Has anyone else had any problems or severe dislikes of the cheap plastic mounting kits that all of us are forced to use to install our nice sound systems.

Well I finally thought that I should go and put those years of machining to use and fabricate an aluminium mounting kit that is secure and never falls out, also will be an effective theft deterent to anyone who doesnt know how to take the radio/A/C bezel off. Also, I am going to (most likely) be adding a couple of standard switch mounts to the top portion so that I can control a couple of the other mods I am putting together


This is still a work in progress but when I am done I may make a few extra and sell them if anyone likes.

This is a picture of the original plastic mounting kit and the very very temporary cardboard one. I will be machining it into aluminium in the next couple of days.

And to those of you who notice Chocolate Chip Creme Pies are a wonderful source of late night energy.

 

Good idea.. yeah I can just pull mine right out, you dont even have to pull the bezel- talk about security.. I cant wait to see how this turns out!

 

i would love to see you make something like this!!! let us know how it goes

idea: this might make it really hard to do, but the blank face area, i am assuming that it will be made out of thin metal, reason being i would like the idea of drilling holes in it to be able to add switches for lights

 

To: TheForce02

Already planning on putting in those holes for the switches for things like lights and also for my upcoming "Ventilated Seats" mod.

The holes will be easy seeing as I am doing this either on a standard Milling Machine (the quick way) or on a friends 3D Cad Cam mill.

 

Looks nice, I'd buy one. The plastic adapters work ok, but the fit and security really suck. A nice metal one with custom switch holes would be great!

 

Yeah i hate my installation kit, thecheap plastic feels like its going to break, i was actually going to make something just like what your making, but couldnt figure out how to bolt it to the trim..

Rocky

 

Finished the basic cutting work this morning before work. Planning on going and doing the milling for kit tonight. Currently I do not plan on doing the switch cutouts until I finish the basics on the kit and make sure that it fits and holds the stereo in (securely)

After I cut the opening and mill the edges I will be tapping the holes for the screws so that I can get this mounted hopefully by tonight. (Pictures will follow tonight - I hope)

 

Here are a couple of pictures of the mounting kit as it stands. The first of four mounting clips is partially installed. The machining took longer than I expected so this is all I could get done today, but not too bad for 2 days. More to come tomorrow.





The last picture is a blurry shot because I was holding the entire set up in one hand which was shaking and taking the picture with the other, but it is a close up of the clip that holds the mounting kit in.

 

hmm its interesting. Too bad it wasn't flush with the outside of the bezel.


I hate the plastic thing! When i used to drive to this girls house by me, i used to gun it as i'd go up this steep hill and MANY times my cd player would slide outta the dash! Luckily ti went back in easily.

Aaaaaaaron

 

You can't even spell your own name right. Der.

 

I could still make it flush, all it would take is longer standoffs screws and wires, but seeing as I am putting switches in the top of It I like it being recessed.

 

i like it, though i could see me trying to add some fiberglass to it and make it perfect. i think what is throwing me off is the metal look. but in the end i would buy one, $$$, as it looks great and is better then our crappy plastic one.

 

I'm suprized my plastic one hasn't disentigrated yet. on any incline or quick start at all not only will the whole plastic kit slide out, but the headunit slides out of the plastic kit too. I have to drive with 1 finger on the face plate at almost all times

I'd definitely buy one from you

 

yea i have been messing around with the same idea at the shop but i have other things im trying to finnish first...you did a nice job.....

 

You could easily paint it to match what ever you want if you dont like the metal look. I am still not sure if I am going to leave it metal looking or paint it myself.

 

You're not sound ghetto.... mobile installers use MDF and fiberglass to do it all the time.

The only difference is crooks can smash fiberglass and not metal... very easily, but you better have some kickass HU for someone to try to take it out of a metal plate...

I'd get one and powdercoat it.

You should try to make one that is flat and one on your buddy's CNC or w/e that is flush and has reccessed screw holes.

I would like either one, really.

 

Here are some shots of it before I do the visual work on it.

My wife thinks it would look best if I painted it bright red to match the body color of my truck, so I will be doing that tomorrow.

The screw ends are going to be cut off and then there will be caps (watch for the pics tomorrow) to cover the holes and give it a finished look.

 

looks really good.
I am really sick of mine falling out to.

 

i am now starting to like the metal look. it wouldn't work with my truck, but if i had a silver truck i think that it would look pimp

keep us updated!

 

Here it finally is. I finished up the mounting bracket tonight. Paint and everything. The whole bezel with stereo will be installed into my truck tomorrow (when it is light out again).

Here are the shots of it from final assembly to painted and installed

This is after primer coat one and then mounting of the bolt heads

This is with the primer coating the entire surface

Finally got the red paint on after letting everything cure.

And of course the obligatory install shot so that you can all see what it looks like.

I am going to post some pictures tomorrow of it all attached in the truck and wired up.

 

The bolts are alittle much, im more for a clean install as in just a sheet of metal...Cant really see what the brackets mount to...

Rocky

 

RockysFord: The bolts are there to cover the screw holes that had to be drilled through in order to tap the metal, I was thinking about bondo-ing the piece and smoothing it out but I prefered the bolt look.

The brackets mount to the plastic Bezel that I removed from the truck. The edge that the clips in your standard POS mounting kit mount to is the same piece of plastic that all of this mouunts to on mine.