Really Need Help ! Shaker 500 to 1000

redflame · 04-06-2009

Unlike most of you, I have little to no experience in this stuff. I know you must get a lot of people like me who want to do this conversion and don’t know where to start.

So I purchased the Shaker 1000 subwoofer cabinet and the two 250 AMPs that I would locate in the trunk. Me not knowing any better I listened to the seller who told me the wiring to connect the 1000 was already on the trunk just waiting for me to plug in. Sure...

If he’s right please tell me where to find it, because so far, I don’t see anything

I have a 2008 GT with a shaker 500 and all I really wanted to do was add the two amps and the subwoofers. No, I don’t want to change the head unit and do all that, just hook up the two amps and the shaker1000 cabinet with the two woofers.

The more I search and read, the more confused I get. Wiring diagrams and very long explanations, which I am sure the technical info is very valuable to others that my have a clue, which I do not…

Is their any simple way to make this work, like someone that may sell the harness that is more plug and play rather then me reading wiring diagrams and having to this manually?

If you advise is take it to a stereo shop and have them do it, I may end up there but I wanted to know if over time, someone has simplified this conversion. So far, all I have read, I am not ashame to say, I am a bit out of my league

Thanks in advance for help

**pcfrisch** · 04-07-2009

Correct, the wiring is not there. You can either have someone wire the new unit for you or find a junked mustang and pull the wiring harness out.

redflame · 04-07-2009

pcfrisch,

thank you. So, it would be a big help if you could advise me as to what a normal stereo shop would want to use for the install and the cost approx

Heres what I heard when I called one shop today

they would run power from the battery, and I think they said they need to add a pretty expense box dist box. DO I need something like the that and it would cost $150?

They said they were going to tap into my rear deck speakers in the trunk for the signal? Would that be the correct location and provide the right rage of signal instead of tapping in under the dash or does it even matter?

They were going to vert to RCA jacks to connect from those deck speakers to the two woofers, I assume that correct?

Any other specifc info you would know about the two 250 watt amps and speakers in the shaker 1000 cabinet would be helpful

Does $400 sound right or to much to get these wired into my Shaker 500 system?

thank you

**stlwagon** · 04-07-2009

I'm surprised that the wiring for the 1000 isn't there.

redflame · 04-07-2009

SLTwagon, Yep, I dont know much but I have read every thread on the web and checked out everything that the experts have said and its true, after the 2005 stang , which seems to have in the car in all cases, it went away and stopped being installed early in 06.

I have half the car apart and its not there...

**pcfrisch** · 04-08-2009

Sorry, I have no idea what audio shops charge but that seems awfully expensive. I don't know why the power distribution box would be so expensive either. It is very easy to run power from the battery to the back where the shaker sub/amp box will be located. everything will slide underneath the plastic trim without pulling up carpeting. There is a rubber grommet in the firewall below and to the right of the battery holder that you can easily punch a hole through and run the power wire. Of course it needs to be fused at the battery. They sell kits for that. Maybe you at least do that yourself to save money.
What you have been told by the audio shop sounds correct. Just seems expensive to me.

redflame · 04-08-2009

Thanks for responding. I got it, so what they are proposing seems ok, and where that would pull the signal from the rear deck speakers is fine too. It is really the cost piece that wacked out of line.

I have pulled that molding up before that you mentioned and also have see the grommet in the firewall and your right should not be a big deal. I think because there’s two amps in the trunk, they need to split the power feed from the battery, by using a power block in the trunk they would install and then have two power feeds, one to each amp. I saw those blocks online, there are a million choices out there to do that that and most of them were not expensive at all.

Maybe, I can do some of this myself and save some dollars that way.

I will be talking to them again by tomorrow.

Thanks for all your help

I will update this post once the install is done and where I ended up to help other guys who are considering install this piece of the Shaker 1000

Bostonhockey_80 · 04-08-2009

That seems like an outrageous price. They are telling you that they are installing it the same way that they would a regular after market amp. I installed my amp in less than an hour and there is nothing difficult in the process, as mentioned earlier.
Find a multi amp wiring kit on ebay. It should be pretty cheap since your only powering a total of 500 watts. In terms of the install, they shouldn't charge you full price for installing 2 amps since their going to be in the same place running of the same power and signal. But in any case, what they quoted you seems ridiculous to me. Good Luck.

redflame · 04-08-2009

Bostonhockey 80

So first off, I agree. I will know more tomorrow when I go see them with my gear.
I think that the big deal is around not being able to use the factory head unit to provide and of the controls. Because there are no RCA's inputs or outputs on the shaker 500 , they seem to be putting together a solution for power to the amps as well as , on/off and signal strength. Again, I am far from any expert on this stuff but I am learning everyday, so I think I have a few good questions for them now.

So, my question is: If you were doing this same install using the factory HU, could you list out for me how you would provide power, signal and control on/off as well as signal strength.

Like what gear would you need to purchase and install

And some overview of how you would do it? Where to connect stuff??

I understand if you are not familiar with the factory gear since most of you guys use aftermarket and patch into the those for controls.

thanks

gunz4me · 04-09-2009

Seems like they are ripping you off. The factory head unit has a remote turn on that provides 5 volts of output required to turn the Shaker amplifiers on. It also has pre amp outputs on the subwoofer outputs. They aren't RCAs, but you could easily wire RCAs off of them if you had to. All you would really have to do is run a fused wire from your battery or fusebox if it has the spot for the Shaker 1000 system, get signal, and remote turn on to the trunk. If I had easy access to my wiring information, I would tell you exactly which wires you need to look for on your factory head unit.

Also, if they tap off the rear speakers, you will lose your ability to adjust your subwoofers off of the head unit. What they are proposing will work, but they are selling you crap that you don't need. You don't want me to tell you how much money car audio shops make off of their "accessories" sales.

ESG-642T · 04-11-2009

Not going to lie most audio shops seem to charge you a **** ton more to install a "factory" system into a car that didn't come with it. (like when I was going to do the mach1000 into my car) It was going to be almost more than installing new equipment.

redflame · 04-12-2009

Guy's, you right , I think this can be done cheaper. I have found something that may work fine for a controllable signal. There are two separate amps, driver side kick panel, that have all the wire feeds that run the door subwoofers. That wiring comes directly from the factory head unit.
If I can tap them for signal and the fuse box does have a spot for two 30 amp fuses for the Shaker 1000, run power from there that may work.

By doing that the amps could be controlled for power, may need and on/off switch, and I should have the correct signal band for the lows if I tap that signal going into those amps. There power going to them as well but the 1000 watts would be to much of a draw there I think, so I think I still need to stay with a separate power feed.

Now if I could get a a little bit of help from someone on how to tap the Ford connectors at those two smaller subwoofer amps and create new connectors that work be great.

The first link below shows the wiring for the radio and the amps I am talking about, I could use some help with pointing me to the wires I would need to tap into that are going to the small subwoofer amps for signal and ground. I am thinking that I could but the Ford connector that mates to the Shaker 1000 in the trunk and make a simple harness for signal and ground.

http://www.2005stang.com/gallery/alb.../radio%7E0.pdf

The second link below has a ton of info and pretty much in the wiring and audio section, I believe are the answers I need. I am just not great with this stuff so if some could take my idea or concept and point me to the wires I need off the amps and how to tap the fuse box up front under the hood that would be great.

2005-2012 Mustang Forum and Picture Gallery :: View topic - Service Manual documents

thanks for all the advise.

gunz4me · 04-12-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by redflame

Now if I could get a a little bit of help from someone on how to tap the Ford connectors at those two smaller subwoofer amps and create new connectors that work be great.

The first link below shows the wiring for the radio and the amps I am talking about, I could use some help with pointing me to the wires I would need to tap into that are going to the small subwoofer amps for signal and ground. I am thinking that I could but the Ford connector that mates to the Shaker 1000 in the trunk and make a simple harness for signal and ground.

http://www.2005stang.com/gallery/alb.../radio%7E0.pdf

The second link below has a ton of info and pretty much in the wiring and audio section, I believe are the answers I need. I am just not great with this stuff so if some could take my idea or concept and point me to the wires I need off the amps and how to tap the fuse box up front under the hood that would be great.

2005-2012 Mustang Forum and Picture Gallery :: View topic - Service Manual documents

thanks for all the advise.

If you could find a way to de-pin the connectors and solder wires on to them, then re-pin them, that would rock

I've never been a fan of t-taps because I can't stand the way they look, but that will work as a last resort option.

Attached is the wiring diagram for the shaker door woofer's amp and speaker wiring harnesses.

jeffwinz · 07-22-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by redflame

SLTwagon, Yep, I dont know much but I have read every thread on the web and checked out everything that the experts have said and its true, after the 2005 stang , which seems to have in the car in all cases, it went away and stopped being installed early in 06.

I have half the car apart and its not there...

I have a 2005 mustang GT convertible which I would like to convert from the shaker 500 to 1000 with the trunk subs, are you saying I have the wires going from the head to the trunk someware hidden?

Dana W · 07-22-2009

Doesn't the 500 have trunk woofers? When I was shopping for my '07 I saw an add for one with the 500 and there was a picture of the trunk with a factory speaker box in it on the right side just like the 1000.

Pull out your spare tire cover and the right side fabric liner(s). The connecters should be tucked somewhere in the bay beside the tail light. There should also be mounting holes for the enclosure brackets already there too.

I have the 1000 and I still have an empty connector down there. I wonder what that's for. Maybe the 500 has a different connector.

Ooh, I know, it's for a hi def cam, so I can make quality movies of all the Camaro's behind me.