Several install questions...

I just purchased the Kenwood KSC-WA82RC powered sub to up my bass for cheap, and I have some questions on the install...

The terminal connector on the power cord that goes to the battery isn't the usual ring terminal but instead a metal male piece that has an open-ended clear plastic sheath. In fact, all the connectors are like this, either female or male, except the ground, which is a spade. Do I need to replace the connector on the power cord with a ring or is that one fine?

Secondly, and this question is probably a little more newbish, but where along the rear speaker wires should I tap into for the speaker inputs? If it's anywhere along that wire, I could just strip back the rubber coating and wrap speaker wire around the exposed part, right?

I have an '03 Protege sedan and I'm using the stock unit with the stock speakers. I entertained the idea of RCAs, but the stock headunit would need an LOC, correct?

Oh, and just to confirm the remote turn-on goes to Pin 10?

clip the connector off, and put on whatever you need to get it connected. Or if you really want, you could fo find the female bullett connecter match to it at radioshck or wherever, and patch it ttogether thusly, jsut make sure you use at least the same gague wire.

I'd tap into one of the rear speakers. should be easy to get to somewhere near the rear deck. However, if you want to tap into the wires, if you don't have a soldering iron, It'd be better to get a "t" push-connector thing. If you do, the BEST way to do anything isto strip back a bit of the covering form the wire, "split" the strands into 2 bunches, push your new wire end through it,then "split" those strands into 2 bunches, and then wrape each one ina n opposite direction. then solder, and then electrical tape over the whole area and atleast an inch to each side of it.

As for the LOC thing. good idea, and yes you would need that. BUt most of thsoe amps are designed to be run simply off of speaker-level input and essentially have their own LOC's built in. For a sub amp duty it likely won't be detrimental.

I'm not going to go the RCA route for now. So I assume I'm going to have to somehow get a ring terminal on the end of that power wire either by clipping the male or buying a cord with the female on one end and a ring terminal on the other? I'm wondering how good it would hold if I just tightened the nut on the battery's positive onto the male end.

In any case, back to the speaker inputs. Is there a specific splitter available at the point of connection with the speaker wires and rear speakers, or do I just pull the positive and negative out of the stock harness and wrap the ends of the speaker input wires with the rear speaker wires and connect them both to the rear speakers? And I noticed that you said just one speaker; don't I need both the left and right channels for a proper signal to the amp/sub?

Thanks a bunch.

it all depends on the sub I guess. I'm pretty sure the factory ones only use the left rear, but I've been wrong before. Since yours do show and have inputs for conencting both, then do both. and umm. I know it's scary to cut wires and all, but just freakin do it. don't worry about cutting off the precious bullett connector I garantee you if you ever feel you need it later on, you can find one. yes, vut it off, get a ring terminal, and you shoudl be good. right?

As for the speaker inputs. Sounds like soldering is gonna be tricky. and NO do not JUST wrap wires together to make a connection. I don't remember exactly what they're called, but there are "T taps" of some form available. just ask the dude at the autoparts store, or hardware store, or radioshack even. explain what you want to do, he should be able to steer you right. You might want to get a wirestripper/crimper tool while you're at it. makes life easy.

Alright, I have the whole system setup and running with one exception... I can't figure out how to run the power wire from the battery through the firewall and into the passenger area on the driver's side.

Yes, I know there's a rubber grommet behind the battery and right underneath the motor that runs the windshield wipers. I can't for the life of me get that grommet off or poke a screw driver through it large enough for a 14g (big hands, small space). Also, I'm uncertain exactly where in the footwell it's supposed to appear. Is it right above the clutch pedal?

Also, I cut off the male bullet connector and put on a ring terminal... only to find out it's too small to go on the positive bolt. Also, the nut on the bolt itself is on tighter than flies on s***; am I supposed to just slide a big enough ring terminal over the bolt and secure it with another nut? If so, what size ring terminal and what size nut?

Thanks again.

Drill a little hole in it. I used my cheesy $25 power screwdriver with a new bit and it worked great, since the plastic is soft. It should be a sort of transparent white and oval-shaped (or like a rounded diamond kind of). When I stuck my head into the passenger compartment near the floor, I had to look up and it was behind a bit of padding colored the same as my floor.

If you do this, be sure you don't drill into anything else, you might get a friend to help spot on the other side just to be sure. Also if you have to remove that padding, be ginger - mine came apart with very little force.

14g is small - if you are using wire which has thin insulation and you think might possibly get cut into by a plastic edge (seems unlikely since the plastic is soft, but who knows) - then you can consider putting a little rubber grommet on the wire and clipping it onto the edge. But you will probably get along fine otherwise, that's just to make sure the insulation doesn't get rubbed/cut through.