Mounting Amps to Sub Box

[>>SQL<< 10+ year member]

Almost every time I have installed my own system or a friend's system i have mounted the amp(s) directly to the sub box.

I am rebuilding my current system and am going with a Pro-Rabbit built box for 2 Jl Audio 10w3's

I have 3 JL Audio amps (2-500/1 and 300/2)

I want to mount them to the back of the box.

I was going to put them on a board and space that board off the box about 1/2" so I can have all the wires hidden.

Do I need to find rubber feet to put between the amp rack and the box or will screwing it to some wooden blocks be fine?

How much of a problem is it really?

thanks!

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[Falcons 5,000+ posts]

it pro-rabbit built the box for you i guarentee there is almost no vibration from the box. you'll be fine

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

Whats the difference between mounting them on the vibrating box or mounting somewhere else in the vibrating car? I dont think you have much to worry about with those 10s

 

[Falcons 5,000+ posts]

i got my amp screwed into my box and i am pushing 2k and havent had a problem yet. if its a properly built amp its not gonna rattle parts loose

 

[TheUnderFighter 10+ year member]

You'll be fine, especially with that set-up.

It's a solid box so no worries. And it's lower powered... so extra no worries.

 

[-01limited- 10+ year member]

I'd do it more for peace of mind. You're still messing with amps that are electronics, held together by solder. Anything is possible and if you think that it wont happen it probably will.

 

[>>SQL<< 10+ year member]

that is what I thought

Also you guys here are funny - you refer to 1,000 watts to the subs as low power //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Kangaroux 5,000+ posts]

I would put rubber feet on. The box may be built very well but that doesn't mean there won't be any vibrations. It's best to just spend a couple bucks on some rubber feed then not use anything and have a busted amp after a month

 

[Falcons 5,000+ posts]

well even mikey's hummer has his ab amps mounted to it

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

rubber feet won't have any benefit below the resonant frequency of the material - which is quite high. as such, rubber won't make any difference at low frequencies. in order to have vibration isolation at low frequencies, you need springs with a specfic k-factor sized for the load. rubber feet help with higher frequency vibrations, but it depends on the elastomeric properties of the rubber.

reasons to not mount amps to sub boxes do not include vibration concerns.

1. theft. it's easier to steal everything when it's bolted to a box.

2. flexibility. you can't remove the sub box easily, you can't access the spare easily, you can't experiement with other sub boxes easily.

3. physical damage. i commonly see damage as a result of physical stress on connections when the amp/box moves or shifts. This physical stress causes shorts and electrical/physical damage to the amp.

When mounting amps to a box, the box should be firmly bolted to the vehicle so it cannot move, even during hard braking or acceleration.

I never mount amps to boxes because I like my customers to have flexibility. I recognize that the box takes up space, and that space is sometimes needed. Removing a sub box is a 30 second effort. Access to the spare tire, ability to haul stuff, etc. are good reasons to be able to easily remove the sub box. I also like to experiment. Being able to test another sub enclosure is easier when the amp is mounted separately.