2016 Polaris Slingshot Stereo System Upgrade For Hanover Client

A client from Hanover, Pennsylvania, stopped by Westminster Speed and Sound with his 2016 Polaris Slingshot, looking for a serious upgrade to his stereo system. Our team was familiar with the stereo system in these vehicles because we had just worked on another one. Since this was the SL model, it had what Polaris calls its six-speaker system, an in-dash media center and a backup camera. If you have listened to this system, the music playing through it lacks definition, and the output is very low. What that means to you is a musical experience that is sorely lacking.

One of our guys spent significant time with the client, from looking over the vehicle to listening to equipment. In the end, we worked up a proposal that he liked, so we set time for him to drop off the Slingshot.

JL Audio Front Speaker Upgrade

We began by replacing the factory speaker pods with a set from SSV. The new pods are designed to handle a 6.5” speaker as well as an optional tweeter. The client opted to go with a set of JL Audio M650-CCX-SG-TB 6.5” marine coaxials. These speakers are the finest weatherproof speakers on the market, and are even made in America! We chose the coaxial model since its tweeter is built into the speaker grille. This way, if the client thinks he needs some extra treble to overcome road noise, a set of JL Audio M100 tweeters can be added at a later date.

Great Sounding Bass Thanks To JL Audio

With the OEM storage compartment removed there was now room for the subwoofer enclosure.

The SSV enclosure is made of fiberglass with aluminum brackets.

Hidden behind the driver’s seat is some great sounding bass!

The subwoofer enclosure did not affect any of the usable legroom in the Slingshot.

Since any good audio system needs bass, we installed an SSV 10” subwoofer enclosure behind the driver’s seat in the spot originally holding a storage pocket. We also installed a JL Audio 10W1v3 subwoofer in the box and mounted it securely in place. While the Slingshot was apart, we prewired the passenger side storage area in case the client wanted to add a second subwoofer in the future.

Power To Overcome Road Noise

Now it was time to focus on power for the system so it could easily overcome road noise. We went back to JL Audio, choosing a pair of Powersports water-resistant and corrosion-resistant models. We used an HX280/4 to power the speakers, sending 280 watts of clean power to them. We used the MX500/1 amp to power the subwoofer – with 500 watts of clean power on tap, it is surely up to the job. We mounted both of these amplifiers securely underneath the passenger seat, and neatly loomed and routed the wiring.

Upgraded Source Unit

With the dash removed we had access to the necessary brackets for the radio mounting.

The area of the dash to be cut was carefully taped off.

At the last moment the client decided the factory radio had to go.

The new Pioneer radio now gave the client much more technology at his fingertips.

As we were getting ready to start the build, the client opted to have us change the stereo system in the dash. He supplied us with a protective splash cover that we used to protect the front of the Pioneer AVIC-5200NEX in-dash navigation system. Installing this cover was no easy feat, since we had to remove the dash out of the Slingshot to mount the new radio properly. When it comes time to modify the dash opening, we had to make precision cuts – there is no room for error.

We hid the navigation antenna and placed the Bluetooth microphone in an inconspicuous spot down lower in the vehicle, aimed up at the driver.

USB Ports And Backup Camera Integration

In the glovebox, there was a single USB pigtail that ran out of a hole in the back, and we knew it could be done better. Our team flush-mounted a weather-resistant USB port in the same location that now held two USB ports with a protective cover. The integration specialists at Westminster Speed and Sound are often tasked with keeping factory equipment working when adding a new stereo system. In this case, we modified the Polaris backup camera to work with the new touchscreen unit.

Overboard Installation Processes

Anytime we are working on a vehicle that is going to be exposed to extreme use and conditions, we go overboard on the installation to make sure it will be reliable for years. We soldered all connections with heat-shrink, applied for corrosion resistance, and loomed and securely mounted all wiring to allow for easy servicing in the future.

Looks Can Be Deceiving

While it took quite a bit of time to disassemble the Slingshot, it was the only right way to do the job.

Over 100 fasteners were removed and reinstalled during this installation!

The front factory speakers were removed and boxed for the client to resell.

While we had the Slingshot apart we removed the OEM stereo harness so the client could sell it.

On a final note, while the Slingshot looks like an easy vehicle to work on, it requires is a lot of work to properly disassemble and reassemble the vehicle. We removed and reinstalled a total of 110 bolts, screws and push pins during this build. Many items had to be modified and/or custom-machined to make this install a reality. Since the factory audio system costs over $2,000 as an option on base models, we completely removed the stereo system, including the wiring harness. Doing this will allow the client to sell it and recoup some of the money spent on this upgrade.

Client Loved His New Polaris Slingshot Stereo

When the time came to deliver the vehicle back to its owner, we were excited to see how he liked it. As we showed him around the vehicle, he was impressed with the quality of our work. When we cranked it up for the first time, he loved the improved sound quality.

Contact Us For More Information About Powersports Upgrades

If you own a Slingshot or other powersports vehicles and would like to upgrade the audio system, we invite you to contact Westminster Speed and Sound in Westminster, Maryland. One of our audio specialists will work with you to design and build the solution that best fits your needs.