Installing speakers in the headliner of the B3030

[WaxMan]

When I put in the DVD/ stereo, / backup camera it sounded Ok but still something was missing even with two 6.5 inch speakers mounted behind the seat the sound is always competing with the tractor sounds.

After watching 4ahorts new tractor video last week and seeing his built in speakers in his headliner, I thought I can do that. With speakers up top I wouldn't need to blast the sound since they would be above the sounds of the tractor and closer to my ears.

Only one problem there was no flat spot to mount the 4 inch speakers. Problem solved I used the same plastic board that my gauge panel and running lights were made out of and made my own flat spot.
Easier said then done though I had to literally hand carve the plastic to fit the curves in the headliner allot of trial and error.
It's finished now and sounds so much better with the speakers in the headliner and speakers down below a complete full all around sound.
So if anyone was thinking about putting speakers in the headliner, it can be done.

 

[bwmarine]

Looks great! Must be hard to get out of the tractor once you are in it, lol. If you need to get out of the house you can always hang in the tractor and tune out...

 

[4shorts]

Ah WaxMan that's pretty cool. Very nice workmanship. That's one thing that I love about my beast is the sound quality of the sound system. It's as good as anything I've ever heard. Now you'll have even more fun in your rig!

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Geez I am roughing it driving a tractor with just a ROPS bar. You guys are driving limousines around!

 

[WaxMan]

Ah WaxMan that's pretty cool. Very nice workmanship. That's one thing that I love about my beast is the sound quality of the sound system. It's as good as anything I've ever heard. Now you'll have even more fun in your rig!

Yeah I thought yours sounded great even in your video when you opened the door. And so another idea from viewing your tractor.

 

[4shorts]

Hey Waxman. Your going to have to add front fenders to your rig next. A few of the Canadian "L" series Kubota's have them. I've added extention flaps to mine and they sure keep the front of the cab clean if you need to travel on a wet road

 

[srs]

Waxman, great job, as usual!!!! I guess there is no reason why I couldn't move the (behind the rear seat) stock speakers that came with my HSDC to where you have them. What type of screw/bolt fasteners did you use to attach the foam then speakers? Again great job!!

 

[WaxMan]

Waxman, great job, as usual!!!! I guess there is no reason why I couldn't move the (behind the rear seat) stock speakers that came with my HSDC to where you have them. What type of screw/bolt fasteners did you use to attach the foam then speakers? Again great job!!

Thanks Stanley

That's the speaker grills that I used from the factory Kubota speakers , only grills that will fit. 4 inch round ones are too big.
I didn't use foam but a hard 3/4 inch ABS plastic board.
But you could use some 1/2 inch gray foam instead, just trace the speaker grill onto the foam, once up there it will compress to fill in what you need. That would be a heck of a lot easier to do then what I did, it might even look better.
I would at least try it first.
As shown in the fifth picture I first bolted up the plastic piece where I wanted it , then used a hole saw 3 5/8 to drill the hole in the headliner using the plastic piece as a guide.
I use 8/32 stainless steel screws and nuts, I epoxied ( Plastic welder the best epoxy in the world) the nuts to back side of the headliner so the speaker can be removed and installed without taking the headliner down.
I would buy two more grills from Kubota and leave the factory speakers where they are. You need all four to get a really complete sound. You'll have sound below you and above you, the factory speakers are already there leave them. I bought two Alpine 4 inch speakers to put in the headliner much better then the stock speakers. I have two Kenwood 6.5 speakers shown where the Kubota factory speakers were, but until I did the headliner speakers there was always a fight in the cab between the tractor sound and the music. I don't want to have it blasting just to hear it.

Put two in the headliner and leave the factory speakers in the back you won't regret it, or even better buy 4 new alpine 4 inch speakers two in the headliner and two in the factory speaker boxes that are already there, small amount of work for a big big difference in sound. Or you can be even crazier with the 6.5 speakers but it may not be needed try it with the factory boxes.
You can only imagine the sound difference in my cab from factory, until you do yours.

 

[srs]

Waxman, thanks for your reply and photo. After I had already posted I realized that you had used the hard plastic. I can imagine that was fun (not!) shaping the plastic to fit the tractor. I'll check into adding speakers and leaving the originals. Of course finding the time to work on this project is tough. thank you again.

 

[WaxMan]

Hey Waxman. Your going to have to add front fenders to your rig next. A few of the Canadian "L" series Kubota's have them. I've added extention flaps to mine and they sure keep the front of the cab clean if you need to travel on a wet road

Your tractor looks pretty mean in that picture 4shorts,
I been wondering when are you going to paint that fender?. my rigs a toy compared to yours.

SRS
Use the foam method, you'll get it done on a Sat morning and I'll bet you won't even see the foam it's not that much off being flat. I should have thought of that.
It's tough when you got a new tractor to start cutting this and that.
You might need some time just to get up the nerve to do it. It took me awhile.
I always price out what the part I'm cutting up before I do it, Headliner $285.00, that was my just in case I wreck it price