Rocking Ranger

Rocking Ranger

The Ford Ranger is a beast of a utility vehicle.  The 3.2 litre V6 will tow three and a half tonnes while you luxuriate in leather-trimmed comfort. The feature list is as impressive as the stats but one thing that really lets it down is the audio. The head unit is fine as it boasts Bluetooth, USB, AUX, CD and DAB tuner but the output is weak and the speakers are quite frankly poor. Let me share how we put this right.


Initially, we like to have a good chat with the client to determine what his preferences are and how he likes to listen to his music. It is quite rare that we start off talking about specific equipment until we get this information. We know how different products have different characteristics and are better suited to specific requirements and vehicles.


For this job, the brief was for a high-quality sound that would be fine when played loud with plenty of bass. Not just fill in bass from a simple under seat sub but something impressive. Now if you know the Ranger then you will know that there is precious little spare space and certainly no useful boot for a sub. Fortunately, we had already provided a solution in a previous vehicle by extending our passenger footwell build for a single JL Audio 6w3 to a twin and this appealed to our client.

Once the car was in we started on the enclosure build. Our intention was to minimise the space taken up in the footwell and this meant creating an enclosure that takes advantage of all the angles available.


Fortunately, each JL Audio 6w3 only requires 0.125 cu ft of space but even so it’s tight. The finished article sits neatly in the passenger footwell leaving plenty of room for passenger’s feet.


The only useable space in the Ford Ranger is behind the rear bench seat and this is where we opted to install the Audison Bit 10D processor and the JL Audio RD900/5 amplifier. The Bit 10 has been available for quite some time now and is one of my favourite pieces of kit. It allows me to connect to any audio system out there whether factory or aftermarket. The powerful digital signal processor means I can carefully configure and tune the system to my exact requirements while the elegant DRC allows the customer access to various parameters at the touch of a button. We sited the DRC to the right of the steering wheel for easy access.


Because of the limited space, we only wanted to use one amplifier but did not want to compromise performance. We knew we were only going to replace the front door speakers and add the subs, the rear door speakers were superfluous for this system.


We could just use a three or four channel amplifier but that would not be taking advantage of the power of the Bit 10D, instead, we opted for the JL Audio RD900/5 which as implied by the name is a five channel amp.


These five channels meant that I could drive the tweeters, mids and subs directly from the amplifier without passive crossovers.


This allows me total control over every speaker directly from the Bit 10D, a huge benefit when tuning.


By relocating the tools attached to the wall behind the rear seat we created enough space for the equipment board. Again space was tighter than you might think but there is still access to the scissor jack just below.

With the seat upright everything is invisible but there is still plenty of ventilation for the amplifier. By carefully balancing the sensitivity of the Bit 10D we were able to keep the amplifier gains at minimum for maximum dynamic range with bags of power.


Based on our client’s wishes we chose the fantastic Hertz MPK165P.3 component speaker set. A great advantage of this speaker set is its 3 Ohm load. Slightly lower than the normal 4 Ohms this speaker set can draw more power from the amplifier without harming the damping factor too much. This coupled with the sensitivity of the speaker makes for a very punchy performance and excellent high volume control.


However, before anything was mounted in the door we needed to apply a complete sound deadening treatment. There is absolutely no deadening in the door as standard which makes for a potentially rattle filled experience when we put more power in. By preference, we always use Dynamat application to the door interior and Dynaliner under the door card. The Dynamat absorbs any stray vibrations from inside and outside the door while the Dynaliner creates a thermal and acoustic barrier helping to significantly reduce road noise.


The main speakers need to be mounted on collars and we custom manufacture MDF rings to provide support. All doors are wet inside so it is imperative that all parts are sealed with silicone to prevent water ingress.


The tweeters sit perfectly inside the original mounts at the top of the door.

Of course, all the cabling was renewed as required to a higher standard.


Overall:


When it came to tuning the system we were delighted to find that only small corrections were required once all the phase and time correction had been applied. The speakers all need some running in time but the sound stage was nice and high and the bass performance was everything our client wanted and more!


So a difficult vehicle dealt with and a big smile from the owner, that’s what we do it for. If you would like to know more about how we can improve the sound in your car please call us on 01625 432707 or better still call in for a coffee and a chat at the shop on Sunderland Street in Macclesfield, we look forward to hearing from you.

13 comments

  1. Tim,

    This write up is absolutely spot on. I probably spent a bit more money than I oringally set out to spend but I was sold by your obvious enthusiasm and the fact that you took the time to explain the various options and then you spent another period answering the follow up questions. Not an easy sale, but a well earned one! The set-up is definitetly bedding in now, improving by the day (I don’t use the car that much) and the results are just incredible. The solution is better than I ever expected. If anyone asked me about sound upgrades in their car I will have no hesitation sending them in your direction. Thanks again.

    Phil

  2. Hi,
    Very interested in this install for my 2019 ranger.
    Can you email me quote for similar build please?
    Only snag is im in London, so if possible please suggest best way to get this done.
    Many thanks

      1. Hello, I also have a Ford Ranger which I’m interested in having similar work done to. Please could you also email a quote and some information when you get a chance? I am based in Gloucestershire but don’t mind travelling. Thanks, Charlie

  3. I’d also be very interested in this , how long would you need my car for this , i’m from belgium though … If I don’t find anyone in belgium to do this for me I might wanan come over to the UK to getthis job done .

  4. Sounds amazing. I have recently bought a 2016 Ranger with the SYNC 2 audio, and you’re right, the OEM sound system is poor! As above, please could you email me a quote and information?

  5. A well written and presented account! Do you have more detail on how you mounted the hardware to the rear of the cab please? I’m debating on a similar install but unsure of mounting points as you have shown?
    Again, cracking account and a pleasure to read.

    1. Hi Jason, my apologies for the slow reply. I make a support bracket that bolts to the original back plate that holds the tool bag. If you need any help please call me on 01625 432707.
      Cheers
      Tim

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