How-To: Upgrade the Dual OEM HK Woofers.

[Diboblo]

Things you will need:

12 gauge wire.
Two shallow mount 10" subwoofers.
Dedicated monoblock amp.
4 gauge wire.
Mini Add-a-Circuit
100 amp fuse and holder.
Panel mount 12 gauge connector and adapter harness (future update).

In this how-to, I will cover my installation of two SKAR Audio 10" 500 watt 2 ohm DVC subwoofers, in place of the OEM HK woofers. We will wire the voice coils in series, then drop the overall load by wiring the speakers in parallel.

Note the difference between the two and see for yourself why you may wish to consider this mod.

Remove two OEM woofers, from the HK box, by extracting 6 Torx screws, each.

Unplug each woofer and set them aside.

Gather the OEM harness, inside the right hand side of the box.

In my case, I needed to open up the mounting hole about 1/8". Just used a rotary rasp, on my drill motor. Piece of cake.

Next, we need to wire each sub in series, for a 4 ohm load. This is accomplished by jumpering between the positive, on one voice coil, to the ground, on the opposite voice coil.

Do this to both subwoofers.

Next, attach a 24" 12 gauge wire from the empty positive and negative treminals of one subwoofer and install it in the left side of the box. Do not screw it down, just yet.

Install the free end of the wires, from the left sub, to the empty terminals on the right sub.

I chose the OEM harness red wire and white wire to jumper to, for your signal input. Red wire, positive. White wire, ground.

Install T-Taps on the red and white wires.

Run a jumper between the OEM harness and the right woofer terminals you just connected to.

You are shooting for this:

Now, we can button up the subwoofers. For this application, I used #8 stainless panhead screws... 8 each. This is because SKAR uses 8 mounting holes. HK uses 6.

Next, fabricate a 24" harness of 12 gauge wire, using two 2.5mm female spade terminals, on one end. The other end, strip and run to the output of the amp.

I ran a remote turn on wire to an Add-a-Circuit at fuse 18, in the rear power distribution block.

Power and ground, for the amp, run to the battery.

Signal source comes from the driver side 6x9. I tapped into the signal and ground with an RCA patch cord and ran it to the amp.

I mounted the amp and fuse to a piece of 3/4" plywood, that I painted black.

Hope this helps.

Bob
Riverside, California

 

[Diboblo]

The next and final mod, in this how-to, involves installing an airtight bulkhead connector, with 12awg wire, to replace the OEM 18awg rats nest.

You'll need:

SAE bulkhead connector and joining plug end.
Silicone spray.
Trim removal tool.
Solder.*
Soldering iron.*
Four #6x3/4" stainless countersink screws.
Silicone RTV, or 3m VHT tape.

*Alternatively, you may elect to use 12 awg butt splices.

=====================================

First, you need to remove the right side subwoofer. I won't cover that. It's just a few screws.

Disconnect from the OEM harness, inside the box (see the first part of this tutorial).

Take your trim tool and remove the connector, from the box:

Spray the grommet with a little bit of silicone spray:

Use your trim tool and carefully pry the grommet, while pressing on it, with your thumb:

It will pop right into the box:

Remove the OEM grommet/wire assembly, by feeding the connector through the hole in the box:

Locate and install the SAE bulkhead connector, using the four screws:

Once mounted to the box, connect the bulkhead leads, to the speaker leads, in a method you prefer.

Re-install the subwoofer.

That's it.

Now, put that thing back in the car. Connect your amp side wires. Plug into the bulkhead connector and enjoy.

Bob
Riverside, California

 

[Diboblo]

@BULL

Wiki?

Bob
Riverside, California

 

[BULL]

@BULL

Wiki?

Bob
Riverside, California

Likely,

Can someone vett/validate the procedure please?

 

[DaveB]

@Diboblo, Couldn't you get the signal from the original sub wiring harness? (I see scotchlocks on the original harness, so I'm assuming you tried...?)

 

[Diboblo]

@Diboblo, Couldn't you get the signal from the original sub wiring harness? (I see scotchlocks on the original harness, so I'm assuming you tried...?)

At the time I got my HC, the stereo wasn't a priority, so it has the base Alpine, without sub.

However, I am a basshead, so...

Bob
Riverside, California

 

[Av8ing1]

Very nice write up. Question, you have a Charger (as do I) so you didn't have the spare tire well sub setup from factory? I'm assuming you used one from a Challenger?

edit: I found this https://www.hellcatforum.org/threads/how-to-installing-a-challenger-hk-sub-box-in-a-charger.4550/
so answered my own question. Answer was yes.

 

[Diboblo]

Very nice write up. Question, you have a Charger (as do I) so you didn't have the spare tire well sub setup from factory? I'm assuming you used one from a Challenger?

edit: I found this https://www.hellcatforum.org/threads/how-to-installing-a-challenger-hk-sub-box-in-a-charger.4550/
so answered my own question. Answer was yes.

LOL... that also my write up

There is an HK sub box on the "other" forum, but it is way overpriced.

Couldn't hurt to throw him an offer, if you're considering this mod...

Bob
Riverside, California

 

[Av8ing1]

Thanks Bob, Great info!

 

[Frenchcat]

Things you will need:

12 gauge wire.
Two shallow mount 10" subwoofers.
Dedicated monoblock amp.
4 gauge wire.
Mini Add-a-Circuit
100 amp fuse and holder.
Panel mount 12 gauge connector and adapter harness (future update).

In this how-to, I will cover my installation of two SKAR Audio 10" 500 watt 2 ohm DVC subwoofers, in place of the OEM HK woofers. We will wire the voice coils in series, then drop the overall load by wiring the speakers in parallel.

Note the difference between the two and see for yourself why you may wish to consider this mod.

Remove two OEM woofers, from the HK box, by extracting 6 Torx screws, each.

Unplug each woofer and set them aside.

Gather the OEM harness, inside the right hand side of the box.

In my case, I needed to open up the mounting hole about 1/8". Just used a rotary rasp, on my drill motor. Piece of cake.

Next, we need to wire each sub in series, for a 4 ohm load. This is accomplished by jumpering between the positive, on one voice coil, to the ground, on the opposite voice coil.

Do this to both subwoofers.

Next, attach a 24" 12 gauge wire from the empty positive and negative treminals of one subwoofer and install it in the left side of the box. Do not screw it down, just yet.

Install the free end of the wires, from the left sub, to the empty terminals on the right sub.

I chose the OEM harness red wire and white wire to jumper to, for your signal input. Red wire, positive. White wire, ground.

Install T-Taps on the red and white wires.

Run a jumper between the OEM harness and the right woofer terminals you just connected to.

You are shooting for this:

Now, we can button up the subwoofers. For this application, I used #8 stainless panhead screws... 8 each. This is because SKAR uses 8 mounting holes. HK uses 6.

Next, fabricate a 24" harness of 12 gauge wire, using two 2.5mm female spade terminals, on one end. The other end, strip and run to the output of the amp.

I ran a remote turn on wire to an Add-a-Circuit at fuse 18, in the rear power distribution block.

Power and ground, for the amp, run to the battery.

Signal source comes from the driver side 6x9. I tapped into the signal and ground with an RCA patch cord and ran it to the amp.

I mounted the amp and fuse to a piece of 3/4" plywood, that I painted black.

Hope this helps.

Bob
Riverside, California

Thanks for the very informative write up! My question is why do you use 2 Skar Audio 10" in 2 ohms. Why don't you use in 4 ohms ? Is it for a more balanced bass with your Kicker amp? If I use 2 Skar Audio 10" in 2 ohms or 4 ohms with your wiring sketch but without dedicated supplementary amp, what kind of bass can I expect compare to the HK speakers? I am looking for a more punched bass AT LOW VOLUME. Thanks!

 

[Diboblo]

At the time, all skar had in stock was 2 ohm, in their online store.

They have both 2 and 4 ohm, now.

If you upgrade the speakers, you absolutely WILL need a dedicated bass amp. Skars are 500 watt speakers, where oem are 75 watts, rms. No way will the OEM cabin amp push any true subwoofer... did you see the difference just in magnet size? The difference is crazy...

You can achieve better bass, in low volume imaging. Just depends on how you calibrate the amp, after installation.

If you already have the box, and you are a Challenger, the job is much easier

Bob

 

[Av8ing1]

The more power available to control voice coils the better. It does not mean you have to go loud with it.

 

[Frenchcat]

Ok gents, I will go with a dedicated amp. And for my purposes should I go with 2 or 4 ohms speakers?

 

[Diboblo]

Ok gents, I will go with a dedicated amp. And for my purposes should I go with 2 or 4 ohms speakers?

In my case, the Kicker amp is most efficient (400 watts), at 2 ohms.

Either 4, or 2 ohm will need to be wired for a 2 ohm load... just depends on the efficiency of your amp.

For example:

Bob

 

[Diboblo]

This is a fantastic resource, for parallel and/or series wiring conventions:

https://www.termpro.com/asp/pubs.asp?ID=124

Bob

 

[Frenchcat]

This is a fantastic resource, for parallel and/or series wiring conventions:

https://www.termpro.com/asp/pubs.asp?ID=124

Bob

Great infos. Thanks!

 

[Frenchcat]

I have the OEM HK audio system in my 2019 Redeye. How should I wire my bass amp from the OEM HK coming from box harness. I will have to cancel my oem 12v power signal and keep the audio signal?

 

[Diboblo]

I have the OEM HK audio system in my 2019 Redeye. How should I wire my bass amp from the OEM HK coming from box harness. I will have to cancel my oem 12v power signal and keep the audio signal?

There is no 12v, at the box.

There is no sub amp, in the HK system.

The cabin amp drives all signal input, to the sub box, on three channels... hence the 6 wire input.

If you are upgrading the woofers, you will need the subwoofers and a dedicated sub amp, preferably a class D monoblock amp.

You can take one pair of audio signals from the car side harness, and go into the box, then take your switched 12v, from the rear power distribution block... I think fuse 12. Check my notes, in the first few posts. There is a picture and tap info.


Bob

 

[Wizza]

Interesting......had thought about adding the Challenger box to my Charger before but I love the storage area there

 

[Taxinator]

My storage area was always empty, so I purchased the Challenger box...love it.