first time installing crossovers. where do i put them?

[richardkeith97]

so i was going to have a place install my component speakers since i've never done it before but they are like 2 weeks behind so i'm gona do it myself. what do i have to take apart to do both sides and get to the wires? where should i put the crossovers? how about the rears? thanks for the help

[StereoInstaller1]

You can put the crossovers in the dash basically wherever you want. You are gonna need to run wire to and from them, so just account for that and all is good.

[richardkeith97]

do i just find the original wire that goes to the speakers and just splice the crossover in?

[richardkeith97]

i'm confused cause dont i have a factory amp? wouldnt the speaker nwire be coming from the trunk? its a 90is with tweeters still already in it.

[StereoInstaller1]

OK, so since you have PS, you have the factory amp.

Go into the harness that comes out of the door and find the gray/yellow and gray/green wires. One of them goes to the speaker, the other goes further down the harness and has a blue plug on it.

Those are the tweeter wires. The one plugged into the speaker is the tweeter positive.

The other 2 wires plugged into the mid are the wires that run to the trunk, and the factory amp. Brown striped wires are the grounds.

[richardkeith97]

it seems like it would be easier to just scrap the hole setud annd start over and run new wires. i have all new speakers with cross overs and i want to ditch the factory amp.

[dinanm3atl]

OK, so since you have PS, you have the factory amp.

Go into the harness that comes out of the door and find the gray/yellow and gray/green wires. One of them goes to the speaker, the other goes further down the harness and has a blue plug on it.

Those are the tweeter wires. The one plugged into the speaker is the tweeter positive.

The other 2 wires plugged into the mid are the wires that run to the trunk, and the factory amp. Brown striped wires are the grounds.

So if you get the proper wires there in theory you can reuse that factory wiring that runs up to the door correct? For mounting your tweeter?

[StereoInstaller1]

it seems like it would be easier to just scrap the hole setud annd start over and run new wires. i have all new speakers with cross overs and i want to ditch the factory amp.

1. The quality of the stock wire is unbelievable
2. No one is going to do as tidy a job as BMW
3. It is already there
4. If you have a car without the fader (very late model) the amp can be bypassed with very little hassle, and later if you decide to add an amp you already have the speaker wires in the trunk.

[Simon S]

I put my crossovers in the pocket behind driver's-side, rear seat door card (of a coupe). Speaker wires were running by from (aftermarket) amp in trunk - on that side to keep them away from battery cables on passenger side.

Didn't want to put them in dash if I could help it to keep them from proximity to other electrical units.

So if you get the proper wires there in theory you can reuse that factory wiring that runs up to the door correct? For mounting your tweeter?

Totally. The factory wires running from foot-well speaker up to the tweeter pod area are the only factory speaker wires worth using. With everything else - it's just easier to run new speaker wires.

[dinanm3atl]

Yup I have all fresh wire run to the front. I assumed I could steal that wiring down in the foot well. I used my DVOM to confirm the wires were running straight. Confirmed now.

[StereoInstaller1]

Yeah, that whole "I got an inductor in an electrically dense area" thing is of some concern, but generally not an issue.

I would most definitely NOT agree it is "easier" though. Having all the wires you need already ran to the 4 corners, totally safely away from heater controls, seat bolts, what have you...I say if you have them, use them!

Oh yeah, especially a newbie like Richard here. Gonna be lots easier for him, y'know?

[richardkeith97]

yup yup. i'd rather keep the stock wires. its a 90is btw. my stock speakers sound terrible though. they are all blown!!!! every single one!! is that possible or is it more possible the amp is junk?

[dinanm3atl]

I am running mo powah so I have fresh going to everything. Would be nice to reuse the OEM tweeter wire that goes from the kicks to the pod. Thanks!

[StereoInstaller1]

yup yup. i'd rather keep the stock wires. its a 90is btw. my stock speakers sound terrible though. they are all blown!!!! every single one!! is that possible or is it more possible the amp is junk?

If your deck is stock, and all 4 of the speakers make a terrible fuzzy racket but not a real "rattle" I would say it is either your deck or your amp.

Richard, I still need more info: did your car come with a fader in the dash?

[richardkeith97]

no fader in the dash. i've got an aftermarket stereo. its all 8 speakers!!!! all the front speakers and all the rear speakers. anything other then voices make them just crackle. i have the bass turned all the way down and listen to the radio but its more annoying then anything.