So let me get this straight......Are you guys using "free air" subs and dynomating or using regular subs? Also, wouldn't have been easier and cheaper to just design a custom box and fabricate it? I am a noob to car audio, so I could be wrong.

 

I saw the mounting plate, but didn't know if it was properly sealed against the hole there. I know it's bolted in place but didn't want air leaks from between the sub mounting plate and whatever it mounts to.

Thanks,

 

hokie:

ok, got ya now. yes, you will need to put some dynomat on the back of the mounting plate so that there isn't any air getting out there. that is not a problem, but i would recommend that you put the dynomat on after you figure out how to mount your sub. if you have to fabricate anything, you don't want to have to try and pull the dynomat up or drill through it.

max2000:

from my experience, free-air subs sound like total crap. the subs that i used are 10" JL Audio W3V2's. I dynomatted the entire interior of the compartments, building a little compartment for the seatbelts so that there is almost no air leaking out. with regards to a custom desgin box, it would actually cost about the same if not more. the dynomatting cost me $25 for the entire compartment. the boxes that have been built still need dynomat becuase they rattle inside the compartment. some people swear that dynomatting will not be enough, but i have no rattles and it hits harder than i can stand. i would try the dynomatting first, as you can always go back and build a box if need be.

 

Another newbie question. How much dynamat should I buy if I plan on covering the stock sub area behind the drivers seat and inside the doors? How much should I expect to pay? Best place to get it?

What do I ned to install this stuff? Heat gun? I live in an apartment and don't have a garage which would have access to an outdoor power source. Thanks again.

 

Saint01,
You have alot of good advice and i agree with you about the free air subs. Free air subs aren't built to take alot of abuse so their motor structures are usely built fairly weak. You'll definatly get better results using a sub that has a really strong motor structure because a strong motor structure has the ability to control the cone assembly with tighter tolerence. I personally have installed two Kicker Comp. VR Subs and feel that they where a really good choice.

P.S. I'm glad to here that you've taken the extra steps to enclose the seat belt housing because i beleave that the extra work was definatley worth it. Do you? What did you do to seal yous up? I'm just curious.

 

jhchan:

I bought a roll that was 34' long by 1' wide and used about 90% of it for both enclosures. I can tell you that you will need about this much and I would personally by the tape that goes with it to help seal the areas aroudn where the sheet will meet.

As far as pricing goes, that all depends on what you buy. If you buy "dynomat", expect to pay as much as a few hundred. The stuff is so expensive and all it really is, is peal and seal. You can buy "flatmat"' online, which again is just peal and seal, for a semi-reasonable price, but they apparently are backlogged with orders. OR, you can do what I did and just call around town to "roofing supply places" and find the best price on "peal and seal". I got my 34' long roll for $25. Personally, I don't see why anyone would not do this, but everyone has reasons for their actions.

As far as a power source, yes and no. Most people will use a heat gun, but I can tell you that if you don't with summer upon us, you should be fine. I laid down a piece and then wanted to adjust it a minute later and couldnt' get it up, so I can tell you that it sticks very well.

808_FairladyZ:

I am glad that some of my experience has helped at least one person. With regards to the seat belt housing...What I did was I cut up an old sub box and then nailed and glued it together to make a little enclosure to go around the seat belt housing that I could then "dynomat around". I glued the enclosure to the sidewall and then dynomatted all around it to help hold it in place. Both sides appear to be holding fine and I am not getting any air flow out around the housing, so it appears to ahve worked well.

 

Saint and others,

Thanks for the input. I probably will be getting this process going in the next month or two. Its still pretty crappy weather out here in Boston and I don't have a garage. Looks like I will hitup a home depot or similar for the peel and seal.

Anyone have recommendations on an amp which can power the speakers as well as the sub (5 channel???)? I've got Kenwood Excelons I plan on throwing in to replace the stockers. I would like to possibly install it under the passenger seat or in the false bottom of the glove box. I would imagine fit is a problem for both.

 

I would really like to do something like this as well, but I am just a little confused about what you guys are doing.

I was thinking of building a box, but you guys are just Dynomatting the entire interior of that compartment and mounting the sub in the stock location?

And that sounds fine?

That would be so much easier than building a box and the pics I saw in this thread looked great.

 

Do you have any more pics of how you mounted the speakers under the bracket?

 

Saint01,

Your input was a great help to me, even the diagram, but after all I am either going to have to get another speaker or build a box.

For anyone thinking about doing this:
The most important factor is mounting the speaker to the bracket because not all 10" subwoofers are the same size; moreover the problem actually lies the the holes for the screrw that the real problem.

I started out mounting the speaker form the front of the bracket, then tried from behind and it is just off by a little bit and I cant't get rid of some rattle.

I am not sure about the jl but my alpine type-r is just a tad smaller and even with using brackets there is just not enough room to seal it probably but too muck space to try drilling the screw at an angle.

I think I read somewhere on this site that the MTX 10" fits perfectly.

Also Saint01 I have tried every Home Depot and every roofing company in the phone book and can't find anything like "peal and Seal". And I am in LA which is a pretty big town. Any other suggestions on finding this stuff.

 

I'll post some pics of my sub tonight.

 

home Depot will not have it. I tried. The roofing places in LA have it, they just may not call it peal and seal. I called around town and asked for it, and many places said they didnt' have it, but once I described what I was looking for, most of them said, "Oh yeah, peal and seal, we got that". No offense, but these people aren't always the brightest. just call the roofing supply places or roofing contractors in the yellow pages and tell them that you are looking for something that has a tar-like substance on one side that sticks and an aluminum like look to the other side that is supposed to seal off areas from water and noise. that might help them.

You experienced the same problem I did. Even after the brackets were mounted, there was still a small gap. That is why I used a little peal and seal and then some peal and seal tape and covered the leaking area up. If I was ever to try and get the sub off the mounting plate, I would have a task ahead of me, but I am not ever planning on doing that. From my understanding the MTX does fit perfectly, but I wanted JL.

It sounds to me like you really don't have to buy another speaker or build a box, you just need to do a little fabricating. Get the brackets on there so tight that they nearly break. then put a little peal and seal over the leaking area near the sub and the mounting plate, and then use some of the tape to fully seal it up. I can only conclude that if it is rattling, that you didnt' tighten it up enough because neither of mine rattle. you are using bolts and nuts right? Remember that you don't have to use the holes that are already there. I drilled new holes to make it easier to use the brackets and then covered up the old ones with the peal and seal. If you don't want to take the time to fabricate it, I would just go buy the MTX sub. All I see with a box is not potential to rattle.


JasZ:

My subs actually needed almost the exact cubic feet that is in the area, so there was no need for me to build a box. Both hit really hard and sound good. I am only 6' tall, so my seat is not totally pressed up against the sub either, so that might have somethign to do with it. If you put a box in there, you will still have to "dynomat" it because otherwise it will rattle. Keep in mind that if you are only putting in one sub, that you will need to seal off the glove compartment location becuase otherwise there will be too much open space.