A/V System Install

[DofD]

Another view of the components mounted.

And a view of them from the other side.

This is the RF 3Sixty tuning screen. You can tune each individual speaker. It's a nice interface to work with. It connects to the 3Sixty unit via BlueTooth from the laptop.

Another view of the mounted components. Now with power!

A closer view of the components on the left.

A closer view of the components on the right.

The video headrests in action. It's hard to see but the nav screen is playing the movie as well.

Post install driver's door.

Post install driver's interior.

Post install left rear door.

Post install rear left side interior.

---------- Post added at 05:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:20 PM ----------

Post install rear cargo area.

Post install right rear door.

Post install right rear interior.

Post install passenger door.

Post install passenger interior.

Now that I can move the truck, here are a couple pictures of the front grill with the 9500ci sensors in the grill. If it weren't for the flash just showing on the radar sensor in the lower middle, you can't even see that they are there.

A closer view of the grill and sensors.

 

[JennaBear]

Fantastic write up! Very clean setup as well. Do you do A/V stuff for a living, looks very professional.

 

[Modded]

Nice one man, hopefully I will do something like this but not so much though.
I like the Stealthbox, how does it sound and bout how much did it run?

 

[DofD]

Thanks!

Nnaboy: Thanks. The stealthbox sounds really good. To me at least. But then I'm more of an audiophile than going for spl. It adds a really nice amount of bass and can thump well too. IIRC it cost me around $700 Canadian. But I got it as part of a package with the amps.

Jenna: Thanks very much! I tried to do a good and clean job with it. Though no, I don't do that stuff for a living. I knew I wanted to do a professional clean looking job, so I took my time to lay everything out so that it would look and work well.

.
.
.

Damn, did too much tequila with the brother in law tonight. Typing is proving to be a challenge.

 

[Modded]

Either way hot install, but I saw the Stealthbox over at Crutchfield and its too expensive IMO, but ten again im a money saving teen
Im going to build a box for that same center console area and stuff a Pioneer slim sub and amp in there for my upgrade most likely!

 

[DofD]

Thanks! Yeah, the Stealthbox is expensive, but it does it's job well. If you can get a few minutes with a Stealthbox and a measuring tape, take some measurements to help you build your own.

 

[yolo]

nice work. you have obviously done this at some other time in your life. You either do it for a living or did at one time. GREAT INSTALL.

 

[Kon-Man]

speaker size

Hey DofD,

What are the sizes of the stock door speakers in your tahoe?
Were they 6 1/2 and you fit 6 3/4.

Were the rear door speakers the same size as the front?

 

[Mgyver1]

What happened to the pics!!!????

 

[-Denali73-]

Can't See Your Pictures

As mentioned in the RAP module thread I'm doing a bunch of interior upgrades to the Tahoe. It was time to start this thread to document the build process as it progresses. What I am doing is this.
- Changing door speakers for 6.5" BA Pro 60's
- Changing D pillar speakers for 3.5" Infinity Reference
- Replacing stock sub woofer (that is no sub woofer) with a JL Stealthbox
- Installing sound deadening mat over the whole floor and rear wheel wells
- Adding 2 JL HD600 amps for new speakers and sub woofer
- Installing RF 3Sixty.2 DSP for integration with stock Bose amp
- Installing 2 Vizualogic 9" DVD headrests
- Lockpick gmx322 for use with the headrests and front nav screen display
- Peripheral Electronics Media Gateway for Ipod integration
- ****** 9500ci radar/laser detector system

The first think I wanted to do was to install the sound deadening mat. To do this it require of removing everthing from the interior.

Rear seats and mounting brackets. Basically, unplug electrical connectors and unbolt the seats and lift them out (they are heavy!)

Electrical connector for a rear seat. It just unplugs easily. There is one for each seat.

Electrical connector for driver's seat. Locking bracket lifts up and then the connector will disengage. It's the same type of connector for the passenger's seat. Undo the connectors, unbolt (2 nuts to remove) and unscrew (two bolts to remove) the seat then lift it out (same for passenger side. Make sure to raise the seats to their highest point first!

All seats removed.

Electrical connectors within the the storage console. To remove the console, follow the instructions that came with the StealthBox LINK

The StealthBox instructions did not cover the little speaker behind that little circular grill on the driver's side of the console. This is a picture of wires for it. You need to remove the mounting clips and then disconnect the connector. Only then can you remove the console.

A picture of the Bose lux amp and sub woofer.

The Bose lux amplifier.

A picture of the stock sub woofer. This is no subwoofer! A 5.5" speaker with an enclosure does not make a sub woofer!

Console removed.

---------- Post added at 12:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:09 PM ----------

Dash support bracket that needs to be removed so one can remove the carpet.

In order to really get all the carpet out and access everything, most of the interior panels and trim pieces need to be removed. In the back the are all interlinked, so to get one out you need to remove them all. The trim pieces are held on with annoying friction clips.

Getting the sound mat down in the front. I decided to work around the carpet pad and wires rather than take all that out.

Sound mat down in the back.

Power line for the amps in the engine bay.
<pic to come>

The next thing was to install the front components for the 9500ci system (radar detection module and 2 laser modules) as I wanted to run all the lines need from the engine bay at the same time. The laser modules need a clear view looking forward. So this required a bit of trimming to the grill.
<pic to come>

Then to mount the 3 modules I had to fabricate custom mounting brackets.
<pic to come as this is what I am working on at the moment>

Not sure why I can't see your pictures....no links or embedded images.

 

[Modded]

Weird....the pics were showing before, I saw all of them!

 

[pmoneyz]

any way we can get the pics back thanks

 

[johnsgonewild]

hello,

You have done an outstanding job there! it really is top notch! I have seen many professional installs that did not give anywhere near the attention to detail that you have done here! IN ONE WORD... EXCELLENT!


i am just now about to start on my upgrade. I will be going pretty much all out as you have done here.... I was hoping that maybe you could tell me approximately how many SQ feet of the B-quiet mat you used per door panel?

and I was also wondering if you had any problem with the thickness of it causing any problems when re-attaching the panels? I have never worked with it before and I think i read that it was only 1.6mm thick... is this accurate?


thanks,

John

 

[scottrick]

does anyone know how to retain the stock rear view camera with an aftermarket head unit??

 

[blaqout]

Man that install is awesome! I know you said you do not do it for a living, but I bet you could make some good money doing it on the side, very professional and impressive! Nice job and thanks for the detailed write up!!!

 

[olemiss]

Excellent write up! Now I am itching to do an install in mine.....

 

[lakaw]

DofD,
I read your RAP module thread and am very interested in building one, but had a couple of questions on it's install. First off the module only has two outputs. Are you splitting those to turn all your equipment on (2 amps, 360 & video controller)? Can you detail those connections as I'm a little confused. Your amps surely have +12v directly from the battery, and I'm also assuming you have a common ground for your amps. So are you using the +12v and grounds from the RAP for your 360 and video controller, while using the +12v RAP accessories split to turn on all of you equipment?

Also, have you had any recent brainstorms in possibly shrinking the physical size of the module?

I just had an install completed last week and the installer has the equipment wired to the ignition accessory. I can turn my stock head unit off and the amp stays on. I had them install the JL signal summer and cleansweep (so I can keep the stock head unit). I get a horrible hiss when the HU volume is low, I need to play with the gain on the cleansweep.

TIA

 

[edmcgee]

lakaw,

Did you ever resolve your hiss with the cleansweep at low h/u volumes?? I am planning an install using the factory nav with the jl ssi and cleansweep and I'm a bit worried. I know that using the cleansweep volume control will keep the hiss from happening but I really want to keep my steering wheel control...

Thanks!!

 

[lakaw]

I did. The installer simple left the amp gains at the calibrated level, which for the JL amp happens to be max gain. I simply reduced the gains and the hiss was gone along with a very loud blinker. I still need to Dynamat the front console (for the Stealthbox) and I think I'm going to go ahead and Dynamat all four doors. I hate rattles and my horrible installer actually suggested I not use Dynamat. All my door speakers rattle...

 

[edmcgee]

Thanks for the quick followup lakaw... This is good news. Bummer on the rattles. I usually cut out a piece of mdf that will fit and mount to the factory speaker location, then make the cut-out for the aftermarket speaker in the mdf. I also will carpet the new piece of mdf with some basic grey box carpet and then mount it to an already Dynamatted door. This usually will prevent rattles for years... Good luck and I appreciate the info.