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Kicker CompRT & MB Quart Mono Amp Plug and Play Sub Bundle Installation Guide | '18- Current JL Wrangler 4-Door
Welcome to your Kicker CompRT & MB Quart Mono Amp Bundle Installation Guide ('18- Current JL Wrangler 4-Door).
This bundle replaces your JL's factory subwoofer with a Kicker CompRT 10" powered by an MB Quart NA2-400.1 mono amp under the passenger seat. Everything plugs in; the only cut you make is one small hole in a drain plug grommet.
If you have any questions, or need anything during the installation, we're only a phone call away. We're available Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm EST at (301) 450-3207, or you can email us at support@trailseven.com.
Tech Tips
- Read the whole guide before you start.
- Disconnect the negative battery terminal before running power; connect the power ring terminal at the battery last.
- The MB Quart bass knob is the one you use. On factory amplified Jeeps, leave the PAC AmpPRO's bass knob disconnected.
Before starting, please review your products with the list below to make sure you have all needed parts.
What's in your bundle
- MB Quart NA2-400.1 amp, mounted on the Metra under-seat plate, prepped harness
- Kicker CompRT 10" DVC sub + BRP bracket
- 2 sub Y-jumpers (positive marked)
- 12' sub wire extension
- 15' power wire + 30A fuse pigtail
- 12' 2-channel RCA + 5' remote wire
- MB Quart bass knob
- Factory Radio/ Factory Amplified options only: PAC AmpPRO (AP4-CH41 for '18-'23, AP4-CH42 for '24- Current)
Tools Needed for Install
- Panel Removal Tool
- 7mm, 10mm and 18mm Sockets (18mm for the seat bolts)
- Phillips and small flathead Screwdrivers
- Drill with a 7/64" bit, and silicone sealant
- Zip Ties and wire snips
- Aftermarket radio only: one pink (22-18 AWG) female bullet and a crimper for your radio's remote wire
Installation Steps
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Remove the Passenger Seat:
- Remove the four 18mm seat bolts and unplug the seat connectors.
- Lift the seat out of the Jeep.
-
Mount the Amp Board:
- Set the amp board (amp already mounted on the Metra plate) in place under the passenger seat.
- Keep the amp's leads clear of the seat rails.
-
Ground:
- Use the ground point on the passenger side, up against the transmission tunnel (the same point our regular amp bundles use).
- Scrape or sand any paint at the contact point down to bare metal.
- Bolt the black lead's ring terminal down tight.
-
Run Power to the Battery:
- Pull the passenger front footwell drain plug grommet from the floor pan.
- Drill a hole through the center of the grommet with a 7/64" bit. Test-fit the power wire; if it won't pass, step up to 1/8".
- Push the power wire (bullet end first) down through the grommet from inside the cabin and reseat the grommet in the floor.
- Seal around the wire with silicone on both the cabin side and the underbody side.
- Under the Jeep, run the wire forward along the frame to the engine compartment. Zip-tie it every 12"-18", away from the exhaust, driveshaft and suspension.
- Bring the wire up to the battery.
- Plug the power wire's male bullet into the fuse pigtail's female bullet.
- Make sure the 30A fuse is installed, then connect the fuse pigtail's ring terminal to the battery positive last.
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Signal and Remote:
Factory Radio/ Factory Amplified ('18-'23 CH41 / '24- Current CH42):
- Remove the radio and connect the PAC AmpPRO to the factory radio harness, as shown in our Amplifier/ Subwoofer Installation Guide (Step 3: Remove Radio & Access Signal Wiring).
- Plug the 12' RCA into the PAC's sub channel RCA out.
- Plug the 5' remote wire's male bullet into the PAC's remote output (female bullet).
Aftermarket Radio ('18-'23):
- Plug the 12' RCA into your head unit's sub pre-out.
- Crimp a pink (22-18 AWG) female bullet (not included) onto your head unit's remote turn-on wire, then plug in the 5' remote wire.
Both:
- Route the RCA and remote wire down to the amp under the passenger seat.
- Plug the RCA into the amp's RCA input and the remote wire into the amp's remote lead.
- Wrap the extra RCA slack and tuck it behind the glove box.
-
Swap the Factory Sub:
The factory sub sits in the passenger-side rear cargo trim panel.
- Remove the passenger-side rear cargo panel and unbolt the factory sub.
- Mount the Kicker CompRT to the BRP bracket, then install it in the factory sub location.
- Install the Y-jumpers (this wires the two 4-ohm coils in parallel for a 2-ohm load): positive Y (marked) to Coil 1 (+) and Coil 2 (+); negative Y to Coil 1 (-) and Coil 2 (-). Never connect a (+) terminal to a (-) terminal; that shorts the amp.
- Run the 12' sub wire extension from the amp along the passenger sill to the sub. Plug it into the amp's sub output.
- Plug the Y-jumpers' male bullets into the extension's female bullets: (+) to (+), (-) to (-).
-
Bass Knob:
- Plug the MB Quart bass knob into the amp's bass remote lead.
- Factory amplified Jeeps: use the MB Quart knob, not the PAC AmpPRO knob. Leave the PAC knob disconnected.
- Route the knob cable from the amp across to the driver side, up to the dash.
- Mount the knob under the steering wheel, on the right side by your knee.
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Amp Settings:
Use only one low-pass filter: set the PAC AmpPRO's sub output (or your head unit's sub LPF) to off/pass-through and let the amp do it.
- Low-pass filter: 80 Hz
- Subsonic filter: 25 Hz
- Bass boost: 0 dB (add up to +3 dB only if needed)
- Phase (if equipped): 0°
- MB Quart bass knob: max while setting gain
Setting the gain:
- Turn the amp gain to minimum and the bass knob to max.
- Set the radio EQ and bass flat, then turn the volume to about 3/4.
- Play a bass-heavy track you know well.
- Raise the gain slowly until the bass starts to distort, then back it off slightly.
- Use the bass knob for day-to-day level from here on.
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Test and Reassemble:
- Reconnect the negative battery terminal.
- Turn the Jeep on and confirm the amp powers up and the sub plays.
- Reinstall the cargo panel, glove box area trim and the passenger seat (18mm bolts, reconnect the seat plugs).
Enjoy your new system!
Questions at any step? Call (301) 450-3207 or email support@trailseven.com, Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm EST.