# 2008 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited build (Hertz/Audison)



## Blancolex300 (Dec 9, 2009)

So after dealing with the stock system for the first 4 months of owning my Jeep, I have finally begun the upgrade of stereo system. The plan is the following:

Hertz Mille ML 1600 midbass drivers in the dash (active x-over through the amp)
Hertz Mille ML 280 tweeters in tombstones (active x-over through the amp)
Hertz Energy 8" sub in the factory enclosure
Audison LRx 5.1 5 channel amp run in the floor in the rear cargo area
Audison Bit One.1 
Audio will be run of of the factory headunit for now with a Pac C2A-CHY2 to provide a flat pre-out fed into the amp 

Also upgraded was the "big 3" (battery + to alternator +, battery - to chassis ground, and battery - to engine ground).

Pics of the sub upgrade:















Pics of the speaker upgrade:

The speakers


Pods Dynamatted (talk about tedious!)



The tweeters and amplifier are currently back ordered, so as they are available they will be installed, and I will be doing a custom box at some point, either for the 8, or a flat sub or 2. Still up in the air on that.


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## Blancolex300 (Dec 9, 2009)

Pods and speakers


Test fit,but the basket was too big, spacers needed


Pods with spacers


Speaker, pod, polyfill (4oz per pod, equivalent of .25 cu feet)


Pod, with polyfill. Looks like an old lady's hair coming out


Speakers mounted, ready to go in


Speaker in the dash


Big 3 upgrade

0 ga cables, techflexed and heat shrunk


Underhood


Connections at the alternator


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## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

Subscribing to this one.


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## subwoofery (Nov 9, 2008)

Just so you know, putting too much polyfill will eat up space rather than making it a larger box. 
I usually prefer insulation for midrange (the pink stuff) - especially since you have sealed pods. 

Kelvin


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## Slee (Feb 10, 2009)

Where did you get the pods??


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## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

They're the OEM pods in the dash.


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## Blancolex300 (Dec 9, 2009)

Update:

Got my tweeters in last Thursday, and got around to installing them on Saturday. They were substantially larger than the factory ones, so the use of a dremel to hog out the factory pods was needed. They sound great currently run off of the factory headunit/Infinity amp (LRx should be in this week), although with the current set up they are EXTREMELY bright. I have the treble set on -6 on the radio right now...... 

Without further adieu, the install pictures:


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## Blancolex300 (Dec 9, 2009)




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## MTopper (Nov 4, 2009)

i like the look of the stock tweeter pods. they're amazingly simple yet very custom looking to those of us who don't have them stock. good looking setup


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## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

How big of a driver fits into the dash tweeter pod? It looks like from the pictures a 1" tweeter is all that will fit.

Thx


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## Blancolex300 (Dec 9, 2009)

It was a factory 1" in there, so I had to modify it to take the 1 7/8 Mille tweeter. 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk


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## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Awesome install! Looking forward to the completion.


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## Blancolex300 (Dec 9, 2009)

Me too! I can't wait to hear it once I am done with it. Just upgrading the speakers made a HUGE difference. Now once I get some real power on them it should sound pretty good.


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## Blancolex300 (Dec 9, 2009)

I have some updated pictures, not 100% finished cosmetically, but is 100% functional.

As the amp sits now:


2 runs of 9 wire input into the bitone.1, me gusta heat shrink:



The tray, made from abs plastic and 1/4 mdf:


Test fit for the tray that bolts under the passenger seat. It sits about 2" off the floor, to keep from getting wet:


Nice and snug under the seat, fits good. Not done yet:


Close up of the mounts, everything was sanded and painted black as to blend in:


Tucked up, nice and neat. With the seat slid all the way back, it is completely hidden from view. The wires running in front are for the heated seat elements:


The DRC currently resides in my glove box, I still need to figure out where I want to put it. I am using the volume control on the factory radio for now. I am trying to keep everything out of sight as much as possible, which is why I haven't gone with an aftermarket headunit. Jeeps are just too damn easy to break in to.


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## rexroadj (Oct 31, 2008)

another hack job from Pat! J/K!!!! so am I going to hear this thing Sat? 
(on a side note....please pm what to bring because getting info from Craig is the equivalent of getting a vasectemy with a rubber spatula!!!)
Looks great (you have heated F'ing seats in that *****????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)


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## Blancolex300 (Dec 9, 2009)

Not sure if I am gonna have the Jeep or the wifey's truck on Sat, there isn't a whole hell of a lot of space in the back of the Jeep. And gotta have the heated seats man, we live in New England. My last 3 vehicles had them, and I got em done cheap enough.


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## rexroadj (Oct 31, 2008)

Blancolex300 said:


> Not sure if I am gonna have the Jeep or the wifey's truck on Sat, there isn't a whole hell of a lot of space in the back of the Jeep. And gotta have the heated seats man, we live in New England. My last 3 vehicles had them, and I got em done cheap enough.


LOL!!!!!!!! I barely have heat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
does have a/c though


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## HondAudio (Oct 19, 2006)

Blancolex300 said:


> It was a factory 1" in there, so I had to modify it to take the 1 7/8 Mille tweeter.
> 
> Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk


It would be sweet if you could fit some 2" widebanders in there.


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## Se7en (Mar 28, 2007)

Wow, those tweeters look great! Nice work man!

I'm looking forward to hearing your listening impressions. I currently own an '05 Unlimited but am thinking of going into one JK Unlimiteds down the road.


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## gbryant (Jul 18, 2008)

Hey ! What happened ? You never posted the finished product... 
I would love to see it....


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

hey i was wondering if you can do me a big favor and get a pic of the wiring harness behind the stock head unit. im doing a head unit install for a friend in this same jeep and every adapter i buy for it doesnt fit. there was a line driver installed before he bought it and i think his has a different connector now but we cant really tell.


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## JKashat (Nov 19, 2009)

Bumping an old thread, I know, but...

I'm getting ready to start the install on my 2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. I know the dash is a different design, but still similar install.

Do you have any pics of where exactly you mounted the PAC Audio piece? I have one too, but the unit (IMHO) was too large to fit behind the dash nice, unless I rerouted the harness and positioned it behind the powder window switches. I also have and plan on using the Audison Bit One.1. Why did you even need to use the PAC Audio piece? Couldn't you have just used the High-Level inputs to the Bit One? Any advantages or disadvantages of using the High-Level inputs?

Where did you come through the firewall for the Power wire? Did you use the foam filled hole on the side of the dash near the cowl?

I am thinking of mounting the Audison Foce 5.1K amplifier in the same spot you put the LRx. Are you happy with the amplifier there, or was this simply the only option? Do you take your Jeep off roading? Are you worried about water at all?

I currently have JL Audio C5 Components in the dash and C5 Coaxials in the soundbar powered off the factory Infinity amplifier. I'm thinking of changing the dash speakers to Audison Foce 6.5" Components (active) & possibly Foce 6.5" coaxials for the soundbar (powered by factory amp). I did use Polyfill in the Dash & Soundbar, but did not use any Dynamat. Do you think it made a noticable improvement? Do you miss not having the Soundbar speakers?

Lastly, is the 8" subwoofer you added "enough"? I have a 8W3v3 that I was debating on using or not. I plan on using a JL Audio 10W7ae in a sealed enclosure, but I'm worried it'll take up too much valuable trunk space, and that it may attrack theives.

Sorry about all the questions, but this has been the most useful built thread on a Jeep Wrangler JK that I could find, and you're using similar equipment. 

Thanks,
Jeff


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