i've been on here all day searching for answers and i've read u lose the stock sub when hooking up an aftermarket head unit but, i also read that you can keep it. now i just purchased an avic d3 online yesterday and should have it installed next week sometime. can anyone who has installed this deck please tell me if i can keep my factory sub? if so how can i do this, can an install shop do this for me? if not, is it something i can do myself, i've installed systems in cars before but i've bypassed the amp if necessary and wired all speakers to aftermarket amp. i dont want to have to replace the sub and buy a new amp.

also i don't see any pics of a step by step process to install a new deck in the gs300/400 with notations on dash kit to use, wiring harness or bypasses for dvd use while driving

 

okay, am going to try to help you out buddy.
when you install an aftermarket unit, that does not mean the stock sub cannot be used. it can but might not match up with the performance of the new deck/ speakers if u got any.
you can use the stock sub by getting a line level converter which will provide you with your RCA inputs/outputs for the sub which and you would still need an aftermarket amp to power it.
good luck and i hope some audio experts can chime in.
also, use the search function as this has been cover a gazillion times.

olddog

 

Factory sub can be kept--

you'll need to have a head unit with a built in low pass xover as the oem unit sends the sub a crossed over signal-- about 100hz or 80hz should be fine-- if not you can still do it but you'll need to build a 12db per octave passive network - Just google crossover design-- you need a coil and a capacitor--

Your factory amp will need low level inputs-- which your new unit hopefully has, then once you figure out the wiring diagram on intellexual.net you can solder in some rca's to the existing wiring on the sub amp on the rear deck--

All this trouble can be bypassed if you just remove the stock sub alltogether and either install a replacement in the stock location or just run a sub in a small box in the trunk-- When you remove the stock sub the sound that passes through is really good-- I've got a single 12 in the trunk and it sounds great with very little rattle-- ZERO from the outside of the car, just a little in the rear deck, but I haven't deadened it any so that's pretty good-- And Kappa Perfects get pretty loud with some decent power-- I've got about 500w rms on it--

Easiest way with best performance is to just remove the stocker and install all aftermarket--

You could perhaps get even better sound by installing a slim 10 with a slim enclosure of the proper volume behind it but retaining the stock location-- You could also achieve this result by baffling a 10 or 12 off to the side of the tank (in an SC4 anyway) -- Fiberglass and wire mesh is your friend on that one-- but it isn't a daunting task-- Just time consuming with little margin for error--

 

thank you mjhsc400. that was the most direct answer that i found. i also saw on another site that you can cut a rca wire, connect it to the sub pre amp output from the new deck using a Y spliter for l/r channels, and use the cut end as your speaker wire and run the wire to the sub directly? .......... that does sound reasonable to me. but im looking to keep my car as stock as i possibly can. i'm not the kind of guy to install sub woofer boxes in my trunk anymore(10yrs ago i would've taken out my engine and added a 40 inch sub if i could get more spl out of it) LOL......

 

I am selling a brand new JL audio free air that will work well in your car..Just a suggestion..
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=278335

 

No !!!

The rca from the new head unit will connect to the LOW LEVEL INPUT on the oem amp-- you'll need to find a diagram of your stock system to know which wires this is-- and you'll need to be sure your amp is being turned on by your new head unit's remote lead--

The actual speaker wire from the amp to the woofer will remain unchanged--

The only thing you're changing is connecting the new head unit's low level (rca level) output to the sub amp's low level input (found in a diagram somewhere on the world wide web) -- And you'll need to be sure you have the amp turning on by the remote lead--

ALSO-- I know the old SC's system has all the xovers built in to the head unit, but I don't know about your car-- so you'll want to be sure to turn on any subwoofer xover your head unit has built in --

And GOOD LUCK!!

 

If I were you I would install an aftermarket freeair sub if you don't want a box and just get a little 200w amp to run it-- you'll be much happier with that setup--

A 12" wouldn't be that hard to install as long as you don't ahve a gas tank in the way-- (like sc's )

The cone is about the same size as the cutout-- you'd just mount it flush against the bottom of the deck with some foam tape for a seal and some good nuts and bolts-- It would sound light years better--

 

well i have plenty of time to think about it now that carson toyota told me that my faceplate i ordered will probally take a month to get here...

 

i heard carson has the best faceplate but is there anything else out there just as good with fast shipping?