stereo weight affecting car?

[slug420]

I just got all my stereo equipment in, and while driving into tweeter to discuss the install i think it seemed to me that the weight of all my crap (2 10" subs and 2 amps) in the trunk was affecting acceleration and stuff. Does this make sense? I had been int he car for 2 hours so it is entirely possible that the engine was hot or yadda yadda. but all you protege owners with stereos, did the added weight affect your cars performance noticably?

I used ot have a mx6 and when i threw 2 10s and an amp in a box in the trunk i didnt notice a thing. If just the subs and amps are affecting my MSP then i am probably not gonna want to add even more weight with all the wood for the install....

any thoughts?

 

[Aricjm15]

I would say on average, a normal system (for bumpin) can weigh anywhere from 175 to 300lbs or more, some subs can weigh more than 25lbs alone

you car would probably feel the same with a full load of friends

 

[Pro Fiz]

yeah i agree with Aricjm15

 

[1sty]

It will definitly slow you down a bit and take some away from your handling numbers by throwing off the cars balance, not to mention putting hte rear struts under a more then average load.

It will be noticable but not major.

 

[dficken]

They actually made the stereo an option in the new STI (due to weight vs. performance issues).

Kinda funny.

 

[Aricjm15]

thats the way it is with a dodge viper ACR
you can actualy get a viper without a radio, air-conditioning, and basicaly anything that it doesnt need to run
the ACR also comes with a better intake
atleast i think you can still get them like this, you could with the style before the new one

 

[dialup]

It will definitly .... putting hte rear struts under a more then average load.

I can vouch for that one. I drove around with two big JL 12w3 subs and two RF amps in my trunk for two years. My rear aftermarket struts ($$$$) sure got worn out really fast and I had to replace them for the harsh ride and strange noises coming from them.

 

[cjstringer]

The Viper ACR, or any other Dodge ACR product (read the past neon ACRs) are meant for weight savings and performance. The ACR stands for American Club Racing. I'm looking into buying a Neon ACR for autoX once I sell my MP3.

 

[1sty]

I can vouch for that one. I drove around with two big JL 12w3 subs and two RF amps in my trunk for two years. My rear aftermarket struts ($$$$) sure got worn out really fast and I had to replace them for the harsh ride and strange noises coming from them.

Having a lowered car will just add to the problem of struts dying.

 

[slug420]

4 6"s sure is sounding more inviting about now 1st

 

[slug420]

40 lbs in subs and 30lbs in amps

i suppose I will be taking out the spare tire and the stock amp/sub/rack combo, but all thats probably about what 3-5 lbs

1st: They typically just make the subwoofer's actual enclosure out of MDF and then use thin wood for the facias and whatnot right? or is that something that would be extra?

craps craps craps. I am sooooooo happy with the car's speed stock i hate to compromise that......maybe i'll have to get a CAI or a new exhaust to counter the weight of the stereo

 

[1sty]

IF you tht worried about weight then don't do a showy system. Moun tth eamps on the seats and have a sub box.
If you do custom eclosures with bueaty boards fiber glass, plexi glass, and alot of neone you are trippling the weight of a regular install.

Also its the sub choice, those huge ass JBLs weigh a ton. JL 10W3s are about 15 Ibs for a 10 so no major weight there.

 

[1sty]

Beauty boards are made of usely 1/2" or 3/4" MDF as anything less vibrates like hell and is too flimsy.

 

[LazerBlueP5]

Most definitly, I noticed an immediate difference when I got my audio removed (box, sub, 2 amps). The car felt lighter on it's toes- it accelerated, braked, and handled better. Don't get me wrong I'm a huge fan of slammin' systems but I'm never going back. It damages the ride too much. Not to mention your putting this in Mazdaspeed....the extra weight kinda cancels out the turbo. It works like this- for every 100lbs it's a tenth of a second in the quarter.

 

[BadAsheP5]

When my install was first put in, I did notice a difference (butt) not terrible. It was the same way when I had my stereo system done in my Saturn, any amount of weight like that is going to slow your roll a little ... dont stress it, unless it really bothers you.
I am more show than go so it never really bothered me that much
but to each his own

 

[chuyler1]

Three things:

1) Fiberglass!
It will cut the weight of your system almost in half. MDF weighs a ton, must be thick, and isn't even air tight.

2) Ported enclosures.
Two sealed subs instead of one gives you on average, a 3db gain which sounds twice as loud to the ear. With a properly ported enclosure, you can gain that same 3db from one sub, and the box will be smaller than the one built for two in most cases.

3) Small woofers.
Have you heard a good 10" lately. I'll bet if you heard a system with a single 12" then a single 10", you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between the two. Now companies are developing 8" and 6.5" (and focal even has a 5") subwoofers that are designed to play with the big boys. I know nothing compares to two 15"s in a honda civic hatchback, but how much bass to you really need every day?

My Plan: To make a ported enclosure out of fiberglass for an 8" woofer. And give that woofer 500-750 watts. It will resemble one of those JL/MTX/Q-Logic custom enclosures that fits on the side of the hatch and fires backwards. This will eliminate any wave cancelation that is caused by waves bouncing off the back of the hatch/trunk. That should give me an extra 6db over mounting the 8" in a sealed box behind the rear seat if I can pull it off.

 

[slug420]

im all about show too, but I like enough go to make it fun to shoot through traffic and whatnot. the solution i have come up with, we shall see how much its going to cost and also how good or bad it ends up looking, is that i am going to try to put my 2 subs each in their own box, each box being removable from the install. so if i get pissed off about how slow it is, i can take em out, and i will only have the weight of 2 amps and a small amount of mdf (from the partially raised floor). the weight of those 3 hopefully wont be too much more than the weight being saved by removing the stock sub rack sub amp and spare tire.

we shall see though. I have the design laid out and on paper and in m head I think it will work and look nice, but if the tweeter guys laugh at me, tellme its stupid, give me a sky high price quote or something.......maybe i wont go with this

 

[1sty]

Just get spoolins turbo upgrade kit.
Nothing like 210 whp.

 

[BadAsheP5]

mine is mostly fiberglass and i still notice lag .........

 

[BadAsheP5]

but it is much lighter than my old system was I used to have 2 mtx 8000's (10's)
now I have Alpine type R (10's) but those damn AMPS aren't so light themselves....