If you're someone who enjoys listening to music and you spend a lot of time driving, chances are you're going to want to upgrade your sound system. Changing the factory speakers really isn't rocket science; it's just a matter of finding speakers that will fit in the factory locations.
Now the million-dollar question: Where do you put a sub enclosure? Space in trucks is limited as to where you can stuff a pair of subs. And if you do find enough space, your passenger isn't going to enjoy the cramped feeling. Yes, there are applications that will conform to the nooks and crannies, but they may not offer the bass note you're looking for. So your only options are: settle for less, or look into building your sub enclosure in the bed of your truck. Should you choose the latter, a few issues need to be addressed.
One of the problems is how to seal the space between the cab and bed for the sound to come through. Another concern is keeping the bed functional for hauling stuff and not damaging expensive custom work.
Sport Truck visited Devious Customs to get a look at James's tried-and-true methods for building a truck-bed sub enclosure designed to keep Mother Nature out. Follow along as he shows us how easy it is to protect an investment.
1.With the seats out, James...
1.With the seats out, James removed the plastic paneling and carpet to expose the back cab wall. He centered the port (made out of 3/4-inch MDF) for the sub enclosure on the cab wall and traced around it to ensure the hole was adequate in size.
2.Because the cab and bed...
2.Because the cab and bed move separately from each other, the hole can't be cut to the same size as the port. James laid down tape about 1/2 inch over the port size to allow movement and room for the boot. Then a drill was used to give James starting points for the body saw.
3.As he drilled through the...
3.As he drilled through the cab wall, he made sure to keep the drill level. By doing this, he could drill through the sheetmetal on the bed at the same time.
4.With a body saw, he cut...
4.With a body saw, he cut out the panel using the tape to keep his lines as straight as possible. James repeated the process for the header, using the holes as guides for the tape line. Once all of the lines were cut, the sheetmetal was removed, exposing a nice and clean hole.
5a.To create a weatherproof...
5a.To create a weatherproof seal between the cab and bed, James used marine vinyl and pinch-weld molding.
5b.Once both sides were done,...
5b.Once both sides were done, the excess vinyl was trimmed back to the molding.
6.To further ensure a waterproof...
6.To further ensure a waterproof seal, James used a black silicone sealer around the entire boot. It was also used where the two ends of the vinyl meet.
7.The carpet and plastic trim...
7.The carpet and plastic trim were reinstalled so the carpet could be cut to match the opening for the port.