Custom Stealthbox

[RaDiKaLBoArDeR]

Next week I will pick up my Exlorer ! The first thing I want to do is upgrading my audio system. I was looking at the JL Stealthbox, but in Europe they cost way too much money, so I decided to build one myself.
Has anybody done something similar ?
What are the best materials to use ? Wood ?
Somebody have some plans / pics ?

Thank you in advance
Marc

MY EXPLORER:

 

[Diablo3305]

Yea they cost way too much in the US also. I designed a box that fits around the wheel well and extends out from the panel. I was originally going to build it all inside the back panel, but i figured it would be a pain in the ass to get 1cu/ft out of it. I wanted to conserve space, so I built a box taht extends about 7 inches from the right side panel...which isn't that far out. You could do less depending on the depth of your sub, I have an infinity perfect that was about 6.25 inches deep so I needed to account for that. I will try to post some pictures up later to give you an idea of what I did... It cost me about $8 to build...and I don't lose much trunk space...

 

[98greyxlt]

if you have the means and the skills, JL makes their stealthboxes out of fiberglass, which i assume is an expensive material to work with.

 

[jimbo74]

diablo, got pics?

 

[Diablo3305]

yea, ill try to put some up later.. i took some yesterday but i need to install some software to import the pictures on my computer... Fiberglass is good stuff, I would have done that buy i didn't feel like dealing with the hassle...wood is so easy to work with. It al ldepends what you want...if you want maximum trunk space then go with the JL...but its pricey...to me, $500 is not worth the few extra inches of trunk space i would have saved with the JL...besides i like building stuff, and at least i know what goes into it. Ill post my pictures later sometime today hopefully...

 

[Brian's98XLT]

Yes JL boxes are expensive. It is because the fiberglass is very time consuming. I have built plenty of them out of fiberglass. Fiberglass in the best option. If you use wood you loose to much volume do to the thickness of the wood. I would look for either a MTX thunderfrom or a Q-Logic box.
Both of these can be purchased with out subs.

 

[98greyxlt]

there's a JL Vantage stealth box on ebay right now. i know vantage isn't as good as the fiberglass stealthbox, but hey, whatever works...

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[Diablo3305]

Sorry guys...here is the pic... took so long because my digital camera was having problems.... tell me what you think... its not done yet... still needs to be carpeted and finished...

Dead Link Removed

 

[JTang]

Originally posted by 98greyxlt
there's a JL Vantage stealth box on ebay right now. i know vantage isn't as good as the fiberglass stealthbox, but hey, whatever works...

In all fairness to the Vantage and the MTX (I have the vantage) the plastic is really heavy. I was really skeptical at first, but it's at least 1/4" thick of high density plastic, and the flat areas are fully ridged for maximum strength over flat panel area, with bracing in the middle of the box (at least for the vantage). After you cramp that thing in the panel, it's not going anywhere. IMO, no prefabbed stealthbox is going to be large or heavy enough to avoid rattling until it's fully mounted to the chassis.

 

[RaDiKaLBoArDeR]

Hey Diablo!
that box sure looks good! I bet it has a killer sound.
I will try to build something similar and post it here when done.

 

[Diablo3305]

thanks.... Remember its not done... it will look much nicer once I find some carpet that matches my interior...Anyone know where I can get some? As far as sound...yea it sounds good... I'll probably get another one and build it on the opposite side. If you want I could send you some plans on how to build this...its really easy. The only problem I have come across with my box so far is that it causes the back panel to rattle... not because of the bass...just when I hit bumps... I secured it to the back panel. I think I'm going to have to add some extra mounting on it..possibly to the floor....

 

[JTang]

You should be able to get the carpeting from any major autoparts store, at least the larger ones, not the ones in the little corner mini-malls, it'll be in a big roll. If you can't get it there, I'm sure you can get it from sounddomain.com or partsexpress.com, but then you're paying shipping for something pretty inexpensive. Another option might be vinyl, which you should be able to get even from a fabric store, methinks.

 

[Diablo3305]

yea... i went to pep boys but they didn't have it...the carpet they had didn't match exactly.. I want it to look like it came with the car...so I'm looking for an exact match.... I have also thought of vinyl...but right now im working on this rattling problem...see the back panels move alittle, both of them...so if the car hits a bump..it causes the back panel to shake bcause the box is attached to it...and the sound gets annoying...

 

[JTang]

Yeah, I think I was a little more fortunate, I have a dark grey interior, but yours looks like the lighter grey. They have it a Sounddomain and Crutchfield, but it's hard to tell how close it will be to the right color.

When you get it all done, though, post pics and let me know how it's going!

Jon