Leroy's 2004 Tacoma stereo build log

Since I've gotten so much help from these forums, I decided to create a build log for my stereo upgrade.

There is a ton of work that I've put into it already and I have a long way to go. I'm an experienced system builder for your basic good stereo system. This is my _truck_ though so I'm doing as much as I can to create the system I've always wanted. Its not perfect, but pretty high quality.

From my experience, the main factors on a good stereo are system design and installation, not the actual components themselves. I did buy nice stuff though.

My truck is a 2004 Tacoma TRD Xtra cab with a 3.5" lift.

 

what are the main bits you're building on?

 

I'm currently working on getting a good batch picture resizer so that I can upload my build log.

I'm redoing everything.
So far, I have redone the engine and chassis ground, and also the alternator to fuse box and fuse box to battery with 4AWG wire and battery terminals from KnuConceptz. I took the time to completely remove the looms and replace all the wire rather than just zip tie them. I also wrapped them all in the correct Tesa tape for engine bays.

I'm putting a 7" double din android based head unit from carjoying.com. Comes with a backup camera, ODB2 interface, bluetooth, mobile hotspot, stereo controls for steering wheel, etc etc. ($385)

JL Audio XD600/1v2 monoblock amp to run 2 x 10" Focal P25F flax subs
JL Audio XD400/4v2 4 channel amp. Really wanted to go 6 channel here but didn't have room and switched some stuff up. Oh well.
Rears are Focal PC165F 6.5" coaxial
Fronts are Focal PC165FX 6.5" components (wanted the three way, but time/$)


DSP is from minidsp.com ($285). Love their stuff.

 

This is my wiring diagram that I originally created

 

As for where the components are going to be mounted, I'm doing a lot more complicated than I probably should. I think that the amount of storage in the back bench is laughable. Having seats that fold down is dumb to me. So I've basically removed the bench and the seats. I've built a fan cooled amp rack that will mount on the back wall using push rivers to hold it in place.

 

First though, I removed the interior and wiped everything down with rubbing alcohol to degrease and clean. I then installed 4 rolls of sound skins sound deadener. Awesome stuff and quiets the cabin a TON. I did the doors, side panels, back panel, and floor. I didn't do above the headliner. I also wrapped every wire in Tesa tape and or foam and silenced every plastic clip that was touching metal.



I used press and seal from the kitchen for a template to do the cut outs and it worked really well and cheaply.

 

I originally was just going to try to mount all the electronics to the back wall so that I didn't have to fabricate anything. That didn't look too good and didn't have enough space really.

 

That's when I decided to go ahead and do an amp rack. I wanted to make it nice and figuring out how to fabricate and mount it took a ton of research and trying things out. I was originally going to use rivnuts. Then the local auto mechanic suggested using push rivets, like what holds on bumper and wheel well stuff, inserted into the holes that the back panel plastic clips use. They work awesome. Getting everything at the right spot and depth and size, getting the layout just right so That I wasn't running signal next to power, all of it took me about 3 months. (doing this basically just free time on weekends)

 

I did a 1/8" ABS plastic backing board with some wood around the edges. In the wood are neodymium magnets to eventually hold a cover made of wood and wrapped in vinyl.

Because there is very little clearance behind the amp rack and the rear, I had to make sure that all nuts and bolts were the exact right length. Tacoma screw was amazing on that.



I created fan mounts with nylon spacers and some nylocks and bolts. These are Noctua 120mm fans. They are extremely quiet. Part of the three months was spent trying to engineer a solution to have a thermal probe and PWM modulation for full computer-like fan control. I gave up and just went straight full power on the fan, but with the resistor for lowering the voltage and thus fan speed. Turns out I wasted all that time because these fans are silent and move a ton of air. They are in a push/pull config.

 

This is the amp rack mostly complete. I'll get a new pic eventually as it's all done. All the wires are terminated and heat shrunk and silenced. I hooked it all up temporarily to test the remote turn on and relay. There is a blue sea systems fuse block in there. Basically, the remote turn on from the head unit turns on the dsp. After a two second delay, the dsp turns on the relay which powers the fuse block. The amps, LEDs, and fans are all powered off the fuse block.



All the speaker wires come out on the lower left and are soldered to XT-60 Molex connectors.

I used wire ferrules on all the amplifier connections.

 

This is a little mount that I made for the DSP remote.


I replaced the ashtray with this.

 

Both the rear and front speakers are an inch deeper than the OEM speakers. This meant fabricating and cutting and generally, a metric butt ton of fun.

Luckily, I went to the junkyard and a different model of SR5 has flat panel instead of inset ones. The speaker baffles are also 6.5". What do you know, they fit exactly the same. I did cut out the side panel to make them fit and will be doing a little vinyl wrapped panel to make it look nice.

 

Behind the speakers are Focal thick sound tiles to stop back wave interference.


Speakers mounted with better hardware and some excess sound skins for more mass on the plastic baffle.



Ran speaker wire through sheet metal with a grommet.

 

Grounding point prep and mount. Its the JL Audio ground lug which is really worth the money.

 

Rear speaker mounted. The panel isn't going back on until I get new hardware for the Windows and wiring done.

 

Tweeters in door panels. I went with replacing the grill with the focal. There was quite a bit of dremeling but it all turned out superb. As you may know, the tweeter location is curved. I took the time to shave the plastic down with a razor so that it would lay flat and slightly pointed up. Turned out really well.

 

The woofers in the door had me sweating bullets. The focals were too deep to mount using my junkyard mounting bracket, but by moving them to the center of the 6x9 mounting hole, I got just a bit more clearance. I quick cut a mounting adapter, and then another and at that point the speaker stopped hitting the window track.

Then I had to cut out all the extra plastic behind the grill. I taped the speaker packaging plastic to the adaptor and then reassembled the door to check that it would hit the speaker. (these speakers are $$)

It all seems to work great. I will be putting scorpion fast rings on these too.



This actually catches me up to where I'm at. I bought some 3/8" plastic to take to the router to fab the final adaptor. Then I have to run new wire, mount the crossover, install headunit, etc etc... Tune for hours..

Its been about 6 months since I started this weekend warrior project, but I almost have sound.

 

I purchased a quick 1/2" mdf enclosure so that I can have my subs in there while I create the subwoofer enclosure. The idea is that the subs will be downfiring on the right hand side with a clear window. The left hand side will be a new storage compartment.

I fully expect the design and fabrication of this box to take me another 4 months.

The seat belts and everything will still work in the back.

 

In

Nice work so far. I think this is gonna be the nicest amp rack in a 1st gen on this forum.

You're giving me hope in the front doors. I'm trying to mount 6.5s as well (SI TM65mkII) and they're giving me fits. I think I'll sit back and see how you get there. I was thinking of rebuilding the whole plastic panel and stacking rings 'till the clearance is right. Might be able to aim them a bit too?

Oh, and thanks for the heads up on the ground lug. I think I'm going to get one of those started this way.

Awesome to see another 1st gen build going on!!!