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Parts and Accessories
- Acrylic Subwoofer Enclosure Prep Work
- In this project the old, existing subwoofer and enclosure replaced with a new, high-tech system with see-through acrylic enclosure.
- When installing a subwoofer and enclosure, consider the type of music you'll be listening to. For standard fare and most rock-music genres, and allowing for loud volumes, a sealed box may be preferable. A sealed box contains the sound and forces most of the sound frequencies to be transmitted via the speaker cones, resulting in a "punchier" sound.
- For bass-heavy styles like hip-hop, dub, dance or trance, you may want to consider a vented box. The vented box allows for fuller, deeper-sounding bass by enabling the bass-frequency sound waves more time to expand before they reach your ears.
- For automotive applications, you want to make certain that your speaker box is strong and durable, but also lightweight. Most are made from MDF (medium-density fiberboard). As a building material, it's inexpensive, strong and easy to work with. The drawback is its drab appearance. Some boxes are "dressed up" using fabric, carpet, or undercoating. For our project, we opted to use 3/4" clear acrylic for our box rather than MDF. It requires some special handling, but the look you get is impressive, and shows off your audio components. The speakers we chose were 10" subwoofer cones. The 200-watt amplifier on the existing subwoofer system was fine for the new application, so we simply transferred it to the new system.
- Removing the Old Box
- Before you begin the project, disconnect the negative cable from the car's battery to prevent damage to your electrical system.
- Disconnect the speaker wires and power wires first.
- Then flip the box over and remove the input wires from the head unit.
- With all of the amp wiring disconnected, you can pull the box out.
- Disconnect the amp and set it aside because you'll use it later in the project. If it's still in good working condition, the amp can be used in the new speaker box.
- Materials
In addition to standard automotive -mechanic's tools (wrenches, ratchets, extenders, screwdrivers, nut-drivers, torque wrench, etc.), tools and materials used here include:
- 10 subwoofers, 3/4"-thick transparent acrylic (precut to fit your design).
- Speaker wires, Terminal plates, Wire connectors, Straight-edge, Measuring tape.
- Pencil, Jig saw, Several fine-tooth jig-saw blades, Drill and bits, Hole saw.
- Clamps, Masking tape, Methylene-chloride acrylic glue, Syringe applicator.
- Note::
Always wear eye protection and ear protection, and follow proper safety Note, when working with power tools or pneumatic tools. Also wear eye protection any time you are working underneath a vehicle.
As a standard safety precaution, always disconnect the vehicle's negative battery cable before you begin work on any electrical or mechanical components.
- Important :
These steps are general guidelines that are applicable to most vehicles. With any particular vehicle, there may be procedures, specifications, settings, tolerances, components, etc. that are specific to that vehicle. There are also variations according to the type and brand of upgrade-kit you select. Always consult your vehicle's service manual when undertaking significant automotive repairs, and read and follow the manufacturer's directions and Note that come with your kit or replacement parts.
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