I've attempted to research what I thought was a pretty simple task. I would like to add a sub woofer to my 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab, but I'm confused as to how this is done.

Does the head unit need to have a specific channel for the sub (or subs) Each channel, from my understanding, is one speaker.

Ideally, I would like to use my factory head unit. I don't imagine it has more than four channels, so how can I connect a sub woofer?

JL Audio makes the CL441dsp OEM interface. This would allow me to use my factory head unit with higher quality speakers and amplifiers, but the CL441dsp is only four channels.

I understand the sub woofer should be connected to an amplifier. What I don't understand is where I should connect the amplifier to. I assume it's to an open channel on the head unit.

Someone care to school me?

 

this has been done, but if I was goin to add a sub I would start by upgrading the factory speakers first. I recomend pioneer as that is what I'm using and they make istallation easy, u dont even need a line level adapter.
you can feed the low level wires from your speakers into the pioneer amps and that will give clean signal from that amp to your door speakers and from there you can bridge the from the door spealer amp to the subwoofer amp and via RCA's and have a clean, clear, Sound Quality with the stock head unit.
I did that for a week, run a GM 6400 amp to power the 6X9 for the front doors, 5.25 for the rear doors and 3.5 in the dash, clean as a whistle, added the second amp GM7400 for the two 10" pioneer subs and its decent enough.
I ended up replacing the stock unit with a pioneer deck with the usb and bluetooth addapter just to complete the package, i will recomend dynomathing the doors and rear deck and wall.
good luck with your install

 

How do you power two sub woofers off the GM7400? It only has one channel correct?

 

it's all in the wiring, and not difficult to do if you understand Ohm's law. If you're new to car audio, I don't know that I'd try it without help. Newer Dodge/Chrysler/Jeeps incorporate data systems into their factory equipment and generally isn't for the first time installer. Take it to a shop or find a friend that really knows what they're doing.

 

run them in parallel. I'm not in need to have to go past the normal range on the gain control so there is no heating issues with the amp since it can hanlde a 2ohm load