Simplest way to add new sub/amp

[wahoossi]

Okay, I know there are a zillion of these threads, I have read through most of them and I am still lost. Please forgive my noobity. There may not be a simple answer. I have replaced my headunit with a Kenwood DDX 371, kept the JBL Synthesis system intact with the PAC TACO converter. I upgraded all four door speakers. I did all of this myself, even added the rear camera and was feeling a bit technically cocky. I was planning on replacing the amp with a JL Audio JX 250/1 amp and JL Audio 8W1v3-4 4 ohm 150W Subwoofer with help from Crutchfield and indirect recommendation from this forum but realized I was in over my head when I accessed the amp and subwoofer in the rear compartment and saw the stock JBL amp and the two connectors with like 30 wires which is completely different from the JL audio amp. I quickly wanted to abandon ship ! Now my 4Runner is torn apart (rear compartment anyway). I now have another vehicle (new Acura TLX) so I am not stranded but I would like to get it back together. I need the 4Runner to help move my daughter back home from college this weekend. Here are my questions :

1) one thread , using equipment such as I have currently suggested circumventing the JBL amp, splicing the wires before the amp and after the amp and then either :
a) using the headunit amp to power just the front and rear door speakers, ignoring the crappy center speaker and the tweeters in the rear compartment and
b) directly wiring the subwoofer wiring into a new amp and to a new subwoofer such as the JL set up I have.

One poster suggested some type of tool to determine which went to which speaker or to use I believe it was a mechanic's manual to determine which speaker wire was which. Does anyone out there have any idea which of the colored wires, other than the black and red ones, going into the stock amp correspond to which wires leaving the amp ?
2)Another option would be to purchase another amp, again identify the wires somehow, separate them out, use one amp for the speakes, one amp for the subwoofer
3) A third Option would be to continue to use the stock amp, but just separate out the subwoofer wires before and after the stock amp, splice them together and then attach them to to a connector that would fit into the imput side of the JL audio amp
4)Totally rewire everything from the new headunit, to the new amp, and again just run the four speakers in the doors and the JL subwoofer off the JL amp.



Any help with this would be appreciated. I know I am in over my head with this. I may have to bail and take it to some place like Best Buy's stereo installation unit and get totally reamed but like I said I can get around not driving this car for a bit. I can even put it back together for this weekend and drive it to Atlanta to pick up my daughter and then take it apart again if I have to wait on parts. Any help would be appreciated from the mavens out there.

 

[li_runner]

It seems to me you are just getting confused with the Toyota wiring, understandable. Why not just run on the head units amp, and run wiring separate to everything. All you need is speaker wire for the doors and a single rca cable to the JL amp you have (well that and turn on lead and power). When I put in equipment I always leave the stock wiring in place and run all separate cables.

Honestly a total rewire should only take you 2-4hrs. It's really just how fast you can take the truck part which is really not hard once you get going. Plus you will learn how to fix more things knowing how the truck is put together.

 

[chillaxing]

ok so what im getting from this is that everything works except the sub, right?

1. you can get another 4 channel amp, run new wires from the door speakers to the amp, run a rca from headunit to the speaker amp, run new speaker wire from sub to sub amp, run rca from HU to sub amp. This would mean that you have a component set ( tweeters and mids) with a passive crossover for your fronts, and running coaxial for your rear doors. with this method you will loose the center and rear tweeters.

2. disconnect sub from the stock jbl amp, run speaker wire from new sub to jl amp, run rca and remote wire from HU to jl amp. This way you still keep all speakers intact running off the stock jbl amp and your now just using the jl amp to run the sub. This would be the quickest and easiest fix.

with any of these methods, your HU will need to have RCA preout for a sub. Which most likely, it does.

Edit: after reading the OP, your best bet is 2. Just figure where your gonna mount the jl amp. I suggest under the seat.

 

[preacher35]

OK, so essentially, you are replacing everything EXCEPT the door speakers, right? This is not a simple job. Period. Based on what you said you are installing, you are better served by either -

A: take it to a qualified car stereo installation shop and let them do it RIGHT

or

B: you taking a few days to do the installation CORRECTLY yourself. And that means, completely forsaking the JBL crap and running RCA lines from the H/U back to your amps; running NEW, heavier gauge speaker wires from your amps to your doors; solder your connections and insulate with shrink wrap (NOT ELECTRICAL TAPE!); running heavy gauge wire DIRECTLY to your battery via a big inline fuse to power your amps; and last but not least, PROPERLY (read generously) GROUNDING YOUR AMPS!

Do it right the first time and you will never have an issue with your stereo.

 

[bpowa]

Do yourself a favor. Skip the pacto harness and ditch the oem system all together. If you want to stick with the oem route i can sell you my axcess harness.

I started with that. Spent money on decent speakers and 8" sub mb quarts.

Ststem still sounds like crap. Not so much better than it was origional. Reason why is the amp is underpowered. Also static interference with the harness converter if you turn the gain up. I got a 5 channel amp just waiting for time to install.