Lx450 stock "subwoofer" replacement

[NevadaCounty80]

Hello,

Doing a sound upgrade in my new to me '97 lx 450. Looks like I should be able to get some 6.5" speakers in the front doors and some 5.5"s in the back using the factory covers.

Trying to keep the factory look so I'm wondering what others have done for the center console subwoofer? I've done some searching but nothing from the last 5 years or so. I know audio has come a ways in the past few years and thinking there may be new options. I will definitely skip the factory amp.

I think the stock "woofer" is 4". Thinking I could fit something like this in there:

Car Mid Bass Speaker System - Pro 5 Inch 200 Watt 4 Ohm Auto Mid-Bass Component Poly Woofer

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013CD47U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_2icCCbQS9JAVG

Any input is appreciated!

 

[Dervis Garip]

Hi I changed mine over taking out the small amplifier and the worst for wear speaker / woofer that didn't do much. The first picture is not mine but my first attempt to make cutting the metal frame and supporting with ply.

My attempt was to avoid having a boom box in the truck and therefore waiting like most to facilitate this space that seemed ideal.

What I found upon making this setup even with a larger diameter of 6 inches woofer being also a slim model was the rattle it makes on the plastic enclosure cover. I cut out the original 4 inch grey stock speaker cover and used the black woofer one also. This was why I added the ply all across with also trying to air tight it but to be honest it never really pleased me in the end and I just don't turn the woofer up too load to really feel the benefit of having it. In the end I simply let it be this way.

This was powered included by uprooted door speakers with a 4 channel amp under the passenger seat. This I was recommended for better cooling rather that fitting in the space with the woofer as my preferred choice.

Bottom line if I didn't have by overland draws in the rear cargo area would simply used a sub box simply and better in every way.

Hope this helps

 

[NevadaCounty80]

I was referring to the center console subwoofer that lx450's have. It does not have the rear quarter panel mounted like the Land Cruisers do. I may just do a landcruiser console like others have but I would like some additional low end, if possible.

 

[b16]

I found this some time back when I considered replacing mine. Never did it though, just unplugged it when I wired in my new deck and door speakers (bypassing the amp also).

Home

Tang Band W4-1720 4" Underhung Midbass DriverA shorting ring on the polepiece is responsible for the speaker's extremely low levels of second and third order harmonic distortion. This impressive motor is coupled to an optimized paper cone with rubber surround, supported by a cast aluminum frame.

www.parts-express.com

Lexus LX450 bolt in replacement sub!

Well I got the idea from another thread that seemed to not go anywhere. Lots of LX450 owners were interested in the replacement but the shop that was doing it seemed to not care about responding to requests for pricing or anything else about it. I had a fellow friendly mud member send me a...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[Recruiter]

I found it was just not worth it. Just my .02 and ymmv.

 

[aclos3]

About 7 years ago, I did the Tang upgrade that b16 posted above. The improvement was subtle, but noticeable. From the research I did at the time, if you want to seriously improve the stereo, you need to bypass the factory amplifier.

 

[Techie]

Hey NevadaCounty80, what did you end up doing with your stereo upgrade? I'm getting ready to revamp my whole system and am curious if you have any advice for me.

I'm ready to replace everything except the wires if they work.

Thank you.

 

[NevadaCounty80]

Hey NevadaCounty80, what did you end up doing with your stereo upgrade? I'm getting ready to revamp my whole system and am curious if you have any advice for me.

I'm ready to replace everything except the wires if they work.

Thank you.

Hey,

I ended up building a harness from this thread: LX 450 Stereo Wiring

It involves removing the factory amplifier and using the harness to bypass it. I just couldn't justify getting a new stereo and speakers and running it through a crappy amp from the 90's. The ones that have report varying quality but it seems like it often has a slight buzz noise that would drive me crazy.

I plan on replacing my center console with a standard landcruiser one for increased storage. When you bypass the OE amp, the center console sub no longer functions,

 

[Techie]

Thank you for the tips!!

 

[jjdeneen918]

Yeah. Not worth it.

I put a 10” woofer in the rear passenger quarter panel.

I replaced the LX450 center console with a Landcruiser center console.

Looks OEM & you gain a bunch more room to store stuff in the console since there is no woofer.

 

[Ballsie]

I have this one to mount under the driver seat, but haven't installed it yet. It got good reviews. It has a built in amp. You could put another one under the passenger seat if you don't mind removing the rear heater.

The factory spot is a loser. I wouldn't mess with it.

Amazon product ASIN B01M5LBQTS

 

[Techie]

Hey Ballsie. That’s a great idea. Let us know how it turns out when you install it and if there are any pointers you wish you had when you do it.

 

[Ballsie]

So I installed it today. It was a very tight squeeze and I had to move the factory alarm unit over a few inches toward the door. It sounds very good. Definitely wakes up the 4 mids that have little to no bass. It is no bass pounding monster, but it I think it sounds great.

2 things:

1. I had to trim my backseat Weathertech. Took about 1" off the part that slides under the front seat.
2. The driver seat will not move back and forth any longer. The sub is too tight against the bottom of the seat. Not a big deal as I keep it all the way back anyway. I would imagine nobody over 4'11" would want the seat in any position other than all the way back. All the other seat motors work fine though.

 

[SnowroxKT]

Adding an Alpine PWE-S8 under my manual driver seat and it fits with room to spare. Will be installing it over the next weekend most likely but it looks like a perfect spot. I also ditched the ancient crappy unplugged alarm too, so no worries about moving that.

 

[FearNoGrave]

I have this one to mount under the driver seat, but haven't installed it yet. It got good reviews. It has a built in amp. You could put another one under the passenger seat if you don't mind removing the rear heater.

The factory spot is a loser. I wouldn't mess with it.

Amazon product ASIN B01M5LBQTS

I’m planning on this kind of solution, thanks for the heads up. I’ve been reading reviews to narrow down a choice.

 

[tacocat]

I kept the stock center console and removed the factory sub and CD changer. My amp lives in there now. Two full sized Class A amps can fit in that space along with whatever electronic gadgetry you wish to add.

The stock speaker grill is serving as a vent, but I may mod that into a panel or CB mount later.

 

[undecided]

Figured I’d add a post here before making a whole new thread so

I’m actually going to add a 12” sub either in the cargo area or under the seat so I don’t NEED a sub in the center console but I’m wondering what size speaker I could fit in there (4” I assume) and also I keep seeing that there’s a speaker in the dash but I don’t see one so is there one or are they referring to the center console?

 

[woodsman 44]

Figured I’d add a post here before making a whole new thread so

I’m actually going to add a 12” sub either in the cargo area or under the seat so I don’t NEED a sub in the center console but I’m wondering what size speaker I could fit in there (4” I assume) and also I keep seeing that there’s a speaker in the dash but I don’t see one so is there one or are they referring to the center console?

on LX450's the sub was in the center console...FZJ80's in back passenger quarter panel...

 

[undecided]

on LX450's the sub was in the center console...FZJ80's in back passenger quarter panel...

Then why do I keep seeing the dash speaker option lol, I guess they mean the center console.

 

[woodsman 44]

Then why do I keep seeing the dash speaker option lol, I guess they mean the center console.

Ha!.....My LX has two dash speakers as well...3 1/2" ers