Catfish
Member
Yep. I have an '07 SR5 with the regular (non-JBL) system and finally got sick of the weak sound. A while back, I replaced the headunit with a Scion T1809, replaced all the door speakers with Pioneer 6.5" 3-ways and replaced the front door tweeters with Clarion 2" full-range speakers. It sounded better, but not great.
And so, I bought a factory sub enclosure with an aftermarket JL Audio (8W3v2) sub from a forum member here. I also bought an Alpine MRP-M200 mono amp to push it.
The factory sub enclosure fits perfectly in the cargo area, with a little bit of modification to the quarter panel trim piece. And so....
I used the following link to dismantle the interior and get to the sub/storage area itself. How to Remove the Navigation ECU from a 2003 Toyota 4Runner
I then followed Ark Swamp Rider's instructions for installing the sub and amp, running wires and such.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/62400-replaced-jbl-sub-added-amp-install-pics-info.html
The instructions on both of those links were very clear and easy to follow. After that, I was flying blind.
The storage area...just remove the two bolts holding it in place...
...and drop the factory sub enclosure in. It fits perfectly!
Run all the wires and hook it all up. My amp lives under the passenger seat.
Now then, it seems that some cutting on the quarter panel trim piece is required to make it all fit. The alternative to cutting the trim panel is to buy a new or salvaged one. The dealership quoted me $500. No thanks.
Here's the trim panel...the area outlined in red is the part that must be removed in order for the panel to fit in place.
And here it is from the back side.
After carefully measuring and marking the panel with a grease pencil, I got my trusty Dremel and started cutting...
Cutting...
The finished product.
Another view.
And another view.
At this point, it's ready to reassemble. The modified trim panel fits back in place just fine.
Yay!
But now, there's the matter of the removable storage cover panel. Unfortunately, the factory speaker panel that is on the JBL-equipped panel is not removable. What to do...? I made my own speaker grill...sort of. Using Adobe Illustrator, I fashioned a template for the speaker grill and printed it on clear acetate.
I taped it in place and started drilling...
After drilling all the holes in the panel, I took my Dremel again and smoothed out the surface. I also trimmed down the ribs on the back/inside of the panel, as they were touching the front of the speaker (or at least the outer rim of it).
The finished product!
Another view.
In the end, I couldn't be happier. The JL sub sounds fantastic and still retains the factory look. Thanks for all the write-ups here on this board...hope this one helps too!
And so, I bought a factory sub enclosure with an aftermarket JL Audio (8W3v2) sub from a forum member here. I also bought an Alpine MRP-M200 mono amp to push it.
The factory sub enclosure fits perfectly in the cargo area, with a little bit of modification to the quarter panel trim piece. And so....
I used the following link to dismantle the interior and get to the sub/storage area itself. How to Remove the Navigation ECU from a 2003 Toyota 4Runner
I then followed Ark Swamp Rider's instructions for installing the sub and amp, running wires and such.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/62400-replaced-jbl-sub-added-amp-install-pics-info.html
The instructions on both of those links were very clear and easy to follow. After that, I was flying blind.
The storage area...just remove the two bolts holding it in place...
...and drop the factory sub enclosure in. It fits perfectly!
Run all the wires and hook it all up. My amp lives under the passenger seat.
Now then, it seems that some cutting on the quarter panel trim piece is required to make it all fit. The alternative to cutting the trim panel is to buy a new or salvaged one. The dealership quoted me $500. No thanks.
Here's the trim panel...the area outlined in red is the part that must be removed in order for the panel to fit in place.
And here it is from the back side.
After carefully measuring and marking the panel with a grease pencil, I got my trusty Dremel and started cutting...
Cutting...
The finished product.
Another view.
And another view.
At this point, it's ready to reassemble. The modified trim panel fits back in place just fine.
Yay!
But now, there's the matter of the removable storage cover panel. Unfortunately, the factory speaker panel that is on the JBL-equipped panel is not removable. What to do...? I made my own speaker grill...sort of. Using Adobe Illustrator, I fashioned a template for the speaker grill and printed it on clear acetate.
I taped it in place and started drilling...
After drilling all the holes in the panel, I took my Dremel again and smoothed out the surface. I also trimmed down the ribs on the back/inside of the panel, as they were touching the front of the speaker (or at least the outer rim of it).
The finished product!
Another view.
In the end, I couldn't be happier. The JL sub sounds fantastic and still retains the factory look. Thanks for all the write-ups here on this board...hope this one helps too!
