Some newb questions...

[lightningrodbob]

So i just bought a 98 Eddie Bauer and don't know much about it yet. I want to replace the factory sub, but I don't want to build a box for it or anything. I was hoping someone could tell me some high quality subs that would fit in the factory housing (I don't know what size the enclosure is).I don't need earth shattering bass I just want my sound to fill up the car and sound crisp and clean. Also, should I get a new amp? I'm assuming the factory amp is pretty weak. Where is the amp located by the way?

I also want to upgrade the speakers. They 5x7's or 6x8's? Any recommended speakers that will fit in the doors without having to screw with anything too bad?


Also, any double DIN's that are recommended that will definitely fit??? (I've heard of some of them not quite fitting??

 

[lightningrodbob]

Wow just found this:

http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-AVH-P...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1263368817&sr=1-1


On sale for $313, thats a damn good buy.

 

[lightningrodbob]

damn nobody can help me out? Like I said I'm a newb when it comes to this stuff, I've never put aftermarket stereos, speakers, subwoofers, or amps in any of my cars, so I was hoping someone could give me a good starting point for what i'm looking for

 

[Blee1099]

Factory one should be a 10" MTX Thunderform. I think its a 200 watt RMS rated sub. Pioneers have always made great systems for the Explorer..

 

[617ricky]

nm.

 

[617ricky]

Messing with the sub, amp, or speakers is gonna be a little project.. The amp is underneath the rear pass. quarter-panel, and the space is tight as hell.. I got the quarter-panel off mine halfway when I was looking at the amp, and I could only unplug 1 of the plugs, the other one I couldn't - it's that tight, and it needs to come off totally which is more of a pain.. Then for any of the door speakers, you gotta completely remove the door panels.. As far as your stock sub, you're not gonna fit anything above 8" I believe (maybe 10 but doubt it)

I'm in the process of upgrading my 97 xlt, and I started with the deck.. At first the speakers wouldn't work (cuz of the amp), but after a couple days I realized I could just wire up the stock amp and use it WITH the new deck.. That sounds OK now (better than stock), but you can only put the volume up halfway tops, cuz of the extra power.

Now I just bought a real amp/sub combo and I'm waiting for the wiring kit to come in.. That's gonna be easy to install and will definitely add some bass, but I'm still gonna have the problem of only being able to put the volume halfway up - and that's why I also ordered the real stock amp bypass cable.. That means that I AM gonna have to completely remove the quarter-panel to get to it, and I'm not too pumped about that part, but it's gotta be done as the finishing touch on a decent upgrade that cost me no more than $150..

 

[lightningrodbob]

Messing with the sub, amp, or speakers is gonna be a little project.. The amp is underneath the rear pass. quarter-panel, and the space is tight as hell.. I got the quarter-panel off mine halfway when I was looking at the amp, and I could only unplug 1 of the plugs, the other one I couldn't - it's that tight, and it needs to come off totally which is more of a pain.. Then for any of the door speakers, you gotta completely remove the door panels.. As far as your stock sub, you're not gonna fit anything above 8" I believe (maybe 10 but doubt it)

I'm in the process of upgrading my 97 xlt, and I started with the deck.. At first the speakers wouldn't work (cuz of the amp), but after a couple days I realized I could just wire up the stock amp and use it WITH the new deck.. That sounds OK now (better than stock), but you can only put the volume up halfway tops, cuz of the extra power.

Now I just bought a real amp/sub combo and I'm waiting for the wiring kit to come in.. That's gonna be easy to install and will definitely add some bass, but I'm still gonna have the problem of only being able to put the volume halfway up - and that's why I also ordered the real stock amp bypass cable.. That means that I AM gonna have to completely remove the quarter-panel to get to it, and I'm not too pumped about that part, but it's gotta be done as the finishing touch on a decent upgrade that cost me no more than $150..

Damn if its gonna be that much of a hassle I might just take it down to a car audio shop and let them do it professionally. I just need to figure out what to buy. What size speakers will fit in the door?

If the factory amp is only a 8" or 10" I might have to end up building a box for it instead

 

[617ricky]

Damn if its gonna be that much of a hassle I might just take it down to a car audio shop and let them do it professionally. I just need to figure out what to buy. What size speakers will fit in the door?

If the factory amp is only a 8" or 10" I might have to end up building a box for it instead

I thought I was gonna have to do that too, when the speakers wouldn't work, so I called Best Buy.. But the ridiculous thing is, they said for just the part alone (to bypass the amp) was $70, not even including labor.. I already knew the part was $10 online, so I just told them I'm all set, and luckily I was able to just wire the amp up.. But yea, messing with anything pretty much sucks.. I've had other cars where you just uncrew a speaker grille, and it was easy, but not these.. I mean it's not impossible, as long as you have a few tools and instructions, but still it's not beginner 101 type stuff..

 

[jimmy_98_mounty]

pro box makes an after market box that will allow a 10 in the factory location and the factory grill will cover it back up i would get a new amp i mounted mine underneath my backseat on the passenger side. they came with 6x8s in all the doors apine makes a great 5x7 with a converter plate and infinity makes a great sounding 6x8 or ive seen people trim and put 6x9s in their doors and the factory amp in mine is located on the drivers side inside where the jack is

 

[lightningrodbob]

Factory one should be a 10" MTX Thunderform. I think its a 200 watt RMS rated sub. Pioneers have always made great systems for the Explorer..

So theoretically should any 10" sub be able to fit in there? I'm trying to upgrade the sub. I just bought the car and the sub blew out on the trip home haha. The volume wasn't even up that loud.


I would love to just gut everything and replace the HU, the speakers, the amp and the sub. But I think I'm gonna have to do it piece by piece due to cash limitations, and since the Sub is currently blown out, I want to get to that first.

 

[ranger7ltr]

Factory sub is smaller than 10"...Somethng around 6.5" or 8" at best...

But an MTX Thunderform FEX-10 and housing fits in the stock location...I had one in my 99 Sport until I upgraded the door and rear panel speakers...

I installed 6.5" round woofers in the doors and 6x9 ovals in the rear panels...So far i like the bass response in the truck and do not miss the subwoofer yet...

But yes you have to remove the entire passenger side panel to install it...Pulling the panel from the rear side will not give you enough clearance and will properly cause you to crack the panel as you pull up on it...

 

[lightningrodbob]

But an MTX Thunderform FEX-10 and housing fits in the stock location...I had one in my 99 Sport until I upgraded the door and rear panel speakers...

I installed 6.5" round woofers in the doors and 6x9 ovals in the rear panels...So far i like the bass response in the truck and do not miss the subwoofer yet...

But yes you have to remove the entire passenger side panel to install it...Pulling the panel from the rear side will not give you enough clearance and will properly cause you to crack the panel as you pull up on it...

So would you recommend the MTX Thunderform as an upgrade to the stock subwoofer?

 

[ranger7ltr]

Anything is an upgrade to the stock subwoofer...And if you are planning to pump any real power into the subwoofer you will be replacing that unit soon anyway...

I liked mine well enough though; I just needed the storage space more than really hard hitting bass...Besides if I need a bass fix, I take the Charger on a road trip!!!

Yes the MTX is a nice unit that fits in the stock location and will handle decent power and you will be pleased with the output...

 

[lightningrodbob]

Anything is an upgrade to the stock subwoofer...And if you are planning to pump any real power into the subwoofer you will be replacing that unit soon anyway...

I liked mine well enough though; I just needed the storage space more than really hard hitting bass...Besides if I need a bass fix, I take the Charger on a road trip!!!

Yes the MTX is a nice unit that fits in the stock location and will handle decent power and you will be pleased with the output...

OK i've been looking around online for them. Do I need to buy some sort of adapter to make it fit in the stock housing, or will it fit automatically?

You think it will sound fine even with the stock amp? Will I be able to BUMP my ****? haha

 

[Elessar65]

I have the MTX Thunderform in my Sport. Its pretty nice for what it is. The Thunderform itself is a box that fits into the stock location. You can get just the box, the box with a sub, or the box, sub, and amp. Personally I would get the Q-Logic box, it has just a tad more mounting depth for a sub, so you can get a little better one. I have my amp mounted behind that plastic too. Its not going to blow anyone away with the sound, being just a fairly small 10 in a tiny sealed box, but I like the fact that its hidden, and I still have all my cargo space. JL Audio also makes a box/sub combo for that location, but its a little too pricey for me. JL does make awesome stuff though, but in this case its just a box, pretty much the same as the MTX or Q-Logic, it just costs more cause it says JL on it.
Check out www.crutchfield.com they have a little section there called "outfit my vehicle" to show you what fits, etc. Also they have a lot of knowledge on there to educate your self about this kind of stuff.

 

[lightningrodbob]

OK here's another newb question, completely unrelated to the above question:


if I wanted to replace the head unit, and also use a CD changer, how would I go about that? Is that just a wiring issue or do I need to have a head unit and a cd changer that are compatible with eachother?

 

[617ricky]

if I wanted to replace the head unit, and also use a CD changer, how would I go about that? Is that just a wiring issue or do I need to have a head unit and a cd changer that are compatible with eachother?

I dunno what format you listen to your music in, but my collection is mp3's... And if you get a deck with mp3 capability (which they pretty much all have) - you can fit 10x as much music on a regular CD... I make mp3 CD's with about 140-150 songs on them, which would defeat the purpose of me ever having to use a cd changer - not to mention there's Aux, USB, and SD input on the deck as well.. But if you just listened to regular CD's, I could see how you may want a changer..