Joel and Javin028 - both of your setups look exactly like what I want to do - hide the amp in the storage compartment in the back. One issue I am concerned with is the cooling of the amp - did either one of you cut a hole in the back to let the air through, or do you keep the compartment cover off, or is cooling just not an issue with the amp tucked in there?

 

Javin028 and dynamo

Hope this is a better pic. I removed the brackets for the auxillary straps in the compartment and used the existing holes to mount the 1/4 inch hardboard for the amps. I had to remove the entire interior quarter panel to drill and mount the backer for the amp rack and the holes for the cables.

So far overheating has not been and issue for the amps. This was my first DIY stereo system and I am really happy how it turned out. Even even assembled the RCA cables.

 

Whoa, you people are making me think harder about my system. I was planning on making a custom box to fit back there tightly, have the rear speakers in them, have the sub, and have the 2 amps (Diamond Audio D56001, Diamond Audio D56004), Capacitor (Xstatic MegaCap150), 4 Xovers (Front components, Rear components), Fuse blocks....

I dont haul stuff often, but what if I might? Darn, I thought I was home free after 25+ hours of box design...

 

Hey Joel - what did you use to attach the backing board to the panel, or is the amp attached directly to the backing plate through the panel? What kind of wood did you use? I am doing this tomorrow and wanted to get as much detail as possible. TIA

 

dynamo,

If you removed the entire rear interior quarter panel, you will see that there is a recess/channel behind each of the auxillary brackets.

First drill out the rivets for the auxillary brackets and if I remember correctly, there are 3 holes for each of the brackets.

Cut a length of MDF strip to fit in these channels and screw them in place from the front using the middle holes for each bracket.

Now, cut the board to mount your amp out of 1/4 inch MDF and use the other 4 holes to mount it to the compartment.

The amps mount to the 1/4 MDF board with T-nuts. Actually, I used T-nuts everywhere I need screws because the board was so thin.

Hope this helps

 

Well, my roommate and I did the install this weekend. Since I only put in one device (amp), we didn't mount any backing for it, and just mounted straight to plastic with screws and speed clips. I was concerned at first, but once I saw what it looks/feels like when it was done, I was pretty happy with the results. It all seemed to sit rock solid, and since my buddy is the master installer I took his word and mounted directly to the plastic, so I am hoping it holds up. I will use your MDF board mounting method if it fails in the future.

Other than that, the install is GREAT! No more disconnecting/reconnecting wires at the amp, and no messy wires anywhere. The amp is stashed away and the whole trunk is empty within 10 seconds that it takes to pull out the box. I will post pics later this week when we take better ones - the ones from yesterday came out too blurry.

Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions guys!

 

Old setup:




New Setup, same style just different amps:

 

If I had read this earlier, I would've recommended you use these on your power wires...
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=263-120


Here's my setup. I just put my snowboards on top of the amps this way

 

WOW, I recognize that connector except mine is red and has WARN on it. The WARN connector allows you to disconnect the power wiring to your winch and move it from the front to the back of your vehicle. Now that's some heavy duty wire. I think I paid $40 for one pair of connectors. How much was the one in the pic?

 

Oops, I should have went to the link before posting. $9.80 each for the SMH connectors. Half the price of the WARNs, what a rip

 

I've tried similar connectors, but never actually got it to work. I forget the name/brand, it was from some site on the net that sold electrical parts. Oh well, it's too late for me now, but I absolutely love the setup I have with the amp stashed in the storage compartment. But yeah, the power clips would have certainly solved my issue earlier.

 

lets see an inside pic of the storage and amps... i might do mine similar to yours b/c it looks so clean

 

I like the clean look I wanted to do a full out fiberglass box just for fun so that I could play around w/ fiberglassing, but it wouldn't have been practical.

here's a page that shows the amps.
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/193624/4
There's no real storage on mine. I know everyone on this board has drawers and whatnot, but I didn't have enough room. I wanted to put two of my 10"s back there, but I barely had enough airspace for the single ten, and still have room for the amprack's fans to breathe.
This is all the storage I had left Just enough for spare bulbs and maybe a flashlight

 

PIMP!!!

 

I have my mono alpine 700W amp mounted on the back of the seat that is behind the drivers seat.


I pulled up the cardboard-like backing of the seat and drilled enough holes to get my wires through, it didn't turn out as clean as I hoped it would, but It still looks great. (to me at least)


When I pull the seat up, you can't even tell I have the amp mounted on the seat rather than on the box.

 

 

My 5 chan amp on one side and cap on the other:

 

yeah, but who installed it? you? or did you hire someone?

 

PG Tantrum 500 under front passenger seat


PG Tantrum 1200.1 on sub speaker box

 

What do you guys do with the vent that goes out or the rear.
It is in in the passenger side cargo area, you can kinda see it in the photo. I was wanting to fill it in because it is a huge hole that lets mud in. Also would my stereo sound better?

As for the srereo I have a new JL 12w6 with an old but powerful MTX 225HO running mono in a sealed 1" MDF. In the front I have MB Quarts seperates that I stole from the boat tower and Memphis 5.25" in the rear with an Alpine 4 channel amp. Every wire I used are Monster cable. However I want to redue my cargo area cause I added a rear rollbar. I was wanting to build an amp rack and ne sub enclosure because the MTX was mounted to the sub box I stipped the carpet from the rear and am gonna hurculiner what ever I build.
I like the set ups that I have seen so far....