You probably know that you’ll need to mount your car amp somewhere in the cab of your car to make it as effective as possible, but where?
If you’re like most car audio enthusiasts, you have a lot of questions about the best ways to get your amp set up and ready to go.
I’ve put together this guide with helpful considerations for a few different kinds of mounting solutions so that by the end of it, you should be well on your way toward an excellent-sounding setup.
1. Wire Your Amp to Your Trunk
A good way to mount your amp is by attaching it to the frame of your trunk. This will provide a solid foundation for your amp, but it won’t allow for much flexibility in positioning. The trunk of the car is also fair game if you’d rather have a clean look instead of drilling into that nice wooden paneling on the side of your ride.
If you’re handy with tools, this method is simple enough: drill a few holes and screw in some threaded inserts or bolts (depending on what type of vehicle you have). You can then use nuts and washers or wingnuts to secure the amp in place.
2. Under the Front Car Seat
If you’re looking to hide your amp, a good place to start is under the front seat. This will keep it out of sight. You might also consider mounting the amp under the rear seat in case you want to change locations in the future.
The main benefit of mounting an amp under a front seat is that it takes up very little space and provides easy access for wiring, which means less hassle for you when installing or changing equipment later on down the road.
Not only does this keep your car’s interior looking nice and clean, but it ensures that your amplifier stays protected from elements such as rainwater and dust particles that can cause damage over time if left exposed to them constantly.
3. Spare Tire Area
You can mount an amp in your spare tire area. It’s out of the way and you still have access to it, but you’ll want to make sure that whatever you’re mounting isn’t blocking any important components such as the shock absorbers or springs.
If you choose this method, make sure there’s enough room behind your amp before purchasing it so that no wires need to go through the body of the car itself. You’ll also need a way to run wires from inside your trunk up to where your amplifier will be mounted.
4. Within the Rear Quarter Panel
Mounting the amp in the rear quarter panel is a good option for those who want to keep their car’s interior looking clean and uncluttered. This location is more secure than others, so it may be worth using if you’re concerned about theft or vandalism.
It’s easier to run power and speaker wires from this location to your amplifier than from other locations because you’ll only have one side of your car (the rear) instead of two sides (the front and back).
So, if you’ve decided that installing an amp on either side of your car isn’t ideal for whatever reason or you’re worried about theft or vandalism, perhaps mounting an amp in the rear quarter panel might be preferable.
5. Use an Amp Rack
An amp rack is a special type of metal enclosure that is designed to hold large car amps. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, so you can find one that matches your vehicle’s interior design.
When installing an amp rack in your vehicle, it is important to first use the correct mounting hardware for your amplifier unit. You may have to contact your manufacturer for this information since many different types of hardware exist for mounting amplifiers under the hood or inside a car’s trunk or cabin area.
If you aren’t sure which type will work best with your amps, try searching online for “amp mounting options” along with their model number or part number (if available).
Also, note whether the amp rack has any pre-drilled holes in it already; these are used during installation when bolting down large equipment like televisions or speakers that require extra support not provided by simply placing them inside an empty space like other electronics.
6. You Can Create Custom Mounts for Your Car Amp
Car amp mounts come in a variety of styles and materials, including wood, metal, and plastic. A wooden mount will give off a classic look while being durable enough to last for years. If you prefer something that looks more modern or contemporary, choose an aluminum or stainless steel model instead.
First, you need the right kind of mounting system. Choose a simple clamp mount if you want to put the amp on a flat surface in your car. A suction cup mount works well for mounting an amp to a curved surface like an instrument panel or door panel.
There are plenty of options when it comes to choosing where exactly you want to install your amplifier so take some time thinking about what works best for your vehicle and needs before making any decisions about how it will be mounted there.
Tips for Mounting a Car Amp
- Mounting an amp in your car can be a challenge, but it can be done. To make sure the sound quality and safety of your system are not compromised, choose a location that is easy to access, yet still protects the amp from weather and theft. In addition to car stereo ground wire problem.
- The most obvious option is to mount it under the driver’s seat or in the trunk area. This way you can easily reach it whenever you need to change settings or replace parts (like tubes) on your amplifiers. The downside with this method is that if you live in an area where there are frequent downpours or heavy snowfall, then having all of those electrical components near water could spell disaster for them over time.
- If you do decide on mounting inside one of these locations then make sure they are well-ventilated so no moisture builds up inside them which could damage anything electronic inside those areas like speakers or the amplifiers themselves.
Why You Shouldn’t Mount a Car Amp on a Car Subwoofer Box
If you are mounting your amp on the subwoofer box, you need to know that it is not good for the amp. Why? There are many reasons for this. Let’s look at some of them:
- The amp will vibrate and rattle against the subwoofer box. This will cause it to break down much faster than normal and can also damage other parts of your system such as speakers or head unit.
- The amp will overheat due to being mounted directly on a hot surface like the inside of the car door panel or subwoofer enclosure that is in direct sunlight all day long during summer months or near heat sources like exhaust pipes etc. It would be better if you could mount it somewhere else instead of where there is no direct contact with any hot surfaces then better yet would be somewhere cool inside your vehicle such as behind/underneath/inside the driver seat area if possible.
- Mounting an amplifier inside a sealed enclosure can lead to moisture build-up within its case due to condensation. This might not allow the amplifier to last as it is supposed to.
Read: Car Speaker not working on One Side
Conclusion
As you can tell, there are a lot of different mounting options for your car amp. You can decide to do any of the following;
- Wire your amp to your trunk’s
- Under the front car seat
- Spare tire area
- Within the rear quarter panel
- Use an amp rack
- You can create custom mounts for your car amp.
The most important thing is to figure out what will work best for your vehicle. Some cars may not have enough space under the seat, but others might not have any floor space behind the seats as there could be a factory subwoofer enclosure in its place.
Whatever option you choose, just make sure that it won’t block any airflow vents that need cool air from outside of your vehicle (such as the ones on amplifier enclosures or other electronic devices).