Here's a question for you guys. I was gonna do a custom install, putting 2+ subs in my rear deck, but the installer said it might be unsafe because he'd have to cut the tension bar and crap, and it might disrupt the "structural integrity" of the car. Any comments on this? Does cutting out the rear deck and building a new one really matter? Thanks,


-Paul-

 

why would you want to cut up a $30k car just to put a sound system in... i would recommend doing a ported box in the trunk with your 2 subs and have the port going thru the existing hole in the rear deck or just build a nice sealed box in the truck for the 2 subs... dont cut up the rear deck...

 

Because the perfect setup for a sub would be the rear deck, in a ported box... firing against the back window. That would be the best sound thing since component speakers!! I don't know, why do people cut up a 60k Escalade, and do the same thing? Retard....

 

i feel ya...alot of ppl here dont think its worth cutting up the doors to install larger better comps yet they have no problems adding aftermarket performance parts to the car all day long...some to the detriment of the car and/or safety:flamer:

as for the rear deck, ive heard the same thing alot from different ppl. as far as i can tell, doubling up on .75" mdf should be more than strong enough to take the place of the sheetmetal that is cut. still feel insecure or dont want to double up on mdf? weld some steel supports in the sheetmetal's place. 1" wide steel is alot stronger than the sheetmetal you'd replace, but you need someone to weld it in place. personally, this is the route i would take..if i had the nerve to do this. unfortunately, in order to do this efficiently, you also have to remove the rear window. maybe when my car hits 60k miles, i may do this.

 

i think what the installer was telling you is that you will have to remove the tension bars for the trunk... these bars are what holds the trunk up when it is open... it could very easily be replaced my gas struts on each side of the trunk... that is of course if you still are just dieing to cut up your acuras rear deck... i dont think that structural integrity will be damaged that much since there is already one big whole in the rear deck for the stock sub.. me personally again i would just port my box thru that existing hole...

 

oh one more thing... systek why would you have to cut the doors to put in better components.... for the most part all you will need is about a 3/4 mdf spacer and you should clear easily... and if that didnt fit i would go and buy kick panels since they would give me the clearence and overall better imaging.... the reason people dont want to cut the car up is cuz that will take away for the resale of the car... when i install a system i want to be able to put the car back to as close to stock as possible when i am ready to sell it...

 

I guess you haven't seen the size of the Image Dynamics 6.5" mids. I've got a set sitting here waiting to go in my doors. Not only do I have to cut the doors, I also have to make a spacer for them so I don't hit the window. The magnets look like they're for a subwoofer. These mids are for the serious folk!!

Do you know of an aftermarket manufacturer that makes kickpanel kits for the 2003 TLS? I don't mind cutting the doors, but I'd rather have kickpanel mounts if possible.

 

the qlogic kicks for 98 and up accord have been tested and should fit just fine...

 

actually, im sure that is exactly what they told him. i have heard this concern from numerous installers. i could try to get into all the reasons why cutting the rear deck would weaken the structural integrity...but i wont at this time. torsion bars have absolutely no tie to structural integrity.

 

i guess it depends on what you think better components are....if you mean something like paper thin pioneer two ways or worse yet, those grotesque sony red coned things they call transducers, then i can honestly understand your comment.

we are talking about the big leagues, which usually mean bigger, badder, better...and then ya get on steroids you dont believe me? try 300wrms per door for size...yeh, i said 300 wrms per mid and tweet in each door. most ppl cant comprehend that, so i'll wont try to explain further.

ive been doing this for almost 15 yrs and even though it pains me, when you have to cut, you have to cut(actually, due to my experience, i dont have a problem cutting anything on my car, as long as it looks stock when all the panels/carpet/seats are put back in)

do u really think ppl would notice? if you dont believe, ck out my old car http://members.cardomain.com/systek in that car i cut the hump that is located under the front passenger seat. here is a before shot, i could eject my cd magazine from it sometimes, but it was a hassle w/this hump:

so what did i do? i cut that bastid out of there for easy access: and show exactly what i did. did it affect my tradein value? nope, they didnt even notice that it was cut. and ya can bet i took out that system before trading up to my tls

 

systek you can cut anything in your car you want but the vast majority of us in here probably dont want to hack our tl's up just to put in an audio system... and you say you have been doing this for 15 years damn son your installs look like an amature did it... and you popping sh!t like you got some great components in your car come on they are kickers... its not like you have focals, dimaond audio, rainbow pro's, cdt, etc... big leagues huh... kicker is middle class equipment @ best...

 

oh please, i may have been doing this for a long time, but that doesnt mean i have time to work on it forever, which is what happens when u work w/fiberglass and such. not to mention that i havent posted the latest pix...i'll let the majority decide just how amature it is.

funny how u try to dog me...i know kicker isnt the best by far, but ive got all my latest equipment for super cheap azz prices directly from a kicker contact that i know. im talking about prices that would make any fool drool...including urself.

funny how u mentioned my prev comps...the diamonds that i had, hmmmm, u cant read if u looked at my page(s) cause ive stated a million times i still use the diamond xovers and alum tweets...and my ss511 comps in the rear doors arent amature either bubba

but then again, u must be holier than me to make sure direct comments thats ok, cause i just tell it like it is and dont give a fuck what others like urself think. quit poisoning the forum w/one sided opinions and let free speech and thought reign

there are more than one way to skin a cat, i know a few thousand...:devil:

 

lets see the new pics...

 

I say cut it up.....although, we have done ported enclosures in the TL through the rear deck without having to cut the mounts or anything. We ported right through the factory sub location and just fabbed up a nice trim piece around that.

 

yeah i saw a couple pictures on the streeteffectz site with a ported box in the trunk of a tl... and that further presses my point why cut the rear deck when you can acheive the same results without having to demolish the car....

 

naw, not now. i have too many things to do before taking off on a nice and much needed roadtrip to cali. thats one of the reasons i tidied up the trunk and mounted my amps like i have them now. it will be nearly impossible to steal them in their current location, thanks to a few tricks im not telling. plus i have trunkspace left over for my luggage. plus, they cant be seen when the trunk is open. pretty good trick considering each amp is 17.5" in length.(yeh, im sorry to say i wasnt able or willing to make them fit in tight quarters w/the pretty shrouds on)

just for you, i'll try to remember to bring my digicam to work tomorrow and upload them then, since that will be the only time i will have to mess w/it..

 

...here ya go:





but this wasnt good enough so i have changed it somewhat, but have to take more pix...

 

...here ya go:





but this wasnt good enough so i have changed it somewhat, but have to take more pix...