Does anyone have any pictures of how they mounted their amp boards on the back wall of your trucks and have the seat backs back in? I am currently just about at that stage where i can just about start putting in the amp and such. I have all he wireing in and connected (except fuses and to battery) and would like to start on the amp rack so i can maybe have this thing operational sometime this week then only have to work on getting the seat back in.


I will have to go out and take some pics of what I have then edit it so you know where the wires are ran. I keep forgetting to take pcs here and there.

EDIT: NOTICE: On my site in my sig I have updated it kinda. I made another page (link at bottom of page) that goes to a page giving a semi-detailed update on what I have done in terms of my Sub system install.
Sorry if this is sounding like an advertisement, it isn't meant to be, I just don't want to have to type it all again and get all the links again and make sure it is all working again... Get what I'm trying to say?

 

Good job on the box! You did the smart thing of doubling-up your baffle board, so this way it will be hard to strip the wood with the screws if you incidentally or accidentally over-tighten them.

As for mounting amps behind the back seat of a '99 generation F150, you can search through earlier pages of this thread and see how people mounted their amps in their similar-year F150s. As for the 04-08 Screws, the back seats don't fold down and are a pain to get out. The best thing for you to do is make a mounting board and screw it to the back of your cab wall on some cab rails. Try to mount your amp(s) as low as possible so there is enough clearance between the amp and seats, as the amps can get hot and possibly cause some damage to the upholstery.

As for the power wire soldering, you won't need to do that. A lot of times when that happens, the solder becomes real thick and stiff, so when you terminate it in the block, it doesn't make as much contact compared to not using solder and letting the strands make contact with the insertion walls.

As for your fog light project, you should make a thread showing your progress about it! If you have, can you send a link? If you haven't, you should make one, then send a link? LOL...Have fun with that one though!!

 

As for the baffleboard, I plan on bolting the subs to it instead of screwing them in, By that I mean I am going to drill out the hole for the screw to fit through and use those T-Nuts (or whatever they are called, The things that bite into wood with teeth and the screw screws into) and sandwiching the wood in between, Saw that on another forum, I don't remember where, I think it was the12volt.

I am thinking of making a board for under the ridge of the back wall I just don't know how to secure it to the truck, I was thinking of making some kind of little stick through thingies like a slide bolt for a door to go up into the hallow ridge on the back wall then bolt where the seat back bolts to the wall. unless I do a full wall then I don't know.

Soldering power wires: Didn't do that and the wires are all ran, Just waiting on Amp board and the actual install of the subs into the box and then into the truck.

Fog Lights, I basically just used Fairlaners thread "How to install lights behind grill" or similar wording to install them. After that I treid to mod so it works on more than just the lowbeams (97-03 default) but with my alarm the headlights flashed when I would arm/disarm which isn't a good thing considering I have HIDs in there, and I don't want the fogs to flash with the parking lights either because I am working on putting HIDs in there too, That is why in the pictures on my site (in sig) only 1 light is lit, I didn't bother to put the other plug on the drivers side. Since then I have been in contact with SSCULLY and he's been helping me to figure out what I should do, Sounds like I have to run a second relay basically to make a double circuit so that both conditions have to be meet for the lights to come on.

 

Bolting the subs to the board, great choice! With the weight of your subs, that would be the better idea. The only thing with that is ensuring a good seal, since using bolts require a pre-drilled hole that allows air to flow between the hole and the bolt, which in this case isn't allowed. The best remedy for that is filling the hole with silicone.

I checked out the images of your truck, looks good! I didn't even pander at the fact it's a scab and not a screw, so I'm not entirely sure how the rear of the cab is constructed. I would think there should be vertical rails under the upholstery you can bolt an amp rack to. Oh, and when making an amp rack, you don't have to use 3/4" as this may be slightly thick for some people.

And with your fogs, sounds like you don't want them flashing with your alarm since you have HIDs in them, yet you want to use them when you only have parking lights on, with low beams, or with high beams? I just want to make sure I have this part right in case I might be of any assistance. I assume your fog lights are on an independent switch, where you turn them on and off instead of them turning on and off when something else is on? I also assume you want them operating like a stock system, where it doesn't require the key in the ignition to operate? And yeah, SSCULLY is the wiring diagram KING, lol. If you need it, he either has it or can find it.

 

The bolts:
I would think that as long as done right the bolt would seal itself into the tnut thingy which would seal itself to the woodwith pure pressure. not to mention the "Ribbon... err rope caulk" I bought is going around the outside of the box under the lip of the subs.

The only reason I plan on using the 3/4 mdf is because I have some left over and it would be a waste not to put it to use unless i was to build a SMALL box for another vehicle, Which I don't plan on doing. How ever my boss at work gave me a great idea, Now only to find out if it is feasable, Need to findout if independant bucket seats would fit into my truck, I can then swap out all the seats and make a center console box that runs from front to back for the subs and doubles as a center console with cup holders and all. lol.... Maybe down the road some.

Fog lights, Yeah that would be ideal. I used Fairlaners "Install lights behind grill" thread to install the lights using the stock switch. From there I tried to do the mod where you jump the parking and the white/black (?Ground) wires together to get it wo work with highbeams and autolamps and such but when I locked the alarm it flashed my HID headlights of which I immediately turned around and took the jump wire off, As it is sitting now, I have the Pass side bulb working (only put on one plug due to the Fact that I am getting HIDs for in the fogs too) as stock and I'm getting the stuff to put the second relay in so i can do what I am trying for.

 

Well, I have the box done (at least untill i findout if something is messed up construction wise)

Now I am looking for info/advice on how to make/mount my amp board onto the back wall of my truck. If anyone knows the layout of the back of my year truck i am willing to hear your sugestion.

Also if anyone knows about the seat swap I mentioned in my previous post I'd like to hear from you too.

Fog light wiring question:
Do the following 2 wiring diagrams look the same to you (not litterally but in an overall layout point of view)

and

and yes, The black/white wire across the bottom goes to the Headlight switch, It isn't just briging the two relays.

Thanks for any help anyone reading this can provide. and sorry for so many questions with so few "In Progress" pics, I'm kinda focusing on getting it done as soon as I can without rushing so I am not thinking of pictures till after the work is done. Not to mention I don't have 18 hands to hold boards together or screws in place while trying to get a pic. XD

What do you guys say about turning the frame of the back of the back seat (99 Bench seat) into the mount for the amp board? I am thinking of taking the cushion and fabric off the frame and mounting 1/2 inch plywood on the frame and mounting it like the back of the seat is usually mounted.

 

Hey Ace, I've been out of town for the past few days. As a note, the 2nd picture in your last post isn't showing up. I might suggest you post this particular portion of your build (your HIDs) in the 1997-2003 F150s section, or the Electrical Systems section so more people with the proper field knowledge will see your thread and help give their opinions and input better.

As for your bucket seats in the rear of your cab, I know you can get them for the super crew models (one of my buddies had buckets in the back of his supercharged 03 Harley Davidson) but I don't think you'd be able to get them prefabbed for the super cab. That would have to be a totally custom job.

 

sorry, I fixed the link. that is basically just a question from out in left field asking if it looked the same to other people or if it was just me. In fact I was studying the wiring diagram for my truck from the back of my haynes book and I think I might have figured out an alternative way to hook up the HIDs so that I have 1 relay and they work the way I want them to, The only thing is it won't be able to power normal halogens if the HIDs were to ever be taken out, but I have to do some hard tests with a test light first.

Yeah, Someone at work has an 03 Harley and she let me measure the seats and from what I can tell the bottom of the seat would either touch or just barely rub against the back of the front seats. But at least there would be seats there, The way I have the truck now I had to completely delete the rear seat to fit my box. I was just wondering if anyone tried ot looked into theis beofre and had any info they could share with me.

As my sub install sits now I have it all done and I have power going to the amp and all but for some reason they aren't producing any sound. I was thinking of going to a car audio place to pick their brains today basically because I couldn't find any answers on the internet.

EDIT: Went to a local Car Audio Place and the guy basically told me to turn the radio down and turn up all the gains and such and then turn the radio up to my listening level and then set the dB, My settings are at ~80 Hz, 11 Gain, 18dB (on amp), almost no dB on Remote **** (Use this to adjust for different tracks), and radio is set to send low freq to amp.and car speakers have +08 for Mid Bass, Bass, and Sub Bass on the speakers itself. Sounds pretty good to me, I'm Happy!! =)

 

Well as long as you got it working and you're happy with it, props!! As for the rear seat, something you could possibly look into sometime down the road, have a box built as a bench or into some seats. I've seen it done properly only a couple of times and it is quite amazing! Personally, having rear seats is important because I have friends and family that sit back there, but the complication comes when trying to get LOTS of bass. Hopefully you'll find what suits you best some time down the line! You should post some pictures of your system!!

 

That box as a seat is something I didn't think of, However I kind of like the idea my friend at work gave me of putting bench seats (like from a harley truck) in and make a box that goes down the center from front to back and make it double as the console and cup holders and all. Sounds like a lot of work but it will be a one-of-a-kind, and IMO Worth it.

I will get some pics tomorrow and post. 'Till then just imagine the back bench seat gone and a big black box on the pass 60% of the truck and nothing over the drivers side 40 yet, I plan on making a square shelf (2 tier) for storage and maybe my CD changer, Then again since I have USB I don't know if i will keep it, with a black back wall with a single amp on it in the middle.

 

Sounds like quite the system! Bucket seats in the rear of a super cab will be less than functional, but it will be a one of a kind, totally. There are quite the number of trucks out there using an entire box as a seat, but not properly cushioned, and definitely doesn't look like stock. The only thing with doing boxes like those are they can rack up the bank quite fast if you're not familiar with box building, proper mounting, proper design, accomidating seat belts, and fabric work. All that aside, I do hope to see some images soon!!

 

Here are some images of what I have as of now. So far it is Great, Untill i get the time and money to re-design it. lol



Hope you like, I know I do!!!

 

I must say it looks good! I like how you mounted your amp and the construction of the box. As long as you like it, that's all that matters. I know it gets an "A" in my book! Of course something that suits your exact desires will come in time. It's like that with all of us

 

I'm doing this on an ext cab (super cab), did anyone do anything to the foam on the back of the seat?

 

Please tell us you have a fuse on the power wire near the battery, as well as the one near the amp?