using the spare wheel-well as a sub enclosure

[chrishill 0]

I was thinking about false boot floors for sub/amp installs last night and remembered talk of people using their spare wheel-well as a sub enclosure. How is this done? do you not need a certain volume in the enclosed space to avoid damaging the speaker or is that a myth? Just thinking up options for retaining boot space while still having a sub/amp and not wanting to spend a fortune on audioscape enclosures...although they are very nice!

[BigTartanJudge 0]

Check this link out, which gives step by step on creating an enclosure using the spare wheel well. Also, the sub you choose should have technical data which states what volume it rquires to sound best e.g 35-45 litres and whether it should be ported or non-ported (sealed). The second link is on creating a custom sub enclosure (I know it's in a Seat Leon but the peinciple is the same !) which sits in the boot a la Audioscape, looks as good as these as well. This is how my enclsouse is going to be created in my corrado, as still want to be able to use as much of boot for other stuff as possible and keep spare wheel / spacesaver in there.

 

http://www.icecavern.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1611

 

http://www.icecavern.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1822

 

HTH

[chrishill 0]

hmm, i've had the sub a while, its just a cheap jobby and i dont have the specs for it anymore. Useful links though! ta! not sure I'll be taking the fibreglass route, the effort would be worth it I guess. I think i might make a false-floor with somewhere to hide the amp and a cutout area for the sub-box I already have to live in... more thought needed i feel!

[BigTartanJudge 0]

Tell you what mate, there is a car accessory shop near me that as one of their lines, sells this really compact sub already mounted in a trimmed box. Now the box itself, we're talking maybe 10-12 cm thick and 50 cm square. If you could mount this to a bit of MDF and then cut out an MDF baseboard to fit into the boot (same shape as the OEM carpet so it looks stock), with the bit cut-out in the middle the same size as the face of the sub-box, you would have something that looks like this (SEE PIC BELOW) for not a lot of cash at all. Let me know if you want details of it.

 

It's just an idea but if wasn't going down the a la Audioscape boot side install using the sub and amp I already have my eye on, I would probably be using this set-up. Or the other option would be to mount the box to the rear of the seats or in the side compartment of the boot using the mounting straps it comes supplied with. Best thing is the sub in the box are matched and have listened to it and it sounds damn good for the cash !!

 

HTH

[chrishill 0]

cool! thats sort of the effect I was after, which is why I thought about mounting it in the spare wheel well... although maybe without the 'vw' logo ;) loosing 12cm (or so) depth in the boot wouldnt be too much of a problem and it'd leave enough room under the false floor for the amp to sit.

 

how much are those subs/boxes going for Struan?

[Phil K 0]

I'm assuming this is for your new Golf matey?

 

It's not a bad idea but if I'm honest I'd rather leave a spare in there... especially if your g/f will be using it for her and the baby! Why not just put in a small sub and box and make it removable for baby kit when needed?

[chrishill 0]

yup phil, thats right. I see your point, the g/f wont be driving it, or at least its unlikely she will, but even so keeping the spare is probably a good idea. I've still got all the gear out of my VR, I just didnt want to be messing on taking a big sub-box in and out of the boot when I needed extra room. suppose the goofs boot is bigger than the corrados so it might not be such a problem!

[catch_twotwo 0]

BigTartanJudge: I might be interested in the sub box you mentioned.... I need to find something space friendly without costing my big bucks really....

[BigTartanJudge 0]

Hi Chris, just gave them a call and have the following prices for ya:

 

10" - £129.99

12" - £149.99

 

Both rated at 450W RMS

 

(you can knock 10 % of these prices as I know a couple of the guys who work there and they have agreed to give me this discount !). Also, I might be able to get an even better price if there were a few people interested ?

 

If you are still interested I can pop down and get a pic with my digicam for you and some more details. Have seen / handled / listened to them before and very good quality etc.

 

You wouldn't actually lose any height in the boot at all as it would sit perfectly in the spare-wheel recess / well and sit flush / level with the OEM boot carpet, yeah you would lose space in the well itself but as the well would effectively be housing the sub itself then this isn't a problem.

 

If you wanted to keep the spare-wheel well I am selling a VIBE CBR10 compact active (amplified already) sub/box for a damn good price..... :wink:

[chrishill 0]

Cheers Struan, I'm going to have a look/think over the weekend while I'm cleaning the car and see what ideas i can come up with :)

[coolrado 0]

you would have something that looks like this (SEE PIC BELOW) for not a lot of cash at all.

 

thats my boot before i replaced the 10" with a 12", i used to have it mounted in the full size spare with a disk of mdf on the bottom and a ring of mdf on the top with the sub mounted in it and clamped through with 8, 10mm threaded bars, i have now built a fully custom round box to replace the spare completely which is held down by the spare wheel securing bolt.

 

the floor is suspended and hides the dvb tuner and other bits and pieces, i now have the cd changer, dvd changer, two amps and the power cap mounted in the recesses at the sides of the boot.