ok, so where the hell do I ground my amp??

[CtrlAltDefeat]

I am in the middle of my amp install and I have ran my power cable, but I cant see any convenient place to to screw the ground wire to the chassis. The 4 bolts that hold on the plastic panels are screwed into rubber and the bolts that hold the seats down are some weird bolt i don't have a tool for. Do i make my own screw hole in a random place and screw it down? how do i avoid damaging something important?

[talnlnky]

Originally Posted by CtrlAltDefeat

I am in the middle of my amp install and I have ran my power cable, but I cant see any convenient place to to screw the ground wire to the chassis. The 4 bolts that hold on the plastic panels are screwed into rubber and the bolts that hold the seats down are some weird bolt i don't have a tool for. Do i make my own screw hole in a random place and screw it down? how do i avoid damaging something important?

well, generally you want the best possible ground which means the lowest possible resistance. However, if you want the easiest possible ground.... try the seat belt bolt. You'll need a big ring connector for those tho.

[_S7V7N_]

Make sure when you do find a convenient location to scrape the paint off, you want bare metal to make good contact, and a good ground. I was surprised at how the battery was grounded to a painted area, Nice engineering.

While you're there working on that wire, i'd reground the battery and scrape that paint off of where the battery grounds to the chassis, It's a quick and easy fix and will deff help with the lights not dimming.

And what you'd probably be looking for to connect to that seat belt bolt is a copper ring terminal, You can either solder it onto the wire or take a hammer to it, them things are pretty tough so if you want to crimp it make sure your wire crimper has long handles. I picked some up at my local Ace Hardware for around a buck.

[JumpmanYaris]

I had my amp ground in the trunk

[talnlnky]

Originally Posted by _S7V7N_

And what you'd probably be looking for to connect to that seat belt bolt is a copper ring terminal, You can either solder it onto the wire or take a hammer to it, them things are pretty tough so if you want to crimp it make sure your wire crimper has long handles. I picked some up at my local Ace Hardware for around a buck.

I always just put it on the cement and gave it 2-3 whacks from a hammer. Course... I was also using 1/0 crimp connectors.

[_S7V7N_]

Same here with beating them on the cement, them things are bullet proof, then just wrap the back part with some electrical tape and presto you're good to go . ( I like to put a lighter to the electrical tape after wrapping just so it'll stick better. )

Note: Make sure to note if you need any ring terminals on the power wire and get them on before you install it that way you aren't done and ready to connect everything and then you're like damn, How the hell am i going to crimp these things.

[Slick]

I just man connectors on wires... with my fingers... :P



After the bleeding stops I break down and get channel locks lol

[CtrlAltDefeat]

Ok... I searched everywhere, a hardware store, 3 car part stores, a stereo install place, and best buy, and I cannot find a 4 gauge loop terminal that will fit the bolt in my seat belt mount... I'm about to solder a few loops of bare copper wire onto the end of the ground cable...

[Palmer812]

Try a welding supply store. I have bought some copper ones there before that were large enough to drill out the hole big enough for a seat bolt.

[_S7V7N_]

I had trouble as well, smaller places like Ace if not a locally owned hardware shop will have them in the welding section. Try finding 0 or 4 gauge spades, that's even more fun.