OEM+ radio build, 2008 standard cab

[lil_Blue_Ford]

My first Ranger I tapped the rear speakers for high level input to an amp and stuffed a box with two 12” subs hooked to my stock radio for years until I eventually blew out the subs and then someone stole my amp. Worked great but I had a car sub box stuffed in the extended cab which pretty much made that space useless.

In more recent history I’ve built a couple custom sub boxes and a center console out of 3/4” 7-ply B-C sanded plywood. Glued all the joints on the boxes with Locktite 3x construction adhesive and screwed them together with countersunk Spax brand construction screws (they are essentially a grade 5 screw and not brittle like drywall screws).

 

[Li'l Work Truck]

Nice! So you made a center console sub box? I like your overkill construction method.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Nice! So you made a center console sub box? I like your overkill construction method.

I sunk a pair of 6.5” speakers into the center console but no subs in that.

Built one sub box for a single 12” sub for an extended cab truck, sits on the ledge in the back of the cab and still allows one rear seat to be used. Also built a double 12” box that sits on the ledge in the back of an extended cab. Have to see if I can find some pics.

I’m not a fan of MDF at all. It’s heavy, it’s somewhat brittle, and whatever you do, don’t get it wet. The plywood boxes I built are lighter than an equivalent MDF box and stronger.

I was a little concerned about acoustics by going to plywood because everyone builds boxes out of MDF. I know that like subfloor rated plywood can have voids and stuff in the layers, but a quality 7-layer sanded ply will typically be pretty solid. My concern over acoustics was ended when I started running my random orbital sander on the first box and heard the sound produced. IIRC they worked out to about 1.4 cubic foot of airspace per sub.

Bungee cords were just temporary to test things out before finishing and bolting down.