So I've built a sweet enclosure and and im working on mounting the subs in the box. I decided to use Tee Nuts to secure the subs. I've used then years ago on tons of box builds.... However now I'm having a problem.
Got all the tee nuts in place and put a dab of gorilla glue on each tee nut and sunk them into the wood.
I started with the first screw on the first sub and started screwing the bolt into the tee nut and the tee nut began to turn inside the box. It's high density MDF. And the tee nut wouldn't back out and eventually chewed a decent hole in the MDF. I ended up having to drill the bolt head to get the sub out!
I wood filled the effected area from the Tee nut and let it cure for a couple days and tried again. I used a new tee nut and a new bolt. (Grade 8)
I tested te tee nut to the bolt and they screw together nicely. (Giggity)
But once I mounted the sub, and started GENTLY screwing the bolt.... It did the same thing!

I haven't even tried the other bolts an tee nuts yet. I'm worried it's going to ruin my pretty new box!

I have a feeling that these Tee Nuts are just cheap Chinese crap! The old ones I used to use were a lot heavier and the barbs were larger and stronger. I broke the barbs off of these with my fingers! They are from a major name brand store... I can't find anywhere that carries any other styles of these..???

Is there an alternative? I've already got holes drilled in the box. Is there a way to bolt and nut the subs in? I think these tee nuts are going to chew up the whole face of my enclosure!

Any help??? Please?

 

Maybe fill all the holes up, move them over a touch, and put regular screws in. Using tee nuts seems like an over-complication to me, what's the secret for using them?

 

Keeps the box from getting wrecked if your constantly removing and reinstalling the sub.

 

Screws strip MDF. And a lot of times it will strip it the first time you put a screw in it. MDF is just dust and glue pressed together. There's nothing for a screw to night too. And with vibrations it will turn the area around the screw to dust. I've ruined way to many box faces that way.

I think it's the tee nuts. Over half of them have fouled threads... And they are built really cheap. The old ones I used to use were wayyyyy tougher! But I've been everywhere and can't find anything better than what I have.

What can I use to fill the area that has been chewed up by the Tee Nut? Just wood filler it again????
Or is there a better way?

 

Hey pizzaman..... Any help? Know anywhere to get QUALITY tee nuts? And what can I fill the damaged area with? Any ideas?
I know tee nuts are loved by some.... And hated by others. But I have never had any problems with them for years.

 

I've never messed with them, but I always predrill my holes with a very tiny bit and work my way up until it's just smaller than the screw then hand tighten so I don't strip it, and once their in I never remove the subs usually haha.

Honestly though, short of putting a new baffle on, take some saw dust and mix it into wood glue until its nice and tacky and pack it in the holes real tight.

I'd try searching around on diymobileaudio and see if you can figure out what they're using.

 

I just drilled small pilot holes, moved up a few sizes bigger, then drilled the screws in and never touched em again, for both sets. I guess you'd need these things for constant removal, but jeez.

 

Yeah the tee nuts were perfect. I didn't use any drills. Sunk them with a large washer from the front. Glued the nuts before I sunk them so none of them would drop or strip.

I'm using 4 prong tee's. Think 3 prong would be better? That would leave more space between the barbs and I wonder if it would help keep them from mutilating the MDF?

 

Hey KMAC.....

In theory, these tee nuts are supposed to be better. Makes the subs removable for maintenance and replacement. And they are supposed to hold the sub tighter. And they are "supposed" to keep you from ruining the face of the enclosure with screw holes.

In theory?.......

 

I'd try three prong ones, like you said it'll leave a little more space in between them. And is it HDF or MDF? You said it was high density MDF, so it's kinda confusing. Also what thickness are you using?

 

3/4 h mdf

 

The high compression stuff. It's what I always use for enclosures. It's like $48 a sheet.

 

Very cool! I didn't know about them. Sucks that you ended up with crap ones that didn't work the way they were supposed to. Love cheaply made items!

 

Yeah tell me about it! lol! Well *****!


Anyone know where to get quality Tee Nuts? Obviously the big chain stores don't have them.

Shouldn't be this hard to find quality. Especially when your willing to pay for it!

 

No point in using tee-nuts just to mount a sub. Use beefy drywall screws that are just long enough to penetrate through to the other side of the wood. If youre using a bare wood finish use some sort or gasket, if youre using good quality carpet to seal around the basket youll be fine. I used them for my 2 AudioQue SDC2.5 15's i had in my old Cherokee on 2500 watts and over a couple years i had no problems. I also used the heavy duty lag screws u can get at lowe's or home depot on a box i built for a customer for an AudioQue HDC3 18" (a 65 pound woofer) on 2500 watts and again no problems.