Originally Posted by one2nine

Sounds like definitely ordering one in the near future

Originally Posted by livemusicfan

UPS delivered the Kicker setup today and thanks to some cancelled meetings, I was able to do the install this afternoon. All in all it took roughly 5 hours but is fairly straight forward if you follow the instructions (which are not included by the way). I have a 2013 XLT SuperCrew with the 4.2” Sync display, my first truck and my first Ford. From the factory it has 4 cheap paper door speakers and tweeters in the A pillars. I had replaced the speakers with Infinity speakers from Crutchfield but one had to be replaced under warranty and that model was discontinued so I tried a speaker from Rockford but did not like the sound and knew I wanted something more anyway so I sent it all back. I spoke to a couple audio shops in town but really wanted something more factory look and did not feel I needed someone to build sub boxes in the back. The Kicker solution seemed to fit what I was looking for and after seeing the price here I went for it. To put things in perspective, I’m 41, have been a DJ on and off since 1989 and music has been a very important part of my life since I was 7. I listen to a very broad range of music, everything from classical to progressive rock to hip hop. I have owned several home theater setups and aftermarket car stereos over the years and think I have a pretty good ear for good sound. At this point in my life, I like the sound from Bose. Yes, there are better systems out there than Bose but I tend to find they make the best stuff for the variety that is in my collection. I say this as a frame of reference for any of you who have Bose equipment. Back to the Kicker system, the box is pure OEM (plain brown cardboard) and obviously is not made for sale on a display shelf. The sub comes in a black plastic bag with some foam to keep it from moving around. The speakers are in cardboard sleeves and there is one additional box with the cables and other parts. I really should have taken some pictures along the way but I’ll walk you through the install if I can. I have done stereo installs before and was fairly comfortable taking the dash apart as needed, my only real reservation was removing the airbag. It does seem like you are taking a lot of things apart just to get access to a few places and for some reason, Ford uses many different sized screws. I used an install trick I saw on YouTube sticking all the screws I removed, in order, to a piece of the cardboard box and labeled everything. I took my time running the power lead wires through the firewall and used a lot of zip ties to make sure nothing would come loose.. All of the wire is wrapped and looks like it could have come with the truck from the factory, I was very impressed with the quality of all the pieces. The whole system really is plug and play, everything has a place and you can tell a lot of thought went into the design. The amp is installed up under the drivers side dash and even the speakers for the doors connect to the factory harness. I did have trouble with the mounting bolts for the sub. It looks like you need a special rivet type tool I did not have so after a first try, went in from underneath the vehicle. It is not ideal and two were warped during install so I may need to fix that down the road. I put everything back in place and did a test,….what a difference. I was actually shocked at the change in the sound. That sub puts out an amazing amount of bass for one its size and the new Kicker speakers in the doors sound great. In fact, the sound setting are all flat and it still sounds perfectly EQed. I tried a mix of music, pop, classic rock, country, some older hip-hop, and even some newer electronic stuff – all sounded amazing. I was hesitant to spend almost $1000 on an accessory product, knowing it could be done custom, but am already very impressed and I am happy knowing it all came from Ford and will never create a warranty issue if something were to fail. I know that any OEM is not going to include something like this in a base vehicle, but they should. The radio head unit cannot be easily replaced with Sync and the lack of options right now. Honestly, I prefer it to look factory anyway; my aftermarket days are long behind me. I am not going to win any bass competitions and there are plenty of cars here in Atlanta that blow my truck away, but it sounds great for my middle-aged, ears and that is what really matters. I think the vast majority of you would be very happy with this as well.

Originally Posted by rhicks20

I have a FX4 Screw with the sony system. I'm a bit disappointed with the base output though. Would the Kicker sub upgrade be the thing for me by itself?? Has anyone installed just the sub and felt it was worth it?

thanks