Custom sub enclosure in rear deck? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

wtcnbrwndo4u · 12-02-2008, 05:33 PM

Has anyone done this? I'm rolling in a '97 Avalon XLS and I have the premium audio with sub, but I've quickly outgrown it and need way more thump.

I need a setup that will let me utilize my entire trunk space. I need as much trunk space as possible. I looked at it and the rear deck looks like a good idea (obviously involving some custom work).

I was thinking of replacing the stock sub with say, a 10" Type-R and creating an enclosure on the bottom side of the rear deck, with the amplifier mounted on the bottom of the enclosure.

I was just wondering if anyone has done this (or considered this). Sounds like a pretty solid idea IMO.

bigloubumpin · 12-02-2008, 08:52 PM

U can keep ur present IB(infinite baffle) setup,just pick a driver suited for IB.The reardeck needs to be treated with sounddeadening if u step up the power whether u go IB or sealed under the deck.Here's a link that might be of interest.....http://www.the12volt.com/caraudio/boxes1.asp

Jigg007 · 12-02-2008, 10:58 PM

Any sealed box is considered an infinite baffle. What some manufactures would call this would be "free air", in which the subwoofer has no enclosure.

You would get great sound and volume, that is if it is done right. A box should be mounted to the rear deck and house a subwoofer, One problem I see is that the rear deck will most likely need to be reinforced, as I'm sure the engineers of that car did not foresee a 30 pound weight hanging off the back of it.

I would also opt to back the entire rear deck with 1/2" MDF. If successful you will gain even more, as the solid rear glass and deck will act as a horn loaded enclosure.

Another possible problem may be speaker fatigue from the sun beating on it.

wtcnbrwndo4u · 12-02-2008, 11:04 PM

I don't necessarily plan to have the speaker completely exposed. I want it to look as stock as possible from the inside. So it should have a decent cover over it.

When you say reinforce, you mean reinforced metal or is it possible to reinforce with MDF (kinda the cheap way out, but curious)?

Jigg007 · 12-02-2008, 11:16 PM

I would go with MDF unless you're talented with a welder. I myself have never looked at how the deck is connected, but it flexes like hell in my car. In which I plan to make a cutout from MDF and attach it to the rear of the deck with sheetmetal screws.

You might be able to support the box off the cross supports behind the rear seats if you build the box in a way where you could attach it like you would attach a shelf to a wall.

Seeing how you're not going for any BLING BLING aftermarket looks, I would recomend stretching a fabric or sorts over it, much like you see in many OEM speakers. This allows the sound to pass, but the sunlight is blocked by it.

How do you plan to construct a facia?

wtcnbrwndo4u · 12-02-2008, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jigg007

I would go with MDF unless you're talented with a welder. I myself have never looked at how the deck is connected, but it flexes like hell in my car. In which I plan to make a cutout from MDF and attach it to the rear of the deck with sheetmetal screws.

You might be able to support the box off the cross supports behind the rear seats if you build the box in a way where you could attach it like you would attach a shelf to a wall.

Seeing how you're not going for any BLING BLING aftermarket looks, I would recomend stretching a fabric or sorts over it, much like you see in many OEM speakers. This allows the sound to pass, but the sunlight is blocked by it.

How do you plan to construct a facia?

Sounds pretty solid. I'm gonna take a look at it tomorrow, maybe take some measurements and go from there.

As for the facia, I'm still working on that one.

bigloubumpin · 12-03-2008, 12:12 AM

U wanna hang an enclosure from the deck?...keep in mind if that's what u really want.Either way the deck has to be reinforced & u dont need a 30lb. sub to get the job done.There are plenty of light weight drivers out there made specifically for IB setups.I wish the Camry's were made with a sub cutout.When u get a chance google 'Image Dynamics IB installs' & u'll see how much work goes into it,they live & breathe IB over there.

Jigg007 · 12-03-2008, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigloubumpin

U wanna hang an enclosure from the deck?...keep in mind if that's what u really want.Either way the deck has to be reinforced & u dont need a 30lb. sub to get the job done.There are plenty of light weight drivers out there made specifically for IB setups.I wish the Camry's were made with a sub cutout.When u get a chance google 'Image Dynamics IB installs' & u'll see how much work goes into it,they live & breathe IB over there.

Don't forget that a 5/8 to 3/4s MDF Box can be quite heavy, and will also be sporting an amplifier attached to it.

Talking about alternative drivers you could always pick up a nice 10" woofer/subwoofer from MCM electronics and save yourself a hundred bux. Keep efficiency in mind too. I will assume you know to read speaker specs and build a box to match parameters.

bigloubumpin · 12-03-2008, 01:25 AM

Just my $.02 ,that's why I would stay with the IB setup.I would recommend Image Dynamics,Dayton RS or even Kicker Comps just to name a few but there are many others.To the OP do ur homework,look around the net & gather as much info til u feel u can do it right to ur liking.

wtcnbrwndo4u · 12-03-2008, 03:53 PM

My only issue with the IB setups is the lack of low-end bass. It's not as strong as I'd like, thus my rationale for going for the rear deck enclosure. However, with your input, it seems I might be thinking a bit over my head, where it would be easier to make a custom enclosure on the side (kinda where the CD changer is, but on the right side). It would still maintain tons of trunk space and sound the way I want it to.

frojoe · 12-03-2008, 04:04 PM

I wouldn't hang the amp from the enclosure. An amp upside down won't be able to give off heat very well, and even worse the vibrations could shorten it's life significantly. You could attach it to the back of the seats and you world lose only a few inches if trunk space. Hanging from the deck to the side of the enclosure would be another option.

wtcnbrwndo4u · 12-03-2008, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frojoe

I wouldn't hang the amp from the enclosure. An amp upside down won't be able to give off heat very well, and even worse the vibrations could shorten it's life significantly. You could attach it to the back of the seats and you world lose only a few inches if trunk space. Hanging from the deck to the side of the enclosure would be another option.

Yeah, that was kinda the idea. I should have said that a bit more clearly..

wtcnbrwndo4u · 12-03-2008, 04:24 PM

On another note, has anyone actually fiberglassed a custom enclosure to the side on an Avalon/Camry? I'm sure someone has..

frojoe · 12-03-2008, 04:32 PM

That's pretty easy to do if you have a little experience with fiberglass. Just line the area of the trunk with aluminum foil then apply a few layers of glass in the trunk. Then you can take it out build up to 5 to 8 layers, and then make the face of it out of 3/4" mdf or another 5-8 layers of glass. The ring that hold the sub is made out of mdf or plywood, and once the back is done you use hot glue and dowels to position it, and glass it in to place. If you make the front out of mdf you don't need the last step though. As I said if you have any expierience with fiberglass it shouldn't take long, but it might be a little too much for a first time project.

I didn't read this so I don't know if its a good how to, but at least from the pictures you will know what I'm talking about:

http://www.clubrsx.com/cr/SSIIFS.html

wtcnbrwndo4u · 12-03-2008, 04:37 PM

Yeah, I've made a few things (non car audio related) out of fiberglass and it's essentially the same concept.

Just some of the subs I'm looking at are absolutely massive... i.e. Infinity Kappa Perfect 12d VQ and Pioneer Premier TS-W3001... Depths are about 7-7.5"... yikes!

Lol... If you filled in the whole side area, would you say it's about 1.25 cu ft (or greater to account the massive driver)? I think that's the sealed requirement for these subs.