i have an equilizer/amplifier mounted under the dash under the ash tray. pickup listed below. the problem is that i have to lower it somehow so i can open the ash tray door and get to the lighter plug in. i figure i'll use some rubber or plastic spacers, but i can't use metal screws on one side because it causes a buzzing in the speakers when the screw contacts the framework.

is there such thing as plastic screws or small plastic bolts? if so, where could i find them. i've checked a couple local hardware stores and nothing so far.

 

There is such a thing as plastic screws. Body and fender men use them. Go to your local parts store that sells paint and body supplies, I guarantee they will have them.

Jimmie

2003 F250SD 4X4 XLT SB SC

 

yo, James is right!
I picked up a bunch of diff nylon/plastic fasteners for the bronco at a local body/repair shop while son's car was in for accident damage (owner said take what you want).
Here are some:
http://www.auveco.com/product.htm

http://www.autobodyclips.com/

 

You can also get them at Hardware stores such as Home Depot and Lowes.

 

Yikes!

The frightening part of what you mentioned is that "putting the mounting screws in is causing a buzzing noise in my speakers"!



That may mean that the screw is going through the underside of your dashboard and making contact with something that it shouldn't.. that's BAD...

The EQ may have it's chassis at a ground potential.. and therefore the mounting flange as well.

It may be that you are putting the screw through the dash into a wire, and effectively corrupting the nice, clean "ground" of your EQ, because it's being polluted with some sort of voltage...

But I don't fear for your sound quality as much as I do your wiring in the dash!


Another possiblility is that you are creating a ground-loop (and let's hope so!)
If that IS the case, it is generally easily solved.
What a ground loop is is essentially a voltage difference created through having two distinct ground points established...

Generally this eminates from having something like a head unit grounded in one place, and an amplifier grounded another place, with a tangible resistance in between them.
To fix this, you could ground both objects to the same point.

It may be that your screws are grounding your EQ via the Chassis, and the EQ is also grounded through it's black wire.
You could try disconnecting the ground WIRE from the EQ, and seeing if the EQ still goes on, and if the noise goes away (AFTER verifying that you haven't punctured any wires behind your dash!!).

I wouldn't recommend a "ground loop isolator"...
These are basically a filter, and the results can be absolutely awful for your sound quality.

Good luck!