Subwoofer install ideas?

I'll take some pictures later, unless @Rob5589 beats me to it. In short, cut a piece of 3/4" plywood slightly larger than the footprint of the sub/amp. Cut grooves in the board where your metal straps are underneath the seat. Sneak the plywood base under those straps. Bolt the sub/amp onto it. Run your wires. Enjoy!


@JMT I’m really thinking about trying this. Have you or @Rob5589 had any issues with the smaller powered subs over heating with them being zipped up under the rear seat?
 
@JMT I’m really thinking about trying this. Have you or @Rob5589 had any issues with the smaller powered subs over heating with them being zipped up under the rear seat?
I think @Rob5589 cut a hole for his. My zipper was messed up so I tried to zip it up for awhile, but gave up and no longer try to zip it. The powered amp did make the zippered cover a tight fit due to the bulging. At any rate, as it is I've had no issues with overheating and it was installed in January of 2017. I'm still happy with the sound. I can hear the music with top and doors off at 60+mph.
 
I think @Rob5589 cut a hole for his. My zipper was messed up so I tried to zip it up for awhile, but gave up and no longer try to zip it. The powered amp did make the zippered cover a tight fit due to the bulging. At any rate, as it is I've had no issues with overheating and it was installed in January of 2017. I'm still happy with the sound. I can hear the music with top and doors off at 60+mph.


Awesome. I’m guessing because of the way that you mounted it, there is no change in how the seat feels to sit on?

I’m looking at the Kicker 11HS8 Hideaway, Rockford Fosgate PS-8, and the Sound Ordinace B-8PTD. Trying to figure out which is the most robust design to hold up to a rougher offroad ride and doesn’t mind being mounted upside down.
 
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Awesome. I’m guessing because of the way that you mounted it, there is no change in how the seat feels to sit on?

I’m looking at the Kicker 11HS8 Hideaway, Rockford Fosgate PS-8, and the Sound Ordinace B-8PTD. Trying to figure out which is the most robust design to hold up to a rougher offroad ride and doesn’t mind being mounted upside down.
I've never had the Kicker. I like Kicker though, used to have a pair of 12's when I was into that kind of thing. I've noticed they run $299 and $149 refurbished. I'd be tempted to run a refurbished Kicker if I had problems with my Rockford Fosgate PS-8, but I haven't so far (2 yrs 4 months). The Sound Ordnance has gotten some good press on this forum, but the reviews were less than stellar on Crutchfield; some good, some bad. I decided to hit the middle of the road knowing that Rockford Fosgate had been around since the 80's. It was $189 when I bought it.
 
That’s very true about the Sound Ordinace reviews on Crutchfield. It may come down to a coin flip for the Kicker and RF. They both seem to be great products.


For your install....did you use a router to cut the grooves for the metal straps? And you use nothing but the grooves to hold the plywood in place under the seat between the foam and metal, is that correct?
 
That’s very true about the Sound Ordinace reviews on Crutchfield. It may come down to a coin flip for the Kicker and RF. They both seem to be great products.


For your install....did you use a router to cut the grooves for the metal straps? And you use nothing but the grooves to hold the plywood in place under the seat between the foam and metal, is that correct?
If I had a router at the time I would have used one ( I do now!). But I only had a table saw, so I just set the depth and ran it through a couple of times to get the width right for the straps. When pulling the rear seat on occasion I have noticed that it moves. I would like to find a way to make it stay in one place because it can drift toward the rear of the back seat (the natural course of gravity). If you come up with a good solution, let me know. I'll work on one too. It's just an OCD thing.

It does not affect the seating for rear passengers.
 
I'll add this @flyby71. I need every square inch of space in my TJ . If I didn't have this mounting solution for the sub, I wouldn't have one.
 
If I had a router at the time I would have used one ( I do now!). But I only had a table saw, so I just set the depth and ran it through a couple of times to get the width right for the straps. When pulling the rear seat on occasion I have noticed that it moves. I would like to find a way to make it stay in one place because it can drift toward the rear of the back seat (the natural course of gravity). If you come up with a good solution, let me know. I'll work on one too. It's just an OCD thing.

It does not affect the seating for rear passengers.


Great info, thank you! I’ll do some brain storming and see what I can come up with. There has to be a somewhat simple solution to keep it centered.

I’m with you on using every bit of available space. I just got a Tuffy tailgate security enclosure to keep a few things somewhat secure behind the rear seat, so no sub back there. I’m not too wild about a console sub, and I want it hidden so no putting it under the front seats. This is the best option for me.
 
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Great info, thank you! I’ll do some brain storming and see what I can come up with. There has to be a somewhat simple solution to keep it centered.

I’m with you on using every bit of available space. I just got a Tuffy tailgate security enclosure to keep a few things somewhat secure behind the rear seat, so no sub back there. I’m not too wild about a console sub, and I want it hidden so no putting it under the front seats. This is the best option for me.
All this has me wanting to take a look at it today. So hopefully I'll get the time later and raise the rear seat. I'll report back if anything is strange or I come up with any ideas to keep it centered. @Rob5589 may already have a solution for keeping it centered.
 
I don't always run the back seat, so the center console was the next best solution for my setup.
 
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Awesome. I’m guessing because of the way that you mounted it, there is no change in how the seat feels to sit on?

I’m looking at the Kicker 11HS8 Hideaway, Rockford Fosgate PS-8, and the Sound Ordinace B-8PTD. Trying to figure out which is the most robust design to hold up to a rougher offroad ride and doesn’t mind being mounted upside down.
I have a pair of the Kicker Hideaways under the back seat of my Chevy Avalanche. Love them! Doesn't effect the folding up or down of the seat at all and adds plenty of thump to the system.

2018-12-02_04-15-15.jpg
 
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All this has me wanting to take a look at it today. So hopefully I'll get the time later and raise the rear seat. I'll report back if anything is strange or I come up with any ideas to keep it centered. @Rob5589 may already have a solution for keeping it centered.


I’ve been brainstorming and searching, and I found this picture below on another forum. It gave me some ideas.

Option 1. Cut a new length of plywood that would fit in the full front to back width of the seat, this would basically lodge it between the forward and aft large metal supports and should keep it from moving front to back. You would still need to cut the grooves to keep it from moving left to right (or see option 2 below).

Option 2. Some type of metal strap screwed tightly into the existing plywood on each side of and over the metal straps. The picture shows something like this, although I’m sure he used that to hold left to right position instead of cutting grooves like you did. However using grooves and metal straps like this could hold it in one spot if you could get them tight enough. I’m assuming that cutting 1/4” deep grooves also helps the set up sit a little lower and not press up into the cushion as much.

Option 3. Put hose clamps on all 4 corners where the metal straps meet the plywood grooves. Maybe that would hold it in place.


I’m thinking about doing the longer length section of plywood. Cutting 1/4” grooves. Then using metal strips as well, like in option 2. I bet doing that would keep that sucker in one spot. I’ll have to wait a month or so before my play money builds back up to order the sub. I just bought a new head unit and 4 new speakers.

What are your thoughts about that?

FABB8F0B-94AA-4B64-9463-22C7DC69DD2D.jpeg
 
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I have a pair of the Kicker Hideaways under the back seat of my Chevy Avalanche. Love them! Doesn't effect the folding up or down of the seat at all and adds plenty of thump to the system.

View attachment 86292
How do you think a single Hideaway would perform in a Jeep? I don’t need to rattle windows, I just want some low end in there to make the tunes sound good.
 
How do you think a single Hideaway would perform in a Jeep? I don’t need to rattle windows, I just want some low end in there to make the tunes sound good.
On one hand it's a much smaller cab than the Avalanche so it would be great.
But with the top off, it might be lost in the open air.
I also have a boat with a 10" Kicker sub and 500 watt amp & it'll rattle your teeth in the open air.
None of these are perfect comparisons, but I think it tells you there is a good chance that it'll be fine.
 
On one hand it's a much smaller cab than the Avalanche so it would be great.
But with the top off, it might be lost in the open air.
I also have a boat with a 10" Kicker sub and 500 watt amp & it'll rattle your teeth in the open air.
None of these are perfect comparisons, but I think it tells you there is a good chance that it'll be fine.
Ha! I bet that will rattle teeth. I’d like to have that set up, just not practical for how I have my Jeep set up.
 
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Ha! I bet that will rattle teeth. I’d like to have that set up, just not practical for how I have my Jeep set up.
Yea, I hear you. I'm in the process of getting a 6.75" Kicker sub & 100 watt amp installed in the console. Hoping it does the job.
Funny thing is I mistakenly bought an 8" sub. Got the console out & couldn't figure out how I was going to get the thing installed. DOH!
 
Mine actually sounds better with the top off, but my 8" sub is hitting the side of my hip, so not a lot is lost.
 
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