Subwoofer Installation 2016 3rd Gen Tacoma Non-JBL Double Cab

Summary: Rockville RW10CA powered subwoofer installation went well and really like the sound. Took less than 5 hours total in two installments.

Got the Rockville installation kit with the

$160 Rockville RW10CA 10" 800 Watt Under-Seat Slim Amplified Car Subwoofer +Wire Kit

Rockville RW10CA 10”. $120. The Rockville installation kit is adequate - moderate quality. Power lines are copper coated aluminum or just aluminum. Replaced their power crimp loop connectors with some I purchased that were more substantial. 5/16” hole in the crimp loop for the top battery positive connection and the ground.

Replaced the positive battery wire 40 amp supplied fuse with a 25 amp fuse matching the amp fuse. The battery wire 40 amp fuse allows you to supply power to more than the Rockville RW10CA, but I only had it going to the RW10CA so I lowered the fuse rating.

There are at least two firewall penetrations you could use to install the power line. One is an unused (at least in my truck) grommet high on the firewall, the other is the existing main firewall penetration boot through which all the wires pass on the driver’s side. I penetrated the main boot. It is a foam-like plastic that can be fairly easily punctured with a screwdriver from inside the vehicle. Once the screwdriver is through tape the electrical cable to it and pull back into the cabin. Very easy.

Remove the driver kick panel starting by hand removing the screw cap that is up high, where the driver’s left foot toes might be. Then you have to yank the panel in the correct direction to get the snaps to release. If you tug in the wrong direction it does not come out.

Decided to go all out and put the remote control into a blanked button spot lower left below the steering wheel to the right of the electrical outlet power switch. The blank opening is approximately 21 mm x 39 mm and has an internal lip set-back around 12 mm. The blanked button cover came out easily when a pry tool was slipped under the bottom of the cover. I wanted to install the housing with MAX at the top. That put the power LED toward the bottom which I didn’t like but accepted it for the MAX at top orientation. I took the supplied control housing, unscrewed the back and removed the control PCB. I cut off the back of the housing leaving the front 14 mm of the housing. This would leave the control protruding from the dash, it would not be flush. If you want it flush measure the distance to the stop at the back of the button opening (~12 mm). After cutting the housing down to 14 mm depth I ground out the lip at the back of the button opening (the side toward the outlet button) so that the control PCB wire and black plastic mounting stubs would pass through. I ground down just the center portion of the lip. Also had to sand down the long sides of the housing so it would fit. The long length of the housing is perfect for the opening, but the short width is too long. Sanded with 120 grit to take of the majority then 400 grit and finally 800 grit. The black plastic still showed the sanding after the 800 grit but it was acceptable to me. You’ll have to go to higher grit and polish, or paint, to eliminate the sanding scuff. The PCB still slips into the housing even cut down to 14 mm depth but without the screwed backing holding it in place. I put two dabs of super glue, one on each side of the PCB where it entered the plastic to hold it in the housing. The housing friction fit into the opening well. I’ve been driving it for a month, using the adjustment a lot the first week as I tweaked the amp gain with no signs of it coming out of the dash slot. However, someday it may vibrate loose. When it does I will rig clips, perhaps wire or flexible plastic, taking the place of the friction tabs you see on the blank. Or I may try hot glue. Suggestions welcome. The wire for the remote can be fished in from the back – there is room to reach your hand up there behind the dash.

TW Member Abelgonz recommended using the line out converter LOC (InstallBay IBLOC01 for Tacoma) which I did and it worked great. Had to pull the head unit to install. Pulling the OEM head unit was easier than I thought it would be. The plastic surround pulled off without any tools. The 10 mm mounting screws were if anything loose. Pulled the head unit out and rested it on a box covered by a towel. It was obvious that the correct connection was the right most (sitting in front seal facing HU) plug. It came out fine but as many have commented plugging in the LOC was not easy. Spritzed the plug with a little electrical cleaner and that really helped it slide in. Take your time. Fished a wire down from the head unit toward the driver’s side taped/connected the RCA plugs and remote power wire to the fish wire and pulled it back to the head unit easily. Routed the RCA wire and remote power wire up over the steer wheel column brace to the HU fish wire.

Connecting the RCA cables and remote power wire to the LOC is straightforward. After they were connected I hooked a VOM to one of the RCA plugs and watched the VOM while I turned on the radio and played music to adjust the LOC. I screwed the LOC adjustment screws to maximum (clockwise) and then back 1/8 of a turn. The VOM did not even hit 1 volt. Also checked the remote power wire with the VOM. Anytime the vehicle is on that power wire shows 12 volts even if the radio is not playing. The subwoofer will have its power on anytime the vehicle is on. Used electrical tape to secure the RCA plugs to the LOC and jimmied the HU back into the HU hole without problem. Putting the 10mm screws and cover plastic back is easy.

Ran all the wires down the driver’s side and have no detectable noise or distortion. Electrically, I see no reason for noise or distortion running the wires down the same side. It could happen, but unlikely. No need to run the RCA wires down the passenger side.

The front and rear door entry plastic panels pull right up without tools. The center pillar plastic cover pulls off with some force after you remove the driver’s seat belt screw plastic cover (just pull it off) and the seat belt screw (14 mm). Start pulling the center pillar cover from the top to get it going.

Routing along the door requires you to unclip the white cable clips. I wasn’t smart enough to find the proper way to do this so I just used a flat head screwdriver on them until they opened.

Left the subwoofer on the floor behind the driver for a couple days while I adjusted it and let it loosen up. It sounded good from the start. Ended up setting the crossover at maximum, the gain at about 50% and the bass boost just barely above zero.

After a couple days I moved the sub to behind the driver’s rear seat. Pulled the cubby/housing behind the driver’s rear seat without removing the seat or anything else. Three 10 mm screws and 3 snaps. The rear seat has to be slightly raised to ease removing and reinstalling the housing. Then I pulled the rear side panel just to the right of the cubby. I did not pull the door weather stripping nor the seat. It came out after some work.

Removed one of the screws from the bracket to which the back seat latches and used a 5/16” hole loop crimp connector to secure the ground wire.

Drilled a 1.5” hole in the inside of the cubby on the upper portion. Probably only need a 1” hole. Put sound deadening on the back of the cubby. Really increased the cubby weight. Not sure if it did anything but glad I did it. Routed the wires up and around a cutout in the rear side panel and then through the cubby inside hole. Then re-installed the side panel and rear cubby. Both reinstalls took some jimmying around but was not too bad.

Used the foam the Rockville was shipped in to cushion the bottom and top of the speaker/amp. Attached the top mounting brackets/clips, but did not screw them into the cubby plastic. The mounting brackets appeared to offset the speaker housing from the back of the cubby which seemed like a good idea. Did not see much use in screwing the brackets into the cubby plastic.

Shoved the excess wires back behind the cubby through the penetration holes.

Closed it all up and tested the sound. Surprisingly the volume and performance was very similar in the cubby as behind the driver seat. I left the phase switch at zero after testing it at 180 and finding the loudness noticeably lower at 180 deg.

Very good bass. Not great, a little muddy, but very good. For the price, a great value. Wonder how long it will last? As much as this 10" puts out am wondering if the 8" would have been sufficient for me - 58 year old who still likes it loud but isn't doing it to show off and values sound quality.

Thank you to all the TW posts that helped me, and to these recommended YouTubes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrhT2___eAk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c37zgaUQsVo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt3xkcPEbs8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_AErn6rZ1I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNfZFQsb4Ag

Click on Pictures to see full pic.

 

Holy guacamole what a post!!! Thanks. I’m an car audio fiend myself and a bit older ( not as old you tho ) Rockville is hit and miss. They had an abysmal previous year launching their K9 line of subwoofers all kinds of problems with just bad quality. What you have is a popular bass option with just about every manufacturer making a version of it. It’ll probably be ok just don’t push it to hard. A friend of mine had something similar from Rockford Fosgate and got a lil over zealous and fried it. I tried to tell him now I got him checking out subs from companies like Sundown Audio and American Bass

 

Quality write up, just got a used Sound ordinance 8" powered sub, similar to the Rockville you have. How has the foam held up to hold the sub in place? I really don't want to screw into the cubby either

 

Oh hell yeah! Glad it worked out! The sound is great.

 

Foam is doing well. No vibration at all. It was the right thing to do.

 

Hello,
I have the same install. I'm looking for anyone who can make/3d print an OEM style plug to house the control knob. Meso customs, you're time to shine. This is what I got.

I mangled all of the original plastic housing while trying to get it to fit. I know this would be a popular item if someone can make a solution. Thanks

 

I have been lurking around for the better part of a year and joined today solely to give credit to @CHEMNGNEER.

I completed the Kicker upgrade in all 4 doors + the PNP Subaru tweets about 6-8 months ago. The system sounded much cleaner than stock, but like many here, I found it to be lacking in the low end.

I found other threads regarding the 10" Rockville Sub and the price was too good to pass up on Amazon so I went for it a couple of weeks ago. After arrival, I was so ticked that it was just slightly too large to fit under the drivers seat. This thread saved the day. OP is spot on regarding install and using the packing material is brilliant for two reasons:

1-There is good air movement on all sides of powered sub. This thing gets hot and in hindsight I'm glad I didn't mount it on top of the carpet under the driver's seat.

2-Zero rattle with no need to drill mounting screws into the plastic storage compartment that would no doubt loosen up over time.

Great post.

 

Awesome, thorough post! I had that same Rockville unit... It's pretty cool and the sound is impressive all things considered. Just a note for those considering this install - there is no need to remove the head unit, as a line out converter is not required. This unit has both line level and high level (speaker level) inputs. All you need to do is tap into a speaker wire for the input signal (there's one behind the drivers seat in the pillar) It also detects the signal and turns on the unit automatically, so you don't have to run a remote wire either which makes things easier.
Enjoy the bass OP!