Roll bar speaker mounts

[SteveH]

Yes, this is the 87th posting of how to mount speakers in an FJ40...........but after having my speakers roll around in the cargo area for 35 years, I felt it was time to take action.

Harbor Freight Tools (Hazard Fraught) has 'offroad light mounts' on sale right now (coupon, if you're signed in) https://www.harborfreight.com/off-road-light-mount-71133.html

The mounts have a max 2" ID size, which is the exact diameter of an FJ40 roll bar on my '78. These light mounts are cast aluminum and are nicely made. I lined them with electrical tape to protect the finish on my roll bar.

I lag-bolted my fine JVC speakers ($2.99 each at Goodwill) to these mounts and then installed them on the roll bar just above the seat belt reel. They are out of the way, but near your ear. Since I have an OEM AM radio, I need all the help I can get hearing the radio. Also, since the OEM AM Radio expects to see 4 ohms speaker resistance, I wired these speakers in parallel so that the two 8 ohm speakers appear as 4 ohms to the radio.

The pix below show the mount kit, the speaker with the mount bolted to it, and the passenger and driver's side installations. All the wiring is under the seats and behind the evap emission covers on the passenger side. You have to orient the mounts so that you can tighten the hardware with the hardtop installed, so pay attention to left/right mounting.

Note: be sure to purchase your audio equipment at Goodwill for maximum sonic purity, with tight, crisp bass, and scintillating highs.

 

[Its me shaneus]

Time for a senior moment!

My first car was a 1970 40. Someone had already hacked a radio hole in the dash panel. And at 16, in 1983, what is more important than loud tunes!

Bought a radio cassette player, and a cheap amplifier with an impressive 5 band EQ. Loud as hell with only a minor constant high pitched squeal (playing loud fixed this). All this awesomeness went into a pair of pioneer 6x9s mounted in boxes clamped to the roll bar. Put the speakers behind and outboard of each headrest of my cool bucket seats!

Was my ride all through high school and a few years after.

It was some years later before I noticed the hearing loss in my left ear. Seams like a loud ass speaker right by your head had been a poor choice. The ensuing tinnitus confirmed this.

Take time to make better speaker placement choices than I did. Yours looks a little to familiar.

 

[SteveH]

Take time to make better speaker placement choices than I did. Yours looks a little to familiar.

Well, the 1/2 watt of throbbing stereo power put forth by the 1974 AM radio won't likely cause hearing loss...but your point is valid.

 

[rlong]

My first car was a 1970 40. ... ..It was some years later before I noticed the hearing loss in my left ear. Seams like a loud ass speaker right by your head had been a poor choice. The ensuing tinnitus confirmed this.

What....?

 

[CruiserInProgress]

Time for a senior moment!

My first car was a 1970 40. Someone had already hacked a radio hole in the dash panel. And at 16, in 1983, what is more important than loud tunes!

Bought a radio cassette player, and a cheap amplifier with an impressive 5 band EQ. Loud as hell with only a minor constant high pitched squeal (playing loud fixed this). All this awesomeness went into a pair of pioneer 6x9s mounted in boxes clamped to the roll bar. Put the speakers behind and outboard of each headrest of my cool bucket seats!

Was my ride all through high school and a few years after.

It was some years later before I noticed the hearing loss in my left ear. Seams like a loud ass speaker right by your head had been a poor choice. The ensuing tinnitus confirmed this.

Take time to make better speaker placement choices than I did. Yours looks a little to familiar.

Yep, the choices we make in our youth. Gotta love those tunes!

I still love my music while driving.

My trusty iPod Nano and silicone ear buds serve me well now, on the bike and in the project FJ40.

Although it's not great for in-cab conversations, those silicone ear buds really save my hearing, and I can hardly even hear my whining transfer case at 60mph!