DIY: 2014+ Silverado/Sierra (Non-Bose) Complete Audio Upgrade

WhineyTTwins · January 15, 2015

NOTE: 1/15/2015 This DIY is not complete. Pictures, videos and some adjustments still need to be made but a fellow forum member was in the process of doing his and I rather put this out in case someone is planning it and would like some insight. It will be adjusted within the week

Thanks,

Eric (1/15/15)

I AM NOT LIABLE FOR ANYTHING YOU BREAK OR DAMAGE OR CAUSE HARM TO OR SCUFF OR BURN OR CATCH FIRE etc….

Big thank you to the following contributors

Matt from Sound Off Audio (www.SoundOffAudio.com) for their quality enclosure. The enclosure was extremely well built and order status was consistently updated. Great guy to work with. Tell him Eric from the forums sent you.

Sirb00m (www.DIYMobileAudio.com)

Ericpdadof3 (Www.GM-Trucks.com)

Moto Medic (Www.GM-Trucks.com)

Parts/Supplies List

25sqft - 50Sqft Sound Deadening (Roller needed as well)
20ft Speed wire 9-wire (Length may vary depending on mounting point)
Speaker Brackets if mounting 6.5” – 6.75” speakers (Front and Rear have separate brackets)

Front: Metra 82-3005 (Pair)

Rear: Scosche SAGMHR-634 (Pair)

(10) Posi-Taps (http://www.posi-lock.com/posiplug.html) or you can choose another method to splice but these worked incredibly well
[Qty: 2] 20ft 4 gauge power wire OFC (Make sure terminals are on each and must have fuses)
[Qty: 2] 3ft 4 gauge or more ground wire OFC (Make sure terminals are on each)
Knukonceptz 50ft – 60ft Speaker Wiring 16g OFC (I ended up needing more wire to rerun a door that came up short to the back along with wiring subs which I did not account for. I would say go for 60ft)
3 Sets of RCA plugs (Recommend Stinger SI4217)
Female quick disconnect speaker terminals
MDF Board (to mount amps)

Tools

Small and medium Flathead Screwdriver
Phillips Screwdriver
Flathead screwdriver
7mm Socket
T15 Torx
3”-6” extension
Ratchet
Wire Stripper
Liquid Nail
Razor blade
Zip ties

Mids/Highs (This is what I used)

Precision Power P900.4

6.5” Pioneer TS-D1602r (Scosche SAGMHR-634 pair of brackets needed for REAR if using 6.5” -6.75” speaker)

6.75” Pioneer TS-D1720C (Metra 82-3005 pair of brackets needed for FRONT if using 6.5” -6.75” speaker)

LCQ-1 or equivalent LOC (Line Out Converter)

Subwoofer

Sundown Audio SAZ-1200D

(2) Image Dynamics ID10’s

Enclosure (www.SoundOffAudio.com)

PROCEDURES

1. Begin by laying all your parts out and checking off everything you have. If you are missing anything, I highly suggest you get it handy so you do not waste time looking for it later.

2. PLEASE WATCH MY VIDEO AND READ ABOUT REINSTALLING THESE DOOR PANELS. IT IS NOT THE SAME AS OTHER VEHICLES. Here is the link to my DIY on removal/installation: http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/168561-diy-how-to-removeinstall-2014-silverado-door-panels/ .Begin by taking off the Front/Rear Driver and Passenger door panels. (Door Panel Removal:

)

3. Remove kick panels along with scuff panels so we can later pass wires through.

4. Remove the rear seat bench and put to the side. The rear bench is bolted in to the cabin floor. You need long sockets for these. I will get the approximate locations and the bolt size. The rear bench is actually 2 pieces. A small bolt holds them together where they meet. Now you should have a clean working space.

5.This would be the best time to try and get hardware placement figured out. You will have (2) power cables, (2) sets of speaker wires and your gain controller wire (If you are running one) coming down the driver’s side to the rear. One the passenger side, you will be one (1) 9-wire and (2) sets of speaker wires to the back. Ideal placement would be with your LOC on passenger side of rear wall and then one amp closer to driver’s side. Its ideal you figure out placement now so you can run wires appropriately and not have to do it twice like I did.

6.In order to run new speaker wires, you need to pull off the weatherproof clip that protects the wires running from inside the door. This will be where you run your speaker wires through. In order to release the clip, pull the clip out and down. When reinstalling that clip, MAKE SURE the pink clip is at its lowest point, if not it will not go in

The clip is in this position [and the it should look like this to unlatch –[
So run your speaker wires and connect your terminals to them.

7.Sound deaden if you are going to.

8.Mount your speaker into the appropriate speaker adapters. If they don’t fit inside the adapter. Grab a pair of pliers and bend off the tabs on the hole cutout. Just bend it up and down slowly and gently. Connect your speakers using one of these options; your new speaker wires and terminals, splicing the factory wire as to not cut harness, or cut harness and add terminals. Ensure none of the wiring inside the door interferes with the window and leave it be.

9. Connect your speakers and label your + and –.

10. Run the wires to the rear of the cab. Measure your wires as if you were cable managing because you need to account for the extra wire that will be used running it under panels and in the wire channels. Just trying to tuck them nicely can use up to an extra 2ft - 3ft

11. Remove the trim around the touch screen. Gently pry around the bottom and pull outward. The trim should pop out on that side then gently pry and pull along the edge of the trim till it's completely released. Then remove the 4 bolts (7mm) at each corner holding the touchscreen. Once the bolts are out, give it a light, even tug outwards to release the clips.

12. Now remove the bottom glove compartment so you can run your 9-wire behind it and get to the harness. Open both top and bottom glove. Directly in the middle where they meet, there are (2) torx t15 screws horizontal to each other for that portion, then go under the glove box, by the floor well, and remove the 2 bolts (I believe 7mm). Once all bolts are removed, pull the glove outwards to release clips. (Check video for reference)

13. Run your 9-wire behind the glove to where the HU goes. Look for the leftmost green harness plug that contains your speaker wires. Carefully cut away the electrical wrap to expose the wires. Tap each wire and take note of which new color now represents each speaker. Once connected, the 9-wire will run down the passenger side of car to wherever you are mounting your LOC.

14. Start by grabbing signal wires. Use the bottom table to properly tap each signal wire and then label it. Once labeled run via wire channel to the rear where your Line Out Converter is located and connect them. I used Posi-Taps for this.

Left Front Speaker (+/-) // blue - brown/blue // radio, green 16 pin plug, pins 1 - 9
Right Front Speaker (+/-) // yellow - yellow/black // radio, green 16 pin plug, pins 2 - 10
Left Rear Speaker (+/-) // green - green/black // radio, green 16 pin plug, pins 3 - 11
Right Rear Speaker (+/-) // white - blue/black // radio, green 16 pin plug, pins 4 - 12

***You should now have 8 wires running INTO your Line-Out Converter but you are still missing power and ground which you can run directly from the battery, an accessory switch or tap into your amps power terminal to get 12v and ground to chassis. Choice is yours.( If you need a remote wire, check video for getting an accessory power source located under driver footwell.)

15. Connect your Low-Level outputs (RCA’s) from the LOC to your amps. You should have 4 RCA’s for your 4 channel amp and 2 for your subwoofer’s amp. This means a total of 2 inputs to your LOC with 3 outputs (2 for your front and rear speakers and 1 for your subwoofer). If your LOC does not automatically give you a 3^rd channel, check internal jumpers are appropriately placed, mine were not. If your LOC DOES NOT have this feature, a second set would need to be run.

16. Run the power cables for your amps (Please choose the appropriate gauge wire for your application). Under your hood, look for the grommet towards the top of the firewall on the driver’s side. This will be where you will run your wires through. I found it easier to go through the cabin. Look for the small black box behind the brake pedal. Remove the cover. Now you can either remove the box (2 bolts on the right and 1 on the bottom left) to move it out the way or you can just remove the cover and reach over the top of it to feel for that harness coming it. You will feel a small opening where the wire will be able to be fed pretty easy. Push in about 3 inches then go to the engine bay and make a small incision. Stick your finger through it; feel for the wire, embrace the wire, and pull. Tuck away your wires. That’s my method; you can use your own. (Video

)

17. Now you need to ground your amp. If you will ground to the seat studs, you need to sand the paint off so that the terminal makes a good connection. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP.

18. Now to mount the amp’s. You will be using an MDF or Birch board. Try and lay your stuff out and connect everything before to make sure everything is where it should be and you are not short anywhere. Measure/Fit it about 6 times just to make sure. Once ready, cut your board to appropriate size, cut the cloth panel along the rear wall so you can put your board in, then apply liquid nail to back of board and hold it up against the wall. Once dry, mount your amps and connect everything. Use short wood screws.

19. Mount your subwoofer and wire correctly. Everything should fire up.

20. Put everything back together. (Make 100% sure everything is working and is tigh. Do it right the first time. I still have everything off as i am trying to eliminate some vibrations.)

Video references

Door Panel Removal AND Install -

Runing power wires from engine bay to cabin -

I will be mounting the tweeters in the dash this weekend.

WhineyTTwins · January 15, 2015

Pictures and videos will be added hpefully tonight

WhineyTTwins · January 15, 2015

Hate editing. I will try my best to get everything up along with adding info for dash tweeters

laviothon1 · January 15, 2015

Thanks for the video. How do you take out the rear seat?

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WhineyTTwins · January 15, 2015

The rear bench is bolted in to the cabin floor. You need long sockets for these. I will get the approximate locations and the bolt size. The rear bench is actually 2 pieces. A small bolt holds them together where they meet. I will get a picture up tonight of the bolt placements since my seat is sitll out. Thanks for catching that.

Thanks for the video. How do you take out the rear seat?

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WhineyTTwins · January 16, 2015

Update: Uploaded some videos. Photos are coming up once im out the office.

Videos added:

- Door Panel Removal

- Running power wires into cabin

gone_fishing · January 16, 2015

Thanks for the information. When I click on the YouTube link for the door removal it says the video is private and I can't view it.

WhineyTTwins · January 17, 2015

Thanks for the information. When I click on the YouTube link for the door removal it says the video is private and I can't view it.

Videos are all now public. Feel free to search my channel for the other videos

UPDATE: PLEASE PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO DOOR PANEL REINSTALLATION. THEY DO NOT GO BACK ON LIKE OTHER PANELS. IN ORDER TO REINSTALL, YOU NEED TO REMOVE THE WINDOW SEAL AND THE CLIPS HOLDING IT FROM THE DOOR. THEN REINSTALL CLIPS INTO THEIR SLOTS ON THE WINDOW, INSTALL THE WINDOW SEAL AND THEN ALIGN THE DOOR PANEL WITH LOCK AND IT CLIPS ON. IT NO LONGER IS PUSHED DOWN FROM THE TOP. YOU WILL DAMAGE THE CLIPS LIKE I DID.

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/168561-diy-how-to-removeinstall-2014-silverado-door-panels/

laviothon1 · January 18, 2015

Thanks

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WhineyTTwins · January 21, 2015

not able to edit posts for some reason

gary03l · February 14, 2015

Any update on the pics bro?

Edwardphoto · February 22, 2015

Any issues with tge door chime sound? I had a professional installer refit my entire speaker system(added amps for door speakers and subs), but my chime is hella loud and cant get it to decrease in volume even though its set to the lowest setting in the menu.

WhineyTTwins · July 1, 2015

Any issues with tge door chime sound? I had a professional installer refit my entire speaker system(added amps for door speakers and subs), but my chime is hella loud and cant get it to decrease in volume even though its set to the lowest setting in the menu.

Initially I did. The issue was easy to fix. My gain was turned up too high. Now, its perfect. Since then I have completed dampened the entire interior top to bottom and the ride is so much quieter.

WhineyTTwins · July 1, 2015

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chrmbly · January 7, 2019

Is there any any advantage to doing it this way over keeping the dash speakers powered by the stock system, and then pulling the signal from the rear speakers to go to a lc2i LOC? I figure I’ll lose the Bluetooth calls and door chimes from the driver side front door, but that’s all I can figure.