Anyone mount amp on custom shelf under rear package tray in sedan?

[PontiacFan]

I'm upgrading the sound in my '20 Sport Sedan by replacing all four component speaker sets and adding clean power. Last year I replaced the fronts with C1-650 and am now replacing rears with Polk DB6502 and adding an LC7i and AC-4.300. I had been thinking of mounting the LOC and amp under driver's or pass seat, but not real crazy about that. Also don't want to give up space in trunk, so I am getting creative.

I came up with a (possibly) hair brained idea to build a shelf that mounts below the rear package tray (rear deck, below rear window where rear speakers are). In my mind, it would be suspended by custom brackets and have the ability for the two rear brackets to be loosened/disconnected so the shelf could be swung down to allow for easy access to the adjustments when/if ever necessary.

Once I get this setup complete I will evaluate the need for a sub. I know AIO powered subs that go under a front seat are not the best, but I've read good reviews and heard good things about the Sound Ordnance B-8PTD. I don't need to rattle windows or scare small children, but I would like to have some good bass response. And the AIO would not cost me trunk space. Another alternative might be a spare tire sub.

Questions:
- Does this sound like a good idea?
- Would I just be better off mounting under a front seat?
- Anyone that has an LOC and/or amp, how often have you had to make adjustments? Do you get the settings dialed in and never have to mess with it again?
- Have any of you ever seen anything like this shelf install I'm imagining? Should I just put them under a front seat?
- Any positives on an under seat or spare tire sub?

Thanks!

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[geen01]

You don't need a LC7i if you go with a acm 4.300 has high level inputs

This amp is tiny get a piece of abs or blown pvc and make a board for under seat

Set it and forget it

I have used the shelf below the rear deck in a couple civics. Take a peice of abs and bend it. put some rivnuts in rear deck.

under seat subs and all in ones are generally not that great. I'd recommend a kicker key 500.1 and a small ported 10. Easily removable when needed or even smaller 8 or 6.5

 

[shoegazer]

I have a personal bias against Honda's system overall and how the rear channels sound like ass. Before you go nutz with it; maybe connect a known good-sounding set of bookshelf speakers to the rear wires and audition exactly what you're planning to amplify. You may decide to just add a sub and focus on the fronts; blending in the rears just for fill.

Or you may love it. But, from what I've read and my own personal experience, you begin to get diminishing returns when ya' start to 'upgrade' the rear channels.

I agree that the proposed amp is tiny. It doesn't even have any external heat sinks. Mount it on an aluminum sheet (not blocking any vents) and it might run even cooler. I believe it could live under a seat with no issues.

I'm of the 'set it and forget it' crowd. Find a compromise and live with it. When I get in my car; I just want to listen and enjoy; not be a sound engineer every time a new song comes up.

Good luck.

 

[360glitch]

I did this in my Accord. Car audio is not necessarily my area of expertise but I thought it came out pretty well.

I measured and cut a board to size, wrapped it in carpet, and then bolted it under the rear deck

 

[PontiacFan]

geen01 and shoegazer, I'm going with the LC7i to "correct" (improve) the factory sound before the amp. I appreciate your input and I'll figure out a fitment that works.

360glitch, that install looks GREAT! That is one of the ideas that went through my head, but seeing it done makes it more appealing. Where did you get your carpet?

 

[geen01]

geen01 and shoegazer, I'm going with the LC7i to "correct" (improve) the factory sound before the amp. I appreciate your input and I'll figure out a fitment that works.

360glitch, that install looks GREAT! That is one of the ideas that went through my head, but seeing it done makes it more appealing. Where did you get your carpet?

the lc7i doesn't correct anything but bass roll off with accubass. its a 6 channel line output converter. The sport sedan has the 8 speaker non dsp? its 4 channel out with the tweeter and mid wired in parrallel iirc. If you're only upgrading your 4 speakers and adding the acm 3.400 you dont need accubass. When you do add a sub depending on the amp, you might just need a lc2i which has accubass. ACM 1.300 hass accubass built in. The kicker key line(key 500.1 and key 200.4) is great if you don't need a ton of power and will do correction.

 

[360glitch]

geen01 and shoegazer, I'm going with the LC7i to "correct" (improve) the factory sound before the amp. I appreciate your input and I'll figure out a fitment that works.

360glitch, that install looks GREAT! That is one of the ideas that went through my head, but seeing it done makes it more appealing. Where did you get your carpet?

Thanks for the kind words. This is the carpet I used but if this is your only project you will likely want to buy less of it:

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_120TL3015/Metra-Box-Carpet-Black.html?tp=1294

 

[KOIVUN1]

my two cents: don't mount the amp upside down. amps aren't necessarily designed to be mounted like that as the heat will not be able to rise up and out of the components.

my amp is mounted on a custom panel screwed to the inside of the trunk. you can see what i mean in my post here.

 

[slab42]

Most modern amps will be fine mounted upside down. You'll be fine with that audiocontrol like that. Like others have said, you don't NEED the lc7i, but the ACM-4.300 doesn't have accubass built in, so the lc7i will give you better results.

If you're going to mount it to a board and mount the board to the rear deck, I would also recommend ABS, expanded PVC, or HDPE (basically cutting board material) as your mounting board. Here is a pic of my AC D-6.1200 mounted underneath, mounted to HDPE. I removed the oem sub, and used rivnuts and bolts with a little loctite to ensure the amp goes no where.

 

[PontiacFan]

Most modern amps will be fine mounted upside down. You'll be fine with that audiocontrol like that. Like others have said, you don't NEED the lc7i, but the ACM-4.300 doesn't have accubass built in, so the lc7i will give you better results.

If you're going to mount it to a board and mount the board to the rear deck, I would also recommend ABS, expanded PVC, or HDPE (basically cutting board material) as your mounting board. Here is a pic of my AC D-6.1200 mounted underneath, mounted to HDPE. I removed the oem sub, and used rivnuts and bolts with a little loctite to ensure the amp goes no where.

Thank you slab, I did send a message to Audio Control and they said, like you did, mounting upside down should not pose any problem.

I’ve been debating making a board out of some plywood I have and covering it in black felt-like fabric I have, or using the 3/16” abs I have.

I’ll experiment with what I have and come up with a solution, especially with input like yours, 360glitch and others.

Next “challenge” is to figure out cleanest and best way to mount fuse holder at/near battery. I’m not convinced the 17 feet of power cable I have is long enough to route however looks best and be long enough to route clean and safe.

 

[slab42]

I’ve been debating making a board out of some plywood I have and covering it in black felt-like fabric I have, or using the 3/16” abs I have.

Next “challenge” is to figure out cleanest and best way to mount fuse holder at/near battery. I’m not convinced the 17 feet of power cable I have is long enough to route however looks best and be long enough to route clean and safe.

For the fabric, I use this stuff for amp racks or sub boxes. It matches the salt and pepper trunk color in 99% of cars. The glue I use is weldwood landau top adhesive, but that requires a spray gun. I have used the 3M stuff below with great results too.

Another material you can consider is HDPE. It is basically cutting board material. That is what I used in the pic above to mount my amp to. The finish shows scratches easily so I used a DA sander to clean it up before mounting. ABS will work too, but you'd need something a little thick, and it's not cheap.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/metra-one-yard-charcoal-trunk-liner-black/9855215.p?skuId=9855215

https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-19-oz-Rubber-and-Vinyl-80-Spray-Adhesive-80/313424185

https://www.amazon.com/Professional...51250547&sprefix=hdpe+1/2,aps,183&sr=8-3&th=1

I cut and bent some 1/8" ABS to make a fuse holder that uses the existing bolt in the car and I added a washer and nut to the threaded rod for the battery tie down. (Ignore the exposed blue insulation, that has been cleaned up, this is an old pic of when I was mocking up the mount)

 

[PontiacFan]

For the fabric, I use this stuff for amp racks or sub boxes. It matches the salt and pepper trunk color in 99% of cars. The glue I use is weldwood landau top adhesive, but that requires a spray gun. I have used the 3M stuff below with great results too.

Another material you can consider is HDPE. It is basically cutting board material. That is what I used in the pic above to mount my amp to. The finish shows scratches easily so I used a DA sander to clean it up before mounting. ABS will work too, but you'd need something a little thick, and it's not cheap.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/metra-one-yard-charcoal-trunk-liner-black/9855215.p?skuId=9855215

https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-19-oz-Rubber-and-Vinyl-80-Spray-Adhesive-80/313424185

https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Plastic-Cutting-Restaurants-Dishwasher/dp/B07ZPG8PC7/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2GXYZBM0XHNW7&keywords=hdpe+1/2&qid=1651250547&sprefix=hdpe+1/2,aps,183&sr=8-3&th=1

I cut and bent some 1/8" ABS to make a fuse holder that uses the existing bolt in the car and I added a washer and nut to the threaded rod for the battery tie down. (Ignore the exposed blue insulation, that has been cleaned up, this is an old pic of when I was mocking up the mount)

That looks GREAT! I love the fabric. Before I saw this I found a 15”x15”x3/16” black abs on amazon for $15 and free shipping. Got some 1”x3/16” steel flat stock and made bars that mount at trunk opening and go to front of rear deck. Installed rivnuts and 1/4” countersunk screws.
Fuse was going exactly where yours is, except only on the bolt for the metal shield. That’s changed, though, because I’m pretty sure I’ll end up adding a powered underseat sub, so I’m switching to a dual fuse setup and mounting in on the top of the fender in the wheel well side of the body seam next to the battery. There’s a great area there that’s pretty flat and my power cables will go through the grommet with the hood release cable. I’m getting a 2 ga cable from battery to fuse and a pair of 8 ga from fuse to amps and (future) sub.
Here’s a pic of the amp and LOC I put up in my trunk (before my speaker outs were wired up):

 

[slab42]

That looks GREAT! I love the fabric. Before I saw this I found a 15”x15”x3/16” black abs on amazon for $15 and free shipping. Got some 1”x3/16” steel flat stock and made bars that mount at trunk opening and go to front of rear deck. Installed rivnuts and 1/4” countersunk screws.
Fuse was going exactly where yours is, except only on the bolt for the metal shield. That’s changed, though, because I’m pretty sure I’ll end up adding a powered underseat sub, so I’m switching to a dual fuse setup and mounting in on the top of the fender in the wheel well side of the body seam next to the battery. There’s a great area there that’s pretty flat and my power cables will go through the grommet with the hood release cable. I’m getting a 2 ga cable from battery to fuse and a pair of 8 ga from fuse to amps and (future) sub.
Here’s a pic of the amp and LOC I put up in my trunk (before my speaker outs were wired up):

That looks good, clean wire management for sure. IF you wanna see how closely that trunk liner fabric matches the interior, take a look at the pic I posted with the amp under the rear deck. There are 2 false panels that are in place with magnets that hide the sub box