We love a good challenge here at Adrenaline Autosound. A client came to us from Raleigh, North Carolina, with his 2002 Jeep Wrangler for some help with the audio system. The first challenge he presented was that he used all the space in the Jeep for cargo, including occasional removal of the rear seat. The second challenge was that the owner actually uses his Jeep as a Jeep, so it gets wet inside.
We discussed several options with the client, and let him know that limited space for a subwoofer would mean limited performance. We agreed on a system design, then booked an appointment to start the transformation.
Speak-Up
We used a set of JL Audio C2-400x in the factory dash locations. Rather than use one of the inexpensive and flimsy “off-the-shelf” mounting plates available for the front speaker locations in the Jeep, our technicians created a mounting adapter for the 4-inch coaxials out of ¼-inch HDPE plastic. These adapter plates provide an excellent vibration-free mounting location for the new speakers. We also mounted a set of JL Audio C2-535x speakers in the factory location in the overhead sound bar.
Bottoms Up
With no room for a custom subwoofer enclosure, we decided to use a JL Audio 6W3v3 in the factory enclosure. The 4.25-inch mounting depth of the JL sub is deeper than the factory enclosure allows, so we used our heat gun to carefully reshape the enclosure and let the 6.5-inch sub fit. Even with our modifications, the factory enclosure fit perfectly back into the stock location in the center console. The centrally located subwoofer offers excellent bass reinforcement for impact and dynamics.
Power Up
Since the client let us know that the interior of the Jeep is prone to getting wet, we chose a pair of JL Audio HX series amplifiers for the task, because they feature an IPX6 water-resistance rating. For the subwoofer, an HX300/1 provides up to 160 watts of power. An HX280/4 powers the front and sound bar speakers with 50 watts each.
Heads Up
We installed an Alpine UTE-62BT into the factory 3-inch dash location. The Alpine unit includes a front-panel USB port to allow the customer to connect his phone for charging or playing music from a USB stick. The Bluetooth interface includes audio streaming and hands-free calling.
Client Was Amazed With His Jeep Wrangler Audio Upgrade
When the client returned to Adrenaline Autosound in Clayton, North Carolina, to pick up his Jeep, he was anxious to hear what we were able to do in such a small space. He was amazed at how great it sounded, given the extreme space limitations.
If you are interested in an audio system upgrade for your vehicle, drop by our shop or contact us here.