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Subs Behind Midgate facing to the rear

A

allwhiteavy

Full Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2004
Messages
57
Location
Abilene, Texas
I just bought my truck 2 weeks ago & I planned on loosing my midgate to install a wall of subs. But after actually using the trucks midgate capabilities I have changed my mind. I was thinking that I can just sit 2 12" or 15" subs in a box behind the midgate. It seems as this would be the same setup as placing subs in the trunk of a car. Would the midgate deaden the sound completely. I cant see my self having 2 8"s or 1-10" sub that is not enough.
 
I've been wondering the same thing myself. Surely someone has tried this. Any input on how it sounds would be greatly appreciated. What kind of subs and how much power? Does it sound flat?
I don't use the midgate often but want to retain the ability to use it when i need to. I would want to come up with a setup that could be disconected and set out easy when i set up the Av tent, need to haul something long or with the bed cover off.

thanks
bob
 
Well I have a couple years of basic stereo installation. I have never heard subs facing forward that have a proper bass response. So this setup is out of the question. losing my midgate for an okay sounding system. I found a box for two 10"s that fit under the seats http://musicmooseaudio.com/chevy_avalanche_truck_cav.html
Does anybody have this. Im a bass head but I love the avalanche so I dont want to lose any of its capabilities.
 
there is a member who is selling his sub box, and he had a sub, facing the midgate, however......

he dropped the midgate and used a key to lock the midgate latch on the center bar, put the midgate up... and then lifted the seats up... this way the midgate was not fully closed and vented the sound into the cab...

he said there was no rattleing and it sounded great.

never saw or heard it, only talked to the memebr over e-mail.... (don't remember who or where he was from though)

HTH

Grey
 
First, I have 2 - Polk/Momo 10" subs (which each comes in its own enclosure) in the bed behind the midgate. The enclosures are 'Monster'-velcro'd down, so that they are easily moved/removed if I need to reconfigure the space or just plain need MORE bed space, of course the wiring is quickly disconnectable. Each sub runs off a separate Sony 1000W amp (under the rear seats). Each circuit has a separate on/off switch mounted (with several other switches) in the overhead console. They've been installed for +/- 8-9 months.

Second, I'm no audiophile. My hearing suffers from way too many hours in pressurized airplanes while congested, younger years playing the drums (and some other 'events'). Not that I have any difficulty on a day-to-day, but I don't do high end audio. But I do from time-to-time, enjoy a good bass thump.

OK, that said...

Gigantic difference between the midgate up or down. With it up, the bass is present and more than enough for me most of the time. I really won't comment on the 'quality', but the quantity is there, in fact I frequently only run one circuit.
With the midgate down, it's bass city. As much as you can stand.
I can pretty much do the ricer-annoying-the-drivers-who-are-five-cars-away-thing; though that's not my thing, it was fun the first few days.
 
Having subs in the midgate firing into the bed will not yield the best results. I know you're thinking, ".....but tons of great installers but sub boxes in the trunks of cars! DS is just stupid!"

Okay here's why they do it: Speed, plain and simple. If a customer comes in and wants an amp and sub install, throwing a box in the trunk is the fastest way to do it, and time equals money to an installer. It sounds better if you can take the rear deck speakers out or open the arm rest for a simple reason. You are venting the speaker's output that is trapped in the trunk into the cabin of the car, where you, the listener are. This is something you simply can't do with the Av with the midgate latched into place.

The best option for a midgate enclosure, or any enclosure for that matter, is to mount it in the passenger compartment, so that it is producing output in the intended area. If you wanted to go with the gate box, contact KodiakZ, who frequently posts on this board, with a PM regarding his midgate enclosures. Also, search for "midgate enclosure" and you should pull up several threads on the topic.

 
again a note to my "favorite" ... Dip S*&T.... not everyone can afford a $700+++ sub box.... and then still got to buy speakers...

You tend to forget that everyone on here is not building a show truck, we use our trucks, and we do not have a huge budget.
By the way... thanks for sharing pics of the system in your Av... umm wait... never even seen a pic of your Av....


Grey
 
GreyAvalanche said:
again a note to my "favorite" moderator.... not everyone can afford a $700+++ sub box.... and then still got to buy speakers...


Grey
Click to expand...

Hey Grey! Thanks for the love! :love: You certainly brightened up an otherwise dreary day for me!

I only answered the topic starter's question, you know.
I just bought my truck 2 weeks ago & I planned on loosing my midgate to install a wall of subs. But after actually using the trucks midgate capabilities I have changed my mind. I was thinking that I can just sit 2 12" or 15" subs in a box behind the midgate. It seems as this would be the same setup as placing subs in the trunk of a car. Would the midgate deaden the sound completely. I cant see my self having 2 8"s or 1-10" sub that is not enough.
Click to expand...

If you can disprove anything that I wrote in response to his question, let me know. Whether or not he can afford the enclosure......I don't know, but I assumed that he's looking into it since he did ask about it, you know?

 
he said... BEHIND the midgate.. not IN the midgate... a removable box maintains use of the bed/midgate better then a box built into the midgate...

kodiaks midgate does take up bed space.... and it is not as easily removed....

Grey
 
I have done subs in the bed before with good results. I would suggest that you use 12" or 15" subs to get the most impact into the car. Also, it will only sound good with the cargo cover on. The mid gate is only plastic. It is much worse to put a box in the trunk of a Lexus, Benz, or BMW. Alot of those cars have a steel wall behind the back seat, or sometimes even a gas tank, between the trunk and the passanger compartment. A box in those cars still sounds good if done right.
 
:0: :0: :0: Here is a thought. After reading what DS said about about venting I remembered a friend of mine and I installed a box in his trunk and ported the box thru the rear deck for just the reasons he is talking about. I know that rocked enough to blow a baseball hat off my head. ;D

So here is my idea. If he wants to keep the midgate functional and have a box in the bed,,,,,, Couldn't he install a couple ports to the bed thru the midgate just to allow the pressure from the box into the cab? Not saying to port the box itself, that would not allow the midgate to function, just install a couple ports half way up or so to allow the pressure into the cab more.

Anyone think that would work or at least make it sound a little better gate up?
 
yes this would increase the amount of bass with the midgate up, I have considered this however......

1) what do you do with the ports when you need to use the bed without the covers? (have an idea, but would interfere with loading items with midgate down....)
2) finding a midgate for roughly $60 first... (ebay....) because for what they cost new... I would hate to cut a bunch of holes and then replace it when I decided to change the setup, or sell the truck, and no one would buy it with 2 holes drilled through it.
 
As for putting 12 or 15's in a trunk, why do it when you get the same SPL from a pair of 10's or a single 12" in the cabin? Putting subs in the Av's trunk without venting into the interior in some manner will just isolate the subs from the listener, greatly reducing their output and muddying their sound, not to mention the fact that the entire bed area will be rattling like a hooptie if there's enough pressure being made. A lot of the "output" that people get with subs like this is through vibration, not sound.
 
Yeah, that is what I was thinking too. Maybe find some type of rubber or plastic plug? But you know with the covers off and midgate up even if it is raining I don't think any water would make it in with the ports that far up. Winter on the other hand might be a different story....

Ive sold many cut up cars from installing stereos.

Personally I dont care for the sound of 15s. Too muddy and sloppy sounding 12s are as large as I like to go. Tighter bass....
 
DS said:
As for putting 12 or 15's in a trunk, why do it when you get the same SPL from a pair of 10's or a single 12" in the cabin? Putting subs in the Av's trunk without venting into the interior in some manner will just isolate the subs from the listener, greatly reducing their output and muddying their sound, not to mention the fact that the entire bed area will be rattling like a hooptie if there's enough pressure being made. A lot of the "output" that people get with subs like this is through vibration, not sound.
Click to expand...

GreyAvalanche said:
there is a member who is selling his sub box, and he had a sub, facing the midgate, however......

he dropped the midgate and used a key to lock the midgate latch on the center bar, put the midgate up... and then lifted the seats up... this way the midgate was not fully closed and vented the sound into the cab...

he said there was no rattleing and it sounded great.

never saw or heard it, only talked to the memebr over e-mail.... (don't remember who or where he was from though)

HTH

Grey
Click to expand...

would not my earlier post regarding what a member had done bee the same as venting the midgate... with no major modifications?
 
DS said:
...not to mention the fact that the entire bed area will be rattling like a hooptie if there's enough pressure being made.
Click to expand...

In my truck, there is generally no rattle, but if the volume is turned up significantly, there is some resonance from the midgate (when it's up).

Of course, I can crank up the volume AND adjust the bass control to MAX and generate plenty of vibration, for amusement.
 
Of course, I can crank up the volume AND adjust the bass control to MAX and generate plenty of vibration, for amusement.
Click to expand...

GP, ever toss a few coins on the covers and make them dance?
 
NetManZ71 said:
GP, ever toss a few coins on the covers and make them dance?
Click to expand...

toss a few coins...and make them dance...

Not in the context under discussion.
 
allwhiteavy said:
Here goes pics of my av completely stock

http://325customs.com/avy.htm
Click to expand...

Nice Av! I love the painted moldings, but I really appreciate the durability of the plastic, so I've never had mine done, but it certainly does look great!
 
Thanks for all the replies. Since at first I was considering losing my midgate the vents sound like a good medium. Im willing to modify but not lose the midgate. I have installed stereos in a lexus & jaguar with gas tanks behind the back seats and they were crap without some type of ports into the cabin. The more you put in there the more you rattled the trunk. This idea might be a little extreme but think about it before you disapprove. How about replacing the midgate with quarter or half inch MDF and use the factory hinges so it still goes up & down. THen you could custom carpet or paint & install all the ports you want & replace with factory if you ever want to sell it. I sold my custom show truck a 98 Navigator with everything in it I actually got more than it was worth for the items I had in it check it out

http://www.cardomain.com/id/guccigator
 
LOL GP, You have a dirtier mind than I do, LOL

White, Nice rides. Glad the AV was able to bring you back from the dark(F**D) side. :B: :B: :B:
 
Im not exactly sure I understand what your saying.
he dropped the midgate and used a key to lock the midgate latch on the center bar, put the midgate up... and then lifted the seats up...

Please elaborate what is holding the midagte open or stopping it from rattling.
 
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