screwing in the subs?

[milly]

Okay, that's probably the easiest thing to do. So any specific tool do you guys recommend?

[C-Fizzy]

Dremel. Or an electric sander.

[jeyrapboy]

Okay, that's probably the easiest thing to do. So any specific tool do you guys recommend?

Sharpie to mark how much needs to be trimmed and maybe a jig saw with plastic blade, should do the trick.

[milly]

Thanks a lot guys, someone mentioned to me today that it wasn't good for the sub(s) if ones like that...so i decided to ask to make sure haha. Hopefully I can get it fixed tomorrow !

I'm hoping i don't have stripped screws though from trying to make it go down lol, I have a feeling i will have a couple...

[kickass audio]

I would do like a few others above me said and mark it with a silver sharpie marker with the sub on the top of the aeroport and then cut the aeroport out to that size. If you can though i would cut like 1/16 of a inch past your mark just to give it some wiggle room.

Now for your stripped screws, i highly recommend you install t-nuts. This is what they look like: http://www.google.com/imgres?q=t-nuts&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&tbm=isch&tbnid=QRLmjQiTqYYHiM:&imgrefurl=http://heico-fasteners.co.uk/upholstery_nails/uph_tnuts.html&docid=SJSrU29VHICREM&w=450&h=338&ei=6y86TqH1M8LqgQfykcDOBg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=844&vpy=189&dur=1297&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=173&ty=116&page=1&tbnh=121&tbnw=164&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0&biw=1366&bih=643

All you have to do is figure out the max size of your screw hole you can use on your subs and then get a t-nut that is that size. Then all you have to do is get some bolts that are long enough and the same thread size you can use and it will work great.

Just tonight (well technically yesterday) i mounted my AA SMD 18 in my subwoofer box with t-nuts and bolts and it is not going to break loose. What i used was a 5/16 - 18 bolt (5/16 is the diameter, 18 is the thread size) along with a 5/16 - 18 t-nut. I had to drill out the holes on the smd just a little bit to make it fit through but it was worth it in the end since i have large as hell bolts holding my sub in the box and for those who own a smd, you know that this sub has a lot of weight from it hanging with the motor sticking back.

The trick with the t-nuts though is that you have to make the hole slightly larger than the bolt to fit the inner sleeve in the hole when you hammer/screw it in. For my case, i grabbed a 3/8 drill bit and drilled out the basket of my SMD and the two pieces of my subwoofer box's baffle to that size and was able to fit the bolt and nut in tightly.

[milly]

I would do like a few others above me said and mark it with a silver sharpie marker with the sub on the top of the aeroport and then cut the aeroport out to that size. If you can though i would cut like 1/16 of a inch past your mark just to give it some wiggle room.

Now for your stripped screws, i highly recommend you install t-nuts. This is what they look like: http://www.google.com/imgres?q=t-nuts&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&tbm=isch&tbnid=QRLmjQiTqYYHiM:&imgrefurl=http://heico-fasteners.co.uk/upholstery_nails/uph_tnuts.html&docid=SJSrU29VHICREM&w=450&h=338&ei=6y86TqH1M8LqgQfykcDOBg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=844&vpy=189&dur=1297&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=173&ty=116&page=1&tbnh=121&tbnw=164&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0&biw=1366&bih=643

All you have to do is figure out the max size of your screw hole you can use on your subs and then get a t-nut that is that size. Then all you have to do is get some bolts that are long enough and the same thread size you can use and it will work great.

Just tonight (well technically yesterday) i mounted my AA SMD 18 in my subwoofer box with t-nuts and bolts and it is not going to break loose. What i used was a 5/16 - 18 bolt (5/16 is the diameter, 18 is the thread size) along with a 5/16 - 18 t-nut. I had to drill out the holes on the smd just a little bit to make it fit through but it was worth it in the end since i have large as hell bolts holding my sub in the box and for those who own a smd, you know that this sub has a lot of weight from it hanging with the motor sticking back.

The trick with the t-nuts though is that you have to make the hole slightly larger than the bolt to fit the inner sleeve in the hole when you hammer/screw it in. For my case, i grabbed a 3/8 drill bit and drilled out the basket of my SMD and the two pieces of my subwoofer box's baffle to that size and was able to fit the bolt and nut in tightly.

Thanks for the reply, I'll definitely mark it with a sharpie to be safe. I have a dremel so it shouldn't be too hard.

Once i take the sub out and cut the port a little, do i screw the sub back into the same holes as before or make completely new ones? (That is, if i don't end up using/finding the t-nut)

edit: Oh and any easy way to get stripped screws out? I googled it and people said placing a rubberband over the head of the screw sometimes works...

[kickass audio]

WTF did you read about taking a damn rubberband over a stripped screw to get it out?? IF the head of the screw is stripped then you may be screwed. What i usually do (i have too many tools tho) is grab my shit load of philips head screwdriver tips and get the one that is the largest but has a sharp tip to it (i believe its #3 or something like that) and then i whack it in the tip with a hammer a couple of times for it to take form and then unscrew it out. If you happened to use outdoor deck screws there is a little secret to those. The outdoor screws can be used with two different bits, one of them is the normal philips head screw and the other is a square head screw. This is extremely helpful when these heads strip as the square one will save your ass everytime since these are damn near impossible to break off.

What i would do if this was my box and my problem is this....

1.) Mark with a sharpie marker (preferably silver so you can see it well) the area where the surround sits on the aeroport

2.) Unscrew the subwoofer and aeroport from the box. (again, if the screws heads are stripped out from you doing what i do and cranking the shit out of the screws, just simply get a screw driver or screw driver tip if you are using an electric gun for screwing with and hold it where the head used to be shaped and whack it hard with a hammer a few times to get the head bent back to shape. Once its in shape start to slowly unscrew it)

3.) When both are removed, take your dremel and cut/sand the aeroport to the outer part of where you marked it with the sharpie until you have no more sign of the sharpie mark you drew out.

4.) Set the subwoofer and aeroport down in the box to make sure everything fits fine before screwing it all down and if it does secure them all down with your screws.

5.) Sit back and enjoy your fixed box.

Also if your wood on the box is stripped then you will have to either mount the sub in a offset location or grab the t-nuts. If you choose to use t-nuts, i got mine at home depot. They are in the screws aisle (duhhh) and are hanging on the shelf in bright orange packaging. They contain 4 t-nuts per package and are usually like $1.50 or so a package. DO NOT try to fix a stripped hole in your box by getting the next size up screw to put in place because chances are it will strip out further and further on you. I would put it back together with brand new screws (drywall screws if thats what you used originally) DO NOT re-use the screws you have with stripped heads or you will kick yourself in the ass when you cant take it apart in the future and like i said, if they dont fit tight, just get the bolts and t-nuts at home depot. Lowes and Valu also carry them. Basically any hardware store will have them for ya.

Edit: Another good way to remove a stripped screw is to get a small and sharp wood chisel and a hammer. If you can sneak that under where your sub is sitting up from the aeroport take the chisel and put it against the basket of your subwoofer and hammer it a few times till it breaks the screw head off. Then you can get on with some vice grip pliers (looks like this: http://www.google.com/imgres?q=vice+grip+pliers&um=1&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbnid=4-mA-Xbdzf3ZMM:&imgrefurl=http://www.jkttools.com/pliers2.html&docid=iy44t1XOfPObpM&w=364&h=230&ei=KTk6Ts6xMYnGgAfh6N3OBg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=316&vpy=350&dur=507&hovh=178&hovw=283&tx=112&ty=99&page=1&tbnh=98&tbnw=155&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:0&biw=1366&bih=643 ) get the pliers set on the screw and clamp it down hard and turn it like you normally will to remove a screw and it will come out. I have done both tricks to removing screws i have either cracked or stripped. Trust me, i am the king at breaking screws off from cranking them down too hard. lol.

[milly]

WTF did you read about taking a damn rubberband over a stripped screw to get it out?? IF the head of the screw is stripped then you may be screwed. What i usually do (i have too many tools tho) is grab my shit load of philips head screwdriver tips and get the one that is the largest but has a sharp tip to it (i believe its #3 or something like that) and then i whack it in the tip with a hammer a couple of times for it to take form and then unscrew it out. If you happened to use outdoor deck screws there is a little secret to those. The outdoor screws can be used with two different bits, one of them is the normal philips head screw and the other is a square head screw. This is extremely helpful when these heads strip as the square one will save your ass everytime since these are damn near impossible to break off.

What i would do if this was my box and my problem is this....

1.) Mark with a sharpie marker (preferably silver so you can see it well) the area where the surround sits on the aeroport

2.) Unscrew the subwoofer and aeroport from the box. (again, if the screws heads are stripped out from you doing what i do and cranking the shit out of the screws, just simply get a screw driver or screw driver tip if you are using an electric gun for screwing with and hold it where the head used to be shaped and whack it hard with a hammer a few times to get the head bent back to shape. Once its in shape start to slowly unscrew it)

3.) When both are removed, take your dremel and cut/sand the aeroport to the outer part of where you marked it with the sharpie until you have no more sign of the sharpie mark you drew out.

4.) Set the subwoofer and aeroport down in the box to make sure everything fits fine before screwing it all down and if it does secure them all down with your screws.

5.) Sit back and enjoy your fixed box.

Also if your wood on the box is stripped then you will have to either mount the sub in a offset location or grab the t-nuts. If you choose to use t-nuts, i got mine at home depot. They are in the screws aisle (duhhh) and are hanging on the shelf in bright orange packaging. They contain 4 t-nuts per package and are usually like $1.50 or so a package. DO NOT try to fix a stripped hole in your box by getting the next size up screw to put in place because chances are it will strip out further and further on you. I would put it back together with brand new screws (drywall screws if thats what you used originally) DO NOT re-use the screws you have with stripped heads or you will kick yourself in the ass when you cant take it apart in the future and like i said, if they dont fit tight, just get the bolts and t-nuts at home depot. Lowes and Valu also carry them. Basically any hardware store will have them for ya.

Edit: Another good way to remove a stripped screw is to get a small and sharp wood chisel and a hammer. If you can sneak that under where your sub is sitting up from the aeroport take the chisel and put it against the basket of your subwoofer and hammer it a few times till it breaks the screw head off. Then you can get on with some vice grip pliers (looks like this: http://www.google.com/imgres?q=vice+grip+pliers&um=1&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbnid=4-mA-Xbdzf3ZMM:&imgrefurl=http://www.jkttools.com/pliers2.html&docid=iy44t1XOfPObpM&w=364&h=230&ei=KTk6Ts6xMYnGgAfh6N3OBg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=316&vpy=350&dur=507&hovh=178&hovw=283&tx=112&ty=99&page=1&tbnh=98&tbnw=155&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:0&biw=1366&bih=643 ) get the pliers set on the screw and clamp it down hard and turn it like you normally will to remove a screw and it will come out. I have done both tricks to removing screws i have either cracked or stripped. Trust me, i am the king at breaking screws off from cranking them down too hard. lol.

IDK haha it came up when i googled it though.

Anyways, that is some GOOD information on what to do..I will try it tomorrow, hopefully it's not an all day affair hahaha. I have most of the tools i need besides the t-nuts (which i don't completely understand still).

Everything seems easy enough, can't wait to get back to bumpin' and not worrying about my subs screwing up haha.

Thanks again for the info, and if i get stuck I'll post back in this thread

[kickass audio]

Sounds good, ill be busy all day but when i get to work (4-10p eastern time) i usually am on here helping ppl out. Heres a decent guide of how to install t-nuts. http://www.threeballclimbing.com/install4prongtnuts.htm It helps immensely if you know what size is up and below the size of your hole. I would recommend if you do not know these (i admit that i dont always know by memory) to get a gauge tool at the store when you are there. they look similar to this: http://www.google.com/imgres?q=drill+hole+gauge&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&tbm=isch&tbnid=tWpPuI2tzfi7hM:&imgrefurl=http://www.centurydrill.com/HSS.html&docid=wRQqW-eoUuFfBM&w=532&h=278&ei=6Ts6TvbMGYnqgQfk2ZXPBg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=652&vpy=124&dur=1821&hovh=162&hovw=311&tx=170&ty=103&page=1&tbnh=130&tbnw=248&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0&biw=1366&bih=643. Home depot had a great one that allows you to test plumbing fittings, wire gauge, metric and SAE screws and bolts, electrical conduit sizes and nail lengths. I have used it quite a lot through my build i am wrapping up in the next few days for my truck.

It shouldnt take you longer than 2 hours at the very max to take care of your situation. Just take your time with taking out those stripped screws, I would highly recommend taking them out by hand because if you have never taken out a stripped screw before or have done it often, you dont want to do it with a power tool. If you do it with a power tool without expertise on how to control and take the screw out without stripping it more, you can easily crack the head off the screw or strip it even more until it is fully rounded. Do what i had to learn hard with my system build, take your time and do it right. if you rush and half-ass it, it will turn out like crap in the end.

[flashlight_65]

Take the gasket off?