Custom spare tire speaker box.

[Gorilla0178]

Just a quick post, custom fiberglass box made from my spare tire.
New to the forum, recently got a Mazda5, had to come up with some way to install a box without taking up any space. Its not without its issues and needed modifications, but sounds awesome and takes up no extra space.

 

[Gorilla0178]

few more pics....\
Head unit, capacitor, and amp are under the back seats.

 

[Secondtyme]

Nice! You could sell that sub adaptor pretty easy. How is it for rattling the plastics back there?

 

[Gorilla0178]

Believe it or not. It doesn't really rattle at all. With normal volume. The radio and sub can put out way to much for listening. The back false floor rattles if nothing is on it, but I keep a gym bag on it and it stops it. I'm gonna add some sound deadner next. When I swap the rear speakers. I was thinking about making more, depends on the interest. It fits real nice and no one knows its there.

 

[Silentnoise713]

A+ for a job well done and thinking (doing) outside of "the box"


Seems like you are handy enough. Here are two other locations that I would love to check personally but probably never will b/c I don't have time...
-Relocate the spare to under the car (SUVs/Vans) and use a full size spare while you are at it. Miata folks did this a long time ago and have no issues with the spare underneath. This leaves the whole cavity for subs or storage. My concern is it may get in the way of a hitch, which is more important to me.
-The rear speakers are mounted on a panel that "appears" to have enough space to be enlarged to fit 8" subs -each side. You would probably have to use free air subs but Google and there are a few good ones. You can then move the rear speakers into the sliding doors. There’s also enough space in that area to fabricate some kind of mount for subs/speakers.
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=125926&d=1204484576

 

[Gorilla0178]

Handy? a little, plus i build fiberglass boats too so once i had the idea in my head, making it was simple. I dont think the tire will fit under the car, it would hang down real low. Ill be sure to look next time Im down there. I have a hitch on mine and dont think it would be in the way. As far as the rear speakers, i too think a sub would fit there, im going to try to modify and put 6x9s that I have in that location. Im not looking forward to taking the back apart. Im not going to do anything until i have the sound deadner in hand. I am thinking about making other boxes like this, not just for the 5, but any small car with limited room. Im really suprised how well the 1 12" does.

 

[JovaBear]

Nice job on the install!! Did you plan on not having the 2nd row seats fold down since you put the cap and amp underneath?? I first wanted to put the amps underneath the 2nd row seats, but when i folded the seats down, the seats didn't go all the way down. So I told the installer to put the amps in the plastic storage tray above the spare tire. Here is what it looks like...

https://picasaweb.google.com/108923809339017728984/Mz5#5876559292833163154

 

[Gorilla0178]

Ha. Ha I didn't realize that tilll after it was installed. The amp and capacitor are under the third row, and they dont fold down all the way because of them. It doesn't matter, my 5 is full of baby seats so no folding them down anyway. And the hatch in the tray had to be removed. And the second row drivers side seat is out.

 

[Gorilla0178]

Anybody interested in a box like this? Was considering making another.

 

[hibern8r]

Have you thought about making a box that would drop in where the rear panel sits partially over the rear tire?

 

[Gorilla0178]

No I haven't. but there is no room underneath the hatch, the 3/4" tall speaker hits it so it cant be put in with the speaker in place. That was the best I think I could come up with. I just looked at the pic. im sure a 8" sub could prob be put there, but the box would still need to drop partially into the tire but it could sit in place of the hatch.

 

[TRDmatrix]

Hi Gorilla,
I like your install. I actually thought about doing the same thing to my Toyota Matrix and the MZ5. I know how to fiberglass but don't know if I want to make one myself. Just a quick question. How much depth do you have available with your enclosure? I am planning on using an Alpine Type R 12" shallow mount sub with a mounting depth of 3.5". Also how much you would ask for one of those enclosures?

 

[Gorilla0178]

I had 3.5 inches to work work with. My sub was 3.25 deep. Originally I had a little bit more room, but had to trim it down in order to fit. With the matrix I'm not sure.how much clearance you have, but the 5 is very tight at most maybe I could squeeze 1/8 inch more. I was thinking about a price, prob 100-150$ I would have to make one and figure material and time. Feel free to ask questions. I can get more pics if needed.

 

[Gorilla0178]

So I went to my shop today and pulled a part off a Honda civic spare tire that was there. I know it doesn't do me any good here, but that wasn't the point. I figure it'll be about 200$ to build one. I'm thinking if there is interest I would make a mold that that I can easily make more. I'm sure thousands of Mazda's have the same spare tire, and can use the same box. Another reason I made the Honda one. Now I got a head start. Let me know if there is interest, either for a 5 or other model.

 

[Gorilla0178]

Jl. Audio stealthbox cost 900$ or more. On another site someone was quoted 600-700$ by 2 different shops. So im not trying to get rich. Just doing what I enjoy, plus its not too hard to make, just time and material.

 

[TRDmatrix]

Hi Gorilla,

I have done a fair share of fiberglassing myself and I know that $200 for a box like this would barely cover the cost of materials. However, the woofer that I'm planning on using sounds like it needs a little more room than what the spare tire box would provide. I am now seeking alternate stealth locations; possibly under the front passenger seat or maybe even going run-flats and using the whole spare tire area.

 

[Gorilla0178]

200 was a rough estimate. It really doesnt cost that much or take that long. The new one i made I prepped the rim, glassed it, popped it and trimmed it, in like 4 hrs, the top isnt on but only cause i didnt want to go that far with it yet. It took 1 yard by 50" of 1.5 oz mat and less than half gallon of resin so far. the top would be a little more material and time but not much. If I had a mold it would be even easier. So maybe a little bit more $ but nothing like i saw from JL audio. I used a 2ohm 12" 1600watt pioneer shallow sub and it sounds great. It only needs .5-.65 cf of airspace in a sealed box. In not sure where else you could put the sub, i thought about it for a bit before i did mine. The tire well is plenty big if you get runflats, but thats even more money, i know there not cheap.

 

[kw_da]

Nice work. Did you match the enclosure volume to the recommended speaker volume? Have you seen this http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2328523/2006-mazda-mazda5/. It's a smaller speaker, but you don't lose any space.

 

[Gorilla0178]

The speaker only needed half a foot of space so i had plenty. That install is cool. I could have done that but it would have taken much longer. I made my box in 1 day, and no one can see my speaker unless they look for it. I will say he did a good job and i like it, but prefer mine, kinda biased. Plus im sure the 12" hits harder.

 

[Gorilla0178]

ttt