Custom Sub Install Questions

[TurboSonicLT]

Hey everyone,

I have never fabricated any sort of subwoofer install in my life... Although I do know what I am doing to install a system (if I have a pre-made box). My question to all you knowledgable people out there is:

Since I have a hatchback, they come with the false floor in the hatch area that drops down about a half foot to create more room. Can I some how mount a JL12w7 facing upwards using some thing more stable than the factory board? I hope that I am explaining this right.

I would like to take maybe some 1/2" plywood and create a place to cut out a 12" diameter hole to mount a subwoofer facing upwards (if the depth will allow it). I can trace out the factory board and cut as needed, but carpeting is something I have never done, not even sure if this is possible. Just want a clean looking subwoofer than will allow me to still use that little space in the hatch area.

 

[gsxr1000]

first 3/4 mdf is prolly what you should use... i was thinking about doing the similat thing... rember air tight so the top board has to bold in..... what i as thinking similar to what your talking about.... i was thinking remove the spare tire cover board and store that in the house.... dyno mat heck out of sheet metal. figure out a way to mount side wall of the "box" to the sheetmetal... maybe 1x1 with fiberglass to the sheetmetal.... mount the tools in such a way they will not rattle... mabye inside a 1/2 mdf box.... you will need to guesstamate the volume to try to get it close to speaker requiremnet. also a spacer ring inder the sub to raise it up so things you place in floor of the hatch will not slide over and over the sub.. Reber you have to secure the lid down but you can use blind nuts for that place a tool in the glove box to unbolt the lid just incase you ever need acess to the spare tire compartment.

 

[law242]

i have been thinking about this as well, using a shallow sub with a small amp i have guestimated that if you take your time you can effectively use layering to your advantage. the bottom and sides will resemble a normal box.. the top on the other hand will have elivation changes to where the sub has the interior of the box to what is available, but imagine like a stair for where the amp would be it is mounted lower in the box and the sub itself like the previous post said will use a sub spacer. if my guestimation is correct and this is the way i want to build it you will still be able to mount that cover over the sub box to do a sleeper look. and if you want less vibration you can do what i did in my wrx, mount it as close to the openning as possible. measure twice cut once and make it tight, once it is carpetted and screwed down there will be less to worry about as of rattling.

 

[TurboSonicLT]

After, quickly, looking at the space provided to work with a JL 12W7 may just squeak into place if the spare tire is remove or flipped over so the rim face is downwards. I can not see placing a large enough sub box in the hatch area... just not happening. Knowing that the JL 12W7 is 9.5" in depth I will need to measure the depth from the top removable platform to the bottom of the spare tire well. Should have enough room but it will be a couple inches at best to spare. I am not sure how the speakers magnet will handle this? Losing my spare tire for a subwoofer is just not going to happen!

 

[inm]

As stated before, use 3/4" mdf. Plywood is NOT a good material to use. If you want even higher quality wood for better sounds, get 3/4" birch.

Also, as you said you have never done an install like this before, I'm not sure if you know about box tuning. You need to make sure the box you build is tuned correctly. I will post more information when I get home tonight.

Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2

 

[sonic007]

Yea to build a box correctly you need to calculate the cubic feet reccommended by the manufacturer for that specific subwoofer. Whether it be ported or sealed. I just did an install a few days ago on a civic hatch. We built a box for a single 12 to specs in the spair tire spot. We then made stilts to raise up the false floor. We used particle board and the factory carpet over the box and amp rack. You can still utilize the trunk for storage, groceries, etc. Its like theres nothing even there. But it hit alot harder than when a he had 2.

 

[gsxr1000]

As stated before, use 3/4" mdf. Plywood is NOT a good material to use. If you want even higher quality wood for better sounds, get 3/4" birch.

Also, as you said you have never done an install like this before, I'm not sure if you know about box tuning. You need to make sure the box you build is tuned correctly. I will post more information when I get home tonight.

Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2

A sealed encloser volume is a lot more forgiveing on volume... even a little small with plenty of batting it will work 90% as good...

On the other hand a ported box has to almost exact since a tunning to a freq. or it will unload and flop around wildly and destroy it self.

 

[fast fred]

sub install

I made a box for a 12 in sub for a hatchback and I changed it.I would sell it for $ 50. It is heavy and would be tough to ship. Where are you located?Fast Fred

 

[Tailz]

First off the false floor type thing is more than sufficient for what you are looking to do with it.

Heres a picture of what i have

This is also a ported box.

MDF is also cheap and very adequate for your application. I have a Competition system, and running 2500 watts with an interior box SPL of 159.6 DB. (Decibels are a ratting of pressure) So for your application it will hold up.

Do you want sound quality where it can hit higher bass notes and lower but not be extremely loud? if so then a sealed box is what youd like.

Do you want something that will hit low bass and sound amazing with the sacrifice of not being able to hit the higher bass notes as efficiently? Then a sealed box is for you.

I personally use a ported box and am currently trying different port locations and tuning. So far the best ive found is subwoofer(s) and port firing up to the roof tuned to around 40 hz. With this tuning you kind of get the best of both worlds.

My SPL box is tuned to 50hz and sounds like crap for anything other than a burp so I use the box you see in the picture for daily listening.

Hope this helps!

 

[StrictlyCustom]

I'm looking into this in the future and want to fit some up facing L7s ported, but they require a large ported box and will eliminate the idea of ANY cargo room. I bet it would sound and feel d**n good!

 

[JimmyQ]

L7s are for []'s

 

[corbetts67]

plan on doing similar install with the false floor and then just using a cage for the sub so nothing touches the sub when i throw stuff in the back..