# 2005 Ford Ranger STX - Version 1.0



## mdbayler (Apr 8, 2008)

This thread details the build of the audio system in my 2005 Ford Ranger STX Supercab. The thread is provided in multiple posts that correspond to the pages for the vehicle on CarDomain.com.

The audio system is a Stealth Sound Quality system. It was built in March and April of 2008 in preparation for the 2008 MECA (Mobile Electronics Competition Association) competition season. 








Most of the work (about 99%) was performed by me in my home garage pictured behind the Ranger. Fortunately, my garage includes a well-equipped wood shop in which I was able to perform most of the work. This installation allowed me to learn some skills like running wiring and covering interior components with vinyl.

You'll note that the title states that this is Version 1.0 of the system. Some serious upgrades to the system hardware and installation will be performed over the next few months to prepare for the 2009 competition season.


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## mdbayler (Apr 8, 2008)

*System Concept and Design *

*System Goals* 

The following goals were taken into consideration during the design and implementation of the audio system: 

1. The audio system shall have an insignificant impact on the amount of available space in the cab of the truck. The area behind the seat is utilized for carrying equipment for different activities and cannot be sacrificed for installation of the audio system. 

2. The audio system shall be installed in a manner that does not significantly alter the factory aesthetics of the vehicle. 

3. The audio system shall have a natural sound and shall strive to accurately reproduce the entire audio spectrum. 

4. The audio system shall be designed and installed with the intent of the system being enjoyed inside the vehicle. There is no desire for the system to make an impression on anyone outside the vehicle. 

5. The audio system shall be designed and installed in a manner that allows entry into the Sound Quality League (SQL) Street competition class of shows promoted by the Mobile Electronics Competition Association (MECA).

*Acquisition Strategy* 

The equipment for the audio system is to be acquired in a manner that is cost-effective, yet does not sacrifice patronage of local businesses that are able to provide the desired products. A long-standing relation with Wild Bill’s Electronics in Boaz, Alabama, has shown that local businesses can be cost-competitive with mail-order operations and may have greatly flexibility as a single-source for a broad selection of products on the market. 

While product brands normally carried by Wild Bill’s are given first consideration, it is sometimes desirable to purchase other brands due to desired product quality or ease of installation. It is expected that blending the house brands with the specialty brands will provide a cost-effective, high-quality audio system. 

*Installation Strategy* 

The installation of the products in the audio system will be done primarily by the vehicle owner. Each portion of the installation will be approached as a learning experience and will be performed in a cautious manner that will allow the owner to acquire new skills. 

For some more complicated portions of the installation, it may be necessary to turn to Wild Bill’s for assistance with the tasks. Special consideration for assistance will be given when major modifications are to be made to interior components or the electrical and electronic systems of the vehicle. 

*System Design* 

In order to meet the goals outlined above, it was decided that a simple system would work best. 

The Kenwood DPX-502 head unit was chosen because of its double-DIN form factor and past experience with Kenwood products. It also provided an auxiliary audio input on the front that could be used with an XM receiver and included a USB port on the front so that new music could easily be played from the thumb drive. 

The Delphi Roady XT provides XM reception and is installed on the ashtray cover using an Arkon multi-angle mount. The XM antenna is routed through the third-brake light openening and the audio is connected to the Kenwood head unit using a short audio cord with right angle plugs that help make the audio cabling much more orderly. 

The Zapco DC Reference DC360.4 amplifier was chosen due to its success on the sound quality circuit and the fact that it has a built-in DSP that allows the setting of crossovers, parametric equalization, and time delay. Being able to tune the system using a laptop computer while setting the the driver's seat definitely helps improve the sound quality. 

Experience with my 1992 Ford Ranger proved that an 8" subwoofer would do an excellent job reproducing the lower end of the musical spectrum in the confined space without being too "boomy". The Rocford Fosgate P1S84 subwoofer provides just the right amount of Punch to provide the system with a solid bottom end. 

The Rockford Fosgate T152S Power component speakers provide a pretty natural sound with only a little tinnyness at the top end. By tuning these speakers with the Zapco's DSP, I have been able to achieve a very natural sound that has even impressed our local Rockford rep.


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## mdbayler (Apr 8, 2008)

*Head Unit and Speaker Installation* 

*Head Unit Installation* 

Installation of the head unit was accomplished using the Metra Electronics 99-5805 Dash Kit and the Metra Electronics 70-1771 Wiring Harness. 















The Metra Electronics 70-1771 Wiring Harness was spliced to the wiring harness included with the Kenwood DPX502 CD receiver using 22-18 gauge heat shrink butt connectors. 

The instructions included with the Metra Electronics 99-5805 Dash Kit indicated that installation was a matter of clipping the side plates into the dash bezel and ISO-mounting the head unit to these plates. This kit was obviously designed for the base level Ford Ranger and a Double-DIN head unit on the short side. Use of the Kenwood DPX502 CD receiver in the Ford Ranger STX dash required some minor modifications to the dash kit and the dash bezel. 

The presence of a second power port and the fog light switch on the right side of the bezel prevented the right mounting plate from properly seating into the dash bezel. Some minor work with the Dremel tool and a cutting stone removed enough of the plastic interfering with the mounting hardware for the dash bezel accessories to allow the right mounting plate to fully engage the dash bezel. 

Once the dash kit was mounted it became apparent that the Kenwood DPX502 CD receiver would not fit in the opening in the dash bezel without some modifications. A lip at the top of the opening in the dash bezel was removed with the Dremel tool and a cutoff wheel (being very conscious not to remove the portion of the bezel that holds the dash kit in place) resulting in an opening that was about ¼” taller than the original opening. Since the receiver still did not fit through the opening the Dremel tool and a sanding drum was used to smooth out an irregular edge along the bottom of the opening. 

The Kenwood DPX502 CD receiver was then mounted to the dash kit through the enlarged hole in the dash bezel. The Double-DIN trim ring included with the dash kit was installed to cover the area around the CD receiver. 










*Speaker Installation* 

In order to provide a well integrated speaker system that has no aesthetic impact on the interior and will allow the vehicle to compete in the MECA Street SQL class, a set of Rockford Fosgate 5¼” component speakers were installed in the stock door locations. 

To adapt the component speakers to the stock 6”x8” door openings, a set of Metra 82-5601 adapter plates were used to mount the mid-bass and tweeter drivers. 








Standard automotive spade terminals were used to connect the tweeters to the speaker wires in the door. After attempting to secure the speaker wires to the mid-bass drivers it was determined that the set screws would not grip the 13 AWG wire and it would be necessary to utilize a terminal to properly secure the wire. Standard automotive bullet terminals provided an excellent solution as they not only fit within the mid-bass terminals but also have a well-placed recess that allows the set screws to engage the terminal and prevent it from sliding out of the speaker socket. 








The use of the Metra speaker adapter plates allows for installation of the component speakers in the stock door location with no modifications required to the interior door panels.


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## mdbayler (Apr 8, 2008)

*Subwoofer Enclosure Construction* 

In order to provide sufficient low frequency extension, it was determined that the Rockford Fosgate P18S4 would work best in a vented enclosure. Based on specifications provided by Rockford Fosgate in the product literature, a subwoofer enclosure was built with a net volume of 0.65 cubic feet. A prefabricated 2" diameter port tube from Parts Express was cut to 5.9" in length to provide the proper tuning for the box. 








The enclosure was designed such that it would not limit the travel or reclining of the vehicle's seats. Rather than having a rectangular profile, it was necessary to create a beveled edge on the front of the enclosure to allow full reclining of the seats. The vehicle was measured to determine that the box could rise five inches from the floor without obstructing the seat. Above five inches it would be necessary to continue the box at an angle of at least 37 degrees. To simplify construction a decision was made to use an angle of 45 degrees. 

Rather than dealing with the precision bevels that would be necessary to join two pieces of MDF at a 45 degree angle, the box was constructed with a square step that would later be filled by a non-structural piece of MDF. 








The individual pieces required for construction of the subwoofer enclosure were identified and a cutting diagram was created to allow all pieces for the enclosure to be cut from a single 2' x 4' sheet of ¾" medium density fiberboard (MDF). 

The MDF pieces that compose the box were joined together using wood glue and brad nails. The central pieces were first nailed together and then attached to the ends of the enclosure. The top of the enclosure was not attached during the initial glue-up to allow the addition of the speaker baffle and cutting of the mounting hole and inset. 

Due to the desire to use the trim ring included with the Rockford Fosgate P18S4 subwoofer, it was necessary to create a deep recess for mounting the subwoofer to the enclosure. This recess was created by attaching a second piece of ¾" MDF to the enclosure top to form a 1½" speaker baffle. An 8¾" recess was cut into the baffle to a depth of 1" using a plunge router and a Jasper circle jig. The center of the recessed area was cut out to facilitate the mounting of the subwoofer. Another hole was also cut for the port tube. 

Eight holes were drilled in the baffle to coincide with the holes in the speaker mounting flange. T-nuts were affixed to the backside of the baffle to provide a secure anchor for the machine screws used to secure the subwoofer to the enclosure. 

Once the filler strip was placed on the subwoofer enclosure to complete the bevel on the front edge it was determined that the sharp angle at each end of the bevel would likely cause some issues when upholstering the box. In order to provide a more refined feel to the box, these edges were rounded over using a hand-held random orbit sander. 








It was also determined that tack strips would be necessary to provide a tight covering for the subwoofer enclosure. In order to accommodate the thickness of the tack strips it was necessary to cut a rabbet along the top of the enclosure that was thick enough to offset the thickness of the tack strip and the two layers of vinyl that would be beneath the tack strip. 








Each end of the box was covered with a small piece of vinyl before a single sheet of vinyl was applied to the box to complete its upholstery. The main sheet of vinyl was secured with tack strips to draw it tight and was heated and stretched to cover the sides of the recess created for the subwoofer. 








The completed upholstery resulted in a tight, well-tailored covering for the subwoofer enclosure. 








In order to protect the subwoofer from loose items in the cargo area of the truck, a grill was constructed to cover the speaker. The frame of the grill was created from a piece of ¼" MDF using a plunge router and a Jasper circle jig. After the exterior of the grill was cut from the MDF, a recess was cut into the ring and the interior circle of the ring was removed. 








A piece of steel mesh was cut from a prefabricated subwoofer grill to fit within the recess and was attached to the MDF ring. Due to the fact that it would be nearly impossible to line an electric stapler up with the holes in the grill material, the staples attaching the mesh to the frame were fitted by hand. 








The grill was then painted black to disguise the MDF in the final install. 3M Super 77 spray adhesive was used to attach the grill cloth to the grill frame and secure the cloth to the back of the grill. A tab made from grill cloth was added to the grill to ease its removal from the subwoofer enclosure. 








The finished speaker grill completes a subwoofer enclosure that blends well with the interior and is not easily seen from outside the vehicle.


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## mdbayler (Apr 8, 2008)

*Amplifier Rack Construction* 

The amplifier rack was designed to sit alongside the subwoofer enclosure and mimic the shape of the enclosure. Upon installation the two components will be screwed together to form a solid platform across the back of the cab. 

While the subwoofer enclosure has a solid bottom and the floor on the driver side is fairly flat, the floor on the passenger side of the vehicle is very uneven. This resulted in a decision to build the amplifier rack without a bottom. 








In order to provide a solid foundation for the amplifier rack, cleats and cross braces were installed at the bottom of the rack and threaded floor levelers were added to compensate for uneven sections of the passenger floor. A false bottom is attached to the cross braces using t-nuts secured to the cross braces. 








A hinged lid covers the contents of the amplifier rack. This lid is constructed of ¼” MDF and poplar lumber. The MDF is installed flush with the top of the lid and since it is thinner than the poplar lumber it provides a recess in the underside of the lid. This recess was designed for installation of a placard containing team and product logos along with a system diagram. 

The lid angles down at the front to follow the contours of the subwoofer enclosure. The angled lid along with filler strips installed behind the amplifier rack and the subwoofer enclosure provide a wide platform that provides a larger level surface than found with the stock vehicle floor. 








The amplifier rack is upholstered with the same vinyl material used on the subwoofer enclosure. The amplifier rack was upholstered with three separate pieces of vinyl. One piece covers the rear interior panel of the amplifier rack. A second piece covers the front, left, and right sides of the amplifier rack. This piece continues from the outside over the edges and into the interior. These two pieces are attached to the box using 3M Super 77 spray adhesive. 

The third piece covers the inside and outside of the lid and the filler strip that covers the space between the amplifier rack and the back wall of the vehicle. In order to provide a more permanent adhesion of the vinyl, this piece is secured to the lid using contact cement. The portion covering the filler strip is secured with staples on the underside of the MDF. 








A component of the amplifier rack design is an indentation that houses a changeable insert in the lid. This indentation is currently covered with a placard containing the Team Wild Bill’s logo, the corporate logos for the system components, and an overall diagram of the audio system. This placard is covered by a piece of acrylic to protect it from damage. 

The false bottom of the amplifier rack is covered with a 0.025” thick sheet of 6061-T6 aluminum. This aluminum sheet has been treated to a brushed finish and holes have been drilled to allow audio and power cables to come through the false bottom and connect to the amplifier, crossover, and capacitor. All holes in the aluminum sheet have been filled with a rubber grommet to protect the cables passing through the holes. 








Amplifier mounts and crossover mounts are constructed from MDF and have been coated with metalized paint to give the appearance of aluminum. These mounts have been drilled and fitted with stainless steel hex nuts to secure the amplifier and crossovers. The nuts in these mounts have been permanently affixed using two-part epoxy and the threads have been chased to ensure proper installation of the bolts retaining these components.


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## mdbayler (Apr 8, 2008)

*System Wiring* 

To provide a successful integration of the wiring into the vehicle, it was decided that the wiring would follow a color scheme that would compliment the aesthetics of the vehicle. All wiring in the vehicle is a combination of red, black, and silver wiring and all connectors have a platinum finish. It was also decided Rockford Fosgate connectors and cables would be used throughout the installation to improve the consistency of the vehicle. 

An Optima Red Top Battery is installed in the stock battery location. This battery was purchased for a previous vehicle and was installed in the current vehicle after its purchase. Rockford Fosgate battery terminals are attached to the Optima battery and the polarity of the terminals is indicated by the red and black RF logos on the top of the terminals. 








A short length of Rockford Fosgate power wire is connected to the positive battery terminal and connected to the Rockford Fosgate ANL fuse holder. This power wire was kept to a minimal length of 8” to ensure that the fuse was no more than the recommended 18” from the battery terminal. 

Rockford Fosgate power wire is run from the fuse holder through the firewall and to the back of the cab where the amplifier rack is located. This power wire (like all other power wires and signal cables in the vehicle) are wrapped in TechFlex braided shielding to protect the wire as it passes through the chassis of the vehicle and comes in contact with other factory and audio wiring. The ends of the shielding are terminated with black electrical tape and a strip of red electrical tape is added to all wires carrying positive current. Each cable is properly identified with a printed label created by a Brother personal label machine. 








Signal from the Kenwood head unit is transferred to the Zapco amplifier by Symbilink cables that have been driven at a high voltage by Zapco Balanced Line Transmitters. 

Rockford Fosgate Power SPL Gamma Geometry speaker wire is used throughout the system. In addition to fitting in with the tri-color wiring scheme, this wire provides noise isolation due to its braided design. The subwoofer is wired with 13 AWG wire and the component speakers are wired with 15 AWG wire.


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## mdbayler (Apr 8, 2008)

The Finished Product 

Here is a picture of the "stealth installation" that is seen when the door is open. It looks just like a flat black platform with little to indicate its contents except for the speaker grill. 








Here is a shot of the installation with the speaker grill removed and the lid open on the amplifier rack. 








Here is a little more details shot of the amplifier rack. Note the graphic installed in the lid that includes the system diagram and the team and manufacturer logos.


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## KARPE (Nov 9, 2008)

Hey I dont know if you are DONE with the install, but I have a 200 amp Alternator that I bought for my Ranger, but I totaled the truck before I ever got to install it. I bought it for my 2002 3.0L v6, so I dont know if it would work for you at all, but I'd really like to move this along.


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## syd-monster (Jan 7, 2008)

Great build thread. Detailed explantions and I would say you have surpassed your initial goals... or


nice!

BTW, can I suggest you deaden the actual speaker mounting plates.


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## lashlee (Aug 16, 2007)

It's looking good Mike!!!


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

another alabama guy! woot!

Nice install. I Like that amp rack!


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## BKJT05 (Apr 10, 2007)

had to bump this cause i have a ranger and didnt see this thread! looks good.


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## Maddman (Dec 20, 2008)

Nice work!


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## jimboman (Jun 24, 2008)

Very nice! I have a ranger as well, I only have a regular cab, so my installs in it have been tricky!


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## niceguy (Mar 12, 2006)

Nice attention to detail on the install....my brother in law has a '93 regular cab which is a little trickier when it comes to adding subs. That is, because he's not satisfied w/the dual 8" subs in there already (a mismatch of 1 RF and 1 Memphis Studio Class).

We'll be installing at least one (bought 2) Ascendant Audio Assassin 10" which should satisfy him...


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## Echo42987 (Dec 25, 2008)

Wow very nice install!


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