Wiring Tower Speakers

[mala1967]

Does anyone have any tricks to get the speaker wire through the tower

[ColinP]

use a vacuum to suck thru some string, then pull the wire back with the same string.

[TnR6Rida]

Its a pain in the ass, thats all I have to say

ColinP, Sounds like a good idea.

[mala1967]

thanks I never thought of using a vacuum.

[Jim M]

It's not easy but you want to do it right. Even car stereo shops can charge you $200+ just for the labor. I had success with the following:

1-
Do your measurements and plan the easiest route from the top of the tower to your amp (or if doing tower lights, find the shortest line to your power source). Think about which way the tower folds, where you can best conceal the wire without tapping into the fiberglass, shortest direct path to the amp, etc...

2-
Get all your tools, measurements, etc.. together. I used:
-20' Wire Snake ($10, home depot)
-Silocone ($6, home depot, on shelf next to the wire snake)
-Speaker wire (good quality 12 gauge wire with a thick shielded coating)
-1' of Small String
-Fully charged Drill
-Small drill bit to tap the holes in the tower
-Second drill bit large enough to house the speaker wire and any future wire (tower lights, more speakers, nav light, etc..)
-Extra drill bit in case the first breaks or goes dull
-Rubber Grommets same size as large drill bit
-Black Tape
-12 gauge Butt Connectors/Terminals
-Split loom tubing large enough in diameter to hide wires going from tower cans to hole.

3-
Tap the holes. Make everything flush and on 90 degree angles so it does not look jerry rigged.

4-
Get the wire snake and rip off the plastic end. It is too large in diameter to feed through the small holes. Once ripped off, it will expose a small eye opening. Fish a thin rope through that opening and tie it off into a tight loop knot. Make sure its strong.

5-
Get the wire snake and silicone and slowly feed the wire snake from one tapped hole to the next, slowly applying silicone along the way.

6-
Once you get the snake to the end and the small rope is visible through the other hole, fish out the small rope. You do not have to fish out the wire snake. I used a cut 6' piece of coat hanger bent into a kink at the end. Separate the speaker wire into +/-, wrap it around the rope loop and tape it tightly. I used electrical tape and it did fine. Tug it and make sure it won't come undone with tension.

7-
Go back to the original opening where you fed in the wire snake and slowly and carefully wind it back in. You probably need to silicone the speaker wire as you are feeding in, otherwise there can be friction pulling it through and it can tear into the wire coating and cause a grounded out signal.

8-
Pull the wire snake out, speaker wire attached. You now should have wire fed out of each hole. Slide on the rubber grommets and position in the holes. Slide on the split loom tubing. Use connectors and terminals. Avoid using electrical tape because it will start to shed within weeks.

[mala1967]

Jim M, Can you get the grommets and Loom at home depot also.Also where did you get the speaker wire.

Thanks

Al

[Jim M]

Yes you can get both at Home Depot in the Electrical aisle. They sell grommets in a small package with about 4 various sizes for about $3. The loom comes in different diameters and lengths.

[mala1967]

Thanks for the help. Took forever to feed the wires. Got it wired and the speakers up putting the amps an head unit in tomorrow