I took yesterday off from work and installed my factory Bazooka VSE sub and the amber factory interior lighting kit. As always, I bought my stuff from McGeorge Parts (http://www.mcgeorgeparts.com). Go buy stuff from them so they can keep offering the best prices on Scion and TRD accessories! I even got FREE TRD valve caps! How's that for service!

Anyway, I installed both at the same time, as recommended by the installation instructions. I won't give every step, but I'll try to point out a few things I found tricky. Per the instructions, remove the negative battery cable. Basically, you start by ripping your interior apart. As many have said, it's pretty easy to take out the shifter surround, stereo surround and other interior panels. Make sure you have a clean surface to put everything on (like a blanket or something,) since you'll end up with quite a pile of parts that you don't want to damage:

http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/parts1.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/parts1.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/parts2.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/parts2.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/parts3.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/parts3.jpg)

Taking everything out is easy, with one exception: the passenger side plastic cargo hook at the upper rear of the trunk. It has a small hole that you need to shove something in to release the clip. I did not have a small enough screwdriver (and I have a lot of screwdrivers) so I ended up using a small allen key. With a little fiddling, I got it to release. If you don't release the clips, you will probably damage the hook or panel removing it, so take your time and find something suitable to "pick the lock" as it were. Once everything is out, your car will look like this:

http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior01.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior01.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior02.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior02.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior03.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior03.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior04.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior04.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior05.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior05.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior06.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior06.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior07.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior07.jpg)

(You don't have to remove the cupholder unless you're doing the lights.)

I also found the place for the cabin filter, so I took some pics. Does anybody know if the Corolla or Matrix filter fits?

http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior08.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior08.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior09.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior09.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior10.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/interior10.jpg)

So, back to the project at hand. Once you have your interior apart, it's time to straighten out your subwoofer wiring harness and route it through the car along the passenger side. Not difficult, just follow the directions. Make sure your subwoofer connector reaches to almost the back of the car. You have plenty of harness length and you don't want to get it all in only to find out you can't plug in the sub.

One modification I made was to add a switch to the remote wire for the sub. Normally, it's on whenever the ignition is turned to "ON" or "ACC". With the switch, I can turn it off even if the stereo is on. I figured this would be much easier than having to turn the bass on the head unit all the way down when listening to Howard Stern or whatever. It's easy to do: Find the blue/white wire going to the subwoofer and cut it near the stereo connector. Strip the ends, add enough wire to each to get to the switch panel on the left of the steering wheel, then install a SPST switch (single pole, single throw = least fancy kind of switch.) My subwoofer switch is on the right. Down is on, but you can do it however you want:

http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/switches.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/switches.jpg)

Now you'll want to prepare the sub to go in. You need to remove the speaker grille and remove the driver. A blue nylon cord was on mine, pull the cord hard and the grille will come off. The cord isn't attached to anything, so remember to reinstall it later if you want to get the grille off easily (the gain control is behind the grille.) The quality looks pretty good. It almost looks like a custom sub, kind of hand-made. I don't think these are rolling off a huge assembly line. It seems very solid and fits the car perfectly. Even the driver is a decent dual voice coil unit with a good deal of heft. Here are some pics of the sub and driver:

http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub01.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub01.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub02.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub02.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub03.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub03.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub04.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub04.jpg)
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub05.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub05.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub06.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub06.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub07.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub07.jpg)http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/driver1.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/driver1.jpg)
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/driver2.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/driver2.jpg)

Once the harness is run, you'll mount the hardware for the sub. Once the upper hardware is mounted, you'll get to a step that I found confusing, about using a 5/8" punch to put a hole in a panel. Well, the panel they mean is the interior carpeted panel that will go over the bolt that the sub attaches to. You put the panel in place, mark the spot and make a hole. I used my step drill bit and it worked fine. A regular drill would be ok too.

Now you start reassembling everything. Once I finished getting the trunk area back together, I started on the lights. Once again, the instructions are straightforward. Use the templates to drill your holes. A step drill bit makes drilling the switch panel plates simple. For the cupholder holes, it calls for a "J" size bit. Well, I found out this is a little bigger than a quarter inch. I drilled a 1/8" pilot, then 1/4", then used a round file to deburr and enlarge the hole. Worked fine. You will need a rivet gun to install the under-dash lights. You can buy them cheap or borrow one from somebody. The lights go in pretty quick once you get going.

http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/lights1.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/lights1.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/lights2.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/lights2.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/lights3.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/lights3.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/lights4.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/lights4.jpg)

Next, I installed the sub. You might need to move it around a little to get the two bolts to line up. DON'T FORGET to put the big flat washer on the upper bolt before you put the sub in. Then the other washer goes inside the sub. Make 'em nice and tight so it doesn't move around. A stubby wrench or small ratchet will make the upper nut inside the sub easier to tighten. Then hook up and reinstall the driver. I left the cover off so I can adjust the gain until I get it "right". Here are some pics:

http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub08.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub08.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub09.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub09.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub10.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/sub10.jpg)

Next, you hook the harness to your head unit, reinstall the head unit, then replace the stereo surround/climate control panel, THEN the shifter surround. Remember to reconnect the cigarette lighter. That should be everything, clean up your tools or whetever, then reconnect your battery cable. You'll need to reset the windows and sunroof (in the instructions) and your clock and stereo settings. Here's a back pic of the single-disc head unit. The far right square connector is where the subwoofer harness connects. The one next to it is for power and stuff.

http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/stereoback.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/stereoback.jpg)

It took me about 4 hours working steadily, but not quickly, to install all this. I took my time since I didn't want to damage anything and I wanted to do it right. The sub sounds great, although I'm still playing around with settings to get it all right. It has more than enough volume for the car, in fact, I might even block off the port to add some tightness and lower the volume. If you turn the gain all the way up, you get deafening volume from the sub with the volume at 20 on the head unit. I think my gain is set just above the middle, which really cranks at higher volumes, but doesn't overpower the music at lower ones.

The lights are cool, too, but hard to take pictures of. They match the instrument and dash lighting prefectly, and are bright enough that if you dropped something on the floor you could find it, but not so bright as to be distracting. Although the tubes are visible in my pictures, they are not visible if you're seated and not leaning over or anything.

http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/night1.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/night1.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/night4.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/night4.jpg) http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/night3.th.jpg (http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/sub_and_lighting_tc/night3.jpg)

I hope you found this useful and enjoyed it. Let me know if you have any questions or comments.

You are the MAN!

Awesome! Thanks for the pictures. Made my decision about the sub - Covers up my favorite storage thing and is hard to take out if necessary. Bazooka tube stays.

added to the tech section.

another great post!

Once the sub is in, does it not get in the way of opening the spare tire well? Does it block the 4th strap down point on the right rear?

I wish it didn't jut so far out, its going to be cramped with snowboard and me sleeping back there this winter.

Once the sub is in, does it not get in the way of opening the spare tire well? Does it block the 4th strap down point on the right rear?

I wish it didn't jut so far out, its going to be cramped with snowboard and me sleeping back there this winter.
The 4th tie down is removed when you install the sub. I haven't tried to remove the spare tire cover, but the sub doesn't really rest on the cover, there's a gap at the bottom. It looks like you could slide the cargo mat and cover out from under the sub.

I didn't get a lot of feedback on this one, so I wanted to bring it back to the top. Did you like this write-up? Did anybody have any questions? Thanks.

I didn't get a lot of feedback on this one, so I wanted to bring it back to the top. Did you like this write-up? Did anybody have any questions? Thanks.

Pics are very nice but you forgot the part where you dynamat the trunk.

I didn't get a lot of feedback on this one, so I wanted to bring it back to the top. Did you like this write-up? Did anybody have any questions? Thanks.

Pics are very nice but you forgot the part where you dynamat the trunk.
The bottom of the trunk area probably wouldn't benefit much from Dynamat sinc eit has a good deal of undercoating on the other side. Actually, all the panels that I uncovered seemed to be fairly "dead", and a dull thud is all that was heard when giving them a rap.

The sheet metal on the hatch would probably benefit from Dynamat, but I didn't have to take any of those panels out. Actually, nothing from the back makes a vibration that can be heard over the music when you crank it up. Some notes produce some vibrations in the dash or doors, but for the most part, the car is vibration-free.

In my old car there was a certain not that made an unbearable(to me) rattle in the door...

I can't thank you enough for your awesome posts, JasonH. They're so helpful, and I know I wouldn't of even thought about attempting my mudguards if it weren't for your How-To post on them. Great work and thanks again!

I also found the place for the cabin filter, so I took some pics. Does anybody know if the Corolla or Matrix filter fits?

Not sure if this is the answer you're looking for, but just go and buy like a 3M furnace filter and cut your own. I bought a filter to use with my Celica (had the same filter tray) and I'm using the same filter for my tC. If you buy a decent sized filter you can get quite a few out of it.

My sister has a TC and she wants me to do some stuff to it. She didnt get the sub option but she has a 10" sub she took out of her old car. She wants me to put it in her TC where the factory bazooka sub would go. I havnt even looked at her car much yet and i was just curious if maybe the sub is already in the trunk and is the car wired for it already or did u run all the wires also?

Just curious.

I didn't get a lot of feedback on this one, so I wanted to bring it back to the top. Did you like this write-up? Did anybody have any questions? Thanks.
Im not seeing any pictures. No "X's", just blank spots.

My sister has a TC and she wants me to do some stuff to it. She didnt get the sub option but she has a 10" sub she took out of her old car. She wants me to put it in her TC where the factory bazooka sub would go. I havnt even looked at her car much yet and i was just curious if maybe the sub is already in the trunk and is the car wired for it already or did u run all the wires also?

Just curious.

I had the question, and then found there isn't any prewiring there. Since I'd figure I buy the factory sub and add it later... but I think you get the wiring harness with the sub and you run it yourself.

From what JasonH shows, it a bit work to me so I am going after market using a RCA line converter.

I only need to think of a good place to mount my amp. I want it out of the way and not attached to the sub box since I want to be able to remove the sub when I need cargo room. (maybe take out the spare and install it there?)

Thanks so much, all those pics are great. :D

I think I'm gonna go for the amber lighting too eventually. It looks like it compliments the dash and looks more soothing than the "rave" blue.

I can't wait to get my tC so I can open it up, take it apart. I want to know it "intimately." :wink:

My car should be arriving soon and with all the tax and license and doc and all that, I'm going to be tighter on money than I thought. The installation doesn't look like a complete cakewalk, but I'm sure I can handle it. Are there any tools that you need for the install (other than things like screw drivers, allen wrenches, etc) that aren't included? I'm thinking about things specifically for taking off trim panels and things. What I really don't want to do is snap any clips off or screw up the interior pieces - advice?

My car should be arriving soon and with all the tax and license and doc and all that, I'm going to be tighter on money than I thought. The installation doesn't look like a complete cakewalk, but I'm sure I can handle it. Are there any tools that you need for the install (other than things like screw drivers, allen wrenches, etc) that aren't included? I'm thinking about things specifically for taking off trim panels and things. What I really don't want to do is snap any clips off or screw up the interior pieces - advice?
About the only strange thing that was required was the rivet gun. I have one so it was no big deal. The instructions tell you to use a "nylon panel removal tool" which looks like a nylon pry bar or screwdriver. I used a regular screwdriver in the places where I couldn't get something apart with my fingers. Having the step drill bit made drilling the panel holes easy, but a regular drill bit would work too, you just need to clean up the holes afterwards (the step drill bit deburrs as it drills.)

Most of the time was spent removing panels and reinstalling them. I took my time and tried not to force antything. It was a good strategy, since everything comes off easily if you do it the right way. Nothing requires excessive force.

About the only strange thing that was required was the rivet gun. I have one so it was no big deal. The instructions tell you to use a "nylon panel removal tool" which looks like a nylon pry bar or screwdriver. I used a regular screwdriver in the places where I couldn't get something apart with my fingers. Having the step drill bit made drilling the panel holes easy, but a regular drill bit would work too, you just need to clean up the holes afterwards (the step drill bit deburrs as it drills.)

Most of the time was spent removing panels and reinstalling them. I took my time and tried not to force antything. It was a good strategy, since everything comes off easily if you do it the right way. Nothing requires excessive force.

I think I should get a nylon panel removal tool - can you get something like that at home depot? I don't have a rivet gun - what in the installation do you use it for? How many things are you drilling holes in? I've got the cordless drill setup and all that. I should probably get a step bit - is that the one that enlarges the hole as it goes?

I think I should get a nylon panel removal tool - can you get something like that at home depot?
I don't know, but I don't think so. maybe at an auto parts store, or even from your dealer, I suppose.

I don't have a rivet gun - what in the installation do you use it for?
You attach the lights under the dash with the rivet gun.

How many things are you drilling holes in?
For the lights - one hole for the switch plate, two for the cupholder lights, four for the mounting of the light tubes.
For the subwoofer - none, really, but you need to make a hole in the carpeting to put the bolt through. Also, if you want to wire a switch like mine, you need to drill a hole in the switch plate.

I've got the cordless drill setup and all that. I should probably get a step bit - is that the one that enlarges the hole as it goes?
Yes, that's a step bit. Mine goes from 3/16" to 7/8".
http://images.lowes.com/product/038548/038548101040.jpg?wid=158&cvt=jpeg

For the subwoofer - none, really, but you need to make a hole in the carpeting to put the bolt through. Also, if you want to wire a switch like mine, you need to drill a hole in the switch plate.



Ah... a switch to turn the sub on and off. I think that's a good plan. I doubt I'm going to do the lights, so I guess that simplifies things. Maybe I'll ask my dealer about the vinyl tool, or shop around or something. As for switches, is Radio Shack the place? It would be nice if I could find a really cool or nice looking switch - maybe even with a little LED on it or something?

Ah... a switch to turn the sub on and off. I think that's a good plan. I doubt I'm going to do the lights, so I guess that simplifies things. Maybe I'll ask my dealer about the vinyl tool, or shop around or something. As for switches, is Radio Shack the place? It would be nice if I could find a really cool or nice looking switch - maybe even with a little LED on it or something?
I got mine at Radio Shack, but I didn't want anything fancy. They didn't have a great selection, but I didn't care. If I wanted something special I would have looked online.

Can you please just do a write up tutorial of just the Interior Light Install please?? I'd very much appreciate it.

In reading this it does not appear to me that you have to make a separate power connection from the sub into the engine compartment. I am correct that that power for the sub is coming through the harness to the head unit?

In reading this it does not appear to me that you have to make a separate power connection from the sub into the engine compartment. I am correct that that power for the sub is coming through the harness to the head unit?

You are correct. The stock speaker harness unpluggs from the deck and plugs into the sub harness, which then plugs into the deck. It's a daisy-chain type arrangement and all the power flows through that.

Thank you very much for the reply. That makes it handy for me to do then :)

I didn't get a lot of feedback on this one, so I wanted to bring it back to the top. Did you like this write-up? Did anybody have any questions? Thanks. good write up. 1 question on the sub. I did notice any from the pictures but are there any kind of amp adjustment on the sub. I know it has the gain adjustment on the front. Like adjusting the crossover or anything?

Nope - the only adjustment for the sub/amp (on the unit itself) is the gain knob. It could really use a crossover, but you can make do with the gain and the adjustments on the head unit.

that was a great how too but i was wondering what the best place to hook the remote wire to would be if you didnt want to use the switch

If you didn't want to use the switch, you don't do anything. The remote wire is part of the sub harness. The stock head unit harness daisy-chains into the sub harness, which plugs into the deck. If you're not adding a switch, you don't have to do anything.

thanks for the answer to that question i appreciate it

how deep is the box, im looking at putting in a soundstream 500 watt sub, but its magnet is 6 1/8in. deep

how does the sub sound?? Does it just make up for the lost base or can you feel the sub when its turned up?

If anything, the sub is almost too powerful. It definitely overpowers the mid section of the stock stereo - bumps pretty good. Only for hiphop could you use possibly deal with more. Sounds good for electronic and is usually more than enough for more rock-type stuff.

As for the depth, I doubt you could fit something that deep in it - it would be stupid to buy it for that since you're paying for the amp in there too.

Great install tips. In your pictures of the back of the head unit, you mentioned the connector on the right side is the one for the sub. Is it the right side as you are looking at the picture (next to the antenna)? or is it the right side as if you are sitting in the car ? . I am trying to locate a wire kit for an aftermarket sub and amp.
Any help would be great.

Thanks,

Once the sub is in, does it not get in the way of opening the spare tire well?

No, it doesn't. This I know for a fact.

Well... in a way it does, especially if you have the cargo mat. The board on the bottom in the back is hinged in two places. It partially covers one of them. To get it out, there is a little fold-and-slide action going on, but it's definitely doable. The sub isn't actually resting on the floor - it's like 3/4 of an inch up, so you can slide things in and out. Once you know how the clips work, you're fine,.

Well... in a way it does, especially if you have the cargo mat. The board on the bottom in the back is hinged in two places. It partially covers one of them. To get it out, there is a little fold-and-slide action going on, but it's definitely doable. The sub isn't actually resting on the floor - it's like 3/4 of an inch up, so you can slide things in and out. Once you know how the clips work, you're fine,.

yeah, but that beats doing what is on that paper they give you at the dealer about taking the box out to access the spare tire. when i saw that i was in disbelief.

Yeah... if you've installed the sub, you know how ridiculous that would be. In order to take the box out you have to pop the cover off (which is hard in and of itself), unscrew and disconnect the actual woofer, undo two bolts that are REALLY hard to tighten unless you're a contortionist, pull the box out, and disconnect the cable harness. I'm really glad you can just move the mat out. If you had to do all that, I don't think I'd like the sub nearly as much, even though I've only had one flat in my life.

does the harness come with the sub...

does the harness come with the sub...
Yes, of course. Everything you need to install the sub comes with the sub, except for the tC with a stereo.

Is that where the lights are suppsed to go? Hanging down and visible? I'm having the factory install mine, but I was under the impression that they were behind the console, not hanging down from them. I hope not, I just want to see the lights FROM the LEDs... not the LED's themselves...

Is that where the lights are suppsed to go? Hanging down and visible? I'm having the factory install mine, but I was under the impression that they were behind the console, not hanging down from them. I hope not, I just want to see the lights FROM the LEDs... not the LED's themselves...
The acrylic rods hang below the dash. You don't notice them so much when you're in the car, but if you're looking for them, you can see them. Yes, yours will be installed the same way.

good write up but could anyone please tell me where you could run the power wire for an amp through the fire wall, i cant figure it out!

would you mind posting a scan of the sub instructions?

nevermind http://zoltiz.com/cars/tc/files/

so what would be the easiest way to take the woofer cover off. i cant seem to figure it out.

so what would be the easiest way to take the woofer cover off. i cant seem to figure it out.
off the bazooka? should have a little loop coming out of it by the front end of the grille. just yank that sucker hard to get the front edge to come off.

I would like to say thanks for the info on this one. I knew that there's a better deal there for scion TCs besides buying at the dealer . . thanks again . . :bow:

I'm getting after market sub and have a question about the Line Out Converter. What does that connect to? And will i need a seperate wiring harness for the hu?

Anybody else have opinions on how this thing sounds?
I want one, but not if it sounds like crap. I listen mostly to rock.
Thanks.

Anybody else have opinions on how this thing sounds?
I want one, but not if it sounds like crap. I listen mostly to rock.
Thanks.

To quickly answer your question, it sounds pretty good. By saying it could benefit from a crossover means that it does let a little too much mid-bass through (and is therefore directional - see my discussion below) but pros are:

it is compact, covered by warranty (dealer installed), fills the cabin with sound well and allows easy access to the spare tire.

cons are: expensive to have dealer install (or you have to take apart half of your car to install it yourself, but that is true of any sub install you are probably going to do anyway), 'only 100 watts', ported enclosure (don't expect 20hz from this unit).

OK aside from:

If anything, the sub is almost too powerful...Sounds good for electronic and is usually more than enough for more rock-type stuff.


which I agree with, here is how you can fine tune the sub using the stock deck. I have one car with the sub and one car without so I know the limits of the stock system. I listen to everything, but mostly electronic with sometimes really heavy bass.

The stock system with the following settings:

SRT off, Feel, xA

can handle bass pretty decently with the Bass setting on +3. Higher than that, when a big note hits you get some distortion from the stock speakers. SO I recommend putting the Bass to maximum of +2 and let the sub do the work.

Having said that, the car with the sub is set with the same radio settings but I have the Bass on 0 because if you put the gain knob to the 'factory recommended setting' then to get a nice balance the Bass on the radio has to be around -2. However, set this way the bass sounds like it is only coming from the back and the soundstage is therefore shifted behind the front seats. If you don't care about such things then stop reading here.

I like to have the soundstage right in line with the front seats or a little forward so you aren't listening to music behind your head. To accomplish this the Bass has to be set to 0 and the sub has to be turned down to approx 12'oclock position on the gain knob. (factory setting is around 3'oclock). This helps keep the soundstage from shifting rear so much and the bass is well balanced with the rest of the music. And if you want to bump it, then you can go up to +3 to really rattle some paneling.

If you want the soundstage to be fully in front of you then you would have to set the Bass to +2 and lower the sub to compensate, but I haven't bothered going that far.

Also one last note: the sub is wired in parallel with the front speakers so if you fade to the rear any then the sub will get softer. Then you have to adjust things again to get it right.

So can you use The sound output that you would use for the factory sub/amp for an aftermarket amp as a Pre Outs?

Awesome documentation JasonH.... have you tried setting your Deck to "xB Feel"? You probably already know this, but you can change the vehicle type on the Pioneer head unit.
I am installing the bazooka sub, and Sirius satellite tonight, thanks for the info.

I got it all done, but got stumped @ the wiring part. I have a single CD player ('05) but have no idea what connects into where? All the wiring is mounted and good to go, but I'm a dummy w/electronics. This was not included in the install manual.

PLEASE HELP!

Which are you wiring? The Satellite Or the subwoofer?

The subwoofer should come with a "T-harness" as described in the order I recieved.

You unplug the white clip from the back of your deck that matches your harness (female to male ends)..
Plug the T-harness into the white clip that came out of your deck, and then attach the other end of the T-harness into the existing hole where the white clip came out of.
Once this is done, make sure to connect your blue "remote on" wire into the corresponding blue wire from the harness...
I hope you get all this! Not sure how much you know/dont know about wires and harnesses....
Good luck.

It was the "remote on" thingy that wasn't connected. It's funny how a little info goes along way. For a 10", this thing bumps! Thanks alot guys!

anyone know how to plug this sub into a different h/u that has a sub out feature?

i need help real bad! where does the sub wire lead to? please help. i am trying to un install it..

Hey, on the wiring harness for the sub. There is like a blue wire that says "power option 1" and a red one that says "power option 2". Anybody know what each one does?

cool info bro

I just did the install over the weekend. Took a little time but it was worth it.

One question though (was asked before)...the 2 blue "Remote Option" suppose to connect...what does the RED one do?

Thanks

Thats the same question i was trying to figure out, never did. I have a different sub now though so i can't help you here. I would still be interested to know what it is for though.

Here's what Derek from Bazooka replied...

-----------------------
That harness works for a couple of different cars.

Some cars, like the Scions, have a remote turn on lead coming out of the head unit.

Some cars, like the Corrolla, RAV4, and Highlander, don't.

If it's available, we use the head unit's signal to turn on the amplifier in the Subwoofer, by tapping into option 1, the blue wire. When it's not, we use option 2, the red wire, to turn the subwoofer on when the car's ignition is turned on.

Using a remote turn on scheme stops the subwoofer from being on all the time, which would drain the battery through parasitic draw. Also, turning it on and off with the Head Unit usually eliminates turn on and off pops, but it's not 100%.

The wire colors are CEA standard, meaning that the red wire is ignition controlled 12 volts, and the blue wire is power amplifier. Blue with white is usually antenna remote, which is only active when the tuner is on--not when a CD or tape is on--so the red wire is still a viable option in those vehicles.

Question regarding wiring the switch..

What gauge/type of wire do you use to lengthen the blue/white power wire?
What type of connector do you use at both ends?

Help appreciated- I just tried with something which is obviously the wrong gauge/kind of wire, and was scared i'd killed it, until I managed to mangle the wire i cut back to itself with electrical tape.

Question regarding wiring the switch..

What gauge/type of wire do you use to lengthen the blue/white power wire?
What type of connector do you use at both ends?

Help appreciated- I just tried with something which is obviously the wrong gauge/kind of wire, and was scared i'd killed it, until I managed to mangle the wire i cut back to itself with electrical tape.
The gauge of wire doesn't matter, it's not carrying much power anyway. Sounds like you might have had the switch wired wrong? You can use whatever kind of connectors you want. Crimp "butt" connectors are the most common for connecting wires to each other, then on the other end use whatever kind of connectors the switch uses. You should be able to find all this at an auto parts store. If you still have trouble, maybe find a friend that has more experience withe auto electrical stuff or installing stereos. Let me know if you have any more questions.

^^ thanks for the response. I did some guessing and discovered that the wire is 18 gauge stranded, so I got some of the same kind of wire to lengthen it as well as some crimp plug connectors- now its working like a charm.

question about the lighting... how did you wire them? did you just tap into the 12v or did you wire it from a separate fuse?

One day, maybe, definitely needs some speaker upgrades. (bump-I.O.W)

question about the lighting... how did you wire them? did you just tap into the 12v or did you wire it from a separate fuse?

Here are the installation instructions for the lights. (http://www.trdsparks.com/install/00016-21010inst.pdf) If I recall correctly, it taps into the cigarette lighter line. You can see that step on page 8. Since they're all LEDs they don't draw a lot of current so a separate fuse is probably overkill.

question about the lighting... how did you wire them? did you just tap into the 12v or did you wire it from a separate fuse?

Here are the installation instructions for the lights. (http://www.trdsparks.com/install/00016-21010inst.pdf) If I recall correctly, it taps into the cigarette lighter line. You can see that step on page 8. Since they're all LEDs they don't draw a lot of current so a separate fuse is probably overkill.

yeah i figured as much. they aren't LEDs, they are neon tubes and the wire for those have a box in it but i dont know what it does. i use the cigarette lighter for my radar detector and cell charger and i dont want to overload the fuse for that.

^Sorry, I thought you were referring to the factory light kit which is all LEDs. You could always wire the neons to the light inside the storage area in front of the shifter. That way they'd be on whenever your dash lights are on.

i am looking to install the factory sub with an aftermarket radio which has a preamp RCA output. will i need an adapter or wiring harness to connect the sub to the RCA preamp? if so it would be helpful if sum1 could let me know what type. thanks...

Sweet INFO!

good job, i'm not going to do this but good job :-)

this was such a helpful post but im still wondering where to put my amp if i were to install my sub as you did yours

dont get a bazooka... please... it cannot be very cost efficient. and only a couple inches up from the factory sub anyways? once again please don't do this...

if you get a sub save up and do it right

Alpine R 12" best bang for the buck and the second best 12" made today IMO
-retail: $230 each alone -ebay: plenty of factory sealed sellers for $120 shipped

Alpine/Pioneer Amp rated at 500 watts, great units (forget the model names) superior quality, easily bought between $80-$180

sealed (no ported please) box $30-$100 max, for a 10" sub, jigsaw it to fit a 12" or just get a 12" which can still be done easily between $60-$120

total = roughly $220-$300 easily done all brand new parts

custom fit bazooka sub = $264 on the site you listed.

Bazookas are okay but i don't think the sound can compare to even a rockford fosgate much less an Alpine or Audiobauhn


btw, the LEDs... $120 (retail $150)??? wow ... www.oznium.com and relish in the prices.

i'm not a sales rep i'm just someone who does product quality research.

EDIT: fixed prices

nice write up.

Anyone know how to wire the OEM bazooka sub to an aftermarket H/U??

I have the Kenwood DDX-512.

Anyone know how to wire the OEM bazooka sub to an aftermarket H/U??

I have the Kenwood DDX-512.
It's very simple. You just wire up the Toyota stereo harness to your head unit and hook everything up just like the stock head unit was. I've had a Kenwood DNX7100 wired up that way for over a year and it works perfectly. You won't have the same kind of control over the sub that you would if it was a custom amp+sub setup, but it works the same way as it did with the stock head unit.

Ahh I cant remember how does the back of my DDX-512 unit look. So I wont need to splice anything?

Kinda confuse because the OEM sub has a plug that goes into the OEM head unit right?? Where would I plug that?

Ahh I cant remember how does the back of my DDX-512 unit look. So I wont need to splice anything?

Kinda confuse because the OEM sub has a plug that goes into the OEM head unit right?? Where would I plug that?
The OEM sub harness plug in between the head unit and the car harness. Once you have the same Scion/Toyota harness wired to your head unit you plug that into the sub harness which then plugs into the car harness.

The OEM sub harness plug in between the head unit and the car harness. Once you have the same Scion/Toyota harness wired to your head unit you plug that into the sub harness which then plugs into the car harness.

I don't suppose you can elaborate a little more on this JasonH? Would something like this work if i wanted to get a new headunit (like this one http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-AVH-P3200DVD-Double-DIN-Multimedia-Receiver/dp/B00385H7RS/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3KNM2KOHFHHJX&colid=1XYURZYYFF7GI) would this allow me to use my stock sub (http://www.amazon.com/Stereo-Harness-Toyota-wiring-installation/dp/B000KL569Y/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2QKT6H8FI9HIQ&colid=1XYURZYYFF7GI) ?

I don't suppose you can elaborate a little more on this JasonH? Would something like this work if i wanted to get a new headunit (like this one http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-AVH-P3200DVD-Double-DIN-Multimedia-Receiver/dp/B00385H7RS/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3KNM2KOHFHHJX&colid=1XYURZYYFF7GI) would this allow me to use my stock sub (http://www.amazon.com/Stereo-Harness-Toyota-wiring-installation/dp/B000KL569Y/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2QKT6H8FI9HIQ&colid=1XYURZYYFF7GI) ?
Yes, exactly. You just wire the Toyota/Scion harness to your new head unit and it plugs into the car (including the subwoofer) just like the stock head unit.

Yes, exactly. You just wire the Toyota/Scion harness to your new head unit and it plugs into the car (including the subwoofer) just like the stock head unit.


Awesome, thanks man, further proof that Jason's are awesome.

i might be the first one to state this: but you have ADD on installing the sub. you start with somethig else, and you start installing the sub, and then u jump to cabin filter, and you jump to a little about the sub, and then you jump to interior lighting....

this is kind of hard to keep up

i might be the first one to state this: but you have ADD on installing the sub. you start with somethig else, and you start installing the sub, and then u jump to cabin filter, and you jump to a little about the sub, and then you jump to interior lighting....

this is kind of hard to keep up

I took pictures as I went throughout the process and wrote the how-to accordingly. If it didn't help you out, so be it. If you have questions I can probably answer them (as you may have seen elsewhere in this thread.) I know the how-to has been helpful to plenty of other people.