Installing speakers in the headliner of the B3030

[WaxMan]

Looks like my old pics have long since disappeared from wherever they were hosted. I don't even think I have them on the computer anymore.
At any rate, I pretty much found the project to be a waste of time in the end. With the hydro whine and the motor revving at PTO rpm you can't hear the stereo anyway. I suppose it would be OK if you plan on working next to the tractor at different things with the motor not running and want stereo.
Just one of those projects that seemed like a good idea at the time.

Mine was not a waste of time at all, You have to use a quaiity speaker, not one that lights up and is 18.95 or so for the pair. You also have to install a 2x1 foam strip around the inside of the opening to make a sound box. To get full rich sound coming out.

If you do it right, take your time and use quaity materals you would be pleased as I am with mine. They are much better mounted in the headliner near your ears then at the factory mount down low behind the seat. But again if you just slap any old Sparkamatic brand speaker up there without following thru with the foam your only going to get crap coming out and be dissapoined as aperently JJZ is with his.

 

[JJZ 109]

Mine was not a waste of time at all, You have to use a quaiity speaker, not one that lights up and is 18.95 or so for the pair. You also have to install a 2x1 foam strip around the inside of the opening to make a sound box. To get full rich sound coming out.

If you do it right, take your time and use quaity materals you would be pleased as I am with mine. They are much better mounted in the headliner near your ears then at the factory mount down low behind the seat. But again if you just slap any old Sparkamatic brand speaker up there without following thru with the foam your only going to get crap coming out and be dissapoined as aperently JJZ is with his.

The speakers are mounted in the headliner to either side of my head. The only factory mount that was used was for the stereo itself. The thing sounds just fine when the tractor isn't being worked. Pioneer stereo and average quality speakers but sound quality isn't the issue. It's the fact that the hydro whine and general engine noise in the cab drown everything out. It has to be turned up so loud as to be distracting and takes my attention away from other things I should be paying attention to when attachments are being used.
Maybe some rainy day when nothing else is going on I'll pull it apart and get some foam behind the speakers.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

The speakers are mounted in the headliner to either side of my head. The only factory mount that was used was for the stereo itself. The thing sounds just fine when the tractor isn't being worked. Pioneer stereo and average quality speakers but sound quality isn't the issue. It's the fact that the hydro whine and general engine noise in the cab drown everything out. It has to be turned up so loud as to be distracting and takes my attention away from other things I should be paying attention to when attachments are being used.
Maybe some rainy day when nothing else is going on I'll pull it apart and get some foam behind the speakers.

I would think about running the speakers through a headphone jack then. If there is that much noise then headphones and even better is noise canceling headphones. You keep the volume down low enough to hear the tractor in the background for the not so right noises

 

[WaxMan]

Do you have any pictures of your stereo installation i cannot see the ones that you posted in "installing speakers in a headliner".
Thanks
Jeremiah

The first picture is the factory radio mount, then I replaced it with a DVD player so I can use the monitor as a backup camera monitor. It also plays my Ipod, movies etc. I have done a lot of customising on my tractor. I mostly use the stereo when snow plowing, the engine is not running at PTO speed and I can have the volume at a cofortable level. I mostly watch movies only when using the loader or working on a steep hill (thats a joke for those who want to yell at me for having a DVD player, but as I said it doubles as my backup camera monitor.
Is it all needed NO!.......but I had fun mking/installing and using it all.

 

[JJZ 109]

I would think about running the speakers through a headphone jack then. If there is that much noise then headphones and even better is noise canceling headphones. You keep the volume down low enough to hear the tractor in the background for the not so right noises

That was another thought. It's just a matter of finding the time to check out the stereo manual to see if there's a jack. If there is, it wouldn't take much time to slide it out, plug in an adapter and leave a pigtail hanging out of the stereo mount.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Awesome job on the installation by the way.. My Kubota is all open with just the ROPS. I could hang a Ghetto blaster on it if I needed some music.

 

[WaxMan]

"It has to be turned up so loud as to be distracting and takes my attention away from other things I should be paying attention to when attachments are being used." JJZ

Here is a video which the radio is heard in the backround, I was not distracted by the radio, It was not blaring loud and I didn't need headphones. I was even was holding the video camera with one hand behind my back to shoot the video and pulled the whole thing off. You're right I guess if you're doing something you really have to concentrate, my radio has a volume control and an off button. YouTube - Kubota b3030 backup camera

 

[jackdenyse]

Thanks for the help.
I just bought a B3030 hsdc 2008 .
I what to install a radio in the cab.
I seen the your thread about you installation but i can't see the photos .
I am new to tractorbynet , is there a special way to see photos ??
I also have a question since I don't have the operator manual .
I wonder what is the little red lever on the seat side on the joystick , I thought it was to lock it , but pushing it in and out don't seem to do anything.

Thanks.

Jack.

 

[muleman2]

I am new to this site but have been the owner of a B3030 wo/cab for many years. I have been reading posts on this site for just as long and found the people to be very helpful and knowledgeable. I have made several mods over the years and I have just purchased a new B3030 with the cab and added some more. I joined specifically to somewhat give back to the people on this site and post some of the ideas in case someone might be interested.

Rear Blade:
From my name you can imagine I have horses and mules. If you are not familiar they create a lot of work cleaning up after them. I modified my rear blade to add weight but built skid sides so as to scrape the corrals and not remove the subsoil. I added weight with some XXH 4" pipe filled with gravel and welded the ends shut. Supported with 2" angle underneath. Skid shoes built from 1/2" plate

Front Weight:
I wanted some weight for the front but I have a snowblower that limits what you can do. I built a box weight that fits inside the frame and just below. It is angled to miss tire chains and sets back to allow attachment of the snowblower under carriage. I welded a 3/4" coupling on the top and bottom so that I can attach it empty and them fill it with buckshot. If I need to remove it I can drain the shot first. Adds 190 lbs.

Bucket Level Indicator"
They don't make one for the 403 FEL that I could find. Built one out of 3/8" round stock and a few odds and ends from the shop. Work great.

Cab Noise:
I saw many posts about cab noise on the 3030. It is a little so I bought some of the foil backed underhood insulation from JC Whitney. Lined the hood and firewall. Added some on the floor boards under the mat and inside the steering cowling. $50 and a few cigars in the man cave and I think it helped. I can hear the stereo pretty good. Also noticed the doors have two closed positions. Closed and really closed. Keeps the noise out more when in the really closed position. Just had to adjust them a little so I didn't have to slam as hard.

Stereo/speakers:
I added a Sony(has what they call a tune tray for your ipod) stereo with 4" speakers in the headliner. Used electrical connections so I can remove the liner with the speakers in place. Used a 1/2" plastic spacer so the speakers did not wedge between the headliner and roof too much. Also put foam boom mats around the back of the speakers. By the way Waxman's post on how to remove the headliner was tremendously helpful here. I am sure I would have broke something without it.

Air Flow restriction:
I could not find anyone that made a bra for the grill like I have on my diesel pickup so I came up with another idea to help it heat up more in winter conditions. I took a 12 ga piece of aluminum and cut it to fit a little over half the size of the screen that slides in and protects the radiator. Ran a wire from the plate to the top of the screen where you pull to remove it so you can take it out easy.

Hopefully the pictures I tried to attach actually worked. First time and all. An engineer with a wire feed welder and an idea is a scary proposition. Thanks again all.

 

[srs]

Muleman, welcome to TBN! You did a very nice job on your modifications. I especially like the location of the speakers. The location of the original speakers behind the seat is a joke. I can't believe Kubota allowed this when they designed the B3030 HSDC.