Should be beautiful. The whole Northwoods is at that time of year. Should be a great trip. Definitely post pictures up.
CK5
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Project MULE - Expedition build on a 1991 1500 4x4 Suburban
- Thread starter pma4x4
- Start date
Should be beautiful. The whole Northwoods is at that time of year. Should be a great trip. Definitely post pictures up.
pma4x4
AKA Yankeeroad
Ok finally some progress. It's been busy around here and with only less then two months left before out cross country trip i gotta kick it into high gear. Center console and re paint
I didnt get pics when I first started this project but I used poster board material (same for the bumper templates) to do all the rough shape cutting on. I then traced that to the plywood. This ply wood is sacrificial as I wanted genuine hard wood to do the final template on.
I have a router table I picked up for cheap just for the console and rear drawer/sleeping platform. I plan to router the edges with a 1/4" round bit.
First idea of the profile turned out to be way too low.
Tika insisting she helps.
The shop in woodworking mode
The cross pieces are not part of the design. right now they are there to just bolt everything together.
I didnt get pics when I first started this project but I used poster board material (same for the bumper templates) to do all the rough shape cutting on. I then traced that to the plywood. This ply wood is sacrificial as I wanted genuine hard wood to do the final template on.
I have a router table I picked up for cheap just for the console and rear drawer/sleeping platform. I plan to router the edges with a 1/4" round bit.
First idea of the profile turned out to be way too low.
Tika insisting she helps.
The shop in woodworking mode
The cross pieces are not part of the design. right now they are there to just bolt everything together.
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pma4x4
AKA Yankeeroad
Time to upgrade the dashboard speakers. This thing popped off so easy. Remove the gauge cluster cover 3 screws under the passenger side edge of the dash pad and it just lifts up and out.
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Looking good! I put some pretty high end speakers in my dash but wished I would have gone with 6 inch rounds in the doors like my last truck. The small size just cant bring the big sound, at least to these old middle aged ears.
pma4x4
AKA Yankeeroad
I'm installing a set of Rockford Fosgates with some foam baffling along with 6x9s and foam baffling in the rear. They will be ran buy a very small foot print Alpine 50x4 amp from alpine. This is design to run inline of the speakers wires so you don't need to do the whole amp wiring thing. Small enough it fits under the dash somewhere.
I am running the same amp and an Alpine receiver. I have 4x10's in the rear and the dash speakers have magnets so big I thought I might have to trim. System sounds good but it takes a lot to make up for the wind and road noise at 70MPH even after all the insulation I have in this barge. I think I may be headed back to some 6 inchers in the doors and a small sub eventually , or maybe I should get a hearing aid
pma4x4
AKA Yankeeroad
I am running the same amp and an Alpine receiver. I have 4x10's in the rear and the dash speakers have magnets so big I thought I might have to trim. System sounds good but it takes a lot to make up for the wind and road noise at 70MPH even after all the insulation I have in this barge. I think I may be headed back to some 6 inchers in the doors and a small sub eventually , or maybe I should get a hearing aid
The volume was just about there for us but the speakers were just crap. My days of high db music is done I just want a sound that is full. andnot at the top end of crackling.
Ps check into hearing aides!
Roger That
pma4x4
AKA Yankeeroad
We do like to listen to our music when on the road. We figured it was time to upgrade the 23 year old sound system to something a little bit more modern.
With as good as built in amps are in head units these days having to run this one at near full volume to over come the open windows was working ti a bit hard and it just was quite there.
Full stereo specs:
Head unit: Pioneer DEH-44HD (HD radio and front USB slot)
Amp: HTP-445U Alpine inline small footprint amp. 45x4 amp (runs off radio circuit)
Front speakers: Rockford Fosgate Punch series P132
Rear speakers: Rockford Fosgate Punch series P1684
XTC Speaker baffles
These were moderately priced speaker that had great reviews. The amp was perfect. small enough to hide anywhere behind the dash and runs off the same 15amp stock radio circuit. We already had the head unit. All its pretty much used for is just the USB connection. We got a Scosche brand 4gb low profile flash drive. no CDs no worries about radio stations in the middle of Nebraska
. just roughly 60 hours of digital music.
now I will say technically neither sets of these speakers will fit int he stock locations. I thought the 3" P132s would but I got lucky (ill explain in a bit). The rear speakers going from 4x10s to 6x9s requires some cutting of material out of the stock speaker hole to round it out a bit more. You will also need to make a adapter plate/mount to mount the new 6x9s. I did exactly that with some left over 1/4" oak I had laying around. I used a deck sealer stain I had laying around and then shot it with lacquer. Once cured I sanded with some 000 Steel wool. When I mounted it the wife noticed it looked like a weathered starcraft conversion speaker... Damn if it doesn't!
The front speaker mounted up fine depth wise. The raised tweeter was the problem. I want to lay the dash pad back down and the padded speaker grilles were so brittle the tweeters just popped right through. This was not much of a problem for me as I just received the new molded plastic dash cover from LMC truck and that gave us new speaker grilles.
the other thing I added was foam speaker baffles. this will help in sound immensely. They give a slight sealed box sound adding depth and more full sound to the music.
Installed the amp and new speakers, remounted the head unit and started tweaking the sound. The quality is awesome the sound is great very full and clear. I am running the gains at about 75% on the amp and the HPF is "off" on the fronts and set at 120hz on the rear HPF.
I will say this, if you go with USB flash drive for music get a low profile one like this Scosche. I almost snapped a regualr sized one off with my knee.
http://www.scosche.com/car-audio/4-gb-low-profile-usb-digital-media-drive
Custom Starcraft conversion right there!
With as good as built in amps are in head units these days having to run this one at near full volume to over come the open windows was working ti a bit hard and it just was quite there.
Full stereo specs:
Head unit: Pioneer DEH-44HD (HD radio and front USB slot)
Amp: HTP-445U Alpine inline small footprint amp. 45x4 amp (runs off radio circuit)
Front speakers: Rockford Fosgate Punch series P132
Rear speakers: Rockford Fosgate Punch series P1684
XTC Speaker baffles
These were moderately priced speaker that had great reviews. The amp was perfect. small enough to hide anywhere behind the dash and runs off the same 15amp stock radio circuit. We already had the head unit. All its pretty much used for is just the USB connection. We got a Scosche brand 4gb low profile flash drive. no CDs no worries about radio stations in the middle of Nebraska
. just roughly 60 hours of digital music.now I will say technically neither sets of these speakers will fit int he stock locations. I thought the 3" P132s would but I got lucky (ill explain in a bit). The rear speakers going from 4x10s to 6x9s requires some cutting of material out of the stock speaker hole to round it out a bit more. You will also need to make a adapter plate/mount to mount the new 6x9s. I did exactly that with some left over 1/4" oak I had laying around. I used a deck sealer stain I had laying around and then shot it with lacquer. Once cured I sanded with some 000 Steel wool. When I mounted it the wife noticed it looked like a weathered starcraft conversion speaker... Damn if it doesn't!
The front speaker mounted up fine depth wise. The raised tweeter was the problem. I want to lay the dash pad back down and the padded speaker grilles were so brittle the tweeters just popped right through. This was not much of a problem for me as I just received the new molded plastic dash cover from LMC truck and that gave us new speaker grilles.
the other thing I added was foam speaker baffles. this will help in sound immensely. They give a slight sealed box sound adding depth and more full sound to the music.
Installed the amp and new speakers, remounted the head unit and started tweaking the sound. The quality is awesome the sound is great very full and clear. I am running the gains at about 75% on the amp and the HPF is "off" on the fronts and set at 120hz on the rear HPF.
I will say this, if you go with USB flash drive for music get a low profile one like this Scosche. I almost snapped a regualr sized one off with my knee.
http://www.scosche.com/car-audio/4-gb-low-profile-usb-digital-media-drive
Custom Starcraft conversion right there!
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I like the rear speaker install, time to upgrade mine, nice job!
SUPER'BURB
1/2 ton status
I have been thinking of doing this exact thing so I have a couple of questions.
With the "custom clearance" of the dash pad there is enough room for the new plastic cover not to contact the speakers?
Also, how do you like the plastic cover?
By the way, I am thoroughly enjoying the direction of your build, taking notes and stealing little things here and there.
Thanks for the ideas
.
pma4x4
AKA Yankeeroad
I have been thinking of doing this exact thing so I have a couple of questions.
With the "custom clearance" of the dash pad there is enough room for the new plastic cover not to contact the speakers?
Also, how do you like the plastic cover?
By the way, I am thoroughly enjoying the direction of your build, taking notes and stealing little things here and there.
Thanks for the ideas
I had to punch out the old dried up dashpad grilles (the grille with allt he little round holes) in order to clear the new tweeter. The new plastic molded dahs cover slips right over the existing dashpad like a glove. I have not permanently mounted yet but will be this weekend. Yes, the new cover has grille holes. The new tweeter does NOT protrude above the stock dahspad if that's what you are asking.
y5mgisi
1 ton status
Did you say you were going to re paint the truck?
pma4x4
AKA Yankeeroad
Yeah. we are probably picking up the new paint tomorrow. Going with a single stage kit.
y5mgisi
1 ton status
What color this time?
y5mgisi
1 ton status
And why?
pma4x4
AKA Yankeeroad
Its still only been painted that blue that had an epic fail.
Because it turned out to be flat, soaked up every specs of dirt and fingerprints. faded real quick and just went really really light blue. this was with oil based enamal
I should have gone with the original plan of white but at that time the wife said no way on white but its getting it now. and in a proper single stage urethane kit.
Hey Rob, where did you get those foam baffles? Did they improve the sound? My 6x9s are playing into the abyss of the body panels...I'm hoping to get some more focused mid and mid bass sound and less of a tinny sound.
Truth. I have ruined a standard-length flash drive in my vehicle.
Good work. The wooden panel looks great.
pma4x4
AKA Yankeeroad
Gauge cluster upgrades!
I decided since the dash is apart lets get the LED upgrade done and lets go a step further and paint the interior housing chrome to help reflect the light. We all know how bad these gauge clusters are to see at night.
The 91s use a VSS speedo so I just had to disconnect some wires and it pops right out.
Remove the (6) 1/4" screws to remove the clear cover.
Unplug the VSS module from the ribbon board.
The black bezel pops off.
to remove the contact "forks" push down and out on one tang and it will pop out the back.
Clean the housing with with soap and water rinse and dry thoroughly. When you apply the paint give it a light dusting. this is a tack coat it will help the full coat of paint adhere better.
Spray the hard to get areas first then the rest.
4 good coats later.
I decided since the dash is apart lets get the LED upgrade done and lets go a step further and paint the interior housing chrome to help reflect the light. We all know how bad these gauge clusters are to see at night.
The 91s use a VSS speedo so I just had to disconnect some wires and it pops right out.
Remove the (6) 1/4" screws to remove the clear cover.
Unplug the VSS module from the ribbon board.
The black bezel pops off.
to remove the contact "forks" push down and out on one tang and it will pop out the back.
Clean the housing with with soap and water rinse and dry thoroughly. When you apply the paint give it a light dusting. this is a tack coat it will help the full coat of paint adhere better.
Spray the hard to get areas first then the rest.
4 good coats later.
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