PG 4Runner

Post by **VW337** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 8:00 am

get some stand-offs and then mount the RSd grill to those.......give it a bit of space.

Post by **fuzzysnuggleduck** » Thu May 17, 2007 6:47 pm

I think it's going to be time to change the title of the thread soon...

An M100 is the only item left to buy and this will be my system:

Nothing special, but should be pretty cool.

Edit: Updated the diagram

Post by **Bfowler** » Mon May 21, 2007 7:21 am

rock on, that will be sweet.

are you going to bridge the m44 to the rsd's or move the dayton's over to it?

Post by **fuzzysnuggleduck** » Mon May 21, 2007 9:50 am

Why, bridge it for the RSDs of course! They'll just love a bit more power

Post by **bdubs767** » Mon May 21, 2007 10:30 am

emm sexy...shoudl be an awsome set up.

If tom still gets my XLS (havent talked to him in a week or so due to work) steal the IDMAX sitting in your house and use that. It will be perfect with the RSd

Post by **fuzzysnuggleduck** » Sat May 26, 2007 4:46 pm

So I "temporarily" installed my M100 amp and 2 x 12" XS SVC subs today.

I say temporary because I'm still waiting on my EQ-230, AX-204A and TBAt coming soon, at which time I am going to replace the dual 8 gauge run for the M44 and the 4 gauge run for the M100 with a single 1/0 run and use distro blocks to feed 4 gauge into the amps and some smaller gauge into the processors. The install will change quite a bit when those items arrive and I have all the installation items I need. I'm also going to put in that alarm system from Tom that I've had laying around for a while now.

Until I'm ready to install all the processors, this works... and works damn well

The M100 is bang-on what I expected after using the M44 for a while now. It's so clean, yet warm and has no issues getting loud with clarity, when necessary

I love the M100.

The XS subs are no slouches either. I don't have much to compare with but I like what I hear. It's smoother than the single Xmax 10" and obviously there's a ton more output with an additional 400W+ and more than twice the amount of cone area over the Xmax 10" on the M44 channel that I was running before. Plays lower notes, too.

I'm *really* looking forward to installing the TBAt so I can drive ~8VRMS over a balanced connection all the way to the back and more or less solve my small engine noise issue (new power infrastructure including better grounding will help, too). Right now my Alpine is maybe pushing 1V over a long haul of barely good enough Monster RCAs. Eliminating all engine noise will make me so happy.

Because I have two 4 ohm subs, I decided to run them in bridged at 2 ohms on the M100. This gets the M100 a bit warm a normal operating volumes and somewhat hotter when being pushed hard. I'm keeping the gain knobs down because of the lower impedance load.

Pictures!

The M100, proud and strong!

The majority of the blemishes are on the right side, some paint flaked off and there's a tiny bit of rusting.

Happy new M100 owner!

The M100 installed. Where it's installed right now is where I want it so at least that part of this install is permanent. It's more the wiring that isn't.

Other side...

The back side of the box where the M100 was installed by the previous owner, this is where my EQ-230 and AX-204A are going to be installed. Neat little spot if I do say so myself.

A shot from over the box, into the cab.

The tailgate open showing the subs. The grills are cheezy but hey, this is the fucking 90's mobile

Closer up to the subs

Behind the back seats when they are up all the way. There's a really good amount of breathing room for the amps back there and everything is well protected by the sub box.

The box is... big. Just barely fits too. It was made for a Corrado, apparently.

Anyways, I love it all so much so far. I can't wait to see what some high level line input with proper EQing and a quality crossover will do...

I will end up breaking $1500 for everything, all said and done, after I get 1/0 gauge, distro blocks, quality short RCAs.

Totally. Worth. It.

Post by **mr tibbs** » Sat May 26, 2007 4:59 pm

Lookin good man!! I wish I could put my amps in that spot, it would make my install soooooo much easier. BTW, I love the older 4Runners, especially the way the tailgate opens like that. It makes it soo much easier for everything. I wish the FJ had the tailgate!!

Post by **fuzzysnuggleduck** » Sat May 26, 2007 5:13 pm

mr tibbs wrote:Lookin good man!! I wish I could put my amps in that spot, it would make my install soooooo much easier. BTW, I love the older 4Runners, especially the way the tailgate opens like that. It makes it soo much easier for everything. I wish the FJ had the tailgate!!

Thanks for the kind words!

Yeah, that's a very convenient spot. Basically means I don't have to build an amp rack.

I also really like the tailgate but having to lower the glass all the time to open it can be somewhat annoying, especially since my tailgate lock cylinder is broken. The alarm/remote entry system will give me a button to make it go up and down though so that will be awesome.

Here's my power wiring diagram for the final system:

vin78 · Post by **vin78** » Sat May 26, 2007 5:58 pm

Glad you finally found it

Post by **VW337** » Sat May 26, 2007 10:15 pm

You shouldn't need the relay to turn your amps on since the power for the DR is coming from the EQ, there is more than enough current ability there for two amplifiers.

Post by **fuzzysnuggleduck** » Sat May 26, 2007 10:48 pm

VW337 wrote:You shouldn't need the relay to turn your amps on since the power for the DR is coming from the EQ, there is more than enough current ability there for two amplifiers.

I see what you mean now. Thanks!

Post by **fuzzysnuggleduck** » Wed May 30, 2007 8:43 pm

The EQ-230, AX204A and TBAt arrived a few days ago. I got the EQ and Xover physically installed but I'm only ghetto using the EQ right now as a very, very basic line driver since the output voltage of my Alpine deck is actually pretty pathetic (0.2V with test tones at 30 of 35 deck volume). Right now the EQ is being defeated.

The EQ and Xover look really awesome mounted on the back to the box. Going to need RCA L bends to comfortable put in larger RCAs on the EQ as the depression in the box wasn't quite tall enough to get any RCA in the EQ with the EQ mounted as high as you can mount it. Will look much better when I get it wired up properly (Next, and FINAL phase!). The Xover uses RNETs but the ones that came with it are 90Hz LP and 125Hz HP. I love how low the RSDs play and I don't want to castrate them at 125Hz. Even 90Hz HP seems high for them. The 75Hz HP on the amp seems like a good spot. I don't know about LP though...

Anyways... I did two things today:

1. I tuned the system with Tom.
2. I *mostly* solved my engine noise problem.

#1 isn't particularly interesting but it was a good exercise. I won't bore anyone actually reading this.

#2 was my solving my biggest install mistake, one which has plagued me since I first started this install: I was mounting the amps directly into the metal in the back of the seats with metal screws... I was using teflon washers but they didn't prevent all amp chassis contact with vehicle chassis contact. The PG manuals even say this is a no-no, if I recall correctly. Man, that was stupid of me.

To solve this problem I found two pieces of wood and cut each on in half to just under the width of the amp then I mounted all four pieces of wood to the metal in the seats and then mounted the amps into the wood. I was fortunate enough to be able to hide the wood under the covering for the back seats, but the extra width of the wood has made putting the seats back up properly a bit harder. No big deal though. Looks almost the same as before.

Soooo.....

The M100, when driven to 2V input with clean signal is madness. I was chatting with Tom while we were tuning the system and I said something to the effect of "The XS subs are OK but I mean they aren't outrageous or anything". I take that back now. With the M100 tuned properly and getting a good signal, the XS subs are clearly outrageous in my books. Very much so. My old setup with an Xmax 10" on 105W isn't even in the same realm of intensity. Of course, I give the M100 credit but these subs are showing proving me wrong.

The RSDs are just LOVING the extra power, too.

I apologize if my constant posting about how great things are sounding at every step is totally annoying, I could understand how that's possible.

So far, I'm extremely happy with the upgrades. Everything is just coming together so well. With proper power infrastructure, TBAt and Xover, I should be good to go for a while.

Post by **fuzzysnuggleduck** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 6:30 pm

Going to start re-doing the power and audio path wiring this weekend.

I got the following items:

Part of doing the power wiring is putting the TiDD10 to work with ALL my accessories... the HU, the TBAt, the CB, the EQ and the crossover. That will take a while.

I'll report back on the progress I make this weekend.

Post by **mr tibbs** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 7:08 pm

I can't wait to see the final install. Your giving me more ideas, that's the last thing I need!!

BTW, I never realized just how big the battery terminals are, they are HUGE!!!!

thingy · Post by **thingy** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 9:40 pm

Nice install - got almost the same setup to install in my car - was planning to bridge the Rsd's on my M44 too - how is that working on one set of Rca's? any trouble with left/right balance? I know it'll send the signal to the rear if no Rca's are connected there, but is it working ok ? (sorry for all the Q's) Love the pic's
Bernhardt from Denmark

Post by **fuzzysnuggleduck** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:05 pm

Bridging the M44 to the RSD6cs is just great. The RSDs love power from my experience. They just stay very controlled and pronounced. Give them more power and they just play "bigger". I don't know the limit, but I've heard others saying they've thrown as much as 300W or so watts on each side.

Now that I'm redoing all the power and audio wiring correctly, I'm going to install my TBAt and run that instead of RCAs down to the back into the EQ-203. From there it's going into an AX-204A where I send the highs to the M44 and the lows to the M100.

However, I was running the M100 off of the output of the M44 and it worked fine. My deck actually only has one RCA out! Alpine shouldn't even offer a model with only one, damnit! It's not like it's expensive to build in, really.

Anyways... I have run it with a single input RCA for the entire time I've owned it and it works just fine. I have no balance problems.

thingy · Post by **thingy** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:10 pm

thanks for the answer - better get the wife and kids out of the house so i can get the whole thing installed (old car blew the engine and time is limited) my ears are bleeding from the stock speakers (guess vw wasn't paying much attention to that in '91)

Post by **stipud** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 7:17 am

If you are going to bridge the M44, you need to use Y-splitters to split up the L/R signal to both inputs on the front and rear of the amp. If you use the AUX-out on the M44, you will only end up getting one channel. I would personally run it to the M100 first, then AUX-out from there to the M44 (if that is even possible??). Otherwise you might need to Y-split a connection for the M100 as well.

This is of course only a problem if you only have one RCA output. If you have more than one, or if you have a crossover external to the amplifiers, this is no issue.

Post by **Bfowler** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 7:45 am

hehe, that yellow cable has come along way. look familiar mastiff?

thats gonna be a great system

thingy · Post by **thingy** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 8:50 am

My alpine deck has 3 sets of rca outputs : front,rear and sub so ill be going with the y-cables for the M44 and another set for the M100 - that way my timecorr. will work - cant wait to get the Rsd's unpacked and get on with the install

Post by **fuzzysnuggleduck** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 12:39 pm

So here's the first stage of doing the power installation.

It's not perfect but it's working out quite well.

So far, I've done:

1/0 from + battery to distro block
1/0 from - battery to ground
1/0 from ground block to group
4 to both amps
Dual 8 to the TiDD10
Most basic remote wiring for DD1

I found a neat little spot on each side of the vehicle for the distro blocks.

I don't have pictures of the ground block or the TiDD10 install. The DD10 isn't done at all yet, it's just powered up and connected to a single amp while I wait for my other amp to arrive and until I find time to do all the accessory wiring.

Also, I have to note this just because I'm ashamed of my lack of skillz. I caused a little bit of a short right near the + terminal on my M44 so you'll see some of blackening I didn't clean away yet. I didn't do any real damage but I should have been more careful and had the power disconnected when it happened. I basically touched a pair of vice grips near the + terminal and it hit ground at the same time. Bad Ryan. Bad!

Anyways, the pictures:

Battery #1

Battery #2

Power side distro block

Power side distro block closeup

4 gauge to M44 terminal (notice the blackening? I suck!)

4 gauge to M44 again

That's it for now. I'll probably wire up the accessories soonish, which will be at least as tough if not tougher than what I've already done. I'm bringing three runs up front for the H/U, CB and TBAt and then doing two runs to the back for my EQ-230 and the AX204A.

There are still a couple things I would consider changing including the way the battery is mounted... but that would result in having to change quite a bit of the stock wiring as it won't fit to + as is if the battery is sitting the other way.

There's also still that stock - battery terminal just sitting loose in the engine bay I have to do something about...

I'm a fucking SPAM MACHINE with this thread... almost 4 pages long, sorry guys!

twisted · Post by **twisted** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 1:44 pm

man that is looking mighty fine

fordtough1 · Post by **fordtough1** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:15 pm

Nice mang. Cant wait to see it all finished.

Post by **stipud** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 9:11 am

Ryan, you need to post an update soon. You've had that DD and all of your accessories working for quite awhile now

Post by **fuzzysnuggleduck** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 5:22 pm

Once I dig myself out of this hole at work and bring my truck out to Langley where a buddy has a place and tons of tools to do the work, sure.

Until then, it's *mostly* the same

PG 4Runner

More of me ranting about my system... ignore at will!