it was some time ago, but i believe it was the seat bolt (or seat belt bolt) in the third row seating. goes directly to the frame. no buzz, whine, or static.
Well about the ground, you dont want to use a seat bolt or any other bolts that are already in the vehicle, you want to have a seperate ground, just take and pull back the carpet under the 3rd row seating and you should be able to use the body for a good ground.
^^ talking nonsense. If you pull the carpet back, you'll still have to put a bolt into the body. Anyway, the seat bolt is a seperate ground. What else is it grounding, the seat?
Well about the "nonsence" if you talk to any audio installer at a shop they will tell you that they will not ground anything to the seat bolts or any other bolt already in the vehicle. Plus you can hide the wires and the ground a lot better unger the carpet vice seeing it all grounded on the seat bolt.
no I am not an expert, I just have installed a few systems, and have watched a couple of shops a few times, and that is what I know about that. I also know what looks better. When I had my durango's ground mounted to the seat bolt, any time you would lift the seat up you would always see the wires and everything, then when I took it in to the shop, the told me about not using the seat bolts. Then I re-ran everything and now you can not see anything, and it actually sounds a little better, because it is grounded better.
Durangoman, why would it have to be over the carpet just because you were using the seat bolt? I dont understand? Most carpets have the little things called 'holes' in them for the bolt to come up through them.. It's really not a marvel of modern engineering, that you can simply put the terminal on the bolt, under the carpet, then re-bolt it.. Clean as can be.
Sinx, you should just make sure where the bolt is, that the chasis is well sanded, and bare metal. Make sure the bolt is EXTREMELY tight (dont strip it of course) and that the ring terminal you're using, has a good connection with the chasis itself, not just the bolt. Bolts are often black iron, etc.. And really not the best conductor.. So like I said, try to make sure it's bolted down securely, and comes into contact with the chasis itself if possible.
As far as audio installers never using existing bolts.. Of course not. They charge $8 per bolt, and $5 labor per bolt they put on. :-P
Well Seth, I dont know what install shops you go to, but everyone I have ever been at has not charged 8$ per bolt and 5$ for labor, so I think you are geting ripped off. About the seat bolt things, every vehicle is different and what I have is a durango, and in there, the third row seeting is bolted in above the carpet, because it needs to move when you go to lay the seat down to have the room in the back, so in my vehicle yea if you did mount it to the seat bolt you would see it right there, so I guess I should have said "depending on what vehicle," but if you take the chance of making it "EXTREMELY" tight, then you take the chance of messing the threads up on it and then you just would have to replace it anyways because now you wouldnt be able to get it tight or possibly even out for the threads being stripped.
Also if you would just call a audio installer about where to put a ground, just for advice, they would probably tell you not to use the seat bolt and to have it seperate, and at that point they are not profiting from that at all.
Most vehicles do have the bolt on top. However, the actual screw it's bolted to, comes from under the carpet, where you could put the ring. Might want to put a thin rubber washer overtop it, though.. But even if not, it hsouldnt be a problem if the bolt is very tight. And I said (not stripping it of course) to point out the whole thing about being careful not to strip it.
And it's true, the seat bolts are definately not the best location, but with a good conection, it should work just fine in a pi nch.
not trying to bust on anyone but i have to agree with seth, i have my amp grounded to a seat-belt bolt and it works just fine took about 10 seconds to take the bolt out and put it back in, but mine is also underneath the back seat in my car, so it kinda does depend on your vehicle and how particular you are on hiding the wires
