2016 Sandstorm Stereo UPGRADE Sub and FIRE HAZARD Note

[missionsandstorm]

First Time Posting, new to this FORUM.

I just wanted to share a recent upgrade to the group. Bought my unit new three months ago. AND the stereo sound sucks. Beside incorrect wiring the sub housing is not compatible.

The sub is mounted to a 3" collar of 3/4 plywood fastened to Luan board. In addition notice all the wood shaving left behind the control board (hmmmm electricity creates heat, DC fan draws dust: FIRE HAZARD) For your own safety remove the sub and vacuum the dust.

Back on subject... Sub needs a box, the luan board cavity does not mirror KICKER MFG Specifications. I cut the maximum dimensions possible and created a box from 3/4 MDF. I finished it and made the sub removable to direct sound in or out. See pictures.

Now it sounds great.

The applicator, QC and CEO of Forest River should be fired. They don't care. Pull your sub and marvel at their handy work.

[mcwhirtj]

Thanks for sharing. This is on my list of things to do on our Shockwave F28SAGDX. As-installed it is useless. Would be so easy for FR to have built a suitable box in the first place.

[missionsandstorm]

Yep, I agree. It would have been nice to have FR to build the system to a minimum KICKER MFG installation specification. The KICKER installation SPEC is very clear.

[mcwhirtj]

Do you have a link to the Kicker installation specs? Would be a useful addition to this thread if you do.

[GeeDubb]

Originally Posted by mcwhirtj

Do you have a link to the Kicker installation specs? Would be a useful addition to this thread if you do.

Here is a link to the Kicker product manuals site.Product Manuals | KICKER® Choose Subwoofer and the model designation.

I have an older model Sandstorm that came with MbQuart equipment and I had to do the same things, subwoofer box, rewire and then upgrade the head unit. They wired the bedroom speakers to the radio speaker output and the rear and outside speakers to the amp....listen to the speakers in the bedroom then switch to rear or outside and forget to turn the volume down was interesting!

Then there was the interference from the dimmer switch for the outside lights....

Gary

[mcwhirtj]

Thanks!

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by GeeDubb

Here is a link to the Kicker product manuals site.Product Manuals | KICKER® Choose Subwoofer and the model designation.

I have an older model Sandstorm that came with MbQuart equipment and I had to do the same things, subwoofer box, rewire and then upgrade the head unit. They wired the bedroom speakers to the radio speaker output and the rear and outside speakers to the amp....listen to the speakers in the bedroom then switch to rear or outside and forget to turn the volume down was interesting!

Then there was the interference from the dimmer switch for the outside lights....

Gary

Maybe KICKER ought to be shown this and asked to talk to FR about how they consistently installl a perfectly adequate system to sound like crap. We even had salesmen note that the sound is so poor that it was not worth buying the upgrade.

[mcwhirtj]

Similar experience when we were buying our Shockwave: Salesman went out of his way to show us how to turn off the "useless" subwoofer. Sort of like the hard-blue LED accent lights in the bedroom and kitchen; spangles added for show-room splash with no real utility.