Want to save some money by installing a car audio system yourself? After all, installing a car audio system is not that difficult and you can definitely do it. Doing a car audio installation is a very rewarding experience for you too as you will learn a lot from it. Once you install it, you will feel a sense of satisfaction. Now go and get your desired system.
What comes after buying the system? When you are installing it, you have to be very careful as you don’t want to damage your expensive system. Most audio systems are easy to install. They have shaped sockets and slots that would only fit where they are supposed to be installed. It is advisable that you follow the instruction manual and proceed methodically.
Before installation, you must first determine what type of platform you are going to put on your car. If you are a beginner in the installation of car audio, it is recommended that you start with a simple system. Leave the more complicated things like LCD installation and motorized parts to the professionals.
One of the easiest things to install is head units. Most head units follow a standard size. For most cars, once the factory radio is removed, the aftermarket radio will fit into the hole. However, some cars may have a hole that is too large, and in this case, you will need a kit to install it. To obtain the necessary kits for installation, you can visit any car audio store in your city.
Basically, there are 2 types of mounting in a car audio installation. The first is the ISO mount. It is when the radio can be bolted to the existing factory radio mounts. Most Japanese cars are ISO mounted. The second type of mount is the ring mount. It’s when an aftermarket radio comes with a metal ring that mounts into the hole in the factory radio. On many cars, the dash and trim rings need to be filed down to enlarge the radio hole. Once you have properly installed the ring, the radio slides on and is held in place with snaps. However, if you want to remove it in the future, special tools are required.
Now, let’s talk about the speakers. Speaker installation is very important to your car audio system. If the speakers are not installed correctly, the sound will not be up to par. In a simple system installation, you will most likely be using speakers that fit properly in a factory location. Just make sure there are no gaps or holes. One tip for better sound is to build a baffle out of wood or fiberglass to reduce holes. But be careful using power tools near speakers and warranties usually don’t cover holes in speakers. Check with your car audio dealer before any purchase. If your speaker does not fit in the location, the metal must be cut. It is highly recommended that you leave this to professionals to save yourself some trouble.
Lastly, after you have successfully installed your car stereo, you need to make sure that it can withstand vibrations and other sources of noise. There are excellent soundproofing products on the market that can help reduce noise tremendously.
