Need FACTUAL info on possible stereo upgrade

Copy that,

Maybe I will get a100sq.......I can use it for the wife's car........I will decide at some point

 

That is what I read, my reasons for maintaining the stock HU are twofold 1 resale...aftermarket might in fact be better, but, the more stock your vehicle is or appears to be, the higher the resale and the more people that will buy it. 2 the back up camera, bluetooth, and the other features are gone for good UNLESS you put in all sorts of adapters/amps/signal processors and the like, which has its own issues as connections and plugs are ALWAYS a weak spot, no matter WHO does the connections.

reliability and ease of service are preferred.

 

I just finished my 07 Access Cab. Not the same truck, but will tell you what I did:

Stripped all 4 stock speakers. Replaced all 4 with Polk DB6501s (6.5" components). The front door tweets do fit in if you simply cut the basket off the existing tweets. The rears I drilled a 3/8" hole just above seat belts to get the highs up high. I chose NOT to use any stock wiring, so I pulled all new speaker wiring (good 12 gauge 100% copper wire). It was tough getting through the doors, but worthwhile. (hint, if you take off one side of the sleeve (at the body), you can almost get a straight shot to use a coat hanger as a feed, tape wires to it and pull through).

For the access cab sound deadening, I used 72 sf of the

$166 Noico 80 mil (2 mm) 36 sqft (3.4 sqm) car Sound deadening mat, Butyl Automotive Sound Deadener, Audio Noise Insulation and dampening

Noico 80 mil material. (2 orders).

I did inside the doors (by cutting strips and reaching in through access holes), as well as the doors themselves. I also used this on the floor and every other areas I could reach. I topped off with the Noico 157 mil pad lining (which is a pad that goes on top of the silver stuff). 1 roll of that did all major areas, with a focus on the floor.

For the amp, I bought/installed the Rockford Fosgate RX600X5, which has 5 channels (2 for front, 2 for rear, and 1 for sub). I had an old Infinity basslink which i used (has built in amp), so I am not using the 5th channel, which is made for a sub.... i expect to build a custom enclosure down the road and didnt want to buy another amp later on. I don't need BOOM, just a nice fill at the bottom.

I know you do not plan on replacing the head unit, but I did. I installed the Pioneer NEX 4200. I did this since I wanted a rear view camera and good Apply Car Play setup.

Everything is up and running and I am very happy so far. I also added HDMI, USB and 1/8" jacks on the center console.

 

My Noico 80 mil sound deadening is sitting in the garage waiting to be installed. I only plan to use it in the doors and rear wall for now. I'm curious how you liked it? It's not too late for me to return it for a different product

I wasn't planning on installing the Noico 157 mil pad lining. Would you recommend it?

 

Both great questions. Sadly, i didn't install all the speakers/amp without the Noico, so I don't know what it would've sounded like it without. However, I can say that doing the doors, especially inside them (the part which is the outside door skin) has improved the "thud" when closing the doors, making it feel and sound like a real heavy door, vs before, when it was more like a little shallow sounding when closing. Would I do it the same again? Yes, but that's easier said now, since it is done. It is, by no way, a small task. The installation of materials and pressing into place was 4x more hours than the install of the system. The outside noise was reduced a good bit also. I will drop in a couple photos in a minute. Lastly, the existing tweeter frames and door speaker mounts can be modified to fit what I put in. I just used a dremel with a cutoff wheel.

 

I put one of these in my 07 sport and like it pretty well.

https://www.crutchfield.com/S-0ajFK808K0m/p_500X008U/Alpine-X008U.html

 

Pics attached. As mentioned, you can see the tweeter basket used. I misinformed you above, i didn't use the woofer baskets, i think i tried but ended up ordering from Amazon instead.

 

my truck would look like a rolling wreck for ever after if I tried that...

 

Agreed.. I'll take some "after" pics soon and post them up. It was about 40 hours in tearing apart and putting in sound materials. 6 hours or so in wiring/installing. Good times... I have learned through many of these types of projects to put screws back in after taking stuff out (to remember where they go) and keep moving, if you walk away for too long, you lose interest and end up with a hot mess that turns into an ugly incomplete project. It's pretty buttoned up now though....

 

for me its just that things never seem to go back together quite right after I take them apart... Tons of respect to you for your abilities to do this kind of stuff!

 

Thanks Monty. Not deserved, but appreciated. I have had my share of unfinished projects (just ask my better 1/2).

 

but 40 hours just to take it apart... cringe!

 

stop worrying about resale. its a taco, its going to be high no matter what. dont limit yourself like that. just keep the stock radio and put it back when you go sell it.

 

Wow. Thats definitely more ambitious than me. I'm hoping the doors and rear wall make enough difference that I don't have to tear the whole truck apart.

Someday I'd like to replace the stock speakers, but I'm afraid I'll go down a rabbit hole of upgrading the whole sound system.

 

Also, did you do anything to protect wires from the foil edges on the sound deadening?

 

I upgraded the sound in my 13 with similar criteria. Kept the stock HU (non JBL) and put the money into other parts. JL c5-650 components in the front and Kenwood P710 in the back. An ARC audio amp under the passenger seat and JL 8" microsub behind the rear passenger seat. Total cost was just under $2K installed. $ could be saved with DIY Install. I get plenty of volume and bass and maintained the blue tooth and stock look.

 

The 40 hours included the sound deadening exercise, not just tear down. It was actually very relaxing time, since I have another daily driver.

Regarding the wires/foil edges, I had no places where they intersect, other than under the console, which i laid them on top (they aren't seen under there). The foil edges, while sharp, probably wouldn't puncture wires, but I made sure they had a clear path. most wiring is in door jambs, under dash, etc.

 

Having another daily drive makes ALL the difference!!

 

Buy a

1. Mini fuse adapter to add a amplifier remote wire to.
2. Buy a amplifier that has hi and low outputs. Tap rear speaker wire into hi output of amp this will wire the beat ro the amp so sub knows how to play.
3. Have someone on here or at a shop build you a box for behind rear passenger seat.
4. Mount amp under seat or do what i did and mount it to a platform on subwoofer box.

Pretty simple process no need to remove head unit at all

 

1. Not needed
2. Use a line out converter
3. You can build a quality box yourself with a table saw and some basic math
4. Plenty of other places to mount an amp.