2015 JBL upgrade while retaining factory speakers and amp

I have a 2015 TRD Offroad that came with the JBL package. Like a lot of people on here I thought it sounded good but lacked a certain oomph. After speaking with a buddy who runs a stereo store the plan was to replace the head unit with a Kenwood DDX9906XR and replace the factory subwoofer with a couple low profile 10s but keep the factory speakers powered by the factory amp.

Once all the parts arrived I took a little road trip to see him and his family and meet his new puppy. Installing the head unit and iDatalink was easy enough, biggest pain was relocating the factory amp to underneath the passenger seat. When asked about just making room on the custom enclosure for the amps to mount onto his only reply was "MORE BOX MORE BOX". Ended up wiring the Pioneer amp pushing 2 shallow Kenwood 10s underneath the drivers seat.

I gotta say the factory speakers sound waaaay nicer once the headunit was replaced. Turning on the HPF for them really allowed for them to be cranked up without distorting and the two 10s are just enough bump for me. (Getting too old to blow my ears up). Here's a couple photos of the deck and custom box he made me (debating on carpeting or painting or just leaving it raw, noone will ever see it) and of course, puppy tax!

Wiring hell

Looking cleaner

Back torn out

Box in the making

Box installed

The goods

 

Best of luck on your build! The JBL system certainly adds additional challenges.

 

I would coat the box in some type of bed-liner (Herculiner, monster liner, raptor liner, line-x, etc) for 1 single reason.

if the back window ever gets cracked open or manages to leak, and that box gets ANY water on it, it’s done for. That MDF will soak it right up and fall apart

 

Excellent point.

 

That was the plan. Luckily I never personally open up that rear window and rarely have passengers in the back. Need to find the thinnest liner to spray it with, it's definitely a tight fit.