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2013 Ford F-150
Your 2013 Ford F-150 gives you a clean slate: a replaceable double-DIN slot, no factory amp to work around, and 6x8-inch speakers in the front doors, rear doors, and side panels. For a full system build at a premium budget doing it yourself, you do everything at once. New head unit, front component 6x8s, rear door and side panel replacements, a proper sub built into a truck-specific enclosure under or behind the rear seat, and aftermarket amplification to power all of it. Because there's no trunk in a truck, the cab is where the bass has to perform — the sub placement, enclosure design, and amp tuning are what make it sound right rather than just loud. No factory amp means you're not ripping anything out; you're building clean from scratch. Speakers → bass → power.
The upgrade path
4 steps · ordered by impact · with DIY difficultyA direct single- or double-DIN swap is the right starting point for a full system build. The factory head unit's low preamp output is a bottleneck for everything downstream — a quality aftermarket unit with strong RCA voltage gives your amp a better signal to work with, which translates directly to lower noise and better dynamic range from your speakers. For a full build, look for a head unit with dedicated front, rear, and subwoofer preamp outputs so you can connect each zone of the amp independently. Since there's no factory amplifier in your 2013 Ford F-150, the signal path is straightforward — RCA out from the head unit, straight to the amp inputs. Get this step right and the rest of the chain benefits.
Why it’s the pick: When maximum screen real estate is the goal, the DMH-WT8600NEX is my go-to — the oversized floating panel and crisp capacitive glass put a tablet-sized display in almost any dash.…
A full system build in your 2013 Ford F-150 starts with the speaker stage, and you have clearly defined 6x8 openings in both the front doors and rear C-pillars — all four positions get upgraded now. Up front, run a component set: the tweeter and separate crossover are what give you real imaging and high-frequency detail, and the dedicated mid handles the critical midrange range a coaxial can't match. The rear C-pillar 6x8s are part of this build — at a no-compromise budget you don't defer the rears. No factory amplifier means the signal path is straightforward for installation; the amp step later in this guide is where you add the dedicated power the new speakers need to fully open up. See the Best Car Speakers by Size guide for quality 6x8 component and coaxial options.
Why it’s the pick: For Ford-family 6x8" openings, Rockford’s Power series is a proven drop-in with real output. Their VAST surround increases effective cone area for punchier mid-bass than a typical…
A full system build in a truck starts with the physical reality: no trunk, so the subwoofer lives in the cab — under or behind the rear seat in an enclosure built to that sub's specs. A shallow or compact sub is designed for exactly this constraint; the box tuning is what separates controlled, musical bass from a muddy cabinet resonance. Because you're doing the install yourself on a premium budget, build this step the right way — a proper subwoofer, a custom enclosure, and a dedicated amplifier. That combination integrates with the upgraded front and rear speakers you're already running to deliver a cohesive, full-range sound in your truck's cab. See the Best Slim / Shallow Subwoofers guide for truck-friendly picks.
Why it’s the pick: Shallow subs used to be compromises. Not anymore. Hertz re-engineered the MPS for the slim form factor rather than shrinking a standard design, which is why it behaves like a “rea…
For a full system build, the amplifier is what makes every other component perform at its potential. Your 2013 Ford F-150 has no factory amp, so you're starting fresh — and at a premium budget, that's an opportunity to do it right from the start. Size the amp (or amps) to the full channel count: one channel per speaker, plus a mono channel for the sub. A multi-channel amp that handles all the speaker channels plus a separate mono sub amp is a common and clean configuration. Run dedicated power and ground cables properly — undersized wiring is a common point where premium builds give up performance. Set gains with a multimeter or oscilloscope, not by ear.
Why it’s the pick: VXi gives pro-grade tuning without extra boxes. JL’s NexD2 Class-D platform is efficient and quiet, and the integrated DSP plus TüN™ software can run active fronts and a sub from…
2013 Ford F-150 audio — common questions
What size speakers fit a 2013 Ford F-150?
The 2013 Ford F-150 uses 6×8 front speakers and 6×8 rear speakers.
Does the 2013 Ford F-150 have a factory amplifier?
No factory amp — the 2013 Ford F-150 drives its speakers off the head unit, so adding a compact 4-channel amp later gives the new speakers clean, properly rated power.
What is the best subwoofer setup for a 2013 Ford F-150?
No trunk, so bass lives in the cab — a shallow/compact sub fits under or behind the rear seat, or in a truck-specific enclosure.
What head unit fits a 2013 Ford F-150?
The 2013 Ford F-150 has a Single/Double DIN head unit (Replaceable — direct swap), so a matching aftermarket receiver fits with the correct dash kit and harness.
Everything on CarAudioNow for your 2013 Ford F-150
Fitment is a guide, not a guarantee. Speaker sizes and fit details are based on your selected year, make, model, and audio package and can vary by trim, options, and prior modifications — always confirm before buying.
Your plan is guidance built from your selections (vehicle, goal, budget), not a guarantee of fit, sound, or results, and not a substitute for professional installation advice. Prices are pulled from retailers and may change at checkout.
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