Hello folks,

I desperately want to update the sound system in my 2002 Limited.

Any suggestions for replacing head unit, brand etc? I don't want dvd up front.

Currently I have no amp. I want to replace the 4 speakers and add a sub enclosure of some sort. I would like to add some bass without losing cargo space. Any creative solutions out there?

Also, I would like to add overhead video. Mine didn't come equipped with dvd.
Any suggestions for adding the screen and not losing the rear air controls?

Anyone dealt with Crutchfield for audio/video?

Thanks, Bill

 

Yes, I like crutchfield and will look to them when I start upgrading the sound. Are you totally sold on the overhead video? I started to go with it but with all the new and updated stuff yearly I decided to go with seat units. A lot less money, bigger scenes and you can update with the latest and greatest as you like. also My son likes to laydown in the way back seat and he can do that and still watch because he can move the system. With two kids they can each watch what they want with their own sound.. I would save the money on video and go better with your sound stuff.
JMHO

Beth

 

i kept the stock HU..i put a pair of Infinity 5x7's in the front doors..

i put a pair of Alpine amps under the second row seats..



i cut in a pair of Alpine 10's into the barn doors..





the hardest part was the subs in the barn doors...i put a layer of 1/2" plywood between the trim panels and inside of doors for support..it gave a nice soild place to mount the speakers to..then a matter of cutting the holes...first in the plywood and then the panel...the inside of the doors have some really goofy molding in the fiberglass and you have to get pretty creative in the plywood cutting to get it to fit right..



the depth of the barn doors varies because of the shape of them...i found a nice spot where i could get 5 3/4" of depth from the front of the trim panels..shallow mount subs would be your best bet, just to be safe...12" subs would also fit in the barn doors..

then run a whole bunch of wire..i took the sub feeds through the rear trim panels, then drilled into the tailight housings and out to the doors...the small piece of wire between the doors and rear quarter panels is all you can see in the whole truck..

now i'm trying to get rid of the rattles...the clips that hold the barn door trim panels don't like to be used twice...there must be 10 in each panel...new ones are $3.84 from the dealer here..

on edit: i got some of this stuff locally and some from Crutchfield...CF is a little pricey..they have some good support...check out http://woofersetc.com/

once you decide on your gear..they have better prices...

i also have to do the 2nd and 3rd row door speakers..i'd have them in already but then my wife wouldn't know what to get me for my birthday..

 

Tons of stuf out there...money is key!!

Someone here (sorry) put a portable DVD player with 2 screens and a pet gate in his X and it looks very good especially for $300... I currently have 2 amps and a DVD head unit with a portable screen (or 2) for the rear (I have one child)...it works well for 4 people and child in back...

My 12" sub is in an enclosure where spare used to fit...35s do not fit as well and for $70 i can put it on receiver or on trailer....

The thing I hate about ceiling mount big screens is the lack of rearview mirror viewing...

Decide what you want and what you NEED and we can help....sky is the limit...

Another guy here is pushing 168db!!!

What you want???

 

Actually you have 6 speakers. You will definitely need an amp to power the sub and at least two of the speakers. A good head unit should be able to power the other 4.

Sub placement....you can put one in one of the rear doors. Find a shallow depth 10" or 8" sub. The installer will have to fab up something to help secure it but it shouldn't be that bad...or so he told me.

Mobile video...A good 10.4 inch screen is really all you need. You can find them with integrated DVD players and it will mount right in front of the controls. 'Course, I find the controls a bit too redundant and rarely, if ever, use mine. It wouldn't be a loss in my book if you had to pull the controller.

 

Oh...I was posting while others were. Great sub install pics!

 

thanks monsta..just trying to share a little and get my post count up so i can have a sig too..

 

CPR, what kind of subs are u going to get? I have 1 ten inch mtx 8500. It adds alot more bass and is cheap because u only need one. If u want one PM me because i kno a seller on ebay that sells them for a good price. They are also brand new.

 

Do you all think a subwoofer grille could be added to subwoofers in the barn doors, like the ones on this Expedition? I'd like to keep things as stock looking as possible, therefore I would not like any sub boxes anywhere. Also do you all think a subwoofer would fit anywhere in the interior rear quarter panels, sort like the Expedition?

Another of my ideas would be to add speakers in the D-pillars, would this work out?

 

What do you all think about these two products from Alpine.

• http://www.alpine-usa.com/US-en/prod...model=VPA-B222
• http://www.alpine-usa.com/US-en/prod...model=PXE-H650

 

William, if you kept the stock head unit, what did you use for inputs to the amps? What you have is very much what I want to do.

 

Wow! I'll be taking a hard look at those! Thanks for the link.

 

cprdummy...if you live near me you could come see what I did on my Ex.

I wanted better sound too...but was not willing to give up the factory head unit. So...I used the Bazooka tubes that were in my former Bronco. One is powered, the other is a slave unit. (I;m not sure if this configuration is still available)

I mounted the subs to a panel, carpeted to match the carpet and fitted this to fit in the 3rd row footwell. No one sits there ever...and once my garage is done I'm ditching the third seat anyhow. I'd rather have more cargo area than the seat.

If you ever need the space, you can unplug this and lift it out. I also swapped the door speakers in the front doors.

Best of all...from outside the vehicle...the mods are not visible.

I suppose if one was creative, you could mount a sub inside the cubby bin in the far rear right side.

 

cprdummy,

All these ideas are great and would benifit you. I can tell you one thing, mounting any driver larger than a small platform tweeter in the "D" pilar is going to take some modification. Pending on the sound you want you may have to do larger drivers in some areas and fabricate just a little, the doors on these trucks will hold a pretty large driver if you are good with MDF and can make baffles or trim pieces to convert the 5x7's to 6.5's. you have enough depth in the doors for alot of options and the panels will slide backin place if needed. As far as a sub goes, i think that william_04_x is a great example of modern day ingenuity, there are subs out there that require less air space and canstill acheive a very nice sound form the low end, the drivers he used are one of them. My only concern with that mount is wearing the latches out and rattleing. The other option i visited was to use the spare tire area as and enclosure with the help of some poly resin and fiber glass, but for me when setting up my stage i like the woofer to be driving to the rear of the vehicle and hitting off of a solid flat space. Granted i am into competition but i also drive my X everyday and enjoy the sound. You have to really think what is going to be best for you, sound or the use of the cargo space when it comes to the sub stage. Putting a sub in the access panel is a great idea but you will be fighting Ac equipment and a blower motor, not that it cnat be done but there are some obsticles in the way there and at the most you will be able to get maybe an 8 inch driver in there wich in that large of a truck you eill need at least a set of tens or a heavily powered 12 inch driver.
Wiring is very easy in this truck without having to remove much to get things where you want them, i ran an "0" gauge wire undr the truck along the frame rail and punched a hole in the back to run my spare batteries in the rear, all signal and misc wires i ran along the door jams with loom and had no issues at all. I can tell you this, if you go with a component set (2 way or 3 way) the best place for your tweeters is going to be in the sail pannels, i have molded and mounted tweeters in the "a" pilars and nothing beats the imaging from the sail pannels.
Over head monitors have become less expensive and you can find large screens, although i do agree with Beth in getting the head rest monitors, i just wanted you to know that there are 10+ inch screens out there that you can mount overhead, Myron Davis makes a great line up, and the same with concept but mind you these are going to cost you a pretty penny.
All in all i would evaluate your situation, how much do you have to spend and sound vs necessity. If you ned any help in the planning or purchasing of any supplies or equipment please don not hesitate to ask, i can almost get ahold of just about anything, a short list of my sponsors are...
ZAPCO
RAINBOW AUDIO
HERTZ AUDIO
MONSTER
Blah blah blah...but you get the jist, i can get ahold of just about anything electrical.audio/video for you or anyone else for this truck, and the fact that i am currently building one will be benificial as well.

Sorry for the long post everyone..i am new here and i really want to help out in my area of expertise.

Zip

 

hey Zip,

thanks for the compliments on my X's system..it was put together on the cheap...alot more labor for me than money..can you post pics of the tweets in the sail panels? mainly the angle for best imaging..i'll be moving the infinity 5x7's i have in the doors to the 3rd row seats and going componants for the fronts....a 4 gauge A pillar is going in on the drivers side and i've been looking for a solution..also any recommendations for those front door speakers?

daddgonemadd,
i used a line output convertor i got from

http://www.davidnavone.com/index.htm

item was the NE-774V ...

then i ran RCA cables to the amps...i kept the stock HU because i wanted to retain the dual play feature of the stock unit and not have a target for thieves on the dash...the stock HU does not have a 12vt remote output to turn the amps on so i cut in a switch on the dash (see my 6.0l Excursion SEIC mod thread for pics)..