Help with sub install...

Jholmes · **Joined:** Fri Nov 10, 2006 7:58 am **Posts:** 18

I was hoping some of you guys can help me out here...

I ended up picking up a 2003 Liberty Sport from my cousin's company at about 4k off wholesale price, so I'm going to pick up the jeep next weekend. In the meantime, I've been trying to figure out what to do with the stereo and subwoofer. (Can't take up all the cargo area)

My idea is to build a sub box that is approximately 6-7 inches tall that encompasses the entire bottom of the jeep liberty cargo area. (if that makes sense)

The box would have a built in amp rack with the amps recessed into the box so the amp and sub are flush with the top of the box, thereby allowing items to be places in the back of the cargo area. Since the seats don't seem to fold completely flat, my idea is also to mount another board onto the sub-box which will fold out to meet with the folded down seats and create a buffer between the 6 inches of the "sub/false-floor" and the folded down seats, thereby creating a somewhat flat floor...

Q:
Has anybody seen this done elsewhere?
Does anyone see any potential problems?
And since I dont have the jeep yet, can anyone measure the interior dimensions of their liberty cargo area for me so I can start figuring out how many cubic feet the box can be.. and what i need to put in it...

I'll of course be taking photos all along the way.

I'm starting out with the Pioneer DEH-P9800BT CD Receiver with Bluetooth, http://www.crutchfield.com/S-4QFsOfr24v ... 130DEHP980
Polk Audio db 650 for the rears http://www.crutchfield.com/S-4QFsOfr24v ... =107DB6500
and Polk Audio db6500 for the fronts. http://www.crutchfield.com/S-4QFsOfr24v ... I=107DB650

I plan to run them off some old-school Rockford Fosgate amps. a Punch 240x4 and a Punch 200x2.

Right now I have 2 10" Orion DVC subs, but will probably have to scrap them in favor of one 10 or one 12..

I'm not looking to win any SPL competitions, just have something fun and functional.

Pleae reply and let me know what you think, whether

FreeJeep · **Posted:** Fri Nov 10, 2006 9:32 am

My only concern would be protecting the sub (I'm assuming your looking to have it fire up) from the cargo you carry. Make sure you have a heavy duty grill with small openeings. Probably want the grill to be easily removable as well so you can get any little "things" that fall though the grill.

Otherwise you mignt consider a bandpass design where the sub is sealed inside the box and only the ports are exposed. This option is more difficult to design, especially with that low a profile, but protects you sub investment better.

DonC

Jholmes · **Joined:** Fri Nov 10, 2006 7:58 am **Posts:** 18

Thanks for the reply.. I had thought about that... essentially I'm thinking of a sub-box with speakers, and these grills, configured in a way so the grills are flush with the "false" floor I'm creating..

The hard part would be flush mounting the amplifiers so they dont get overheated.. I'm wondering if just having the exposed fins of the amp would be enough, or if i would have cooling problems.. if so, i'll just mount the amps under the rear seats..

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl ... er=260-426

FreedomKJ · **Posted:** Sat Nov 11, 2006 2:04 am

Jholmes wrote:

Thanks for the reply.. I had thought about that... essentially I'm thinking of a sub-box with speakers, and these grills, configured in a way so the grills are flush with the "false" floor I'm creating..

The hard part would be flush mounting the amplifiers so they dont get overheated.. I'm wondering if just having the exposed fins of the amp would be enough, or if i would have cooling problems.. if so, i'll just mount the amps under the rear seats..

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl ... er=260-426

Enclose the amps entirely inside the box and throw a few 120mm PC fans (12v, just like a car) in there to blow air across the cooling fins.

Jholmes · **Joined:** Fri Nov 10, 2006 7:58 am **Posts:** 18

Just for clarification, I assume you mean enclose the amps in an entire different separate box from the subs.

My assumptions is based on the thought that if I enclose the amps in the subbox, then cut out holes for the fans... i no longer have a sealed box, but a wuasi ported box... which the air flow from the fans could actually interfere with the operation of the fans...

Also, would anyone be able to take the measurements of the cargo area that I'm looking for? thanks!

FreeJeep · **Posted:** Sat Nov 11, 2006 9:39 am

I second building the amps into the box with fans for cooling. And yes, the amps would need to be isolated from the sub chamber. Check out page 2 of my sounddomain page. I did the same thing, except vertical.

http://www.sounddomain.com/ride/425503/1

DonC

freetolio · **Joined:** Tue Aug 09, 2005 11:47 am **Posts:** 38

We are doing the same basic project, my post is like four topics down from yours in the electronics index.

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=13979

I had to go over 8 inches in depth because some of my subwoofers have huge drivers.

Kj Juice · **Joined:** Sat Oct 15, 2005 5:35 pm **Posts:** 62

negative on all those ideas.. i used a truck box.. and mounted amps under the rear seats.. perfect size for 500 watt amps.. i have 2 jl w0 10's . with PG amps. PG hardline and crossover .. and also a power cap all under my rear seats..... i have had my amps at half turn for years.. any more and my rear window sounds like it will rattle out.. and with the truck box i still have some cargo room.. i mean to be honest there is no need to go to all the work of mounting the amps inside the box.. unless you going to shows with it.... your just asking for a fan to go out. and blow a amp.. with all that heat in the box

Jholmes · **Joined:** Fri Nov 10, 2006 7:58 am **Posts:** 18

freetolio,

I'm not looking for big bass, just functionality... and i enjoy working on this stuff, so i dont mind working a little extra to make it look good.

Anyway, right now i have 2 orion dvc 10's but I think I'm going to scrap them in favor of the new pioneer shallow mount subs. the 10" is only 3 inches tall! so with 1/2 or 3/4 inch mdf, I'll only take up approx. 4 inches of cargo height...

good luck on your install. keep the pics coming.

freetolio · **Joined:** Tue Aug 09, 2005 11:47 am **Posts:** 38

Oh, then I guess you could go much shorter

Are you going to do this in all wood, all fiberglass, or some combo? I think that a box made entirely of wood may be better in terms of strength, but worse for efficient use of space.

I am planning on using a top baffle of MDF coated with fiberglass with a supportive wooden frame placed inside the enclosure.

I would think that you could get away with flush mounting the amps and using passive cooling (perforations in the cover or something similar) if you aren't really pounding your system, and especially if the amp isn't running 2 ohm or lower.

One question, how are you planning on protecting the sub? I am considering mounting a sheet of welded wire mesh (like shopping cart material) over the whole thing. If I flush mount my amps, I would probably use perforated lexan, but I like the idea of having a single continuous surface for cargo.

Have fun, and keep us all posted. I'll get you some measurements when I go to take photos next. I had them written down somewhere, but it isn't worth the effort tracking them down.

Jholmes · **Joined:** Fri Nov 10, 2006 7:58 am **Posts:** 18

I plan on using mdf for the sub box. Concerning efficient use of space, my idea at the moment is a three part construction system.

Part one, sub box built appx. 4 inches tall, encompassing the entire width and 3/4 the depth of the cargo area.

Part two, a second box/raised platform to hold the amplifier (two old-oldschool Punch's with Punch link in in the middle) and cap.

Part three, one single piece of mdf cut out to the dimensions of the entire cargo area. This would be placed on top of parts one and two, creating the floor of the cargo area. carpeted of course.

Re the subs and flushmount: if you look at my post above, parts express sells a large heavy duty grill.. this would be mounted on the subbox, with a hole cut into the large cover to hopefully create a seamless/flat floor.

Re: the amps, I'm looking into two ideas.
1: Cutting a hole into the false floor, so the heat fins sit flush with the floor... (cooling might be accomplished if I keep the amp area under the floor as open as possible, with a vent somewhere... That way I have the top surface fins exposed, yet the sides of the amp would have alot of clearance under the false floor"

or 2: entirely enclosed under the false floor with fans, if i go this route, i'm not going to attempt anything with lexan/plexi..

To cut down on weight, I'm thinking of using 1/2 - 3/4 inch mdf for the box and smaller for the amps and the false floor...

I'd still love those measurements if anyone has them.

thanks!

Lincoln131 · **Joined:** Sun Jul 10, 2005 10:08 pm **Posts:** 8

In order to keep the depth down, you might want to consider this. http://www.blaupunkt.com/us/7606200283_main.asp

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