Been doing some work on the Vic lately. Today I decided to tackle a door panel rattle that's been bugging me for a couple years. Turns out it was a simple matter of missing screws. When I had the stereo system revamped a couple years ago the installer conveniently forgot to put back two screws that hold in the center of the panel. Fortunately the fix was simple. A couple of retaining clips, some #10 x 1.5" screws, and about half an hour were all it took. Rattles and squeaks gone.
While I had the door apart I also noticed the speaker mounting adapter left large gaps on two sides of the speaker. In essence, the speaker was functioning as if it was hanging in open air. I pulled the speaker and lined the adapter with foam weatherstrip to make everything nice and air-tight.
Wow!
The system has always sounded pretty good, but I had no idea how much better it could sound. Under five minutes and a few cents worth of foam, but the effect was pronounced. The front speakers had always been a bit tinny and bass-deficient. No longer! In fact, the response is so much improved I was able to move the crossover frequency from 250Hz all the way down to 80Hz without a trace of popping or clipping. The fronts now sound as full and forceful as the rear units, making for an incredibly improved listening experience. I spent the better part of an hour re-EQ'ing everything to compensate, taking the time to really fine-tune the system. The end result is a order of magnitude improvement in everall sound quality. Me likey!
No more rattly squeaks and even better tunes. The Brad is a very happy camper!
