Any recomendations for installation improvements?

[budahbuddy803 10+ year member]

This is not a build log, just kind of what i have done and hopes for recomendations for what to improve on. I have a log kind of in the correct section.

Friday i plan on going through and kind of "perfecting" everything i have done so far. I have all the equipment in my signature. The doors have at least one good layer of fatmat extreme on them. After i get some more money saved up i am going to go for the 100sqft extreme pack on ebay. I will add more layers and then seal up the one hole using a lot of layers. I will use the remaining mat in the trunk and rear deck and then hopefully still have some to throw in my cabin. If i need i will get more, i want at least one layer pretty much EVERYWHERE.

I have 3/4" baffle for the mids. and a piece of plastic comes to "surround" the speaker and i guess add some bracing for the door. It hits my 3/4" baffle and makes the door panels not fit back exactly 100% shut like they would before. I plan on using my dremel to shave the "braces" down a bit so my panels arent stressing as much.

I just went out and bought some molding clay so i will fill in the gaps around my baffle. I plan on adding some "egg crate" material to the interior of the doors as well. I dont know if they will help, but they cant hurt right. Do you guys think i will be able to tell a difference before and after the "egg crate"?

All my wires and zip tied or taped in a neat strand on both sides of my car and then meet under my rear seat and come up in between the two fold down parts to meet my amp. I just switched out my SS ref for the Alpine and the places for the wires were switched around so i need to neaten all that stuff up.

My trunk is pretty much all bare MDF. I will order some jet black carpet from partsexpress and get all the mdf covered up. I also plan on adding a 1/2" beauty panel in the back and carpet that as well so it just looks like a black wall (so to say) from the trunk and things can be thrown around and not damage any of my equipment.

The new 5 channel accepts UP TO 8awg so i need to down size my wire or cut some more strands off. I have the "big 4" done under the hood with 1awg welding cable.

I should get most of this done on Friday. The only other thing i have in mind is getting some ID tweeters just so i can say i have all Alpine and ID equipment.

What suggestions, questions, or comments do you guys have? I am looking for mainly cheap upgrades, not really looking for suggestions as to go with a 3way front stage, get a new 5channel, or upgrade mids or subwoofer. I am happy with the equipment and honestly like my tweets a lot.. only reason for upgrade is the brand name.

Ill throw in a few pics and will possibly remember to take pictures friday so i can update my build log.

Pretty much what the trunk looks like. I dont have any pics of the new amp yet or anything. BTW the box has a 3/4" gap at the biggest part between the cabin and trunk. I have filled the gaps with towels so its pretty much sealed off.

big 4

my door

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[Worlddre 5,000+ posts]

Make those baffles correctly so they don't hit the door. Depth permitting make them a lttle thinner so as to allow the door to fit properly. In any decent install the car should go back together as it began

 

[budahbuddy803 10+ year member]

Make those baffles correctly so they don't hit the door. Depth permitting make them a lttle thinner so as to allow the door to fit properly. In any decent install the car should go back together as it began

ok thanks for the input. anymore?

 

[Redlineaudio 10+ year member]

rework the amp, maybe turn it around? or drop all the wires out the bottom.

 

[Snow90 10+ year member]

very nice, i think you did a great job already.

 

[okiedokie 10+ year member]

for your holes in your doors you can cut a piece of card board out to the hole size, then place deadener on both sizes then mouth it over the holes, it will give you more support then just layers of deadener over those holes, or you if can find something solid as well will work, try to be creative.

keep up the good work, looking good

 

[budahbuddy803 10+ year member]

rework the amp, maybe turn it around? or drop all the wires out the bottom.

Basically just hide the wires some more?? With my new Alpine, it doesnt have the end cap and looks a little messy. I guess i could turn it around and route all the wires under my mdf floor. Thanks for input !

very nice, i think you did a great job already.

Thanks! I am more happy with this setup that i have ever been. I dont think i am going to spend THAT much more money on audio unless something breaks or i wind up getting matching tweeters. Everything is going to be cosmetic pretty much.

for your holes in your doors you can cut a piece of card board out to the hole size, then place deadener on both sizes then mouth it over the holes, it will give you more support then just layers of deadener over those holes, or you if can find something solid as well will work, try to be creative.keep up the good work, looking good

So cardboard will help out. I have some MDF to use, i just cannot think of a way to secure the heavy wood to my door. I would run mat over top of the mdf, but i dont know how to use pop-rivets and cant think of any other way to get the baffle to stay. Thanks and i will AT LEAST use cardboard.

 

[IDSkoT 5,000+ posts]

I'd also coat the baffle with some sort of sealant. If not, the baffle will swell up and contort and what not.

But also... run the wires so that you can't see it. I'd re-do that whole amp rack... and if I did want to show off the amp, I'd make a plexi-top to show the top, but hide the wires behind it.

 

[budahbuddy803 10+ year member]

I'd also coat the baffle with some sort of sealant. If not, the baffle will swell up and contort and what not.
But also... run the wires so that you can't see it. I'd re-do that whole amp rack... and if I did want to show off the amp, I'd make a plexi-top to show the top, but hide the wires behind it.

Yeah, i didnt think the baffles would get wet, but i was wrong. They have already soaked up some water so i will make new ones and wrap them in deadening. I was thinking plexi before, but i didnt really think it would be worth the money.

Wire should be taken care of today when i get home for good.

Again guys, i appreciate all the recommendations!!

 

[Redlineaudio 10+ year member]

Basically just hide the wires some more?? With my new Alpine, it doesnt have the end cap and looks a little messy. I guess i could turn it around and route all the wires under my mdf floor. Thanks for input !

Yea, a more clean look.

 

[budahbuddy803 10+ year member]

Well i got some work done but didnt grab any pictures. The trunk looks a TINY bit diff. because i re-routed the wires. I really need an end cap so none of the wires can be seen.

I will add deadening, carpet, and be basically finished unless i find some cheap ID tweets.

 

[Fiercetimbo17 10+ year member]

Wrapping the baffles in deadening might seal them but doubtful, just paint them with some heavy coats of primer. The cut edges will soak up alot of paint so make sure they are done heavily.

You could also use a birch or similar type of wood not affected much by water.

 

[budahbuddy803 10+ year member]

Wrapping the baffles in deadening might seal them but doubtful, just paint them with some heavy coats of primer. The cut edges will soak up alot of paint so make sure they are done heavily. You could also use a birch or similar type of wood not affected much by water.

k thanks.... anything else?