Non-factory Subwoofer Replacement?

[irekforpresident]

Ok,

So I have read all around on this forum looking for an answer, and can't find one. Here is my question... Does any aftermarket companies make a subwoofer that will work for an LS430 Mark Levinson replacement? Of course, Lexus wants $450+ for the replacement speaker. You can find them for $250 or so on eBay, etc, but that is still ridiculous.

I read on here that somebody used an 8'' Polk Audio Dual-Voice coil 8ohm speaker, and it fit and worked fine (when wired in series to make 12 ohms)... I can only find a 4ohm dual-voice from Polk. No 8ohm to be found anywhere.

Anybody know the answer or have any suggestions(Besides using hot glue to repair the ML sub)....GHETTO!

Thanks!

[AzHotLS]

PM member dcfish. He may be able to hook you up with an OEM sub for less than dealer cost. I bought one from him for my '90 a few years ago.

[TSO]

Don't buy the Oem sub! It's sub-par, as far as sub's go. For $250, you could get some pretty amazing drivers.

Check Ebay for JL Audio, the w6 series.

[DClK]

Anybody know the answer or have any suggestions(Besides using hot glue to repair the ML sub)....GHETTO!

GHETTO, but it works ... and nobody can see it.

[Speedemon]

Ok,

So I have read all around on this forum looking for an answer, and can't find one. Here is my question... Does any aftermarket companies make a subwoofer that will work for an LS430 Mark Levinson replacement? Of course, Lexus wants $450+ for the replacement speaker. You can find them for $250 or so on eBay, etc, but that is still ridiculous.

I read on here that somebody used an 8'' Polk Audio Dual-Voice coil 8ohm speaker, and it fit and worked fine (when wired in series to make 12 ohms)... I can only find a 4ohm dual-voice from Polk. No 8ohm to be found anywhere.

Anybody know the answer or have any suggestions(Besides using hot glue to repair the ML sub)....GHETTO!

Thanks!

Just fix yours, I fixed mine and it works great and I punish the sytem just about every day, there was a post on how to do it, look at that I found it link to subwoofer repair thread here I used hot glue and it worked great, save your money and fix yours.

[DaSwede_420]

I'm looking for a bigger or nicer sub, would a JL 8inch W7 be too much for the support structure of the trunk?

I already have a 300w amp installed for sub.

Do i need to be concerned about the travel distance of the sub hitting the grill? <_<

http://www.amazon.com/JL-AUDIO-300W-SUBWOO...3/dp/B0001HYEJA

[Lest4Lexus]

I'm looking for a bigger or nicer sub, would a JL 8inch W7 be too much for the support structure of the trunk?

I already have a 300w amp installed for sub.

Do i need to be concerned about the travel distance of the sub hitting the grill? <_<

http://www.amazon.com/JL-AUDIO-300W-SUBWOO...3/dp/B0001HYEJA

YOu would have to hack the lower interior trim to fit that sub. As well, I don't believe the w7 is for free air applications- could be wrong. It hs some serious excursion, and i am not sure how close to the grill the sub sits. I wouldn't.

[dasha1]

I'm looking for a bigger or nicer sub, would a JL 8inch W7 be too much for the support structure of the trunk?

I already have a 300w amp installed for sub.

Do i need to be concerned about the travel distance of the sub hitting the grill? <_<

http://www.amazon.com/JL-AUDIO-300W-SUBWOO...3/dp/B0001HYEJA

You might consider an 8 inch Pioneer Premier shallow mount (TS-SW841D), which is available on Amazon for less than $90. It has 500W max and 120W nominal power, and the spec sheet states that it can be used in free air applications. I installed one in my 1999 LS400 to replace the stock sub (and also installed a 300W JL Audio amp and line level converter). The size of the stock hole for the sub was perfect. I just needed to drill new holes around the periphery to mount the new sub. The profile of the sub was sufficiently small that the cover grill fit back in place with no trouble. The Pioneer sub sounds great - better than the Nakamichi sub in my other LS400. I know there are better rated subs available, but it wasn't easy finding one that was "free air." I did not want to sacrifice the room in my trunk to a subwoofer enclosure.

[DaSwede_420]

I went with a Competition Kicker C10" sub, fit perfectly, just had to cut the bracket few mm for sub edge!

Sounds AMAZING!!! If anyone needs advice, lemme know.

Thanks!! :D

[killerFatty]

A JL W7 is one of the best subs you can buy!! If you are only putting 300W to it you mights as well be buying a Ferrari and never going past 1/8 thorttle. If your putting it in the stock location get a shallow mount. The travel would nock the grill off in a heart beat. You will also need to make sure the sub you get works free air like Lest4Lexus said.

check out the W7 here

http://mobile.jlaudio.com/products_subs_pages.php?page_id=3

This is what you need to power it AT LEAST!!

http://mobile.jlaudio.com/products_amps.php?amp_id=476

[Mark In Phoenix]

I replaced my subwoofer with the Polk DB840DVC 8 inch Dual Voice Coil Subwoofer available on Amazon.com for about $60. This speaker fit in perfectly as a replacement for the O.E.M. Speaker in my 2003 Lexus LS430. It has much more base response than the factory speaker. The factory speaker had a light weight magnet and was basically a cheap speaker. I was surprised by how cheap the factory speaker seemed. The Polk was heavy and much higher quality and it sounded like it. I think you would definitely be getting ripped off if you pay the dealer $300 for a factory replacement speaker that sucks. Don't fix that old piece of junk, replace it.

Replacing the speaker wasn't an easy job. I had to take out the entire back seat, unbolt the seat belts, disconnect a couple of electronic connectors going to the rear seat, and unbolt and lift up the center of the rear deck. My arms got scratched up working under the rear deck when unbolting the speaker and removing it. I recomend wearing a long sleve shirt. There are two speaker coils with two sets of connections, unlike the original speaker that has one set. You have to read the Polk instructions to determine how to wire the speaker for your car. I wired mine so the two speaker coils were in series for an 8 ohm load on the amplifier, which I think was correct for my car from what I had read on other posts. All you need is a soldering iron, solder, and a foot of 16 gauge wire. It's easy.

I had some difficulty figuring out how to take the two plastic mounting brackets off the original speaker and put them on the new speaker. I advise you to closely study how the original speaker was mounted before you disassemble it so you can put the new speaker in without trouble. Take a few pictures of the intact assembly from various angles before disassembly for reference later. I had to find a picture of a factory speaker for sale on EBay to figure out how to put mine together. Be sure to route the speaker wire through the slot on the mounting brackets so you don't have to pull the speaker back out like I did to reroute the wires.

I hope this helps you have an easier time than I did with the work. I had some problems completing the job, but it isn't extremely difficulty. Just somewhat difficult doing it the first time for a "Shade Tree Mechanic". With some time, tools, and determination you can probably complete the job and save yourself several hundred dollars by doing the work yourself instead of taking the job to the Lexus dealer.

Good luck.

[Mark In Phoenix]

Polk, the manufacturer of the DB840DVC speaker said this speaker was NOT intended for a free air installation, like in the rear deck of a car without a speaker enclosure. A speaker box is recommended. But they said this speaker will work OK if free air mounted. It would perform best if there is no opening in the surface it is mounted on that allows the movement of air between the front and back of the speaker. Your rear deck may be solid with no openings which will be optimum. Plug any holes in the deck if you can.

The speaker sounds very good in my car even without an enclosure. So if you want use this speaker it will work good. When considering other speakers look for one intended for the type of installation you intend, free air or enclosure mounted.

[AJ Lexus]

I replaced my subwoofer with the Polk DB840DVC 8 inch Dual Voice Coil Subwoofer available on Amazon.com for about $60. This speaker fit in perfectly as a replacement for the O.E.M. Speaker in my 2003 Lexus LS430. It has much more base response than the factory speaker. The factory speaker had a light weight magnet and was basically a cheap speaker. I was surprised by how cheap the factory speaker seemed. The Polk was heavy and much higher quality and it sounded like it. I think you would definitely be getting ripped off if you pay the dealer $300 for a factory replacement speaker that sucks. Don't fix that old piece of junk, replace it.

Replacing the speaker wasn't an easy job. I had to take out the entire back seat, unbolt the seat belts, disconnect a couple of electronic connectors going to the rear seat, and unbolt and lift up the center of the rear deck. My arms got scratched up working under the rear deck when unbolting the speaker and removing it. I recomend wearing a long sleve shirt. There are two speaker coils with two sets of connections, unlike the original speaker that has one set. You have to read the Polk instructions to determine how to wire the speaker for your car. I wired mine so the two speaker coils were in series for an 8 ohm load on the amplifier, which I think was correct for my car from what I had read on other posts. All you need is a soldering iron, solder, and a foot of 16 gauge wire. It's easy.

I had some difficulty figuring out how to take the two plastic mounting brackets off the original speaker and put them on the new speaker. I advise you to closely study how the original speaker was mounted before you disassemble it so you can put the new speaker in without trouble. Take a few pictures of the intact assembly from various angles before disassembly for reference later. I had to find a picture of a factory speaker for sale on EBay to figure out how to put mine together. Be sure to route the speaker wire through the slot on the mounting brackets so you don't have to pull the speaker back out like I did to reroute the wires.

I hope this helps you have an easier time than I did with the work. I had some problems completing the job, but it isn't extremely difficulty. Just somewhat difficult doing it the first time for a "Shade Tree Mechanic". With some time, tools, and determination you can probably complete the job and save yourself several hundred dollars by doing the work yourself instead of taking the job to the Lexus dealer.

Good luck.

Hey

Did u change the amp as well or u jes hooked the sub into the factory amp?