Fiberglass Sub Box/Cleansweep Install

Pics are below.

 

I've been busy the last few weeks putting the system together for the Legacy. I won't bother going into speaker install except to say I used XR650 seperates in stock location because I got a great deal on them. I built 1" thick spacers for the mids and modified the stock tweeter mounts to take the JL's. I was somewhat unimpressed with the sound until I got the Cleansweep in but now I love them. I have a 450/4 driving the seperates with channels 3/4 and bridged channels 1/2 for the 10W3V2 (no rear speakers). I stole MSMITH's idea for using the spare tire well for the Xovers and amp. The spare and tools still rest below. I installed one computer case fan and cut a ventilation hole to cool the amp. I'm not real happy with the vent hole and may eventually do something different.

 

The cleansweep install was simple...I tapped the stock speaker lines right behind the head unit and I'm using the rear channels for the sub so I have fader control. I mounted the volume just below the shifter boot which IMO is perfect...my hand rests right beside it all the time. The LED and RBC bass controller are mounted in the ashtray. Overall I'm very impressed with the cleansweep and would much rather go this way than with an aftermarket HU...totally stealth from the ouside.

 

The XM is now running directly to the cleansweep which improved SQ drastically over the hardwired FM modulator I was running. I used the XM hardwire kit to power the headunit. I also have the option of plugging my MP3 player in in place of the XM which is nice.

 

The fiberglass sub box was time consuming but not that hard. First, I used painters tape to completely cover the carpet. Tinfoil is then taped down to seal the resin from the carpet. I then layed one layer of fiberglass matting and let it dry before pulling it out of the trunk. I layed the fiberglass until the box no longer flexed under thumb pressure. I ended up using one layer of resin soaked felt inside to get added thickness with less layers plus I felt it would deaden the box a bit better. After test fitting the shell I trimmed it down and cut the mdf front to size. I used felt soaked in resin to attach the face to the back. The felt was heavier and seamed to lay down better than the glass. After a couple layers I filled the box with water to check volume and test for leaks. I had a couple leaks so I used straight resin to seal them Once everything was dry I carpeted the box before mounting the sub and running the speaker wire etc.

 

Ovrall I'm very happy with the system. Teh SQ is great and even the single 10 can hit some decent SPL. I sound deadened the front doors completely and used a conbination of spray and film iside the trunk. I don't have a single rattle anywhere and you can hardly hear the sub outside the car so I guess it worked okay.

 

Check out the pics and feel free to ask any questions.

What exactly is a cleansweep ? Nice installs btw.

Great install..Any interest in making another one of those boxes? The cleansweep is looking to be the best way to go. Good to hear that your Sat Radio SQ was greatly improved with the cleansweep. Something I am definately looking for. I cant believe how bad FM modulation really is.

 

Good stuff..

That sub box looks great.

Sub box looks really, really good. WELL DONE! Very sharp install. The Sub/xover's look great too, very clean. Overall a very nice set of mods (gauges, xm, CS, amp, xo, sub). Very nice work man....makes me wish I had a trunk

Thanks for the nice comments guys. Looking at the pics myself I noticed 2 things. I have to try and get those stains out of my trunk floor and I should have vacumed the amp rack before I took the pics. Oh well.

 

Not sure about building another box...had enough fun the first time. If I had made amould I would consider it.

 

FYI - List of my other mods (nobody has touched the car but me, all installs alone in my garage)

 

Gutted WRX uppipe

Cobb catless Dp

Exhaust resonator delete

Drilled and tapped manifold for EGT

K-sport coilovers

F&R Perrin sways w/ endlinks

cleared corners

DRL disable (ooh big one)

PDX stage 1.5dp

Cartboy F&R bushings

STi short shifter

 

Overall I'm very happy with the car now. Just waiting for a catback, FMIC, turbo upgrade, wheels.

 

Couple more pics of the stereo install:

Very nice job and excellent taste in equipment, too!

 

Glad you're happy with the CleanSweep!

 

Manville Smith

JL Audio, Inc.

Excellent set up! I love the sub box and the positioning of the control knob.

nice job GMorris! Did you thicken up that fiberglass some in the final version? The initial shell looks a bit thin. How did you secure it? Any idea how much volume you had to work with for that enclosure?

That shell is only 1-2 layers. By the time I was done there was probably 6 layers of glass plus a complete layer of resin soaked felt. I weigh 200lbs and I'm sure I could stand on it with no damage.

 

I ended up with right around .57 cuft gross volume so about .52 with the sub in. It's a bit small but still sounds great...better than most of the ported boxes I've used in the past. I could have gained a bit of volume if I had used a couple less layers..the wall is probably close to 3/4" think in some places. I also could have carried the box forward toward the seats a bit more but it's getting so narrow up there that the volume increase would have been small. The limiting factor is keeping the box small enough that you can still raise the tirer well cover...mine just barely hits the sub surround as I lift it. I could have flushed the sub and then built the box a bit bigger.

 

It is secured with some self adhesive industrial stength velcro. It fits so tight that it couldn't move at all before the velcro. I was only concerned about it falling forward onto the sub in hard cornering. I haven't tried to remove it since I velcroed it for fear of the velcro pulling off the carpet but I've tugged on it pretty hard and there's no way it's moving.