There are several places in your car to install your car amplifiers. Usually it can be mounted with just 4 screws. The screws you use will depend on what you are screwing, wood, metal, etc. However, you want to mount your car amplifier at least 3 feet away from your receiver to eliminate the possibility of receiving interference to your receiver. Making sure your stereo is mounted securely can help eliminate shorts and other problems with your stereo.
So where do you want to install your car amplifiers?
1) Under the front seat
Mounting an amplifier under the front seat can be safe for your car’s amplifier. Another advantage of installing your amplifier under the front seat is that you can connect much shorter patch cables to your amplifier. It is also nice because it will be out of the way.
An obvious disadvantage of mounting a car amplifier under a seat is that you will have to remove the seat to install the amplifier. Sometimes removing the seat can disable the SRS air bag system in your car. As always when working on a car’s electrical system, you need to make sure to connect the negative terminal of the car battery. Another downside to mounting your car’s amps under the front seat is that only the smallest amps fit under the seat.
2) In the trunk or hatch of your car
A common place to install your car’s amplifiers is the trunk or hatch. The advantage of mounting amplifiers in the trunk is that you have much more space in the trunk for larger amplifiers. It is also closer to its secondary and rear speakers. The trunk can also be a good place to hide your amps so you can keep them safe from unwanted eyes.
The downside to installing your amplifier in the trunk is that you have to run longer RCA cables and usually longer power cables. Having longer power cords generally means you need a thicker cord. Be sure to do your research to make sure you’re using the correct wire size for your amps. Another downside to mounting your amp is that it can get in the way when it’s mounted in the trunk.
One thing to keep in mind is that car amplifiers can produce a lot of heat. This is something to keep in mind when choosing where to mount your amp. The cooling fins of the amplifiers will need some space to disperse the heat. Giving the amps a couple of inches is plenty of room to help keep your amp cool. Never mount your amplifier upside down. This will cause heat to radiate back to the amp and make it very hot. Also be sure to leave enough room for the cables coming out of the amplifier.
If you are mounting car amplifiers to the floor or panel of a vehicle, you will want to make sure you know exactly what is on the other side of the panel that you are screwing or drilling. You don’t want to screw into a brake or gas line, not even your gas tank.
Many times you can install your car amplifiers on the back or top of the subwoofer box. This can be very convenient if you take your car’s amps and subwoofers out of your trunk or hatch to make room for other items on a regular basis. Before starting your installation is to make a plan before starting. Never rush your installation, giving yourself plenty of time to install your car’s amplifiers and subwoofers.