Happened to me too
Robert Kohlman said:
Mine quit about 3 weeks ago...got 10 years of thump out of it (BASS is always all the way up...still using factory JBL).
It still worked, just sounded horrible. I took the box apart and If you do it too, do it carfully. It is screwed AND glued together. Here's the steps:
- Disconnect the wiring to the sub amplifier that is mounted to the box
- Remove the four nuts that secure the subwoofer box in the trunck and remove the unit
- Remove the Amplifier
- Remove the 4 screws that hold the mounting bracket to the sub. (be sure to note how it is installed because you can put it on backwards)
- Remove all the remaining screws
- Use a flat head screwdriver to begin prying the box apart where the speaker cable comes out of the sub box
- Carefully pry the two halves apart.
When I got mine open, sure enough, the "foam" had separated from the woofer. So I started to scrounge the garage...
I had an 8" Radio Shack woofer from an old "home made" speaker system. Since the stock was 6.5", I had to do a retrofit.
There is a piece of insulation in the box that is approx. 1 inch thick which "dampens" the "bass wave". I set my 8" replacement speaker centerline over the opening in the insulation. I then marked the speaker mount hole locations by pushing and awl thru the isulation.
Next, I removed the insulation and drilled pilot holes for the new mounting screws. I then made 1" bushings out of 3/16" copper tubing so the speaker would have something solid to mount against. I shoved the bushings through the insulation, lined up the speaker and inserted the new screws (2" drywall screws) directly into the plastic.
I connected the amp and sub up in the trunk and tested to make sure all was ok. Finally, I reassembled and reinstalled the box. Whole project took about 3.5 hours.
Alternativly, you could buy a new head unit and a powered subwoofer but hey, you've got to use your MacGuyver skills to keep them sharp!
If you go to RadioShack.com, the have many subwoofers available that would be a suitable replacement. Most for less than $50.
Good luck.