My custom setup

When I first got my truck I immediately started to install my components from my old truck (ranger). I was still using a 6 year old head unit and my old ipod touch.



I installed some CDT components in the doors and coaxials in the back.

I designed and built a sub box to hold my Sound Splinter RL-P 12 that would fit between the rear jump seats in the back.



I never liked this box because it made it very difficult to get anything from one side of the cab to the other. The other more pressing issue was the fact that my driver side seat was almost completely dead. Over the years the seat had lost all of its support. I began playing with the idea of getting bucket seats and building a sub box/console to go in between them.

Once I located some leather buckets from an RSX I began designing a new box. I quickly realized that a 12" sub was just not practical in my truck. I really didnt need something that big. I sold the SS RL-P 12 and got an MMATS Pro Audio 10. This sub could still handle the 700+ watts I was going to throw at it.

I designed the new box in Rhino 3d. This helped me figure out what angles I would need to cut and the amount of material I would need. As an added bonus it would calculate the internal air volume.



I decided to go with 1/2" birch plywood instead of MDF because it was lighter and the box did not need to be very big. I began work, cutting everything by hand (this was before I had access to a CNC router).



I sealed the box with polyurethane and then painted it with a rustoleum textured paint that is so close to the stock oak plastic color you cannot tell.



I ended up insetting the sub 1.5" so that it would clear the seat on full excursion. This also gave the box more support structure since it now had a double baffle. (putting a 35lb sub into an inset hole and lining up all of the mounting holes at the same time is no easy task BTW)

Once I had the sub in the box I made a mount at the front that attaches to the shifter console screws. I mounted the back to the rearmost seat mounts using threaded inserts. I made an armrest pad from 2" thick foam, a piece of 1/2" plywood, and some clearance fake leather from Joann's.



I mounted my Kenwood 760W amp on the back and ran all of the cabling under the carpet.




I decided it was time for a new head unit. After some researching I decided to get a Pioneer DEH-80PRS. This head unit does auto time alignment and EQ. It does much more than this but I wont get into it here. At the same time I got an iPhone 4s and I wanted a way to dock my phone and still be able to use it while driving. I designed a mount in Rhino 3d that would attached where the passenger airbag switch is located.





This mount was then 3d printed on a makerbot replicator. You can download and print the mount yourself here: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:40147

I then got an iPhone 5 so I needed a new mount



You can download it here: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:40254

Overall I am pretty satisfied with this setup. I may end up designing a ported box in the future that will fit in the same spot.

Let me know what you think!

 

Hmm, would you be interested in making another box that will fit between the two back seats?

 

I honestly tried to sell my old one but no one wanted it. I eventually just threw it away.

 

That is an awesome setup! I've been looking into swapping out my uncomfortable stock seats for awhile. How did you mount the rsx seats? I've seen others swap to scion seats where they basically took the stock tacoma mounting brackets and slid them onto the tracks of the new scion seats (I guess the track width is the same). Do you still the get the same functionality, as far as the bucket seats sliding forward automatically to let passengers in the back?

Also, great idea with the iphone mount and subbox as well. I just recently got a bazooka tube I'm gonna mount in between the 2 front seats and eventually build a console around. What did you end up doing with the airbag switch?

 

I basically custom made mounts from my old stock ones and the ones on the rsx seats. If I was going to do it again I would cut the stock tracks off and weld them onto the rsx seat frames. They are not the same size in any dimension. They still slide forward when you pull the side lever. They sit higher than stock, but this actually helps me because I am 5'4". Anyone above 6ft has trouble.

For me it was all worth the effort because my original seats were so worn out. The driver rsx seat has adjustable lumbar and height which is great for longer trips.

I just pushed the airbag switch back into the dash. It is still connected.

 

Just out of curiosity, how come you didn't face the sub towards the passenger seat? I got annoyed with my last sub and the box that I built it in because I could hear the sub moving too much, and not just the bass.

 

I faced it towards the driver because I trust myself not to puncture it more than I trust any passenger. I don't get any noise from the sub moving. If the box is sized correctly and you have the right power running to it you should not be able to hear anything like that.