Webers, spares, BRATs, and speakers

[Ever Victorious]

I've dealt with the combination of two of the above words in two combinations today.

 

First, Webers and spares. Obviously, with the Weber in place, I've been unable to put a full-size spare in the BRAT. But this is a lesson/warning to those of you with them. If you don't have a spare tire, GRAB A T-SPARE FROM A LOYALE!

 

This is why:

 

 

I'm thankful that this happened over the course of a few days while my BRAT was sitting in the garage at home. Yes, that is one of my BRAND NEW tires, flat as a pancake. And since I had nothin I could throw on it to drive it back to the tire store, I had to run to PaP real quick today and grab the t-spare out of one of the Loyales there.

 

As a side note, if you paint your rims, file down the paint inside the valve stem hole. Apparently there was a ridge of paint there and the valve stem didn't seal completely, creating a slow leak.

 

Now, of BRATs and speakers...

 

I now have 4 installed, finally getting a chance to use a pair of Pioneer 4" speakers that I bought new over a year ago for another project, that just sat on my shelf for the whole time.

 

I started by building a box to go between my low-rise console and the cab wall...

 

 

and then installed the speakers and let it rip!

 

 

I now have a new problem: The off-brand 6x9's in my other enclosures are so weak compared to these Pioneers that I'm now going to have to tear apart those enclosures and put REAL speakers in... so the 4" ones don't overdrive the big boys!

[GeneralDisorder]

Why aren't you able to carry a spare with the Weber in place? I don't beleive I've had that issue. Perhaps my mind is going but I'm not seeing why it wouldn't fit.

 

GD

[TomRhere]

On the T-spare,,

I thought they'd be the same size, don't really know.. Haven't looked.

 

I had issue with my T-spare in the '86 BRAT running a Weber, the carb is spun 180*. Thought it was just due to the cable being closer to the tire, but it could've been the old worn cable itself. If I tightened the spare down, the throttle would hang. Haven't tried since I replaced the throttle cable. I do have an EA-82 T-spare here though, Hmmmm.....

 

On the new speakers,,

Are they they same Ohm as the "old ones"? Makes a difference..

 

Did that in the XT6. Bought 2 different brand speakers, didn't notice, (pay attention to), the Ohm difference. The 180 Watt ones would totally drown out the 200 Watt ones. Seems the Ohm difference was the culprit. System works great in the BRAT, running 4 200 watt 6X9 Tri-axials now. Same brand, same Ohm. Other speakers mentioned where different brands, different Ohm.

 

Liking the new box.. May have to try that one myself........

[Ever Victorious]

GD - With a full size (and I am referring to 185/70/13 tire, not a 2WD tire) tire I was having clearance issues between the back of the carb/throttle/air cleaner and the angle at which the tire needs to be inserted/removed in order to clear the body lip.

 

T-spare fits just fine. It's a LITTLE smaller in overall radius, but it's also a good couple inches narrower, which solves the whole problem all at once. The one I got was off of a '93 Loyale and looked like it had never been put on, it was in FANTASTIC condition.

 

Tom - I'll have to check that, but car audio is almost universally one resistance rating (4 ohm IIRC). Manufacturers tend to rate their equiment in peak power, not RMS. Two brands can have the same peak power, but depending on the construction of the actual part, the RMS ratings (the only rating of power that ACTUALLY matters) can be quite different. It's ok, I went and listened to new speakers at a shop today. Pioneer makes a good 6X9, as does Alpine, and they're quite compatible with each othe.

 

As for the box itself, it's made of 1/2" MDF. The top piece is 10" long, and 7" wide. It is screwed onto the sides, which are 10" long and 4.75" tall. Then as far as the front/back go...only the BACK has a piece, which is 4.75" tall and 6" wide. It's covered in generic Schucks taupe carpeting, which is glued down with multi-purpose adhesive/sealer. Cutting and folding took almost as much time as making the box itself.

 

It's important that the BACK be the lateral support for the box for two reasons. 1) the transmission tunnel slopes down slightly, so it will be level if you do it this way and 2) the ash tray on the back of the console will interfere with installation if you put a piece of wood in the front.

 

Note that this space is ONLY large enough for 4" speakers if you use this configuration.

 

Edit: Correction, the back piece may be 5.25" tall, as it is screwed into all 3 other pieces, and flush with all respective tops/bottoms.

Edited June 21, 2009 by Ever Victorious
I done boobooed.

[GeneralDisorder]

Well - they came stock with t-type spares anyway so it's no big loss. I guess I have forgotton as I run SPFI on everything but my hatch and that doesn't carry a spare as i never go far from home with it.

 

GD

[TomRhere]

Generically speaking of automotive speakers, I've seen 4, 6, and 8 ohm ones. They may have opted for one ohm rating here lately,,, don't know.

 

I'll have to dig out the 2 T-spares I have here, one each generation. Like I said, thinking my issue was the throttle cable itself. But I had problems with both a full-size and the T-spare before I swapped cables.

 

Thanks for the measurements on the box.... Have to dig out the saw(s) now...

[Ever Victorious]

Oh yeah, and when you screw the top to the sides, screw it in through the TOPS of the sides, not the side of the sides... so your overall width is still 7". It's a tight fit with my Mazda seats in there, but also quite perfect once all is said and done.