philrab Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 Title says it all. Have a fiberglass stealthbox custom made for my car I picked up used off another owner. Spent today chasing a few air leaks, and got them all we'll sorted EXCEPT the leaking terminal cup. Seams as though air is leaking directly through the center, like where the speaker leads attach rather than from around the edge. 1. What's the best way to deal with this? Was thinking pack it with epoxy to seal the bastard up, any other opinions. I don't have the fiberglass skills to be comfortable removing it and fixing the resulting hole. 2. Seams the preferred method is either direct leads out the box or bolts to act as studs. Any potential issue drilling through fiberglass, cracking or splintering? Any advice would be appreciated. Sooner or later, I'm going to but up and learn to do fiberglass work, but right now I'm trying to fix the mess I found. 2015 Toyota Tacoma Build Thread 2007 Mazda 3; 5000K HID's, Kenwood Excelon KDC-X997, Infinity Reference 6.5 comps in front and coaxials in the rear doors, JL 320.4 four channel, Rab Designs built ported enclosure with an SA12, Kenwood monoblock, Redline Leater shift boot/e-brake boot/center console cover, JBR short shifter/shifter bushings/rear motor mount. Build Thread 1996 Mazda Miata: Kenwood Excelon HU, Alpine speaker in the doors, Clearwater (miata specific) headrest speakers. 1994 Mazda Protege: Kenwood Excelon HU, Infinity Reference 2 ways all around, 2x RF Punch 10's in ported boxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timc31610 Posted July 14, 2014 Report Share Posted July 14, 2014 To see if it is worth fixing just cover the backside of the cup with hot glue. It is removable where as epoxy isn't. At least not without a saw. My Build Log 94 Civic http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/188644-94-civic-4-door-build-loq-suggestions-wanted-will-be-super-slow-mo/ Faceebook reluctantly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbdblue Posted July 14, 2014 Report Share Posted July 14, 2014 fiberglass doesn't really split or crack, but it can splinter. If you decide on direct leads, I'd use a metal drill bit so it's cleaner. I'm guessing the terminal cup is plastic so I'd use some CA glue to seal it up depending on the size of the hole. AA-Atomic-Clif Designs-DC-Diamond-Digital Designs-Directed-Eclipse-Fi-Hertz-Hifonics-Kenwood-Memphis-Phoenix Gold-Pioneer-PPI-PSi-Stinger-Sundown-TC Sounds-Viper-Zapco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jhunt94 Posted July 14, 2014 Report Share Posted July 14, 2014 have you thought about some kind of foam ring on the backside to help seal it up when you tightened the screws down? If it would work for you it would be a lot less messy than gluing it down, in the event that you have to remove it in the future. Never mind, didn't read it properly. Thought air was leaking around the cup. 2007 Ford F-150 Reg. Cab. Flareside250 Mechman AlternatorSky High Car Audio Big 3 XS Power D3400Rockford Fosgate 1/0 amp kitRockford Fosgate T1500-1bdcpRockford Fosgate T400-4DC Audio Lvl 4 12"Rockford Fosgate Punch 6.5" componentRockford Fosgate Punch 6x8Pioneer AVH-P2300DVDSMD Volt Meter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philrab Posted July 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2014 Nope, air leaking right through the damned wire connections. Never using another terminal cup after this (not like I built this enclosure to begin with. What I'm thinking is the following. Feel free to jump in and stop me if I'm being a knucklehead about it. The fix: Take some spare bolts, and drill right through the terminal cup. Crimp ring terminals onto speaker wire inside the enclosure, and run the bolts through from inside out. Pack the outside of the terminal cup full of epoxy and thread a nut onto the outside. Once dry, secure speaker leads using another set of nuts to run to the amp. Should be solid, epoxy should stop the leaks, I can always use a dab of silicone in the drilled holes for extra insurance. Any of that sound way off base??? 2015 Toyota Tacoma Build Thread 2007 Mazda 3; 5000K HID's, Kenwood Excelon KDC-X997, Infinity Reference 6.5 comps in front and coaxials in the rear doors, JL 320.4 four channel, Rab Designs built ported enclosure with an SA12, Kenwood monoblock, Redline Leater shift boot/e-brake boot/center console cover, JBR short shifter/shifter bushings/rear motor mount. Build Thread 1996 Mazda Miata: Kenwood Excelon HU, Alpine speaker in the doors, Clearwater (miata specific) headrest speakers. 1994 Mazda Protege: Kenwood Excelon HU, Infinity Reference 2 ways all around, 2x RF Punch 10's in ported boxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hammer Posted July 14, 2014 Report Share Posted July 14, 2014 I vote hot glue first.. MY BUILD *****http://tinyurl.com/gmcbuild***** Vehicles 2005 GMC Canyon CB1000r - Currently where any future funds are going. (exhasut,bazzaz, ohlins shock, screen, etc.) crf250r - Used to be race bike..now I just trail ride..practice at the track on it. CH80 - Daily beater (when nice weather)best 150$ ever spent. 100+mpg Sold to: Skullz - pstone11 - Leo1103 - Volvo 63' - pavelpardo - imnew59585 Shower farts still piss me off.I think theyre pretty neat. When the water runs down your crack as you let one out... its like shitting in a crockpot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timc31610 Posted July 14, 2014 Report Share Posted July 14, 2014 The terminal cup is likely the weakest part of your enclosure. If you are going to go through all of that it would probably be better to do as you said in your opening post and just glass it over and use bolts. Can you hear the air leaking out? is it so bad that is is affecting your output? My Build Log 94 Civic http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/188644-94-civic-4-door-build-loq-suggestions-wanted-will-be-super-slow-mo/ Faceebook reluctantly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philrab Posted July 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2014 The terminal cup is likely the weakest part of your enclosure. If you are going to go through all of that it would probably be better to do as you said in your opening post and just glass it over and use bolts. Can you hear the air leaking out? is it so bad that is is affecting your output? A. I've never fiberglassed before. Epoxy I can do. B. I can actually hear the air whistling out on lower bass notes. It's nowhere near as bad now that I sealed up a few other leaks, but I'm a perfectionist and it's pissing me off. It's debatable whether or not it's affecting output. This is a really small enclosure (.22 cu ft.) so even that little woofer (Image Dynamics ID8, 0.2 - 0.4 cu ft. sealed) is really loading the Hell out of it. While I'm screwing with the enclosure. I had it packed with 0.3 lbs (1.5 lbs per cu ft.) of polyfill. Hard to tell by ear, but the bass sounded a little fuller and perhaps drove deeper, but on the other hand it sounded slightly muffled. Any opinions on polyfill? Perhaps I had it packed too tightly, and should have only had 1lb/cu ft. Currently running without it, bass sound a little hollow (best word I can think for it). 2015 Toyota Tacoma Build Thread 2007 Mazda 3; 5000K HID's, Kenwood Excelon KDC-X997, Infinity Reference 6.5 comps in front and coaxials in the rear doors, JL 320.4 four channel, Rab Designs built ported enclosure with an SA12, Kenwood monoblock, Redline Leater shift boot/e-brake boot/center console cover, JBR short shifter/shifter bushings/rear motor mount. Build Thread 1996 Mazda Miata: Kenwood Excelon HU, Alpine speaker in the doors, Clearwater (miata specific) headrest speakers. 1994 Mazda Protege: Kenwood Excelon HU, Infinity Reference 2 ways all around, 2x RF Punch 10's in ported boxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skullz Posted July 14, 2014 Report Share Posted July 14, 2014 Get a small square piece of 3/4" mdf and drill a small hole in the middle of it and feed the wire from the back through it and glue it to the box, viola no more air leak. If the terminal extends past the wood inside the box, just use a hole drill and bore it out till it fits the side of the box with no gaps. 01 Ford focus ZX3 Pioneer AVH-X491BHS PPI PC 4800.2 Morel Maximo 6.5" x2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_paralyzed_ Posted July 14, 2014 Report Share Posted July 14, 2014 Is the cup removable? I'd remove it and goop the hell out of the back with clear silicone and then reinstall it. Put some silicone around the cup's lip while you're at it so that is for sure sealed too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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