Kicker SWRA207 Powered Subwoofer Upgrade System
Introduction
For 2007–2010 Jeep Wrangler, KICKER SubStage Powered Subwoofer Upgrade Kit, Two-Door Vehicle Specific Solutions KICKER puts high-performance audio designed especially for your vehicle right there in your front seat, giving you all the excitement and musical accuracy of a live concert experience without the crowds. It has compact big-bass subwoofers, high-efficiency, low power-draw amplifiers, multi-channel amps with DSP, and factory mounting points for all components with no modifications.
What’s in the Box?
- FUSE
- T-TAP x2
- WIRE TIES x2
Subwoofer Installation
- Disconnect the negative battery cable.
- Gently pull out on the panel just below the steering column, rotate down and remove it. Fig. 1
- Find the small panel just below the one you just removed and pull to remove it as well. Fig. 2
- Loosen the four screws indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3 approximately 4 turns. Fig. 3
- Remove the screw indicated by arrow A completely. Fig. 3
- Install the amplifier with the long tab toward the center of the car. Slide the long tab behind the plastic and under the lower right screw while pulling out on the plastic. Once tab is completely seated rotate the amplifier down and secure the short tab in the same manner. Reinstall screw A and retighten the screws but leave the covers uninstalled. Fig. 4
- Find the rubber grommet in the top driver’s side of the fire wall underneath the hood and remove it. Fig. 5
- Using a razor knife make a small cut in the center of the grommet. Pass the end of the wire with the small terminal on the end through the grommet and pull the grommet up to the point where the plastic sheathing starts. Fig. 6
- Run the wire through the grommet hole in the fire wall and reinstall the grommet.
- Run the wire along the top of the fire wall toward the battery and secure with wire ties.
- Remove the top of the fuse cover and using a 13mm socket and ratchet loosen and remove the nut on the positive battery accessory lug. Fig. 7
- Connect the ring terminal of the power harness to the lug and retighten the nut. Torque to 10Nm.
- Using a panel removal tool remove the four plastic retainers (three in front door opening and one in rear door opening) securing the driver’s side sill plate and B pillar post cover. Fig. 8
- Gently pull the kick panel/sill plate toward the brake pedal to release the fasteners securing it.
- Connect the ten-pin connector of the harness to the amplifier. Slide the red locking tab over to prevent the connector from accidentally coming disconnected.
- Route the harness along the bottom of the front and rear door jam and toward the back seat.
Subwoofer input connection without optional amplifier installed. - Locate the left front lower dash speaker wires on the back of the plastic speaker housing. The wire colors are gray with a yellow stripe and gray with a purple stripe.
- Install one of the self-stripping t-tap connectors on to each wire. Lay the wire in the open channel, fold the connector body over and squeeze with a pair of pliers until connector snaps shut. Fig. 10
- Connect the subwoofer harness input wires to the t-tap connectors. The green wire (positive) of the harness connects to the t-tap connector on the gray wire with the yellow stripe in the vehicle. The brown wire (negative) of the harness connects to the t-tap connector on the gray wire with the purple stripe in the vehicle.
- Connect the green wire of the of the subwoofer harness to the green wire of the 4.1 amplifier harness. Connect the brown wire of the subwoofer harness to the brown wire of the 4.1 amplifier harness.
Subwoofer input connection for Premium Audio vehicles with factory eight-channel amplifier installed - Locate the 16-pin connector on the amplifier under the steering column. Find the green/brown stripe wire and the gray/brown strip wire in this connector and install one of the self-stripping t-tap connectors on to each wire. Lay the wire in the open channel, fold the connector body over and squeeze with a pair of pliers until connector snaps shut. Fig. 10
- Connect the green wire of the subwoofer harness to the gray/brown strip wire. Connect the brown wire of the subwoofer harness to the green/brown stripe wire.
- Install the supplied two pin connector by inserting the terminals on the end of the power wire into the back of the connector until it clicks and locks. Fig. 11
- Depress the blue terminal retainer down in the center of the connector.
- Using a 10mm socket and ratchet remove one of the factory ground nuts on the driver’s side kick area. Connect the black ground wire, reinstall the nut and tighten. Fig. 12. Torque to 8Nm.
- Run the wire harness along the floor under the rear seats to approximately the middle of the vehicle and pull the end of the harness under the seat to the cargo area.
- Set the subwoofer in place and connect the wire harness.
- Align the mounting bracket with the anchor points at the bottom of the seat and press the enclosure down until it locks into place. Fig. 13
- To remove the subwoofer, press the tabs on each side of the mounting bracket while lifting up. Disconnect wiring. Fig. 14
- Reinstall all previously removed parts in reverse order.
- Install supplied fuses in the fuse holders under hood.
- Reconnect the negative battery cable. Torque to 5Nm.
Troubleshooting the Kicker Integrated Systems
If you experience a problem once the Subwoofer is installed use this guide to locate the trouble.
The radio is working, but the Subwoofer is not working:
- Check the battery voltage to make sure it is not discharged below 11 volts.
- Check the negative battery cable to see if it has been securely tightened back on the battery.
- Check the inline fuse located near the battery to make sure it is plugged in completely, and not blown.
- Check the inline +12Volt power-connector near the firewall to make sure it is plugged in securely.
- Check the inline connectors near the subwoofer enclosure to make sure they are plugged securely.
- Check the ground wire connection to make sure it is tightly secured to the proper ground in the vehicle.
- Check the audio input signal connection to make sure it is securely connected to the correct wiring.
- Test with different music in case there is no low frequency audio in the initial sound check.
There is a buzz or rattle noise that accompanies the low frequency element of the music:
- Check for a connector or any other object that could be very near the subwoofer or the enclosure.
- Check the subwoofer enclosure mounting brackets to make sure they are secure.
There is a problem with the multi-channel stereo amplifier:
- Check the battery voltage to make sure it is not discharged below 11 volts.
- Check the negative battery cable to see if it has been securely tightened back on the battery.
- Check the inline fuse located near the battery to see if it is plugged in completely and not blown.
- Check the multi-pin connectors at the back of the radio and at the amplifier chassis to make sure they are plugged all the way in.
- Check the ground wire connection to make sure it is tightly secured to the proper ground in the vehicle.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are Kicker subs worth it?
Yes, Kicker subwoofers are among the best you can get for cars. They deliver sound of the highest caliber with unmatched bass. Owning a Kicker subwoofer is all the more exciting because they are also reasonably priced.
Can I leave powered subwoofer on all the time?
Yes, as long as your subwoofer includes an auto standby mode, you can leave it on constantly. Subwoofers that are in standby use less energy and last longer. Older subwoofers without this feature should be unplugged while not in use since heat created by electricity escaping causes the amplifier to become hotter than usual.
How long do powered subwoofers last?
A subwoofer can last anywhere from 5 to 14 years. The average person should be able to get 10+ years out of their subwoofer if it is well-maintained and not misused.
Are powered subs better?
Despite all of the benefits of passive subwoofers, active subwoofers are still more frequently used. They don’t require the use of or the acquisition of any additional parts or components, but instead provide a deeper, more powerful sound.
Can subwoofers damage your battery?
The battery drain caused by a subwoofer is the most frequent type of harm. Adding a subwoofer to your automobile puts additional demand on the electrical system. It takes a lot of power to create sound vibrations. Your battery is used to provide the power needed to run a subwoofer.
Do you need an amp if you have powered sub?
The answer is yes almost always. You’ll need to locate an amplifier that will power your sub unless your vehicle or boat already has a system that does so.
Where should you not put a subwoofer?
The left and right front speakers should be 4 to 5 feet apart from the subwoofer. Consequently, my next piece of advice is to avoid placing the subwoofer in a corner. Undoubtedly, there are many benefits to corner location, chief among them being that the sub will create more bass with less distortion there.
What size subwoofer is best for deep bass?
The more powerful a subwoofer can create depends on its internal amplification, but generally speaking, the bigger the speaker, the better. You should search for a sub with a driver that is at least 10 inches long, however you may want to consider a 12 inch or even larger woofer.
How do I make my sub sound deeper?
Set the gain on your sub amp to the lowest, most anticlockwise setting. Turn on the low-pass filter and adjust the clockwise setting to the maximum height. Turn off the bass boost if it has one.
Does Kicker have good sound quality?
After creating a speaker with concert-like audio quality, the company Kicker gained popularity. Additionally, it produces a clear sound with a strong bottom. Since then, many have started to play loud music over their cars’ speakers, making long drives never dull again.
What gives a speaker deep bass?
Compared to mid-range woofers and tweeters, subwoofers, which are meant to create bass frequencies, have bigger surface areas and longer throws. It takes a higher sound pressure level to produce audible bass.
Can 8-inch subs make deep bass?
An 8-inch subwoofer can most definitely produce crisp, tight bass. You may occasionally even receive power comparable to a 10 or 12-inch subwoofer.
Are subwoofers worth upgrading?
You can definitely get away with your present subwoofer if your overall score is 0–5. If your overall score is greater than 5, you should improve your subwoofer. Example: If you currently have a Bassaholic Large certified sub (add +1), if you listen at >120 dB (add +2), and if your room is >5000ft3 (add +3).
How can I make my subwoofer more powerful?
Your subwoofer should be positioned facing outward into the rest of the room and within 8–12 inches of a wall for the best sound quality. Consider locating your subwoofer in the room’s corner for even greater output, since this placement can greatly improve the overall sound.
Can you add more speakers to a subwoofer?
The subwoofer can be connected using an additional set of speaker cables, as shown above, if you’re using it with a stereo receiver that doesn’t have a subwoofer output (which many stereo receivers do). This only works if the subwoofer has speaker-level (speaker wire) connections, like the choices in our Best Budget Subwoofer guide.
