'06 Lincoln LS install - My first true SQ

[LS-N-IT]

Hello all,

I've been on DIYMA reading and learning for quite sometime. I have done many previous installs (in my younger days I worked for a custom car builder, restoring corvettes, installing custom audio etc).
This is what I would call my first true SQ install. Doing a great install, and doing a great SQ install is quite two different things from what I have learned on this site!
Thanks to everyone who has contributed all the info on this site. I especially thank Mini-Van Man, as he helped me with all my obsessive compulsive-over-analyzation of every little thing. His answers and insight to my Many emails were extremely helpful!! He is definately one heck of a nice guy! (patient too, laf)

Well, below are the very initial pics of the install. Its taken me quite sometime, as I am very busy at work. As I progress I will update with more pics.

The system will have a full active 3-way front stage, CSS 7" mid-bass, CSS 4.5" mids and LPG silk tweets. The rear doors with utilize the factory coaxs.. the trunk will have 2 CSS 12" subs. (I may go 4 eventually and experiment with push pull, but that will be later...).
The subs will be powered by two X1Rs.. the Fronts and Rears by three X4Rs.. A little more power than I actually need, but I wanted room for further expansion. (I can't stand when my amps don't match, so I wanted to make sure I had enough amps that I wouldnt possible want more later, chuckle)
Processing will be done via two 3sixty.2s.

[Kidam!]

wow nice install !

what are the connectors you are using in the spare whole !?

[anjing]

Simple & Nice !! well done.

[brendan 67]

Nice work.Keepin an eye out for updates.You probably have enough amps.

[jdsimons]

Originally Posted by LS-N-IT

Hello all,

I've been on DIYMA reading and learning for quite sometime. I have done many previous installs (in my younger days I worked for a custom car builder, restoring corvettes, installing custom audio etc).
This is what I would call my first true SQ install. Doing a great install, and doing a great SQ install is quite two different things from what I have learned on this site!
Thanks to everyone who has contributed all the info on this site. I especially thank Mini-Van Man, as he helped me with all my obsessive compulsive-over-analyzation of every little thing. His answers and insight to my Many emails were extremely helpful!! He is definately one heck of a nice guy! (patient too, laf)

Well, below are the very initial pics of the install. Its taken me quite sometime, as I am very busy at work. As I progress I will update with more pics.

The system will have a full active 3-way front stage, CSS 7" mid-bass, CSS 4.5" mids and LPG silk tweets. The rear doors with utilize the factory coaxs.. the trunk will have 2 CSS 12" subs. (I may go 4 eventually and experiment with push pull, but that will be later...).
The subs will be powered by two X1Rs.. the Fronts and Rears by three X4Rs.. A little more power than I actually need, but I wanted room for further expansion. (I can't stand when my amps don't match, so I wanted to make sure I had enough amps that I wouldnt possible want more later, chuckle)
Processing will be done via two 3sixty.2s.

Awesome work.. I am just finishing up my LS still have one more sub enclosure to finish up but have been competing with just the one. Great Idea with mounting the electrical to the board in the spare tire well.. We ended up mounting hundreds, it seems, of electrical wiring to the sides of the wheel well.. Looks like you are planning on keeping the spare tire in there correct? I wanted the spare tire left in there hence why we tortured ourselves trying to mount everything..lol.. I'm guessing since I left it in there I won't have to use it but I can sleep at night.. lol .. Great Looking install can't wait to see it finished

[beerdrnkr]

Looking good so far. I've rarely seen someone use an aftermarket double din HU that doesn't have a screen. I was thinking about doing that with the new pioneer double din that came out but didn't want to spend extra on processing. I like it.

[LS-N-IT]

Yes, I will put the spare back in. My plan is to put another board (with carpet or vinyl) on top of that electrical. It will seal off that bottom well, but will have plexi windows in it to see the fuse blocks etc. Then the spare tire will go on top of that.
My main points of the install (besides SQ) were: I have to be able to get to the spare with ease, I drive out of state alot for work. And I had to still be able to fold the rear seats down to lay long flat items in the trunk. Hence the folding amp rack.

Yeah, I really liked the excelon double din when I saw it. It had the 24bit D/A converter and over 110dba signal to noise, 3 4-volt outs, 3 band parametric, crossovers etc. The touch screen units usually don't have very good SQ capabilities from what I have seen. It looks more factory too.

[capnxtreme]

Amp rack and wiring look awesome!

Did you deaden the bottom of the spare tire well too? It seems like that would need it worse than the curved parts above.

[LS-N-IT]

Hey everyone.. just a quick and small update. I finished the power/ground and remote wiring. I was quite excited to turn the key on and see all the lights light up. Everything powers up Tomorrow will be signal wiring and speaker wiring. Later this week, the front stage begins! I took a few pics.

[Dougie085]

Those are very sexy drivers

[LS-N-IT]

A minor update, but more work than I thought! I finished all my DIY rca cables. Once you get the hang of it they are easy but tedious.. I have all the processor to amp cables installed. Next will be the 12 gauge wiring for the fronts and rears. 8 gauge for the 12" subductions. (fingers are a little sore from all the techflex, laf)

[Fran82]

Curious about your power distribution. Looks like you have 1/0 awg off the battery then you step down to 4 awg into 3 legs then divide that again into 6 4 awg runs, is that right? Everything looks neat, but seems like you're really limiting yourself with how you've done your power wiring. Too many branches. I don't believe a single 1/0 awg run has the capacity to supply 6 4 awg runs when the going gets tough. Why not run a single 1/0 awg into each of the dual fuse holders, likewise with the grounds?

Everything looks neat and well constructed, just don't understand that part of it.

[customtronic]

Nice looking install so far. My last car was an '00 LS V8. The more I got into it the more I realized that it just wasn't as "install friendly" as I would like. Not alot of room and hiding spots to get really creative I thought. No depth in the doors to mount speakers without modifications. I really couldn't cut alot of metal if I wanted to stay in the MECA Mod+ class. I was ready for a new car so I picked up a Dodge Magnum. Tons of room and I ended up with the install I wanted. The LS was an awsome car though and your install is coming along nicely. Have fun with it! What organization do you compete in?

[LS-N-IT]

As far as the wiring, you have to keep in mind the length as well. These very short runs of wire will handle quite a bit of amperage with very little loss. Its not a 18ft. run from the engine bay. It should handle more than I will ever pull.

Yes, the LS has proven to be more challenging to install than I had thought it would be. But it should all fit nice and neat once I'm done. I only had to use a small spacer to fit the Dayton 7" woofers that are in the front doors now. The CSS 7"ers should drop right in. What I like most about the car is how tight the car is built. Its the best factory damped car Ive ever worked on. I did not need to add much sound deadner at all.

[MiniVanMan]

Ahhhh, here it is. As per all the emails, this is looking fantastic.

This is more of a shout to make sure this thread shows up in the "My Threads" search when I come onto the site, so I'll be immediately notified of updates.

Keep it up, and keep me posted.

[moosejuice]

Looks good, very nice wire managment.....

B-

[Jason G]

I too always spend a ton of time installing wiring, making sure everything looks great and is ran as it should be. Then, when I am removing the system to return the car to stock to trade or whatever, I think to myself, "What a waste of time". Then I do it all again on the next car.
Looks great so far!

[LS-N-IT]

Thanks for the positive reinforcement! Between that and Leinie's I need all I can get, heh. Yeah, I hear ya on the ocd wiring. Due to life changes etc, I may be getting a different car in a few months after we move LOL. (Finally moving to OKC, and going back to school finally!! Step one will be complete masters in engineering, second step will be my doctorate. But one thing at a time, and back the the important audio stuff)

I want to compete at least once with this car once so I can get the SQ judged officially, then I will have a better idea of what to do in the next car

Well I finally made more progress. I have all the wiring done now. (one of my two 360.2s was bad, so I had to send it back. Wooferetc gave me no grief and a new one should be here shortly). I have the woofers installed, and I am working on the kick pods right now for the 4.5s. The pods came out larger than I thought they would, so I think there will be plenty of air volume in a sealed configuration.

Ahh f.. it won't let me upload any more pics. How is it some of the other folks have so many pictures in the same thread?

[LS-N-IT]

Well, I deleted some of the previous pics so I could put in some new ones

The front stage is complete. All I have left to do is make some speaker grills for the mids. After quite a few hours of tuning with the laptop the new system sounds incredible.

Its exciting to listen to old CDs again. What I'm really amazed at is how well it makes the radio sound now.. sounds like a cd. The SDX7s really pack some punch in the doors. They can even be a bit too boomn' in the doors if you get too crazy with any of the lower freqs. The FR125s have a soft laid back sound, but very crystal clear, especially when paired with the LPG25 tweets.

The kick pods didn't turn out as nice as I wanted, but it was my very first fiberglass job. I have to say it was pretty easy, except for the fact no matter what I did I couldnt help from knicking my wood rings somehow whenever triming off the fiberglass or sanding (know they are out of round, ugh I fn hate that!!) Ill have to figure out a new approach on the next set of kicks I painted them with a rustoleum textured paint that almost match my interior perfectly. I figured that was easier than the vinyl for now. The ugly silver RCA cables in the wiring pic are just temporary. I need to make the new cables from the H/U to the processors.

The tweeter in the pic is at ear level, canted toward the winshield just a few degrees (actually you could say it runs almost parallel with the windshield, as the winshield bows outward at an angle too)
THey fit nicely right into the A-pillar trim. Not perfect, but Ill add a little spacer mount later. I have them running at 8000hz and up - 24db slope
The mids are running 140hz - 7000hz 24db slope. The mid-bass are running 60hz - 130hz. I have the subs running 20-50hz. (I only have one of the SD12s running at the moment. Even just one sounds great. Huge punch but very articulate.) I have to say I just love all the CSS drivers. I have some more playing to do with the T/A. Going from no TA to 5' of TA (max), doesnt seem to make much of a difference. Im not sure where to go with that. With my old Alpine HU, TA made a huge difference for focusing the sub up front. The 360.2s dont seem to do as good a job, or I just dont know what Im doing yet
The false panels to dress up the amps and trunk will come later. I am moving in a few weeks, so Ill do the final finishes later

[BLD MOVS]