Replacing sub woofer problem - help

Grock

Registered User
I have an 89 SC with a blown sub-woofer. I'm taking out the sub box from the trunk to replace the speaker. The problem is with the 2 bolts that hold the box towards the front of the car (under the rear shelf). The bolts just turn when I try to remove the nuts. I don't know how to access the top of the bolts to grip them while I remove the nuts. Do I need to remove the rear parcel shelf? If so, how do I do it. Any advice would be VERY appreciated.

GS Rock:confused:
 
You should not need to remove the shelf. I get mine out with small vice grips on the bolt and a 3/8 rachet on the nuts. Its tight and some you must go with feel as you cant see what you are doing. Keep at it. You will get it.
Not a fun job.
 
Taking out the rear deck lid isn't that hard, just time consuming....:rolleyes:

If you are still having trouble, let me know....

I have replaced quite a few rear decks on my SCs.....
 
Thanks for the replies and encouragement on my sub woofer removal problem.
re: using the small vice grips to grab the bolt, did you grab the bolt on the shaft, of were you able to somehow get to the head of the bolt without removing the parcel shelf??
Thanks again for your replies.

Grock

ps: Though I am classified as a newbie, I have been in this club since 2002. I bought my 89' SC new and it now has 117,000 miles and still runs like a champ.
 
Each sub box retaining bolt has a square shoulder on the side above the molded front flanges on the sub-woofer. Same for the metal flanges on the rear. When I removed mine, the rears both spun & I had to slide an open-end wrench in between the flange and the rear deck sheetmetal to hold the bolts while I removed the nuts. I can't recall if I used a 5/8" or 11/16", sorry. The weight of the sub box tensioned the fronts so that I could remove the capture nuts with a socket & extension.

As you can see in the photo, the square shoulder portion of the front bolts is shrouded by the surrounding sheet metal...

If you're having trouble getting a tool onto the upper part of the retaining bolts on the front flanges, you might want to try pulling down on the rear of the sub box while using an air ratchet to quickly spin the nuts off the fronts. Placing a large flat-bladed screw driver in between the deck and the sub box flanges and prying down will also help to load the fastener a bit at the top...again, hopefully keeping it from spinning while you back the nut off. Having the seat back open can provide a bit of additional room to work.

Good luck :)

P.S.
>I bought my 89' SC new and it now has 117,000 miles and still runs like a champ.

I'd say you've been 'in the club' since '89;)
 

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AIRGRINDER FTW. lol. not to sure about the stock sub system. However id like to suggest an aftermarket sub replacement. many other subs out there sound far better. I use jl audio myself. My t-bird system is loud and sounds good but my suburban systems is purely painful being 3 jl audio 12w3's. I was able to fit 1 jl audio 13w7 in the t-bird. It can also fit 10's pretty well to. I just wanted the 13w7, sadly i had to remove the spare tire in order to fit it in, and yes its very very tight. If you dont want to take the spare tire out the 10's fit nicely.
 
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