Ok guys... the EASIER way to run heavy gauge speaker wire to your doors. - Honda Prelude Forum

devtec · 08-13-2008, 10:51 AM

Bought all my stereo equipment in 2002. Can you believe I've been waiting this long to install it!!! Hahaha.. crazy. Finally stars aligned and found a weekend to do the job. Anyway, running REAL speaker wire through the front doors of the 5g has always been a daunting task. Various methods out there:

1. Don't do it: tap stock wires. Not an option for me, since running 200W each to the front speakers.

2. Drill through foot board area: unsightly, not a very clean install, quick and dirty.

3. The Molex thing: the NTPOG way, drill through Molex connectors to run your own wire, but maybe 14 AWG at best, and a royal pain. Risky.

I think what's below is a clean and easy way. Allowed me to run 12AWG twisted pair wire with thick insulation, measuring about 5/16" diameter.

Ok, here's the target. Need to run wire from cabin into door through this area. You can see the rubber boot through which the stock wires run:

Problem is where to drill hole. Very difficult to fit even a right angle drill between door jam and door. I found it impossible, actually. So, we're going to drill from inside the door instead, here:

There's the infamous Molex connector. We can leave that alone. Mark out a spot just above it with your Sharpie:

devtec · 08-13-2008, 10:56 AM

You'll need the following: standard drill, Flex-a-bit extension, and hex shank drillbit set:

Flex-a-bit is really a life saver. But be careful, can't take to much torque or will break and unravel. Went through 3 of these trying to enlarge the hole to 1/2". When you get to 3/8", use a grinding stone instead to get it to 1/2".

Before you start drilling with your smallest bit, use something sharp to punch an indentation in the sheetmetal first to give yourself a fighting chance of actually starting the hole where you want it:

Here we go:

Be patient, move up in small increments with the bit sizes. Don't get greedy..... and.... Done!

Prime that biyatch!

And grommet it. These are 1/2" grommets from Home Depot, with a 3/8" opening, perfect for the 5/16" diameter wiring I was using:

BBYlude · 08-13-2008, 11:07 AM

very nice! I did the molex way; I didn't even think of this as an option...

also, is that insulation stuff on the inside of your door skin factory? I didn't have any on mine, which would further suggest the car being in an accident before I purchased it.

devtec · 08-13-2008, 11:13 AM

Start snaking the wire up through the footwell above the fuse box. You'll see an opening:

Aim for where the stock wre bundle exits, and you'll get there:

Now wrestle out the rubber boot around the wire bundle and X-acto a slit in it to run your speaker wire through. There's PLENTY of space to run your wire through this rubber boot:

Might be the hardest part. Get your wire to peak through the slit, then you're golden.