Replaced Factory Sub With Kicker Sub

[Rockytop]

My 05 TJ has the factory sub that still works fine but since I upgraded head unit I also wanted little better base from the center console factory box. I wanted to use existing sub amp. Based on forum reviews and recommendations I installed Kicker CompRT 6.75" 2ohm sub. I thought it's basicly a drop in but that's not the case. New sub has larger magnet and it's deeper then factory sub.
I had to cut out some ribs in the factory box below magnet area of new sub. On the Kicker sub I had to remove the plastic cover from rear of the sub to provide more clearance with the factory box on one side. In order to get even better base I filled/stuffed the box with poly fill. I packed it pretty good. On the factory box where the sub mounts i added 1/4" thick medium density insulation. I cut off terminals off factory wiring and stripped the ends 3/8". Sound of the new sub is so much better. It's hard to believe that it's same Jeep. I feel the base thumping when I rest my arm on the console lid. Very nice improvement without spending too much.
Below is how to wire the sub to factory wiring.

RED wire to (-NEG)
BLACK wire to (+POS)
BROWN wire to (-NEG)
GRAY wire to (+POS)

 

[Jamison C]

Yep this is a great upgrade on the fly. Depending on how loud you listen to your music, the factory amp is
barely adequate to drive anything other than the factory sub. I had this same setup years ago and the amp kept going into protection mode if I got the music too loud. Just an FYI in case you start running into that.

Nicely done.

 

[Rockytop]

Yep this is a great upgrade on the fly. Depending on how loud you listen to your music, the factory amp is
barely adequate to drive anything other than the factory sub. I had this same setup years ago and the amp kept going into protection mode if I got the music too loud. Just an FYI in case you start running into that.

Nicely done.

That's good to know. Thanks!

 

[kilohotel]

Raising this thread from the dead, but I"m going through the same process and I was wondering why red wire goes to negative (black post)?

 

[aerojust]

I am going to upgrade to this sub and an amp. It seems like the factory setup does not have a low-pass filter or it set to let way too high of frequencies through. I am keeping the factory 6 disk changer. Any opinions on how that will drive a new set of skeakers in the dash and tower pods. I feel like they did a good job from the factory with this system for what it is. So the decision is to do the full job with a 5-channel amp or just replace speakers and do the mono amp with the lowpass filter to the new sub. On the other hand if I amp up the rest of the speakers, I can set the high pass filter to cut out the deep bass from those speakers and have a proper setup.