07 TBSS Fi Team 18's B-Walled 4th

[lowpt]

I too read this entire log yesterday. I hate you have so much trouble. How do you like the Soundstream components you are using? Are you even able to hear them with those subs?

[UnderLoK]

Damn man I remember seeing some of these pics on Trailvoy, but yesterday I actually went and read through this whole log. WHY DOES YOUR CAR HATE YOU SO MUCH? Man I gotta say I never had any problems with my charging system, I have 2 1/0 runs front to back but my rear batteries are grounded to the chassis. Big 3 doubled up in 1/0 and I don't have the ECU charging issues like you do. I see about 15 on a fresh start, and anywhere from 13.6-14.0 after that while idle and driving. My battery light comes on sometimes but my voltage is still normal.

This is my first system EVER I have had problems with. In my Caddy is a system that is 11 years old and has gone into my TBSS, my Caddy (currently in the Caddy), 04 ZR2 S10, 00 Mustang, and a 99 SVT Contour. Before that I had similar stuff which was in 4 other cars. This truck is literally cursed.

What year is your truck? You say 15 so I assume 06+? The very first time I grounded to the rear hatch latch and it was fine, but it lifted the latch enough so that the tailgate was being wonky. When I redid it I grounded chassis the same way you are with a bolt and 1"+ washers blew amps, then to the frame near the compressor, blew amps, then to the front battery (4 1/0 grounds) and didn't blow amps. The front grounds in 4 locations (well did, I yanked two don't need 4 right now), 2 strut, and 2 front frame. Right now it's strut.

If I wasn't worried about blowing up more amps I would ground in the rear and light up those 4 1/0's with power, but I'm due for a new box and a new setup back there in general so I'm going to take it easy until spring.

it must just be a TBSS issue, pretty much everyone i have seen build in one has had a terrible experience.I do have one question, where are you grounding your amps/batts in the rear?i have mine on the seat bolt and scraped the ground... even with 2 batteries and a 250h.o alt i still dip into the 9's sometimes. I dont understand why i have had so many problems with the tbss.

I'm grounded to the front battery then to the strut tower and the front cross member (driver side under the truck). After my last redo of electrical even on one alt sucking up to 600a max my voltage stayed in the 12's for awhile (songs). Here is a pic of 2 of the grounds, the other 2 as I mentioned are strut tower (which are what I'm using now).

I too read this entire log yesterday. I hate you have so much trouble. How do you like the Soundstream components you are using? Are you even able to hear them with those subs?

They kind of suck to be honest, but you get what you pay for and I was running out of cash so I had to reel it in. They are good for the money and do keep up with the subs, but I just don't like how they sound. I need some Hertz stuff, maybe in the spring after I sell some crap.

[AMI CUSTOMS]

Where did you pick that table up at, nice build, wall it ftw...LOL, and why not run your cable thru firewall? I always try to do so on my builds, to avoid like what happened on the previous page.

[UnderLoK]

One thing having all these problems have taught me is that there is a dirty little secret about bigger builds. TONS of people have major problems, but they don't post about it. I was shocked at how much great advice I got from people that never mentioned they ever had an issue. Basically "shit happens" but not too many people like to admit they made mistakes.

Me? Sure I've made them and that is how you learn and there are no two ways about it. I've been running systems and networks for the better part of 16 years and being self taught I've made my share of mistakes in the past so having problems with this build wasn't really a big surprise. What was a surprise was how utterly useless some of these companies are. I won't name names, but there are a few people (employees that is not people here) that steered me in the wrong direction, gave me bad advice, and cost me a lot of money.

If I had it to do all over again 2 changes in my build would have resolved 90% of my problems.

1) Mechman from the start

-Matthew gave me 2 peices of advice that would have meant I never blew an amp in the first place. 1) Do not ground in the rear as it causes voltage spikes (especially bad when you peak at 15.6-15.8 at start). 2) "Did you ever actually measure your crank?"

2) Soundigital amps which is what I want next. I'm not saying they are better than any other amps, just that I should have gone with different sub amps.

Where did you pick that table up at, nice build, wall it ftw...LOL, and why not run your cable thru firewall? I always try to do so on my builds, to avoid like what happened on the previous page.

The cart is from Harbor Freight. It does 500lbs with a nice slick top to slide stuff around and is the same hight as the back of a GM SUV which rocks. I've done this box with Slappin and I lifting it and we both almost killed ourselves. Then I did it loading the subs in the truck which was beyond a PITA. Then we did the box with 4 guys and it was still a PITA. Yesterday my buddy and I did it with this cart and I don't think at any point I lifted more than 50lbs. Obviously it's good for other crap too, but for boxes it rocks. They make another one that does I think 1000lbs.

As for the wire, couple reasons, first off there isn't really room for 8 1/0 runs inside the truck. Behind my dash is really crowded. Second (and the real reason) it can take awhile for a 300a fuse to blow. If the wire is inside the truck/car odds are high that your carpet will go up before the fuse blows and with it under the carpet you can't get at it in case of emergency. I carry 1/0 cutters in my truck. If something goes to hell in a hand basket it being outside allows me time to cut it manually if need be. I know this doesn't apply to everyone, but in my truck with such limited space the wires aren't easily accessable inside the truck (part of the reason for a rebuild next year) which means having the cables outside is the way to go.

I've always run inside the car until I went over 1 1/0 run. I don't like the idea of 600-1200a worth of current (technically the 3400's can do 5500a) running under my seat. Is it being paranoid to a degree? Yes, but from my personal experience over the last 20 years I have never seen a 300a fuse pop fast enough to make me comfortable.

[AMI CUSTOMS]

My view is there is a greater chance of you having a short with the cable under the car then inside. And I will have to check out harbor freight for one of those carts, very nice, I use a roll around seat that I have now and it does okay, but that table is awesome.

[may03LT]

it must just be a TBSS issue, pretty much everyone i have seen build in one has had a terrible experience.

It seems that the ones with the voltage control module (06+) are the ones that are prone to problems.

One thing having all these problems have taught me is that there is a dirty little secret about bigger builds. TONS of people have major problems, but they don't post about it.

Or the posts get buried in their build logs.

[kbsmoker]

Atleast you got bump for the winter now.

Think I'm headin to harbor frieght for one of those carts

[UnderLoK]

Or the posts get buried in their build logs.

That is true!

[UnderLoK]

Atleast you got bump for the winter now.

Think I'm headin to harbor frieght for one of those carts

Get on their email mailer. That's where I got the deal not sure if it's on sale right now.

[fr34kout]

Yea mine is an 08. I know what you mean about not really having room in the car. I have 2 powers front to back, I just used one of the rubber bungs on the driver side and poked holes to stuff the wire through. Planning on doing 2 ground runs through there eventually so I'll have 2 grounds front to back and I'll just keep the 2 on the chassis already because why not right. Luckily I only had small problems with my build. Pinched sub RCA under rear seat so I ran a 6 ft from my 100.4 out to 4500 in to make sure everything was working fine, forgot to turn my HPF back on and blew my ID XS comps. Bought another pair and oscoped them (friend of mine did it) and they ended up blowing again. Got those warrantied and then turned my gain down about 1/8 of a turn, been good since then.