DCSB Steel Sub Box

Recently started audio upgrades in my new to me 2014 DCSB 4x4. Decided to go with JL Audio's C2 door speakers, and their 10W1v3 sub. Went to order a box for the sub and choked at the price of the stealth box, so decided to build my own. My woodworking abilities are nonexistent, so metal was my chosen material! I'll list dimensions at the end, as I searched everywhere and could not find any information on sizes that would fit. Hopefully this will help someone out that's looking to do the same, because the measuring and test fitting was 2/3 of the time involved.

Got the main frame bent out and tacked together, the notch for the cab support(?) was kind of a pain to make. I know a bunch of tacks aren't super strong, but a full bead would have warped the steel and it's not going to have a ton of force on it.


Holes drilled/cut for the sub and wires, the 10W1v3 needs a 9" mounting hole. Drilled the wire holes just large enough for them to fit, going to epoxy them in once it's finished.



And now, what I believe is the only way to get a steel box to work, is the bedliner:



The liner completely seals the box and makes it airtight, as well as stops the sound from reverberating in the metal box.

I did have to remove the plastic tray from behind the drivers side rear seat, and knocked off/hammered down the little brackets for the mounting screws so that the box could sit flush against the back of the cab



Here it is assembled in the truck; I covered everything I could get to with sound deadening while I was in there.



For those looking to build their own, here are the measurements of the side of the box (not to scale, my graphics design skills are on par with my woodworking). Mine was 14" wide, and accommodated the 4.6" mounting depth of the 10W1v3.




This certainly wasn't an audiophile quality build, but the steel with the bedliner on it makes for a very hard-hitting box. I've built two of these before, with a much simpler rectangle shape and I did not have any issues with box flex or reverberations. It's important that the bedliner is a somewhat thick coat of high-pressure material, I'm almost positive the roll-on or spray can stuff would do next to nothing for this application.