The 2 Amps are completely hidden and all the wires are well out of the way of the foot pedals.


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This is very helpful by the way!

For mine I used a 1/4" piece of thin plywood and mounted the amp on there, then mounted it right underneath my steering column. I was able to fit it perfectly.

I feel this is the best place to hide an amp on a TJ as it's the least likely place for someone to look if they want to steal your shit. I always get paranoid too since I have a $1000 amp under there 😲
 
This is very helpful by the way!

For mine I used a 1/4" piece of thin plywood and mounted the amp on there, then mounted it right underneath my steering column. I was able to fit it perfectly.

I feel this is the best place to hide an amp on a TJ as it's the least likely place for someone to look if they want to steal your shit. I always get paranoid too since I have a $1000 amp under there 😲
No thousand dollar amp for me! I paid less than $200 for both of these. I don’t have a name for my jeep yet, but El cheapo would be a good choice.
 
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No thousand dollar amp for me! I paid less than $200 for both of these. I don’t have a name for my jeep yet, but El cheapo would be a good choice.

I'm a big audiophile, that's my only excuse! But I really wanted to hide it, and I feel this is the best place.

Either way, job well done (y)
 
I'm a big audiophile, that's my only excuse! But I really wanted to hide it, and I feel this is the best place.

Either way, job well done (y)
Chris, what amp are you currently running? My Alpine amps are under my rear seat, but being since the seat is going to be going bye-bye.....I'm considering putting a couple small amps up under the dash.
 
Next question. Where did you order it from? I can find the distributor, but no retailers. Crutchfield no longer carries them.
Don Aman, he built my sound system for me:

https://unexpectedcreations.com/
Super nice guy, super friendly, and easy to get ahold of. Tell him Chris of Wrangler TJ Forum sent you. I got referred to him from @skrelnik.
 
Next question. Where did you order it from? I can find the distributor, but no retailers. Crutchfield no longer carries them.

Don is amazing, a real-deal car audio enthusiast (and car detailer) that wants the consumer to get the best experience for the best value. He does not overcharge or upsell, and in fact he tries to downsell unless you ask for more. I believe Chris was originally going to get a different amplifier, the Helix M Six, and different tweeters (BLAM) instead of the much nicer Micro Precision tweeters we have.

You couldn't find a nicer and more honest car audio guy. I originally found him on the BMW forums like 7 years ago...7 years later I still buy from him.
 
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I wanted to install 2- MB Quart micro amps under the steering wheel and had seen in someone else’s post where they use a plastic cutting board as their installation platform. I decided to use a metal plate instead. I wanted to show the dimensions i used to create it.

The tab on the front is slightly offset to the passenger side. If I wanted to spend more time with it I possibly could’ve made the whole thing larger to accommodate a bigger amp but I didn’t need to so I didn’t bother.

My amps did not allow me to use existing hole at the base of the steering column because the bolt hole was underneath one of the amps and I couldn’t get it to work. I ended up drilling a hole through that same plate and using a self tapping screw between the 2 amps to hold it in place. ( Circled in red).

The first pictures show the dimensions on the plate, including a tab on the front that slips into the U-shaped section of the steering column. I used a piece of wood as a spacer so I could bolt that tab into place as you see in the pictures. I went to Ace Hardware and got some nylon spacers so the amplifiers had a little bit of airflow between them and the metal plate. I had to offset the left hand amp closer to the firewall because it was bumping into the structure around the steering wheel.

One of them is a four channel amp and the other one is a mono amp for the subwoofer. It certainly wasn’t as easy as I imagined it but I’m very pleased with the outcome. The 2 Amps are completely hidden and all the wires are well out of the way of the foot pedals.


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Looks clean man nice job, how many amps are those things pushing? what speakers are you running with it?
 
Looks clean man nice job, how many amps are those things pushing? what speakers are you running with it?
The four channel amp is 80 W per channel at 4 ohms, the mono subwoofer amp is 100 W at 4 ohms. Currently I’m running the four channel amp to the stock speakers and the subwoofer amp to an old JL audio 10 inch sub that I had laying around. I wanted to get this done first then I’m picking up some replacements for the stock speakers but I haven’t decided what I want yet. I’m going to replace the subwoofer with a dual voice coil that’ll handle one ohm and bring the amplifiers power up to 400 W. Even with the stock speakers the amplifier adds a lot to the sound. Both of them are marine grade so the handle getting a little wet. They’re also pretty inexpensive and by looking around I think I ended up paying less than $200 for both of them. I’m planning on using the stock sound bar but modifying it so that it produces a better quality sound. I’m not looking to blow the doors off of anyone just make it sound better for myself. The best result of this install is that I can easily reach the controls to make adjustments. Unlike a normal car I’ve got to play with it to make sure it sounds good when I have the top down. It’s so much easier than having to stop and crawl into a trunk or look under a seat to change a setting.
 
The four channel amp is 80 W per channel at 4 ohms, the mono subwoofer amp is 100 W at 4 ohms. Currently I’m running the four channel amp to the stock speakers and the subwoofer amp to an old JL audio 10 inch sub that I had laying around. I wanted to get this done first then I’m picking up some replacements for the stock speakers but I haven’t decided what I want yet. I’m going to replace the subwoofer with a dual voice coil that’ll handle one ohm and bring the amplifiers power up to 400 W. Even with the stock speakers the amplifier adds a lot to the sound. Both of them are marine grade so the handle getting a little wet. They’re also pretty inexpensive and by looking around I think I ended up paying less than $200 for both of them. I’m planning on using the stock sound bar but modifying it so that it produces a better quality sound. I’m not looking to blow the doors off of anyone just make it sound better for myself. The best result of this install is that I can easily reach the controls to make adjustments. Unlike a normal car I’ve got to play with it to make sure it sounds good when I have the top down. It’s so much easier than having to stop and crawl into a trunk or look under a seat to change a setting.
very nice, there is a write up here somewhere about glassing the bar to fit 6x9's or at least some 6.5's. the 5.5's just don't produce enough low end, especially with the 4x6 up front.... I would have preferred to go with two sep amps like you did but I couldn't find anything that i liked that I thought i could fit under there, at least not when i bought my system like 5 years ago. You gonna just leave your sub in the back or you gonna put it in your center console?
 
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Thanks! For now it’s going to stay in the back. I might put the effort into building a box to go in the center console to hold an 8” later, but I like the bigger sound I get from a 10”. There’s just so little room in that center console.
 
try a TangBan, an 8 will put out as much sound as a 10, im running 2 6.5" TB subs both in my center console