Citroen Xantia (1993 - 2000) - 96 1.8i How do i install a sub woofer in the boot?

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Fri 8 Aug 2008 21:37
96 1.8i How do i install a sub woofer in the boot? - ---daf---
Hi ppl,

got the car back from the garage at last!!! brand new injection unit as the old one proudly drew in air backfired and exploded!!

decided i'd treat her (the car obviously) to some new sounds and bought an active sub with the "i can do it no worries how hard can it be" attitude often used....... i've connected the earth. yes. the earth. that is all. How the hell do i do the rest???? i understand wiring no problem wired allsorts but how the hell do i get to the engine compartment with the live?!? where do i even start removing carpet to run wires?!? and what the hell am i doing at the beach scratching me head under the bonnet looking for ANY way of poking wires through when i know thats not how its done!!!!

help. a link. advice. anything. help.

and ty for your time.

Edited by Pugugly on 08/08/2008 at 22:23

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Fri 8 Aug 2008 23:43
96 1.8i How do i install a sub woofer in the boot? - gordonbennet
Haven't done this to a Xantia, but can do my 124 MB in about 2 hours.

Remove as much carpet as poss from the passenger side, it may make life easier to remove the front passenger seat, hopefully you will be able to work around the rear seat/backrest.

Your most important tool will be the mark1 straightened out wire coat hanger, bend one end into a rather vicious short fish hook, this will be ideal to poke through the bulkhead, and from behind/under the rear seats to pull the wiring through, and to get the wires from the radio head unit down to the transmission tunnel.

Connect the lead from the head unit, and the power lead from the battery (without connecting it!!!) and slide them together under the carpets and seats until they are in the vicinity of the sub, most annoying if you do a nice job of routing the power lead, then discover you've forgotten the head unit connector leads, don't forget the small blue control lead too.

I connected an extra inline fuse as close as possible to the battery live terminal, as the power lead is probably thick enough to start the engine, don't want any danger of shorting with that one.

By the time you've got all the carpets out of the front, and possibly the glove box, i'll bet you spot a convenient grommet to feed your wires through.

Good luck, if i can do it anyone can.....hope you are going to re-educate the great unwashed by treating them to some Alice Cooper..;)
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Sat 9 Aug 2008 10:59
96 1.8i How do i install a sub woofer in the boot? - Peter D
Not that easy. You have to establish if the sub unit turns itself on and off from a signal line from the head unit or do you need to provide a switched pawer feed. Either way you not connect a power feed directly to the battery as it will not be fused and if you ever wonder how a car catched fire at the rear, this is it, wire under carpets, chaffed through and instant electric fire uner your carpets. Regards Peter
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Sat 9 Aug 2008 11:20
96 1.8i How do i install a sub woofer in the boot? - oilrag
Connecting it to the battery with an in line fuse as near to the battery as possible (as GB suggests) is surely as safe as anything can be. No risk of overloading other circuits and in particular with later cars running CAN-BUS.

The advantage is that you can strip it out more easily too when swapping cars, without risking damage to other circuits.
Regards
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Sat 9 Aug 2008 11:45
96 1.8i How do i install a sub woofer in the boot? - Peter D
Thanks Oilrag I completely missed the GB comment regards the in-line fuse. Regards Peter
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Sat 9 Aug 2008 15:45
96 1.8i How do i install a sub woofer in the boot? - mjm
I have to say that I am wondering why a sub woofer is needed. The Clarion set up in my Xantia is superb for both music and speech, cd, radio and tape.

Each to his own.
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Sat 9 Aug 2008 18:01
96 1.8i How do i install a sub woofer in the boot? - ---daf---
Hey mjm

I installed 2, 6 inch FLI speakers in the doors already they are fantastic but mostly High and mid plus theres the original tweeters still in the front so i am lacking Bass. I was told that active subs are easier to install and the FLI Sub i got is consistent with the head unit and same line door speakers. it has also encouraged me to finally clear my boot out so it has definate plus points all round :)

Cheers Daf
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Sat 9 Aug 2008 18:04
96 1.8i How do i install a sub woofer in the boot? - ---daf---
Oh yeh the head units pretty spesh it does MP3 cd, usb for mp3 player, and SD/micro SD :)
Got to have a sub with all that funky gizmo shizzle ay :)
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