Some tips I learned for doing stereo work on the Raptor

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Oldfart

FRF Addict
Joined
Oct 21, 2017
Posts
6,021
Reaction score
14,936
Location
Saggy Balls Division of PA Trump Army
I'm no pro for sure, just trying to pass on a few things I learned during my stereo install recently. Hopefully this can help other people trying to upgrade their systems themselves. Buy a set of plastic trim removal tools. For occasional use the HF are fine.
https://www.harborfreight.com/trim-and-molding-tool-set-5-pc-64126.html

Get a set of o-ring pics from HF or Autozone. You really need the one that has a right angle bend in it. You will need it to remove a small trim piece that is just below the inside door handle.
https://www.harborfreight.com/pick-and-hook-set-7-pc-69592.html

If you haven't already gotten a Builtright rear seat release, get one. It will make your life so much easier to get in and out while working behind drivers side rear seat. Once installed you just pull the strap and the seat comes forward easily.
https://www.apollo-optics.com/colle.../products/rear-seat-release-kit-ford-f-series

The door panel is pretty straight forward to remove except for if you don't know the trick to remove the small (about 2" X 4") trim piece that is just below the interior door pull. It has 2 vertical tabs that hold it in at the bottom, and 2 horizontal tabs at the top. If you try to pull out the bottom it's a real bitch and you will likely break it. You stick the pic in at the top turned horizontal, go behind it and turn it 90 degrees and give it a pull and it will pop right out. On the door handle cover make sure you pop it in the front, there is a big tab in the rear that slots into the door panel. Pop the front end and pull it forward.

upload_2020-7-26_0-12-31.png

20200707_143003-jpg.148451

20200707_143113-1-jpg.148452

upload_2020-7-26_0-11-37.png


Here's the mount I made out of 1/4" plywood for the Skar sub amp, the LC2i and the Morell crossovers. I attached it to the side of the OEM amp mount that is tucked behind the driver's side rear seat. I am going to remake it from a sheet of 1/8" T6 aluminum I got from Amazon since I made the first one, it will dissipate heat a lot better. I had a little trouble finding the right piece of aluminum or I would have made it that way to begin with. I found a nice 12" X 12" X 1/8" piece of mill spec 6061 T6, which is heat treated, for $20. The local supplier wanted $90 for the same thing, what a thief. I can use the first one as a template to make it much easier to make a nice aluminum mount now.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HRHAZ9U/?tag=fordraptorforum-20

upload_2020-7-25_23-58-22.png


A few fairly good YT videos to pull the door panels and install sound deadening sheets.

 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Oldfart

Oldfart

FRF Addict
Joined
Oct 21, 2017
Posts
6,021
Reaction score
14,936
Location
Saggy Balls Division of PA Trump Army
OP
OP
Oldfart

Oldfart

FRF Addict
Joined
Oct 21, 2017
Posts
6,021
Reaction score
14,936
Location
Saggy Balls Division of PA Trump Army
I wanted to add for fellow noobs, take advantage of your digital camera as you are pulling things apart. Take a bunch of pictures, they are FREE NOW! If you don't need them, you can always dump them later. Try to cover different angles and areas. You will be very glad you did if a few times along the way you get to that point where you are thinking, "Huh, where the f**k did this go?", or "What bolts went in here, the black ones, or the silver ones?"

Also when you are doing the sound mats, an easy way to mark bolt holes, spots for cable holders, etc, is to have a dozen or so small flanged hex head bolts. Small enough to be able to just push into the empty holes without threading them and put a little piece of painters tape on it so it stays in good enough to mark the mat. You can then press the mat against them and it will make marks in the backing that you can see to make the needed cut outs. You could screw the original bolts back in the holes, but I found it was hard at times to see the marks they made. With the little rim on a flanged bolt it makes a nice little circle mark on the paper backing.

flangebolt2000.jpg
 
Last edited:

richnot

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2019
Posts
726
Reaction score
371
Location
Central New Jersey
So now that you mastered that along with the Forscan changes when can I stop by for some help?? First I`m going to need your build sheet for the stereo setup.
Beer/Dinner/Old stories on me...
 
OP
OP
Oldfart

Oldfart

FRF Addict
Joined
Oct 21, 2017
Posts
6,021
Reaction score
14,936
Location
Saggy Balls Division of PA Trump Army
So now that you mastered that along with the Forscan changes when can I stop by for some help?? First I`m going to need your build sheet for the stereo setup.
Beer/Dinner/Old stories on me...

The Forskin I gave up on for a while. It would not work with my new Dell XPS-13, so I ended up sending the dongle back to Amazon. I'm working on trying an older Lenovo laptop and see if that works. I want to get rid of the damn double honk ********! The guys at OBD link said they know they have a glitch, but no fix yet. Bruce @Hush Car Audio can walk you through what you need component wise. Excellent straight shooter type of guy to work with. If you have a little experience the stereo isn't bad to do, but it's really time consuming when you are not a pro installer. I would work on mine for a few hours than stop, do more the next day. After 3 back surgeries I can only do so much in a stretch. It really makes you realize how good these guys are that can put one in fairly quickly.
 

Guy

FRF Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2017
Posts
1,781
Reaction score
1,124
What made you decide to go with Skar audio for the sub enclosure and amplifier?

Dud Bruce recommend it? That may be the only off the shelf enclosure I’ve ever seen that fits back there comfortably enough to operate the seat.

I don’t have a ton of experience with Skar, but I do know it’s budget friendly and I’ve heard it’s good bang for the buck. No pun intended...

I’d love to know more about it if anyone has experience.

not all builds have to cost a bajillion dollars to sound great and meet the needs of the owner... that’s for certain.
 
Top