Strategy & Tactics: The Installer\u2019s Guide to the Galaxy

WORDS BY BRANDON GREEN

Last July, Mike Schwitz and Josh White asked me to help present a class for KnowledgeFest in Dallas, and then again in Long Beach and Indianapolis. Shaughnessy Murley stepped in at the Long Beach class, and Chris Ott at the Indy class, as Josh was unable to attend.

The purpose of the class was to focus on fundamentals, industry best practices, proper materials and fasteners, tools, finishing enclosures and speaker adapters, as well as some efficiency tips for day to day installation. For those of you who were unable to attend, here are the highlights.

Finishing Enclosures and Speaker Adapters

We demonstrated some of the more common techniques for wrapping an enclosure and seaming the material, and then we moved forward with a rabbeting technique which allows the seems to tuck in and not be nearly as noticeable, while also providing a place for the material end to tuck in to prevent it from peeling over time. This is an excellent detail you can use to show your clients the extra step you take to set your work apart from the rest.

Moving on to speaker adapters, we showed several examples of different fabricated rings and some of the composite materials we use for proper speaker mounting. There are a few materials that work well to machine, including HPDE, expanded PVC, and acrylic.

Installers will find there are great benefits to using these materials for speaker mounting in places where moisture and rigidity are important aspects to consider for a quality installation, including being able to angle and recreate the best spacing for the speaker to match the OEM panel angles, with foam rings to complete the process.

Threaded Inserts, Tools and Magnets

Many installers use threaded inserts, but I still think it’s important to discuss the five most commonly seen and used today, including the proper use of nutserts, as well as fine and coarse threaded inserts, t-nuts and rubber threaded inserts.

There are many types and sizes of threaded inserts made from different materials for different applications. A variety should be kept on hand and organized so they are easy to find. Making a “standard” shop size allows you to keep necessary hardware on hand without spending thousands on every size fastener and bolt. This practice also takes the guesswork out of what goes back in, should the installer become lost upon assembly or maintenance.

In vehicle applications, use zinc coated nutserts to resist corrosion. These are designed to provide a solid threaded mounting point to sheet metal for things like mounting enclosure brackets, amplifier plates or racks and more in an OEM fashion. Serviceability or removal in the future becomes much easier. Nutserts should be properly painted and protected from the elements to prevent long-term damage.

T-nuts are better for softer materials as well, but more forethought is needed in the design and fabrication process. A couple good examples of use for these would be subwoofer mounting and also boat interior fabrication. In class, I also demonstrate some panel attachment methods using magnets. Remember:

•Don’t use magnets to hold pieces on panels that receive a high level of vibration when closed, such as door panels or trunk lids.

•Don’t use magnets where they may become flying objects in an accident.

•Additionally, make sure the poles are correct for installation.

Stainless threaded T-nuts, washers and bolts were used in a boat interior rebuild.

Double-sided Tapes, Glues and Retaining Clips

There are quite a few double-sided tapes to choose from. Each has their own particular best suited uses. They tend to be less than effective when improperly used on the wrong material or surface, so having a variety and knowing what to use, when and where, is important. Another thing to consider is adhesive promoter for the tapes you use to ensure a clean surface and good adhesion.

CA (cyanoacrylate) glue comes in a variety of viscosities for securing pieces, or putting inserts or magnets in place.

Also, all-purpose cement and primer for PVC and acrylic cement along with application are covered in this section. This is another place where having a variety on hand, along with knowing what to use and when, can drastically increase a technician’s efficiency.

We also have to deal with a lot of retaining clips and fasteners in any modern vehicle, with more coming out from the OEM every year. Being able to recognize and remove them properly to prevent damage to the client’s vehicle is crucial, along with having tools that won’t damage or scuff any panels.

These vehicles have been tested for crash safety as well as reliability, and items should always be replaced with the same OEM equivalent to ensure the car is in as good or better condition than when the client dropped it off.

Today, many vehicle manufacturers use one-time use clips for body parts as well as panels when they are meant to release and go in a certain direction, like an airbag. For this reason, should there be an accident, always use the right replacement parts. This is a good place to think about having an organized bin with replacement parts for common vehicles in a particular installation bay.

Here’s an example of good wire management and routing.

Wiring, Power and Signal Routing, and Soldering

We like to demonstrate examples of proper wiring termination, both at the source or amplifier and at the crossovers or speakers themselves, covering such things as proper connector size and options including ferrule connectors.

For many of us, such concepts as not using a ¼-inch connector on a 1/8-inch terminal may seem ridiculous, but we often see it come through our facilities, which means not everyone is aware. And not having wire strands poking out the side, or not using quality connectors— or even any at all—seems to happen frequently. These are some basic fundamentals that should always be of concern.

Power and signal routing as well properly securing the wiring also seems to be overlooked, especially when there are more and more day-to-day installations in a shop. Properly going through a grommet or boot, routing to prevent damage due to moving parts, proper separation of cables, and securing them to OEM standards are what we want a technician to consider (and follow) on every job.

Certain tools are important, along with soldering connections and terminals properly. This includes options for covering a connection, which could mean both heat shrink and electrical tape. There are several accepted ways to secure wiring and solder it, but the main thing to keep in mind is that the final connection should be solid and not have loose, cold solder joints.

Use the Right Tools for Testing

There are certain tools every technician should have in their arsenal, such as a Digital Multimeter (DMM), Oscilloscope, speaker/polarity tester, and a Real Time Analyzer (RTA).

For this class, we give an overview of these tools and some examples regarding why we need them as technicians, and how they can speed up our installs as well as help prevent issues or solve any problems should they occur. There is an in-depth class—called “Tools of the Trade”—regarding the use of these as well as other tools, and it’s well-worth attending at your next KnowledgeFest, where you’ll learn much more detailed information regarding what you can use these tools for and how you can implement them.

For installation integrity and longevity, using the proper hardware and the right tools—with the right materials—is the only way to ensure the very best results.

Every technician should have the right tools, including items such as a Digital Multimeter (DMM), Oscilloscope, speaker/polarity tester, and a Real Time Analyzer (RTA).

Here, we used Tesa double sided tape to adhere amp trim parts together, and magnets to hold trim and hide mounting hardware.

Keep Training and Gaining Knowledge We want technicians to think about what they do and how they can take their careers to the next level, while giving some valuable information that can be implemented as soon as they return to work.

Look around your bay and ask yourself: •What can you do to improve your facility and yourself? •What needs to be done to organize (there’s that word again) and streamline processes to make your shop profitable? •What can you do to set yourself apart from everyone else in your town? •What do you need to learn and improve on, and how can you make that happen?

It all starts with training and knowledge, to help implement best practices in the industry. Make the investment. Going to KnowledgeFest, and other industry trainings like Kingpin University or Mobile Solutions, will give you what you need to succeed.

The use of these tools and techniques on a daily basis will allow for better results—as well as demonstrate to your clients that you are skilled and able to complete the necessary work on their vehicle.

Special Thanks

I strongly believe all the presenters and companies at KnowledgeFest have the same goal every year, and I would personally like to thank each and every one of them for putting in time and effort to make an impact on the future of our industry. I also would like to thank Chris Cook for allowing us to present, as well as for the information you gave me in Indianapolis to help improve my public speaking abilities. Thank you to Mike Schwitz, Josh White, Shaughnessy Murley and Chris Ott for being a part of this class and helping me, as well as Jason Kranitz for assisting with the other class in Indy. I also want to thank Bryan Schmitt, John Schwartz, Ray West, Ata Ehdaivand, Christopher McNulty, Ken Ward, Chris Bennett, Tom Miller, Chris Cope and Andy Wehmeyer for your knowledge and expertise, and allowing me to watch and learn from your classes and presentations. Also, thank you to Solomon Daniels, Rosa Sophia and everyone at Mobile Electronics magazine for your hard work on a great publication every month. When Mike first asked me to be a part of this, I have to admit I was scared, but I made the commitment to try to learn and improve—and I could not have done it alone.