Removing rear subwoofer / rear deck

[JNorris987]

Hi all,

I've found posts on here before about having to replace the rear subwoofer (something I'm trying to do now) in my 2002 Avalon. I've followed instructions on how to remove all the bolts / wiring that holds the plastic casing in place, but once it's all loose it's just way too big to fit through the hole in the rear deck.

Does anyone know if it's possible to get out without removing the rear deck, if so, how. Or, as I'm more likely to suspect, how do I remove the rear deck (the fiberboard part) completely? Does it involve taking out the seats or is it just the pushpins that are accessible through the trunk?

Thanks in advance to anyone who has an answer!

-John

[byronm8]

I removed/replaced my subwoofer about 18 months ago without removing the rear deck. I just kept working the subwoofer assembly thru the hole - and widened it a little bit with a knife and hacksaw blade - but not enough to show beneath the rear light assembly. It was tight and took some time - but it finally came thru. I realize this is probably not the "preferred method", but it worked for me.

[phi_alpha]

i too just went through this. I repaired my foam surround for $25.00 with a kit from simplyspeakers.com. I had the same difficulty getting mine out from beneath the deck, but I promise you can do it with a little finesse (no cutting). I think I slid mine back until it was at the narrowest point of the mounting bracket and I kinda rotated it a bit until it came out. I admit it was frustrating, but it eventually came out. Remember what you did to get it out, because getting it back in was almost as frustrating. Good luck!

[bobflood]

Originally Posted by phi_alpha

i too just went through this. I repaired my foam surround for $25.00 with a kit from simplyspeakers.com. I had the same difficulty getting mine out from beneath the deck, but I promise you can do it with a little finesse (no cutting). I think I slid mine back until it was at the narrowest point of the mounting bracket and I kinda rotated it a bit until it came out. I admit it was frustrating, but it eventually came out. Remember what you did to get it out, because getting it back in was almost as frustrating. Good luck!

Why are you taking it out from below? Mine came out the top of the package shelf - just slide the cover that includes the third brake light forward, then lift up enought to unplug the light connector. Then 4 bolts hold down the speaker. I sent mine to simplyspeakers for repair.

[phi_alpha]

hey JNorris did you get it out?

BobFlood... I was unclear. I didn't mean I took it out from below, I meant that I had difficulty getting the sub past the package shelf.

[ccurrier]

I literally did this for the first time last night. I am just going to take a moment to explain how this works and the procedures I did.

First, I ordered a replacement foam kit from speakerworks.com. The link to the specific page of the one you need is http://www.speakerworks.com/8_inch_s...it_p/swk8a.htm

The part number (if the link ever breaks) is SWK8A. I do not work or am affiliated with this company in any way - I am just a normal dude.

The part, brush and foam you get cost me 13 bucks total. Other forums and sites list out another location to order this from but it costs 25 bucks there. This is the cheapest one I could find and I can assure you its not only what I used but all you need.

To remove the original woofer, use a plastic putty knife or something else similar and pry up the rear light cover on each corner on the two corners nearest to the back seat. Both corners will pop up fairly easily. After you pop these two corners pull the housing toward you and it will become dislodged.

Once lifted, disconnect the plug which runs between your upper light (in the housing) and set this assembly in the back seat. There are 4 10mm bolts you need to remove that you can see from the top once this housing is removed.

On the drivers side corner nearest the back seat you will see a small white plug. Disconnect this and the speaker is now un-wired from the car.

You can now freely move the speaker since the bolts and wires are disconnected. You will notice after a fair bit of wiggling that it will not fit through the fiberboard to lift out. This can be easily fixed. If you shift teh speaker to the driver side as far as you can go you will see there is a very small lip on the fiberboard which is preventing removal. Grab a utility knife, hacksaw or simply a razor blade and slice off 1/4" of the lip. This will be under the housing and will in no way be visible. Be careful not to cut your hand. Some pressure and force is required. Once you have made two small cuts you can lift the speaker and housing out.

Place the housing on a table upside down and you will see 4 phillips screws. remove these and the grill cover will come off and you can access the speaker.

Remove the old foam around the outer edge (where it bind tot he metal speaker body) with a flat headed screwdriver and a razor blade. Be careful not to cut the speaker as it is a paper cone or your hand in the process. This can be facilitated by using Goof Off or mineral spirits which will break down the foam and adhesive.

Now you need to remove the remaining foam from the speaker. I used a little Goof Off on a small piece to break down the foam. Then slowly, and gently, I worked a razor blade down to the cone of the speak just under the shiny glue ring. Once I got to this point I was able to lift the remaining foam all the way around the speaker by pulling up slightly and working behind it with a razor to ensure the cone didn't rip.

Once clean, follow the included instructions with the repair kit. I let mine dry outside (I live in West Texas) for a couple hours once it set, and let it dry on a table overnight until the glue was clear. Re-installation is opposite of removal above.

While you are at it, replace the bulb in the rear light assembly since you have this all apart.

I have never done a speaker repair before, but mine worked fine after. It can be daunting once you start cleaning the speaker but I assure you it is not that bad. 13 bucks is cheap for the repair, and I just took my time making sure the original speaker was clean before applying the new foam.

Good Luck!