got bass?
After having killer bass in my '93 Honda Accord, courtesy of 2 JL 12" subs in a ported enclosure, I decided that I just couldn't live without phat beats for my Jeep. Since trunk space is limited, I wanted to be able to have room for tools and various other shit. Also, risk of theft is high in a Jeep, so I designed my own box with the limited space and security in mind. A friend of mine had 3 JL 12" DVC's in his 4Runner and was looking to tone down his system. So I traded my 2 single voice coil 12's and the box from my Accord for one of his 12" DVC's.
Box Construction
Now, to build the box. I took some measurements of the trunk space to see what I had to work with. Then, I designed a sealed enclosure, following the manufacturers suggested dimensions for volume. Finally, I added to the design a couple of shelves for tools and some notches to keep the box locked in. I used a 5'x4' sheet of 3/4" thick MDF to build the box. First I marked out all the pieces on the sheet. Then I grabbed a skill saw and cut away. I used a tube of Liquid Nails to glue the box together so I could pre-drill the holes for the screws to hold the box together. It's very important to pre-drill the holes and make sure they are centered to prevent the MDF from cracking. I also used a larger drill bit to counter-sink the screws and then I put in all the screws. Then I attached the shelves to one side of the box. Next I cut a hole in the other side of the box for the speaker wire terminal and I sealed it in place. Finally, I sealed up the cracks inside and out with the Liquid Nails, let it dry overnight. The next day I sanded all the edges smooth. Then I spay painted the box black to match my Jeep and let it dry in the sun for a few hours. Lastly, I used 12 gauge wire to connect the speaker to the inside of the wire terminal and mounted the speaker in place.
When I put the Durabak in the tub of my Jeep, I had a little left over and decided to put a coat on the sub box to weatherproof it instead of using carpet that would get all shitty. I also got a mesh cover to keep the speaker cone from getting fucked up.
Back Seat of My Jeep.......
I barely had enough room, but the design turned out great. The bass doesn't hit very hard with the top off since there's hardly anything for the sound to bounce off of. But it does provide an adequate amount of thump. I think it would have been better if I built a ported enclosure. But that's a little above my skill level since you have to tune the ports. The bass hits a little harder with the soft top on and it really pounds with the hard top. I am really happy with the way this sub box turned out, especially since I'm not a pro sound technician.
As far as the security factor is concerned, there is no way to get the box out unless you unhook it from the inside. Besides, if anyone trys to mess with it, my alarm will wake me up and I will come greet them with my homiez, Heckler & Koch............... |
