oldster, aftermarket stereo, 93 wrangler

K- I'm an oldster, but not too old to be curious and learn something new, and this would be the first time I've tried to install an aftermarket stereo since 1976.

Car Audio has changed since Boston

I'm trying to install a set of audio components that are aftermarket but designed specifically to fit in my 93 Jeep Wrangler YJ to keep alterations to my Jeep at a minimum, so the audio component spec's / parameters are set in stone.

1) Boss Audio MR1315WUA Marine Digital Media Receiver Single Din, output power: 60 watts x 4 channels, RCA outputs, 1 Pair of pre-amp outputs.

2) The Intra-pod console has an incorporated Amp and Subwoofer Including:

Legacy LA 360 2 Channel Amplifier, 200 Watts x 2 Output, 400 Watts x 1 bridged Output, Fully Adjustable Electronic Crossover Network.

Single Polk Audio 8" subwoofer, Dual Voice Coil RMS 180 watts continuous / peak 360 watts.

3) I have a Centra-pod with two Acoustik 5 1/2" 90 watt speakers, RMS 90 watts per pair / 90 watts each, Peak 360 watts per pair / 180 watts each.

4) And lastly I want to pre-wire for a set of Kicker factory replacement dash speakers DS 460 6x9 speakers, RMS 25 watts continuous / peak 50 watts, though I cant quite afford and haven't bought that speaker kit yet.

I know people pay qualified technicians to hook up complex systems like this all the time, but I've built and re-built quite a few custom installations on my old jeep that I subbed out to people who rigged installations trying to keep installation time within their billing allotment. I'm happy to take the time to futz with the details and execute a good looking installation, I take pride in the details. My Jeep's my baby, and I've invested a great deal of time on the details so I can gloat over her with my buddies.

I'm visually dominant, so a wiring schematic would be incredibly helpful! Is there anyone out there that would be willing refer me to the technical assistance, or give me some directions about how to hook all this up together? I'm happy to pay for a wiring Diagram that address my specific installation parameters

Thx in advance for any time your willing to invest in helping me figure this out! David

i am a professional installer but i dont think ive ever worked on your exact jeep before. but, something that old (no offense) shouldnt be that hard to tackle. ok, you didnt post whether you had the installation parts for your radio so the first thing i would do just to make things really easy and nice would be to find the radio replacement wire harness. metra recommends the 70-1002 wire harness and it shouldnt be more that 15-20 bucks and trust me its well worth not having to splice into your factory wire harness. the adapter is universally color coded so all you have to do is match up the colors from the harness to the radio. next you will need a dash kit, which is basically a plastic adapter that fills any gaps due to the difference in size and shape between your factory radio and an aftermarket. most cars need one of these. like i said, im not 100% familiar with your exact jeep so i cant tell you for sure whether you need one or not. what i will tell you is that the dash kit that is recommended is one that should go into cars that typically DO NOT need a dash kit because the hole that trims your factory radio is just big enough to slip the radio cage in and lock it down without a dash kit. (btw, the cage is a sleeve that will come with your aftermarket radio. it has tabs on it that you bend to lock it into your dash and the radio will just slide into it and lock into the cage) you shouldnt need an antenna adapter. if you want, you can take a picture of your dash around the radio and the surrounding area then i can probably tell you how to take it all apart without breaking anything. not that it is hard to do so, its just that they like to hide screws in places where you wouldnt think to look until you realize you broke something. as for the speakers, if you plan on running them off of your radio then there should be no real wiring to do for the front speakers unless the factory wires are in bad condition. when you wire the radio just make a note of what the + and - wire colors are at the back of the radio and use those same colors to connect your speakers.

soundnsecurity wrote: i am a professional installer but i dont think ive ever worked on your exact jeep before. but, something that old (no offense) shouldnt be that hard to tackle. ok, you didnt post whether you had the installation parts for your radio so the first thing i would do just to make things really easy and nice would be to find the radio replacement wire harness. metra recommends the 70-1002 wire harness and it shouldnt be more that 15-20 bucks and trust me its well worth not having to splice into your factory wire harness. the adapter is universally color coded so all you have to do is match up the colors from the harness to the radio. next you will need a dash kit, which is basically a plastic adapter that fills any gaps due to the difference in size and shape between your factory radio and an aftermarket. most cars need one of these. like i said, im not 100% familiar with your exact jeep so i cant tell you for sure whether you need one or not. what i will tell you is that the dash kit that is recommended is one that should go into cars that typically DO NOT need a dash kit because the hole that trims your factory radio is just big enough to slip the radio cage in and lock it down without a dash kit. (btw, the cage is a sleeve that will come with your aftermarket radio. it has tabs on it that you bend to lock it into your dash and the radio will just slide into it and lock into the cage) you shouldnt need an antenna adapter. if you want, you can take a picture of your dash around the radio and the surrounding area then i can probably tell you how to take it all apart without breaking anything. not that it is hard to do so, its just that they like to hide screws in places where you wouldnt think to look until you realize you broke something. as for the speakers, if you plan on running them off of your radio then there should be no real wiring to do for the front speakers unless the factory wires are in bad condition. when you wire the radio just make a note of what the + and - wire colors are at the back of the radio and use those same colors to connect your speakers.

Thx Sound Security,

I appreciate the feedback.

I bought the Dash Kit specifically designed for my YJ from Quadratec to adapt a single DIN radio to my dash cutout. My Head Unit is a single DIN so I expect that to simplify the dash installation.

I will order the Metra harness adapter; if the leads are color coded to match the BOSS Head Unit I'm installing that should help.

I still need some feedback about hooking up the Amp and Sub in the Intra-pod console I'm installing, to my new Head Unit. This is the part of the installation that sends me off in the weeds. I've never tried to wire an Amp and Sub.

Thx, David 

Haven't looked up your specific parts, but an amp and sub usually need a few things to work.

Power 12v+  ---  Run this to the positive post of the battery, fused within 18" of the battery connection. The fuse should be rated slightly higher than the fuse(s) (total amps added together if it has more than one fuse) located on the amp itself.

Ground --- Run this very close to the amp. Connect to the body as close as cleanly possible. No more than 3 feet in length. Make sure the metal you attach to is free of soil and paint. Shiny metal makes good ground. Feel free to paint over your connection after it is made to prevent rust.

Remote Turn On --- Usually blue and located with the amps main power and ground connections, this wire allows the head unit to turn the amp on and off. Typically the wire will be blue or blue with a white stripe on the head unit. If it has both use the one with the white stripe, as the other will likely be the antenna and only have power in radio mode not cd mode.

Signal --- The amp unit will have either speaker level or RCA level or both. If the head unit has RCA outs and subwoofer control via the menus, RCA connections will be required. There should be either one set labelled SUB/REAR OUT or a few sets labelled SUB REAR and FRONT. Obviously if you want the headunit to control the sub, the SUB preout must be used. Run the RCAs away from your large power wire. (no more than 18" in parallel with the power wire) Noise will be generated in the signal cables if they are run next to each other. If using speaker level in, just tap into the rear set (probably the green and purple sets of wires)

To master and control electricity is perfection. *evil laugh*

Thx a bunch R.J.76,

That little peice of feedback about not running the Sub power cable adjacent to the RCA cables was absolutely invaluable feedback. I had already envisioned my harness trunk bundled together, I'll split them.

I really appreciate the time you took to respond to my question! David

honestly, for a sub amp it really doesnt matter if you run the rcas with the power wire. the sub amp will be filtered and if there is any noise or whine in your signal you wont hear it anyway because it will be filtered out by the crossover in the amp. something i thought about when you mentioned the color coding of the wire harness to the boss radio, sometimes with cheaper radios the colors of the speaker wires are different from the universal standard for whatever reason. this usually happens on the cheapest of the cheap radios and i doubt you will have to deal with it but just in case this is how the universal color code goes: front left (driver side) will be white front passenger will be grey left rear will be green right rear will be purple positive will be the solid color wire and negative will have a black stripe so just in case its different on your radio you can just read the wire chart that comes with the radio, might even be physically on the radio, and you will be able to match up your speaker wires. also the wire you hook the remote wire of the amp to the radio SHOULD be blue with a white stripe but i have seen it be a different color sometimes on cheaper radios. a solid blue wire is usually the power antenna wire so dont hook the amp to this wire because this will only turn the amp on when you have it on am/fm source and not on cd or anything else. if all else fails you can hook the remote wire to the red accessory wire on the radio too.

soundnsecurity wrote: honestly, for a sub amp it really doesnt matter if you run the rcas with the power wire. the sub amp will be filtered and if there is any noise or whine in your signal you wont hear it anyway because it will be filtered out by the crossover in the amp.

This is true. The reason i always reply with that line, is i do not know what quality RCAs are being used, and it is just good practice to do every install the same way. Good info in this thread for any beginner!

To master and control electricity is perfection. *evil laugh*

It is great info, thanx soo much all who have contributed for the help!

I'm absolutely sure I should be able to follow your leads and squeeze the best out of the modest lil audio system I've gathered together for my YJ.

Best David

racerjames76 wrote: soundnsecurity wrote: honestly, for a sub amp it really doesnt matter if you run the rcas with the power wire. the sub amp will be filtered and if there is any noise or whine in your signal you wont hear it anyway because it will be filtered out by the crossover in the amp. This is true. The reason i always reply with that line, is i do not know what quality RCAs are being used, and it is just good practice to do every install the same way. Good info in this thread for any beginner!

i wasnt trying to contradict your advice because it is the best way but i was just trying to save him some unnecessary work, thats all.