I'm working with hardly any room,('92 Ranger), and want serious sound. I'm getting a couple of 12 inch L5's. I want to cut out the back of my cab and extend the box into the bed. Glassing the outside of the box of course. How do I go about doing it. Any suggestions would be helpful.
Thats a pretty crazy sound system as well as a pretty crazy idea. If all goes well- send it to a magizine. There is some concern though. By cutting a huge whole in the cab as well as the bed, wont that weaken the car body?
GetACar
Unregistered guest
Posted on
I have only one thing to say. VERY VERY BAD IDEA.
Anonymous
Posted on
yea, that would not be a good idea, when your driving you bed is not attached to the cab, it attached to the rear part of you frame, this gives your truck manuverablility. you bed tilts from side to side when turning up onto hills and whenn you are off road, if you were to build a box like this without attacheding your bed to the cab then it would tear your box apart when it tilts and moves
It has been done, but it's much, much more work than it's worth. Chassis flex WILL happen and this can only be corrected with major reinforcement, you'd have to totally connect the bed and cabin and enforce it with VERY strong bracing. You'd also have to make sure the subs will get no water damage. On top of that, you'll kill the resale value of the truck unless you find someone like yourself who doesn't need the truck to be used as a truck. Once you connect the bed and cabin, you won't be able to use the truck for heavy loads because the chassis flex associated with these loads will transfer to the cabin, ripping the cabin apart in the long run (this could happen if you don't brace the cabin and bed well, too, even without a load in the back), plus making your ride uncomfortable. I advise you to either look into subs that need a smaller box, or consider another idea, such as a single console sub that will match the output of the L5's, if done correctly this can sound VERY good. I have a single 12" ID max in console in my truck, but it's larger than your Ranger, you may be able to put a 10" sub in there firing forward. You could also get two bucket seats and downfire the subs, you could fit as many as possible, this is if you like custom work and a lot of planning, plus the cost of bucket seats. This still wouldn't be as much work as cutting into the bed of the truck and coupling it with the cab. You could also consider some really good 8" subs to put behind the seat if you can't fit two tens.
someone was talking before about putting their subs in a work chest that is in the bed... right behind the cabbin, and firing them forward, as long as it's done right, it may work, and may be a cheaper alternative if you've already bought the subs...
Ive heard of this being done before! Apparently there is a HUGE rubber gasket that you could get that goes in-between the cab and the box. I don't have any idea where you could get this giant gasket, or basically any other information on this project, all I know is that it has been done before, however it is an EXTREMELY HUGE custom job, that would probablly be sweet, but could turn around and bite you in the a$s.
Sorry guys Adam is right. There is a gasket you can get. First you have to attatch a topper to your bed permanently. This is now big deal just some rubber gaket all the way around, alot of screws. then you have to find this gasket, which you should be able to locate by looking in mags like "lowrider" or a local bodyshop might be able to help. I had a slammed down S10 that this was done to. Put the gasket and sealer in cut the cab and the front of the bed both at the same time, fill the gaps with insul. and pray it doesn't rain very often. The gasket is very suseptible to leaks, You will never be able to imagine how much movement there is between the cab and the bed. But it is cool when it's done. It's also a project that I would not suggest you start this time of year. It is very time consuming, and ther will probably be snow on the ground by the time you are done. All in all, you are better of buying a station wagon. I might suggest the new dodge magnum wagon with a hemi.
I don't mean to hijack the topic but Jon do you have your IDMAX in a sealed box? And if so what is the volume? I am trying to figure out what I should build my box at to make it sound best.
Mine is a little under 1.3 cu ft. gross volume (about 1.25 after bracing), and has loose polyfill lined on each side (about 1" of very loose polyfill, then I stapled it to each side), so the effect is probably around 1.4 cu ft gross. It's a little larger than recommended volume b/c of the polyfill, ID recommends a 1.3 cu ft gross volume.