Need ground location under seats for new amplifiers

[Doug V]

I am installing new amplifiers under the seats and need a good ground location. The gauge wire is 4 and 8. The ground can be located separately. All the bolts and brackets I found are coated and/painted. I thought I could use one of the seat belt bolts, but it looks like I need to remove the coating to achieve a good ground. I am open to any suggestions that require the least modification.

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[NGOT8R]

Are you set on mounting the amps underneath your seats? I had that done once before many years ago before I started doing my own installs and the amp would get extremely hot and clip often.

I recommend getting them out into the open if possible (maybe even in the spare tire well or on the rear seat backs) for good circulation. I mounted mine in the spare tire well and used one single ground wire running from a bolt that secured the factory B&O sub enclosure bracket, to an SMD ground distribution block which I used to ground both amps and a few other things. See pic (yellow circles are used to identify the ground point and distribution block).

 

[Doug V]

Unfortunately I already have the speakers wires and RCAs ran. At least the amps are small dimension wise but but I could find a similar bolt. I can relocate them in the future. I will keep you setup in mind.

 

[Vicr]

Run the ground to the battery.

 

[2020Tang]

Just scrape away the paint from the bracket and bolt. This is what I have always done. Makes for a good ground point. Also I would not run the grounds to the battery. You want to keep the ground length as short as possible. Also what amplifiers are you using that fit under the seats? There is not much room there. I mounted mine in the spare wheel location.

 

[RagmopInKona]

I forth moving the amps. , the seat bottom will just trap the heat causing clipping, and clipping kills Tweeters.
I put Amps under the rear seat in another car, but it was a bench type seat, and I removed all the cushioning of the seat so it was basicly just the metal frame and the cloth cover as no one was ever going to sit back there, and if they did it not be for any long drives that the lack of cushioning would matter.
New vehicles the seat bottom is mostly foam so no real way to remove it and use just the seat frame like in the older cars. You could make a vent system with a fan intake and a higher exhaust to get air movement , but that comes with it's own issues and it be easier to move the amps, even if you have to re run the RCA'S and speaker wires.
In your case I'd move the amps. If you use the spare tire well, just make sure the drain is clear or if there isn't one, make one so If water gets in the trunk it doesn't pool in the well.
I have not pulled my tire inflater kit out of the well to know if the factory put some type of drain in there or not.

 

[KingKona]

I am installing new amplifiers under the seats.....

LOL!!! No you're not.

 

[Doug V]

I am installing new amplifiers under the seats and need a good ground location. The gauge wire is 4 and 8. The ground can be located separately. All the bolts and brackets I found are coated and/painted. I thought I could use one of the seat belt bolts, but it looks like I need to remove the coating to achieve a good ground. I am open to any suggestions that require the least modification.

Just scrape away the paint from the bracket and bolt. This is what I have always done. Makes for a good ground point. Also I would not run the grounds to the battery. You want to keep the ground length as short as possible. Also what amplifiers are you using that fit under the seats? There is not much room there. I mounted mine in the spare wheel location.

Sub amp is 8x5x2 and speaker amp is 9x6x2. Rockford Fosgate. Plenty of power. Compact size. They fit perfectly between the cross brace hump and the crease rise before the seatbelt mount. There is several inches of clearance all the way around. Top also has room with the seat in the lowest position. I have done this in other cars but always found an easy ground

 

[RagmopInKona]

Sub amp is 8x5x2 and speaker amp is 9x6x2. Rockford Fosgate. Plenty of power. Compact size. They fit perfectly between the cross brace hump and the crease rise before the seatbelt mount. There is several inches of clearance all the way around. Top also has room with the seat in the lowest position. I have done this in other cars but always found an easy ground

Good luck. Fosgate makes great stuff, but those are tiny for space limited use(bikes, sidebysides) they are not ideal, I don't think you are going to be happy with them .
I'd have gone with the punch line,

 

[Doug V]

Good luck. Fosgate makes great stuff, but those are tiny for space limited use(bikes, sidebysides) they are not ideal, I don't think you are going to be happy with them .
I'd have gone with the punch line,

500x1@2ohms rms should be plenty. 4 channel is 400x1@4ohms rms and morel component in doors and rear deck. I am looking for good listening level and sound quality. Should be good considering I am starting with the factory 9 speaker. Thanks for the input.

 

[RagmopInKona]

500x1@2ohms rms should be plenty. 4 channel is 400x1@4ohms rms and morel component in doors and rear deck. I am looking for good listening level and sound quality. Should be good considering I am starting with the factory 9 speaker. Thanks for the input.

Whatever you want to use. supplying the power to a test signal is not playing music, in a hot car, for more than 30 seconds.
4channel is 400watts x1 that is bridged 1 channel power. unless you made a typo.
Good luck

 

[boB]

There are two nice grounds above the passenger footwell area.

 

[ORRadtech]

I wouldn't use the seatbelt bolt. That needs to be torqued and I wouldn't be comfortable with a ground lug sandwiched in there.
Just pick a different bolt that suits your size and distance needs, scrape whatever away to clean metal and use that. If, after the install, any exposed bare metal bothers you then just hit it with some primer. It's hidden so esthetics shouldn't be an issue.

 

[joe603]

Like others said, find a decent sized bolt and scrape away the paint. I used a dremel with a wire brush. DO NOT run it back to the battery, that's asking for ground loops and possible shorts.

 

[NGOT8R]

How about cut away the carpet like I did here to install my launch and shift timers, drill the appropriate size hole, install a nutsert and a flange bolt to attach your amp grounds under each seat? This will provide the shortest and cleanest run for your ground.

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