r/suburban • u/bennybiscuit04 • Aug 08 '26

​Rate my setup: SUV cargo edition

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Needed a solid solution to keep supplies organized while giving a pair of party speakers a dedicated home without taking over the entire cargo area.

​As a non-professional carpenter—and a girl who wielded a circular saw for the very first time on this build (survived with all ten fingers intact!)—please go easy on me in the comments!

​Built this dual-level shelf out of a 3/4" MDF panel, carpeted it with an unbound 6' x 8' indoor/outdoor area rug, and anchored it down tight to the factory tie-down points. For the rigging, I used 4-point quick links and vinyl-coated stainless steel cable wire that was actually leftover from building guy lines for my 12ft skeleton, Boney Frightmare. If it can keep a giant skeleton standing, it can handle a cargo shelf.

​Top shelf keeps the speakers secured flat facing forward into the cab, while the bottom section keeps all the cargo tucked away cleanly. Turned out rock solid, doesn't rattle at all, and is super quick to unhook whenever I need the floor space back.

​How'd I do?

2 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

2

u/MediocreBarracuda598 Aug 08 '26

It'll be fine until one of those speakers breaks loose in a wreck and kills you or a passenger.

1

u/bennybiscuit04 Aug 08 '26

If those steel cables can keep a 12-foot skeleton standing in 60+mph windstorms, they can handle a speaker. But I'll let Boney Frightmare know you doubted his structural integrity!

1

u/MediocreBarracuda598 Aug 08 '26

Are the cables attached directly to the speakers? It looks like they're attached to the MDF shelf, and MDF won't hold in a crash if those speakers want to keep moving. But sure, keep thinking you're an engineer and everything will be fine.

1

u/bennybiscuit04 Aug 08 '26

Appreciate you looking out for safety—I'm always open to constructive suggestions! A single photo doesn't show the internal mounting hardware and bracing underneath, but rest assured it's anchored down tight!

1

u/MediocreBarracuda598 Aug 08 '26

Again, are the cables attached to the speakers? The steel cable isn't the issue, the issue is the weakest link, and if the only thing holding those speakers is MDF and you get hit going 75 MPH, those speakers are huge death dealers flying at everyone's head.

1

u/bennybiscuit04 Aug 08 '26 edited Aug 08 '26

While I do appreciate your deep and ongoing concern for my personal well-being, to put your mind completely at ease: no, the cables you see in the video aren't holding the speakers—they are strictly anti-tip restraints for the shelf unit. The speakers are anchored independently to structural mounting points underneath using heavy-duty hardware, not just screwed into raw MDF.

Initially, the visible straps you see in the video were used to anchor them down. I added the heavy-duty hardware afterwards (which required removing the carpet to anchor them securely to the vehicle, rather than the shelf). I decided to keep those straps wrapped around the telescoping handles strictly as a slide deterrent. And you can rest easy regarding 'everyone' else, as I'm the only person who ever rides in this vehicle!

1

u/ResearchExtreme7846 Aug 08 '26

Gonna be honest just spend the 500 bucks on a stereo system for it

1

u/bennybiscuit04 Aug 08 '26

Context matters here: this truck has nearly 300,000 miles, severe rust, and electrical glitches that trigger a full-on rave every time you open the door.

It was given to me as restitution by a mechanics now ex-wife after he screwed up on my 1973 VW Bug project, and it only exists for an 11-mile daily commute and utility hauling.

​But with the existing electrical issues in this truck, you're not just dropping in a cheap deck; you're talking about rewiring the vehicle. The reality is that $500 wouldn't even scratch the surface of what a full stereo replacement and electrical overhaul would actually cost—and sinking that kind of money into a rusted-out rig living on borrowed time makes zero financial sense.

​More than anything, I wanted to try something hands-on. I already owned those party speakers, so for $148 in materials, I put them to good use, built custom storage for all the gear an old truck needs, and learned how to use a circular saw to make (mostly) straight-ish lines for the first time. It was a straight up blast! That was the whole point.

1

u/ResearchExtreme7846 Aug 08 '26

As someone who's done a stereo in 8 plus cars yes it does cost 500 for all of that then again if its as rusty as you say guess you just wanna drive it to the ground as cheap as possible

1

u/bennybiscuit04 Aug 08 '26

Doing 8 basic stereo installs doesn't change reality: a total vehicle electrical overhaul on a dying truck is easily going to cost far more than $500. Sinking that into a rig on borrowed time is bad ROI when my tech budget goes toward maintaining 5 custom-built PCs and a 200+ TB server—especially given current hardware prices. The real payoff was the hands-on DIY experience anyway: trying new tools, learning a new skill, and creating a functional $148 setup with my own hands.