Amplifier install in the spare tire well.
08-14-2017, 12:58 AM
#1
Race Car
Thread Starter
Amplifier install in the spare tire well.
I finally got around to correcting the issues my install in the S2 had today by building a proper mount for my amps. I apologize for not taking more pictures, i didn't think about making a post until i was done.
The install significantly cleans things up and also secures the amps in place so they will not move. They are higher in the well, so if the drain clogs, there is some area under the amps to allow the water some space to collect before drowning them. They are not in the way when it comes time to clean out the drain either which is nice. You do lose the spare in this case, but if you have enough slack in your wiring you can actually pull the rack out, flip it around and reinstall the amps jammed in against the air pump, which sits in the spare. If you have thick amps this may not work!
The install has a 4 gauge wire coming back on the passenger side while the RCA's and speaker wires come back on the drivers side.
Now for the important part, the amp mount is a poplar board that is 23" wide x 7.25" tall and 3/4" thick. I cut 45 degrees off the bottom corners to gain extra clearance so the amps sit low enough to clear the carpet properly. This board was the perfect size for the 2 alpine PDX amps i'm using, if you have smaller amps than these, you can go narrower. I used Tee-nuts to mount the board to the car (M5) and for the amps and distro block (m4). These make life SIGNIFICANTLY easier, as you don't need to worry about nuts or stripping wood.
I drilled the sheetmetal supports that help locate the spare tire to mount the rack to the car, i drilled the board in situ and drilled through the supports at the same time so they would line up later. Once drilled for the car and for the amps i mounted everything up. Before mounting the board, i mounted the grounds for my amps to the spare tire screwdowns (the lower hole for clearance) and then installed them to my amps along with all of the other wiring. Only after all of this do i mount the board to the car. i used a ratcheting wrench to get everything tight for the board mount, everything else is allen head, just like the amps.
The results are clean and actually would allow you to put some other items in the well if you wanted. Overall i'm very happy with the results. I hope some of you find this helpful.
The install significantly cleans things up and also secures the amps in place so they will not move. They are higher in the well, so if the drain clogs, there is some area under the amps to allow the water some space to collect before drowning them. They are not in the way when it comes time to clean out the drain either which is nice. You do lose the spare in this case, but if you have enough slack in your wiring you can actually pull the rack out, flip it around and reinstall the amps jammed in against the air pump, which sits in the spare. If you have thick amps this may not work!
The install has a 4 gauge wire coming back on the passenger side while the RCA's and speaker wires come back on the drivers side.
Now for the important part, the amp mount is a poplar board that is 23" wide x 7.25" tall and 3/4" thick. I cut 45 degrees off the bottom corners to gain extra clearance so the amps sit low enough to clear the carpet properly. This board was the perfect size for the 2 alpine PDX amps i'm using, if you have smaller amps than these, you can go narrower. I used Tee-nuts to mount the board to the car (M5) and for the amps and distro block (m4). These make life SIGNIFICANTLY easier, as you don't need to worry about nuts or stripping wood.
I drilled the sheetmetal supports that help locate the spare tire to mount the rack to the car, i drilled the board in situ and drilled through the supports at the same time so they would line up later. Once drilled for the car and for the amps i mounted everything up. Before mounting the board, i mounted the grounds for my amps to the spare tire screwdowns (the lower hole for clearance) and then installed them to my amps along with all of the other wiring. Only after all of this do i mount the board to the car. i used a ratcheting wrench to get everything tight for the board mount, everything else is allen head, just like the amps.
The results are clean and actually would allow you to put some other items in the well if you wanted. Overall i'm very happy with the results. I hope some of you find this helpful.
08-14-2017, 07:54 AM
#2
Looks good.
I usually try to keep the RCA wires away from from everything else. The amount of shielding varies with the wire manufacturer. Parts express sells some nice made in America professional stage co-ax that has a denser wrap.
I usually try to keep the RCA wires away from from everything else. The amount of shielding varies with the wire manufacturer. Parts express sells some nice made in America professional stage co-ax that has a denser wrap.