Select Increments Dash Pods Drama Part 1

[Neil Sears]

So I ordered the dash pods from Amazon and it only specified will fit a Wrangler TJ. Turns out there are two different models one for 1997 to early 2002 and the other late 2002 to 2005.

The new pods with the correct harness have been ordered.

Other than that they were a breeze to install. As a 2000 Wrangler owner I did have to cut out the 5” strip of metal from the dash but there was plenty of room to get my cut off saw inside so that took under a minute. Everything else was just screwing, unscrewing and positioning.

Here are some pictures up to where I had to stop.

I’ll post the part 2 sometime after the 21st when the pods with the correct harness arrive.

 

[Zorba]

Now add these to pipe the sound out of the grille:

 

[CreepinDeth]

Are these the Focals youre testing out?
https://www.amazon.com/Focal-130-AC-Coaxial-Speakers/dp/B00LV0A7AG/?tag=wranglerorg-20


Using the OEM connectors tells me headunit powered??

 

[TheBoogieman]

Now add these to pipe the sound out of the grille and to your knees:
View attachment 526756

Fixed that for accuracy.

 

[mjonesjr84]

Interesting. On my 2000, I didn't have to cut anything out for the passenger side, just the drivers.

The focused sound out of the dash is much better with these.

 

[Artsifrtsi]

Fixed that for accuracy.

@Zorba likes the sound blowing up his skirt...

 

[Neil Sears]

Now add these to pipe the sound out of the grille:
View attachment 526756

Wave guides, clever

 

[Neil Sears]

Are these the Focals youre testing out?
https://www.amazon.com/Focal-130-AC-Coaxial-Speakers/dp/B00LV0A7AG/?tag=wranglerorg-20


Using the OEM connectors tells me headunit powered??

No, I’m running them to a head unit but bypassing the internal amp for an outboard as the 130’s love power.

 

[Neil Sears]

@Zorba likes the sound blowing up his skirt...

Who doesn’t really. Lol

 

[Artsifrtsi]

Wave guides, clever

Probably not needed, as you cannot channel the sound up to your ears with them. The most important thing is to channel the sound forward, and not behind the dash/leaking from the rear of the speaker to the front, which you are doing with the pods.

 

[Zorba]

Wave guides, clever

It helps shockingly well. I actually had to adjust my fader rearward another notch or two to keep the sound balanced. Full disclosure: My soundbar speakers aren't as sensitive as the ones I have in the dash - I had already set the fader back slightly to compensate for that.

 

[Zorba]

Probably not needed, as you cannot channel the sound up to your ears with them. The most important thing is to channel the sound forward, and not behind the dash/leaking from the rear of the speaker to the front, which you are doing with the pods.

No, but you CAN channel the sound OUT of the dash instead of having it lost therein. It works.

 

[CreepinDeth]

Frankly I'm shocked someone has not yet created an improved dash mesh speaker cover that replaces the OEM crappy louver cover

I may have to grab a spare set and get to modding

 

[Neil Sears]

Update: I cancelled the replacement pods (with the correct harness) as the rears will also need that and I was able to order 4 on Amazon that will get here much sooner. Plus I live in the mountains and would need to drive down to return the origional pods.

 

[Brimstone]

Frankly I'm shocked someone has not yet created an improved dash mesh speaker cover that replaces the OEM crappy louver cover

I may have to grab a spare set and get to modding

I made my own

 

[ChasUGC]

No, but you CAN channel the sound OUT of the dash instead of having it lost therein. It works.

This is exactly what I have been saying in the other thread about the dash speakers. It works.

 

[TheBoogieman]

I made my own

View attachment 593644

View attachment 593645

View attachment 593646

Nice job.

 

[Brimstone]

This is exactly what I have been saying in the other thread about the dash speakers. It works.

The factory did come with these little foam baffles in front of the speaker. My problem is they are a little larger than the cavity and sort of smash in there, which rolls the front edges over and blocks the opening. So I trimmed mine down a bit. There is a before/after, and installed pic.

 

[ChasUGC]

The factory did come with these little foam baffles in front of the speaker. My problem is they are a little larger than the cavity and sort of smash in there, which rolls the front edges over and blocks the opening. So I trimmed mine down a bit. There is a before/after, and installed pic.

View attachment 593682

View attachment 593683

I believe what we are talking about is the rear of the speakers. You would put the polyfil or a chamber to block the sound lost out of the rear. This is what these baffles do that cover the rear of the speakers. But with polyfil, it is adjustable. I found that you can actually put too much polyfil behind the front speakers and overpower the rear speakers, which defeats the purpose of improving and balancing the soundstage. You want to add just enough polyfil to the rear so that you can hear the front speakers but not so much that it overpowers the rear speaker at zero fade. They do this in home stereo cabinet speakers too. I've seen the fiberglass like insulation in home speaker cabinets. Plus, the cabinet itself reduces sound lost and adds depth to the sound. I guess the idea of focusing the sound in front of the speaker might work similarly, if one could create a cone shape in front of the speaker bending to a rectangle to focus the cone into the rectangle coming out the front grill port on the dash. This way you wouldn't lose sound out the sides of the cone and into the dash. I'm sure someone could 3d print something like that. But, I found that just filling the rear of the speaker with polyfil is enough to compensate for the front speakers being at your knees, as long as all four speakers are the same quality and size. It kind of works by naturally increasing the decibels on the front speakers using the polyfil.