Car Stereos: Sub Installation, self tapping screw, acura tl

Question
Hey,

I have a 2002 Acura TL and I recently bought a Kenwood head unit for it.  I just recently bought an amp and sub from a friend and when i wen to hook it up, I couldn't find a place to connect the ground wire. Can you help me find this out. The ground wire is only about 1' long so I need to find a place in the trunk to connect it to.  Thanks for the help.

Answer
Hi Tommy,

Without having the car right in front of me, I doubt that I can pick out a good spot for you.  In general, when I'm connecting an amplifier ground wire, I don't bother looking for factory bolts.  I find a clean, flat, accessible spot on the floor pan, clear away all the paint (I have a coarse wire brush that attaches to my drill, just for this purpose) and fasten the ground wire down with a self-tapping screw.  

The main consideration is to avoid drilling or screwing into something important underneath the car.  It's a good idea to take a look underneath and verify the location of the gas tank, as well as any components like the brake lines and fuel pump.  Don't use a longer screw than you need.  Often I look for the spot-weld points that show where the flooring is welded to the box steel frame.  If you can put the screw into the middle of the box steel, it makes an excellent ground point and will be somewhat protected from moisture underneath.  It's still a good idea to put some dielectric grease over the ground connection to keep it from rusting.

Usually, the first place I look for a ground point is under the rear seat, near the side seat-belt mount.  The edges of the car body are where you'll find the frame, and are usually clear of the fuel tank and other components.  This may or may not be practical, depending on your amplifier's location.  Just be sure the metal you use is flat, so the ground wire's ring terminal makes a good contact; and make sure it's secured tightly--you shouldn't be able to wiggle it.  A loose ground connection always leads to problems.

Don't be afraid to use a longer ground wire if necessary.  In many installations I've done, a 1' wire wouldn't be long enough.  There's no "rule of thumb" on the length of an amplifier ground wire, and a longer wire to a good grounding point is better than a short wire to a poor ground point.

Hope this helps!

Brian