# Amplifier Ground for Aluminum Body F-150



## raadkins16 (Apr 21, 2005)

I did a search but couldn't find anything on this topic.

Can anyone shed light on grounding an amplifier to chassis vs running one up to the battery's ground for an aluminum body 2016 F-150? 

In the past I have always just did a short run ground wire to chassis, but that was on a steel body. Would doing the same on aluminum not be wise?


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## EmptyKim (Jun 17, 2010)

raadkins16 said:


> I did a search but couldn't find anything on this topic.
> 
> Can anyone shed light on grounding an amplifier to chassis vs running one up to the battery's ground for an aluminum body 2016 F-150?
> 
> In the past I have always just did a short run ground wire to chassis, but that was on a steel body. Would doing the same on aluminum not be wise?


I think aluminum is more conductive than steel.


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## Hillbilly SQ (Jan 26, 2007)

Make sure there's solid metal contact between panels. Guess all you can do is try it and see what happens. Long as there's not any voltage drop within reason or noise you should be fine.


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## raadkins16 (Apr 21, 2005)

Thanks for the input thus far. I thought maybe someone had installed in one of these new all aluminum body F150s and could shed some light if they had ever had issues with grounding to chassis.


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## Schizm (Jun 12, 2011)

Yeah aluminum is plenty conductive. Not as conductive as copper...but it's cheaper so they create copper clad aluminum wire. 

Aluminum just doesn't react to magnets the same way steel does. And it welds different. 


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## JohnKuthe... (Nov 2, 2016)

Schizm said:


> ...
> 
> Aluminum just doesn't react to magnets the same way steel does. And it welds different.


And aluminum oxidizes as most other metals do, protectively! Iron/steel is one of the only metals that commonly oxidized DEstructively! Rust! :-(

John Kuthe...


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## gstokes (Apr 20, 2014)

Don't use chassis ground, run dedicated power and ground cables, problem solved..

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## JohnKuthe... (Nov 2, 2016)

gstokes said:


> Don't use chassis ground, run dedicated power and ground cables, problem solved..
> ...


Yep, that's what I did. Dedicated 0AWG to the plus and minus posts on the battery! Screw the mickey mouse chassis automotive makers make these days! Chassis used to be a good solid ground anywhere. Now now so much. I can do better!!

John Kuthe...


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## Schizm (Jun 12, 2011)

Where in the firewall did you bring those cables through?

I have a 2012 that I was only going to add a small sub to until I realized my left tweeter is not working right. (Bought it used)

So tempted to remove my center console and put my sub there lol. 


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## Hillbilly SQ (Jan 26, 2007)

gstokes said:


> Don't use chassis ground, run dedicated power and ground cables, problem solved..
> 
> Sent from my LGLS755 using Tapatalk


Yup, most probably do it because they don't want to spend money on extra wire but it's a cheap way to have peace of mind in my opinion. Too much risk of factory grounds over paint, non-conductive bushings between panels, etc. I'm doing it in mine, but the battery is under the front passenger seat. No reason NOT to ground there, lol.


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## raadkins16 (Apr 21, 2005)

gstokes said:


> Don't use chassis ground, run dedicated power and ground cables, problem solved..
> 
> Sent from my LGLS755 using Tapatalk


So in this instance you are running amp ground wire and hooking into up directly to the ground terminal on the battery?


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## JimmyDee (Mar 8, 2014)




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## JohnKuthe... (Nov 2, 2016)

Hillbilly SQ said:


> Yup, most probably do it because they don't want to spend money on extra wire but it's a cheap way to have peace of mind in my opinion. Too much risk of factory grounds over paint, non-conductive bushings between panels, etc. I'm doing it in mine, but the battery is under the front passenger seat. No reason NOT to ground there, lol.


My installer guy and I found a big ole bolt in the back of the Stow-n-Go seat storage pit middle row just behind the Driver's and Passenger's seats where I am installing my amps as I have NO middle row Stow-n-Go seats in them. And we figured it was a good grounding spot so we initially used it as a system ground. But I got some very strange amp heating (too hot) when the amp was not even being driven with any signal. Resistance between that grounding point and a 2AWG jumper cable to the neg terminal of the battery showed negligible resistance between them so it appeared to be a good grounding point. But as you said just to be certain I ran another 0AWG cable from the neg battery post to the amps. and the abnormal hearing problem disappeared!

John Kuthe...


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## estanley1 (May 4, 2013)

Schizm said:


> Where in the firewall did you bring those cables through?
> 
> I have a 2012 that I was only going to add a small sub to until I realized my left tweeter is not working right. (Bought it used)
> 
> ...



Passenger side, right behind the glove box there's a large rubber boot and grommet where a few harnesses pass through. Within that large boot there are 2 or 3 pathways that route to differing locations/directions so before you start pushing your heavy gauge cable thru, use something smaller to figure out which hole you want to be in (she'll appreciate it). It'll be a tight squeeze but there's room. Pulling lube will make it a little easier


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## Hillbilly SQ (Jan 26, 2007)

estanley1 said:


> Passenger side, right behind the glove box there's a large rubber boot and grommet where a few harnesses pass through. Within that large boot there are 2 or 3 pathways that route to differing locations/directions so before you start pushing your heavy gauge cable thru, use something smaller to figure out which hole you want to be in (she'll appreciate it). It'll be a tight squeeze but there's room. Pulling lube will make it a little easier


I recommend Kentucky Jelly or WD40 for this. Whichever you have closest to you at the time


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## grinkeeper (Jun 26, 2015)

thanks for the great info everyone.


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## Will_D (Oct 19, 2016)

I ran my ground straight to the steel frame thru the air vents on the back wall.


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## Schizm (Jun 12, 2011)

Hillbilly SQ said:


> I recommend Kentucky Jelly or WD40 for this. Whichever you have closest to you at the time




Dammit Jim!

Left all my lube in Vietnam lol


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## Onyx1136 (Mar 15, 2009)

Hillbilly SQ said:


> I recommend Kentucky Jelly or WD40 for this. Whichever you have closest to you at the time


What is Kentucky Jelly?


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## JohnKuthe... (Nov 2, 2016)

Like Naval Jelly. Gelled phosphoric acid. Works really well, turn the top layer of Iron III Oxide to Iron II oxide a protective oxide layer. Turns the red rust black, the black is the good oxide coating. Commonly done to auto sheet metals to help rustproof them.

John Kuthe...


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