need some help with midbass placement and door pods

[dbsupra 69]

I got some new midbass speakers and ready to mount them in the door. Problem is, there is very little depth due to the window frame directly behind the speaker mount.

I had planned on making some door pods, since my panel is really flat with the pocket removed.

Here is what I have to work with.

Buddy told me- Hey! You have a large opening in the middle of the door. You can make a baffle, bolt it to the door, and be done!

Yeah, that would be pretty easy but I think soundstage would be terrible. Here is a pic relative to postion.

Am I wrong?

I tried hooking up the driver and moving it around. Kinda hard to tell holding it with one hand and moving it around the door and only having one of them hooked up.

I had planned to make a pod and mount it up towards the front.

Any advice would be appreciated!

[Impious 1,476]

You are correct, middle of the door is a terrible location.

My two suggestions would be:

1) Kickpanels (my favorite, if room allows & you can fit proper airspace)

2) Cut some metal, rework the door panel and mount them here:

If you want to go the "easy way out" you could always try to build some mounting rings to give yourself more mounting depth of the panel allows, but I don't really like the factory mounting locations anyways so I would cut some metal or go for kickpanels.

[dbsupra 69]

I was hoping you would chime in.

Can't make spacer rings, the dash is in the way.

Some kicks would be nice, but I'm tall with big feet. Not a lot of room.

Here is a pic of your location, that's about what I had in mind as well. I think it will allow enough foot and leg room there. Oh, you can also see my super cool remote gain haha.

So if I cut the metal to make room then make a baffle plate. Cut the panel to match and away I go? Do you think that would be better using the door cavity or would a pod be better?

I do have a box of cld and mlv to go on as well.

[///M5 2,833]

Door, pod both have benefits and detractions. If the pod is right it's sweet, if you can't fit enough volume then I'd rather run it in the door.

[dbsupra 69]

Thanks guys!

I lifted up her skirt and took a pic of what I'm working with. The window rolls all the way down into the door, so I will still have to build it out some. I believe I can move the wiring out of the way. I just have to mind the window actuator. Will have to make quite a bit of room since the motor is nearly the size of the driver itself.

For the panel to snap back on correctly I may have to back mount the baffle unless I want to use some thin stuff. I believe I can access it enough thru the middle of the door opening to back mount it. It may be my best bet to get a flat mating surface.

[Impious 1,476]

You could also build a "pod" that's not sealed in the rear to give yourself a little more mounting depth but still fire into the door for more airspace.

[dbsupra 69]

Been busy at work, but slowly making some progress.

Some CLD action and rough cut

Doesn't look like much but a lot of work went into this. There are a lot of stuff in the way and deep ridges I had to deal with. Not easy trying to put a driver where it doesn't go. I hand cut and formed pieces of wood to fit in the ridges to fill up the gaps between the baffle ring and the door. Then I cut blocks of wood to go on the back side. So it is ring, wood, sheet metal, wood. There was like 2 small spots that were actually flat that I didn't have to fill any voids. I know, maybe I could have used bondo and glass, but I'm a wood guy. After that I sealed the edges with butyl rope and metal hvac tape. It is very solid.

I have the spacer ring made, just need to round over the edges. Next I will cut the door panel to match and recover the door with the vinyl I picked up. Hopefully this weekend I'll make some more progress.

[dbsupra 69]

I found a pic of one of the wood blocks on the back side so you can see what I did. This one is on the large side due to being a large gap of sheet metal on the bottom side. I used it to sandwich it together against existing sheet metal on each end and along the bottom.

[///M5 2,833]

I would make the baffle thicker and out of a stronger material. Don't forget to "waterproof" it as well.

[ssh 924]

I would make the baffle thicker and out of a stronger material. Don't forget to "waterproof" it as well.

Paint or fiberglass resin has worked well for me.

[///M5 2,833]

I used quotes as a ton of things work. Including changing materials to a high density poly

[Impious 1,476]

Good progress so far. I agree with both of Sean's points, although you said you have to cut some spacer rings still so I'm thinking you might be adding some more layers to the baffle?

[dbsupra 69]

Good progress so far. I agree with both of Sean's points, although you said you have to cut some spacer rings still so I'm thinking you might be adding some more layers to the baffle?

Yes, I only used this ring so I had a something to start with. It was an odd shaped opening and couldn't begin to bolt anything to it as it was. It is 5/16" oak. I tried to find some plexi or something of the sort, but I didn't think that would play too friendly with my router bit. I have a 3/4" birch spacer ring that the driver bolts to, then the baffle ring you see in the pics. With the multiple layers and the wood blocks mounted behind it is actually quite sturdy, even without the top ring on.

Do you think it needs to be reinforced more than that? And if so why? This is my first attempt of anything of this caliber. I'm open to any suggestions, as I'd rather do it right the first time.

Edit: I forgot to mention the filler pieces are 1/4" oak and the supporting blocks behind it are 3/4" birch.

Edited May 23, 2012 by dbsupra

[lithium 358]

so the speaker baffle with attach to the 5/16" oak?

i would replace the oak with 3/4" ply or mdf. be sure to water proof. especially mdf

[dbsupra 69]

Hmm. Now that you guys got me thinking it might have been a slight oversight in planning.

The baffle ring is 9" in diameter and the birch spacer mount is 7". The idea was the 9" ring was to give me a flat air tight foundation and would fit behind the door panel. The 7" ring mounted to the outside of the door panel. I went out of my way to make the 9" ring solid. But the spacer and driver will all be mounted thru the pressboard of the door panel into the 5/16 ring. It won't hit any sheetmetal. Being that is is 12lb and driving around and shutting the door it may want to crack or just pull thru.

My choices would be to lay some resin and mat across the existing ring to reinforce my mounting service or replace it with something thicker. I was trying to minimize the hole I had to cut in the door panel. Land cruiser parts aren't just laying around every corner. If I made the ring thicker that would mean I would have to cut a 9" hole vs 5 3/4".

Thoughts?

[j-roadtatts 1,129]

Possibly you could use longer screws to mount the drivers, one's long enough to reach the inner wood ring.

As far a alignment, you would want to run the driver's T/S through WinISD or similar program to see the effects.

[dbsupra 69]

Yes I planned on using screws that will drive thru all layers. My concern was the entire 12lb assembly would be supported entirely by 1/8" pressboard and 5/16" oak. Wasn't sure if that was sturdy enough as is. I thought about going ahead and replacing the oak with 3/4" birch but not sure how it would look using a 9" ring with a 6.5" driver externally.

How do you guys normally secure a door pod? Bolt it thru the exterior door panel and use fender washers on the back side?

I'd like to get a solid plan as I plan to work on it this weekend.

Thanks!

[///M5 2,833]

Yep bolts. Isolating it isn't terrible either, but 12lbs is hefty.

Personally I'd add more material. Can be wood, can be glass, that doesn't matter just make sue it adds strength