Amp in trail rig?

SPOA87YJ

SPOA87YJ

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2005
Location
Charlotte
Finally getting around to putting a stereo back in the rig after a few years. Nothing fancy just upgraded to better speakers and installing an 8" sub.
I guess I"ll end up with a 500-700 watt amp.

What I'm wondering is how many of you have amps in your trail rig....and if so where did you mount them to keep them out of harms way?

My rig is always open top and as of late no windshield. As much as a try and cover it with a tarp it still gets wet while on the trailer. I've "heard" its not the best idea to enclose an amp inside a box due to overheating? This true or just rumor?


My firewall looked like the ideal place but water still runs down through the cowl vent. However, I still feel like its the best place because its covered by the dash and won't get kicked or have tools dropped on it.

Any better ideas?
 
I don't remember how your cage is, but when I did have mine, I had it between two of my spreader bars. 5-700 amp?? Where will you put speakers to handle that in a trail rig?
truth, inclosing an amp is a bad idea, too easy for it to over heat.
 
I dug my old sound bar out of the garage and put some new speakers in it, then built a box for the sub (its an 800 watt but I believe the RMS is around 200ish). Was planning on powering the sound bar and sub off the amp and letting the head unit handle the dash speakers. I think I may end up with a smaller amp just to power the sub and let the head unit handle the rest. Sub will be mounted b/t seat backs facing the tailgate.
 
just fyi incase you think about doing it i know you didn't mention it but figured i'd say it to save u others trouble incase. All "marine" audio stuff isn't really sealed at all. I installed most all of the audio stuff at the boat place I worked for for like 5 summers anything from subs to headunits to speakers, amps, w/e and it was laughable the things manufacturers did to make there items "water resistant" . . cough (sony) cough . . was the worst but just about all the ones I saw sucked, i did countless lake calls to warranty audio parts.

That being said back to your question, I really have no idea where you'd mount it to keep it dry, i had the same idea earlier since i have alot of random audio stuff laying around but there is nowhere i can mount anything without mud/water getting all over it and yea you don't wanna seal an amp in anything, they need air or it could lead to a possible fire.

I did have a crazy idea to bring my air intake back to the firewall and mount the amp inside the intake so it would always have air moving past it and be somewhat enclosed . . . course that would greatly restrict airflow thou :shaking:
 
Thanks for the heads up. I looked into the marine amps and stuff but figured they were probably bogus anyways. Been on the lake wake boarding for the past 3 days behind a few different boats and they all had $$$$ stereos. I checked everything out, didn't see anything I should be impressed with in regards to sealing the amps.

I guess I'll just mount it on the firewall and see how it goes?
 
SPOA87YJ said:
Thanks for the heads up. I looked into the marine amps and stuff but figured they were probably bogus anyways. Been on the lake wake boarding for the past 3 days behind a few different boats and they all had $$$$ stereos. I checked everything out, didn't see anything I should be impressed with in regards to sealing the amps.

I guess I'll just mount it on the firewall and see how it goes?
Click to expand...

Yea I always got good commission on doing audio work so I was more than happy to fix people's high dollar audio in their boats.

Be careful wakeboarding, I hurt the muscle that runs down the left side of my neck to the bottom of the left shoulder blade last summer while wakeboarding and it hasn't ever healed back, always sore, sometimes my neck will seize up for a day or two and hurt too bad for pain pills to help, it sucks :handed:
 
Sry to hear that....I've had my share of battle wounds. Doing Backflips at 6'3'' probably isn't one of my brighter moments but it sure is fun. Needless to say I've laid around practically all day today.
 
"Massive" 90W Optimus (circa '80s RadioScrap) salvaged from a body shops dumpster & sheetmetal screwed to the back of the passenger seat :flipoff2:

While not exactly "weather resistant", it's been there for almost 7 years and has outlasted the dozen systems feeding it.
 
so whats the RMS on the 8 in speaker and are you planning on getting an amp that will power your sub and your mid and subs?
5-700 watts seems alot for a single 8 inch sub, especially if you bridge the amp.
i would be sure of the power for your sub then match the subs rms with an amp with an rms that is similar but not higher.
JMO
 
Yea the sub's peak power is 800 but the RMS is 200. I was gonna run the sound bar and the sub off a larger amp. It sounds like I'll be better off just running the sound bar/dash speakers off the head unit and going with a smaller amp closer to 200 watts to power the sub.
 
I would put it in the glove box if you are not using it.
 
i used a marine grade plye amp cause it was cheap. like $45 new. i put it in the center console under the shifter. also the tower speakers from a boat work real good.
 
You can enclose an amp just fine. You just need a fan and a vent.
They don't take that much air to keep cool, and you can get some fairly high CFM fans for computers.
Just depends on where for how much fan you can fit. Bigger the fan, the better the noise is.
As for "Marine" grade electronics, most of them don't mean water proof. They mean they are more corrosion resistant if you are using it in a brackish/salt water environment.
 
I'm running a JL badass marine amp mounted, was mounted, on the firewall, this weekend I knocked it loose. It was pricey, but I used to have it mounted on the floor in the back and it has had water and mud standing all around it. I'll buy another to replace it if something happens to it.
 
I hear ya travis...just trying to decide the best route to take. How did you knock it loose if you don't mind me asking? I figure that'd be the safest place for mine. I guess our rigs are "somewhat" similar tub wise at least :rolleyes:
 
I was beating my rig harder than I wanted to, when all of the sudden it was laying in the floorboard. It will be bolted to the firewall this time instead of sheetmetal screws.
 
Ditto on the fan(s) for an enclosure. If you are worried about water/moisture, you can look around at Wally World or Target for a small rubber maid like container. One that will fit your amp and under your dash. make a small vent in one end and a small PC fan in the other. Most PC (computer) fans are 12VDC. Grab a grommet and cut/drill a hole at or near the lowest point when mounted. Use the grommet as a plug to drain just incase water collects in the container.

I use something like this with one of my CJ's years ago. Always ran it topless and mounted a Jensen this way. Built a small wood frame for the underside of the container lid and bolted the amp to it.

One problem I had was keeping the cones in my subs together. Back then paper was common for cones. I did have some good sucess with spraying clear ploy on them but back then I wasn't pushing more than 200 watts so the "ploy" cones held up ok.

Just my thoughts.
 
I have a Bestop Instatrunk in my TJ...and the amp is mounted on the underside of the top of the Instatrunk...

It's a Lightning Audio amp, and they sell a fan that you can replace the big logo in the middle of the amp with...

I've had it that way for at least four years...

Greg
 
I have a 600w Sony mounted under my back seat going to 2x8's in the insta trunk...its never over heated or had any issues in 4 years.
 
Get an el cheapo amp to run that 8". All you need is 200 watts. For instance I had a JL W7 8" in an powerwedge box for behind my seat. that thing lasted 6 years and ran off my Alpine 275w amp (which i am now running 2 10's off of bridged). I havent mounted my amp yet seeing as I dont know where to put it as well, but the glove box does seem like a good place. The reason I said el cheapo is, find a good spot (like under the passenger seat) to keep rain from dropping on it. If it blows, oh well get another one, but unless you have standing water in your Jeep i wouldnt worry about it. Mine got rained on plenty of times and even though the connections are a bit rusted, it still works great.


By the way, if you want that powerwedge 8" sub box let me know cause i have no use for it. It fits perfectly behind the backseat.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions guys. Y2k I've already built a box for the sub I have thanks for the offer though!
 
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