OK so I picked up my new car yesterday. Some of you may remember my thread in the donut shop about getting a new car. Well, I went with a 2002 Ford Explorer. (I know some people will probably want to kill me for that.) I kind of wanted an SUV and I like the way those new ones look more than any of the others. So that is what I went with.

Now onto my question... Does anyone happen to know if the factory premium sound system has RCA out's in the rear? I know most cars don't but on some of these newer cars you never know. So I was hoping someone would know. Also, an SUV with subs is going to sound quite different from a Camaro with subs. So what size box should I get? I want it loud but also want the deep notes to hit hard. The box in my Camaro was 1.45 cubes per side. Also, does anyone know what the output is on the Alternators in these things? It's a 4.0 V6. Thank you to anyone who can help! [img]graemlins/bow.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/beer.gif[/img]

Nothing wrong with Explorers man...congrats on the new truck.

As for the other question.....check out some peoples Chevy Blazers...Explorers and Blazers are pretty close in size in the cargo area....that should give you a pretty good idea.

Can't answer much but my wife van has an 4.0 v6 too and I think she has an 85ish alt in it. Probably wouldn't hurt to upgraid it. We have charging problems in the winter because at an stop light with both heaters running rear widow defrost light ect. the alt can't keep up. I personaly just pop it out of gear but hey she won't!!

I ran a single 12" in our BMW X5, and it hit pretty hard. Mind you, that's all relative to what you're use to as well.

No the factory system does not have preouts anywhere. You will need a good LOC to integrate an amplifier and sub system into the factory system. It can be installed at the hidden amplifier located behind the right rear quarter panel close to the back seat (in most Explorers).

Uckk.. Id much rather have a sports car for daily driving then a SUV..... although having 4x4 is way better for winter/offroad....

Anyway... Id loose the rear seats and put in a large box... say 6-8cubes.. then use subs sealed or ported... depending on the subs....

Edit: I would think your alt is good for at least 100amps... maybe even more like 130 or 140..... but I don't really know... [img]graemlins/dunno.gif[/img]

[ September 15, 2004, 12:58 PM: Message edited by: Haunz ]

Can you explain more? LOC? Where exactly is the amplifier? Any more info would be awesome! [img]graemlins/beer.gif[/img]

Yeah I had my Camaro for 4 years. I got it out of my system. It was just too much bullshit! I'll pimp out the Explorer for winter and summer. I needed a change! :cool:

Ford usually undersizes their alts - I would be surprised if it was over 100amps.

The factory amps are right above the back passenger wheel, behind that side panel. It's a boitch to get off but if you want to keep the factory deck then you are going to have to. Even better - there are two amps, a 4channel and a mono sub amp and they have a built in crossover. I had to use two LOCs on one in order to amp the front end and also amp his subs (4 12s in a 14cuft net vented box)

In that truck I would use one of the following: 4 10s, 3 or 2 12s, or 2 15s in a nice 5-6ish cuft vented box [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

Oh yeah - if you are going to replace the deck with your own, make sure you pick up a harness for a Premium Sound system...

^^^ Once again. What is an LOC? And a price on them would be good. LOL! Other than hooking up my subs and amp to a normal deck using nothing else, I am an idiot!

Also I wonder if the speakers in the truck will be loud enough using the factory deck with having subs pounding. Any thoughts on that? DUKK! [img]graemlins/beer.gif[/img]

[ September 15, 2004, 02:16 PM: Message edited by: MrEastSide ]

^ line output converter

used to adapt your stock hu speaker signal to a low level pre-amp signal. So you can use an amp that doesn't have hi-level inputs.

Gene

^^^ Thank you. lol! Just never used one before so I didn't know what it was. How well, does that method work? I'd like to just keep the stock deck in there if that LOC works just fine.

An LOC takes speaker level wires on one side and reduces them to preamp levels for RCA inputs on an amp or processor.

The come from $10 cheapos to a couple hundred bux. I've used the ones from Scosche and Stinger with good success.

If you want to add a highs amp as well as a sub amp use a 4channel LOC like this:
http://www.scosche.com/CatalogImages....aspx/SLC4.jpg

Well, I just have the two channel Rockford 800aII and two subs. Are those easy to hook up the LOC I mean? And do you think the subs will hit with that factory amp? I mean I don't see why they wouldn't but I never used one before.

[ September 15, 2004, 04:24 PM: Message edited by: MrEastSide ]

Do you mean can you get it all to work together? Sure. I would take the rear sidepanel off and add the LOC between the factory highs amp and the factory sub amp.

Beware - the factory highs amp has a built-in high pass on it so don't think you can tap the back door speakers or something. You'll wind up with no bass. You have to grab the signal either between the deck and the highs amp (tough IMO) or between the two factory amps.

Trust me - I had to remove and replace that 14cuft box myself after figuring THAT one out [img]graemlins/banghead.gif[/img]

^ I actually meant factory deck. My bad. I'd use my Rockford amp on the subs, with the factory deck. That is what I meant! [img]graemlins/2xblown.gif[/img]

[ September 15, 2004, 05:44 PM: Message edited by: MrEastSide ]

Oh. Yeah I don't see why not. The one I did could do 149 with a Punch 200 on his 12s which was alright back in the day [img]graemlins/dunno.gif[/img]

^^^ Just alright? I think 149 is smoking. Plenty loud if you want to go deaf earlier than planned in life. [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

Audio Control makes a bitchin LOC in the form of the LC6. This little gadget will allow you to tap a speaker lead or signal lead and convert it to a signal that the LOC can use. It then acts as a line driver and then it's next usefull tool will help you out in the form of a subwoofer level controller. This is a dash mounted volume know for the subs. For system expansion it will also allow another two amplifiers to be integrated as well. Check it out. www.audiocontrol.com

Cars sucks.....I come from a redneck family...trucks rock. What good is a Camaro in the snow?

And, it's pretty easy to get a camaro stuck when you wanna go off roading :D

http://carstereohelp.com/stereoremov...ition1SubR.htm Those instructions are for an Expedition, might help with the Explorer, though......

The AMP I want to use is 800 watts. Do LOC's handle that much wattage? I checked that page and it said up to 400 watts. But I am not sure if that meant total power of the amp I was using or what...

Yea, thats probably how much power the LOC can accept....

Honestly, all you need for an LOC is a resistor, or a potentiometer (sp?) if you want it to be adjustable... put it inline with the +'ve RCA wire...All you are doing is droping your speaker level from around 10v to 1-4v....

OK, better for most to just buy one... but I wouldnt worry about spending much money on one... walmart has em for $20 and that is overpriced... But it will work for what you need....

Want to run more then one amp? I'd just use $1 Y splitters...

MrEastSide - the LOC is on the preamp side so it has to worry about the power you are feeding it (from the factory amp), not the amp you are going to run off of it.