Good place for stereo and speakers?

I was proud of not having a stereo but it is slowly taking a U turn. Now I want one. I am trying to figure out the best places.

For the stereo I will probably just zip tie it under the dash. I don't want to cut a rectangle in the dash for it. I was thinking about making the glove box bigger and waterproof, but I don't think there is enough room for anything like that with the stock heater components right behind it.

Where do you guys put your speakers? Just two speakers, no subs or system or anything like that. The only good idea I have seen so far is in my friends CJ7. He's got slots cut in the dash with speakers behind it. I kind of don't want to mess with my dash panel other then drilling small round holes for switches and stuff.

 

I've been thinkin about hooking my Ipod nano to a small amp in the glovebox, mounting the nano to the dash with a couple of pieces of stick on velcro. Small, (about 2" diameter) pizeoelectric tweeters would also mount to each side of the dash with velcro. No holes in the original dash, everything removeable. For the lows, I'm still working on a way to mount some 5 1/4 to 6", under the dash, facing down. Doesen't look like it'll be all that hard to figure out. Lower frequencies aren't very directional, and the tweeters should take care of the stereo effect. Pizeo's are very efficient, and with some efficient 6" I should be able to get away with a very small, cool running amp. I've done similar speaker setups in vehicles where the dash was just too valuable to cut up, and it seemed to work out well.

But so far, I'm still well into the listening to the motor, the gearwhine, and the suspension thumpin stage of Jeep ownership...

 

I have mine in my center counsel and my speakers are in a small box right behind my driver seats I actually got the small box and speakers at autozone for 25 bucks and a water proof sony cd player that was made for boats at walmart for 100 bucks I have sprayed my inside at the car wash and the speakers and cd player still work so I take it I picked a good place for em haha..

 

I took mine out of the dash and into the Tuffy Box. My sign guy use to work for Tuffy and had a few laying around. Speakers are 6 1/2" 3 ways mounted on a piece of metal suspended under the dash above the tunnel. Ammo box or Tuffy box will keep it safe and dry.

Tuffy box
http://picasaweb.google.com/irmosc/74JeepCJ502/photo#5083107613682390898

Speakers - look hard under the dash
http://picasaweb.google.com/irmosc/74JeepCJ502/photo#5002913811079888914

 

in my old 70' i went to "boaters world" and bought i waterproof enclosure that i mounted off of the bottom of the dash with some custom "L" brackets, then mounted the speakers at the lower left and right corners of the front floor boards with water proof enclousers for 6X9's made for boats.... worked good for me, and was totally water proof

 

I also have mine mounted in my center console. I used a 2nd row Dodge Durango console (fit's perfectly between the seats). The speakers are mounted on the sides. The thigh bolsters on the seats hide / protect the speakers so you don't even know they are there. I have my head unit mounted in the dash, but I don't see any reason you couldn't mount it in the console also. Nobody would ever know you had a radio and speakers!

 

Those are some really great ideas that I have never thought of. I guess if I get waterproof speakers and such, the skies the limit. Sounds like thats way to go. Hmm....just thought of this....

What about sacraficing an ammo box for the cause. The size that fits perfect between the front seats. cut holes in the sides and mount speakers. Put the head on the inside and wire everything together so its a self contained box just like a standard "boom box"/ portable cd player. You can move it around the jeep, move it from jeep to jeep, temporarily strap it to the top of the roll cage when you start taking in water, ect. It could have a harness sticking out that plugs into a custom harness in your jeep for power, memory, antenna, and everything else. Wow, that would really impress my friends. Plus it would save on putting a stereo in each jeep.

 

Ideally you'd want the speakers in front of you, so that you get at least some stereo effect, and so that you aren't working against the wind buffeting when the top is off.

Long ago, my Dad made a speaker cabinet that fit in the passenger side front corner of the cabin, under the heater box, and held a standard 6" speaker. This was really custom though, and he had a business building custom kitchen cabinets, so it would not be easily duplicated. It fit the angle between the floor, bottom of the heater, and the outside of the body (fitting around the support strut) and the front was angled toward the driver. There is room for another speaker on the drivers side in the dash, but it would obliterate the yellow sticker and you'd have to cut a big hole in your dash.

Otherwise, the all-in-ear-cans seem like the best idea, though they are illegal most places, and will block out good and bad road noises.

It was common in the day to mount a speaker in a plastic cabinet (like the boat speakers) on each down tube of the roll bar, but that too isn't ideal.

A CJ-6 has a couple of places to mount speakers if you don't scoot the seats back too far, but not many good places in a CJ-5.

JMO - if you must have tunes, I'd forget about the stereo effect and mount a single speaker on the floor in front of and between the passenger and driver. You're not going to get much stereo effect in a Jeep anyway, even with the best speaker placement.

 

If you want clear tunes as you drive you will need more wattage and larger speakers. I just needed to be able to hear local football/racing/sports on the weekend if I was out in the Jeep.

If security is not a problem, the self contained ammo box is ideal. Or you could weld a tab on it and the floor and put a padlock on it to slow someone down who needed to borrow it. R)

My (2) 61/2" and head unit are just enough to overcome road noise. Since I lost the garage in the move, it's nice to have tunes as I work on the Jeep in the driveway.

 

I just use headphones, if i am driving alone, other than that i really don't like the radio. Too many comercials.

 

headphones are a no-no in some states... I would try www.crutchfield.com, they may have your specific vehicle in their vehicle fit guide. They provide mounting instructions for specific vehicles.

 

Jeep sounds are a symphony in their own stage......

 

I would keep a stereo if my Jeep had it, but I probably would not put one in (or try the ammo box idea (but bolt it to the floor thru the bottom of the box).

 

I stumbled across this today in N GA mtns. Guy said it had been in the family since 1974 and except for the front bumper and winch everything was factory or dealer installed at Jasper Jeep in Jasper GA. Old mtns guy with a old car shop in downtown Blue Ridge GA. Didn't look for the speaker.

 

I'd guess the speaker was under the dash? No idea honestly

 

My cd player is mouted just like yours you gave me a good idea for the speakers to I think I might do that since I really cant hear mine to good with them in the back floor

 

Has any one see KC Speaker Lights, I had a pair mounted to the sides of my windshield pointing back in to the jeep. They were the ulimate, until someone took 'em. Only thing thing ever stolen. I have been thininking of getting a light housing and mounting some all weather spekers.

 

I bought some marine polk 6x9's (on sale at crutchfield) and a sony marine deck with an aux. input. After a few tries I think I have figured out how to mount them under the rear seat (I will know for sure this weekend when I try to finish). The only big problem I have run into is that you have to angle the surface that your speakers and stereo will mount into so the backseat doesn't sit too high. Then you have to cut a filler piece (using a different angle) for the deck because it is longer than the speakers. I will try to get some pictures if I can complete the project this weekend. Basically I have the deck facing me under the backseat with a 6x9 on each side. I plan on using my mp3 player which will connect into the aux. input and has a long wire so I wasn't real worried about having to turn around to adjust the stereo. They do make a remote for the stereo but it was just too expensive for me right now.