Rear soundbar + Fabricating headliner

[87Warrior]

Today I dropped the headliner out of the 99 donor today and got to thinking.

 

Would installing the factory style sound bar from an XJ improve the audio experience in the MJ? It would be sandwiched in the back of the cab above the head rests. I am by no means an audio guru, so I am not sure what affect there would be in moving the lower b-pillar speakers above your head, in a slightly forward facing direction.

 

Now, say there is clearance to do this AND it would create a pleasant audio experience. The soundbar is molded into the headliner. (I know some models had separate soundbars, I am working with what I have) How hard would it be, or what steps would need to be taken, to cut the rear of the XJ headliner and mate it with the front, then recover?

[JeepcoMJ]

even if you could make the roof contours match up and manage to get the '99 rear section to work, you'd hit your head on it if you're taller than 5'8"...

 

I've tried this, not a fan...but I'm 6'1" and my seats sit 3" higher than stock, so that's the end result...

[87Warrior]

I figured as much. I am 6'3" and will be mounting some bucket seats lower than factory for space.

[socal1200r]

Maybe what you could do is put small bass speakers in the b-pillars down at the bottom, in the stock location, and put small midranges and tweeters up in the headliner? The midranges and tweeters shouldn't need too much depth, to the point where your head would hit the headliner? Visit a local car audio shop that does custom work, and see what they have to say. Heck, for that matter, they might be able to mount midranges and tweeters in the b pillar cover itself, and you'd have full clearance on the headliner?

[mnkyboy]

i thought about this too. i snagged one from the u-pull it but after looking at it i decided there just wasnt enough room. it ended up in my XJ

 

 

be carefull when you pick your bucket seats,mine wouldnt go any lower then stock because the tranny tunnel is in the way

[dakal]

i'm 6'3in and with my helmet on i hit the ceiling. or scrape it. i've lowered the seats. not enough room. gave up.

 

i just think the cab is to small. :dunno:

[socal1200r]

i'm 6'3in and with my helmet on i hit the ceiling. or scrape it. i've lowered the seats. not enough room. gave up.

 

i just think the cab is to small. :dunno:

 

Hmmm...well, if you can't lower the seats anymore, the only thing left to do is raise the roof of the cab. Didn't Isuzu do that with one of their mini trucks, called a Space Cab? Seem to remember they had something like that, and it was a couple of inches taller than the regular pickup...

[MiNi Beast]

I added some speakers to the kick panel in the floor corner and that helped alot, also allowed me to remove the doors for the tube doors and still have front speakers. :thumbsup:

[dakal]

thats a great idea.

[socal1200r]

thats a great idea.

 

If you're referring to my comment about raising the roof, I think it could be done. But you'd have to concentrate on the roof only, that way the doors and glass won't be affected. Maybe start by taking some pictures of the stock roof, than playing around with it in some photo-editing software, to see what it would look like. I did this with a Harley Sportster I used to own, taking some pics and then using the paintbrush and pencil to black out the air cleaner cover, exhaust, pushrod tubes, handlebars, mirrors, shocks, etc. Thought about doing the engine and cases as well, but then it looked too black for my liking. Helped me decide to go with a black-out theme before the factory offered it as an option (i.e. the "Midnight" version). Don't want to hijack the thread, but here's a pic of when it was a work in progress:

 

 

Back to your roof. I'm sure there will have to be a good amount of roof left intact, in order to support the windshield, back glass, and upper door frames. Do some drawings with a section of roof cut out, then maybe play around with some bows with a slight arch in them to give an idea of the angle of the new roof. If you look at the angle of the windshield, you might be able to "cheat", and not continue with the same angle on the new roof, by masking the leading edge of the new roof with something like one of those windshield visors? And you could "rake" the new roof slightly, with it being bigger in the back than in the front, to allow for more headroom. 'Course at the other end of the spectrum on that project would be an entirely new raised roof, with larger windshield and rear window glass, thicker door frames at the top, etc. Only limitation would be money and one's own imagination...

[maddzz1]

I was thinking of finding one from the Wranglers that hang on the roll bar and mounting it to the carpeted panel on the back of the cab just under the platic piece

 

Like this:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Outland-Sound-Bar ... B000GVLJ0S

[socal1200r]

I was thinking of finding one from the Wranglers that hang on the roll bar and mounting it to the carpeted panel on the back of the cab just under the platic piece

 

Like this:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Outland-Sound-Bar ... B000GVLJ0S

 

In my MJ, that console would have to be placed pretty close to the bottom of the back of the cab, in order to clear the back of the bench seat. Since the seat back is at an angle, with more room at the bottom that at the top, something like that would have to go closer to the floor. But if the speakers are already mounted in it, should be pretty easy to mount and wire up...

[sinkrun]

Your putting a 99 headliner in the comanche? Let me know how it goes.

[jpnjim]

I tried a 2001 sound bar in my MJ.

With modified 2001 seats (rear mounts cut & lowered),

it wasn't even close to fitting.

 

Add to that the fact that the XJ soundbar is a poor design in the first place, and it was easy for me to give up on the idea

[87Warrior]

Your putting a 99 headliner in the comanche? Let me know how it goes.

Negative. Was considering the possibility of integrating the soundbar/headliner in the MJ. But as you already know, its a bad idea that won't work ;)

[freakjeep93]

never say never my friend

[MiNi Beast]

never say never my friend

 

you just said it twice in one sentence man. :shake:

[maddzz1]

I was thinking of finding one from the Wranglers that hang on the roll bar and mounting it to the carpeted panel on the back of the cab just under the platic piece

 

Like this:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Outland-Sound-Bar ... B000GVLJ0S

 

In my MJ, that console would have to be placed pretty close to the bottom of the back of the cab, in order to clear the back of the bench seat. Since the seat back is at an angle, with more room at the bottom that at the top, something like that would have to go closer to the floor. But if the speakers are already mounted in it, should be pretty easy to mount and wire up...

 

 

I swapped buckets in mine, but before that my bench seat was broken and the drivers side actuall leaned back against the back of the cab. If you lowered it a little farther down on the carpet piece I think it should clear fine; and they also have tweeters built into them to along with the speakers