FINALLY, pics of foam & sub inside

[joflewbyu2]

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/details.php?image_id=216 not mine pic but it shows the foam which i believe is there for shipping purposes only (to protect the speaker when the part is in transit before being installed in car). the foam circular surround is there to seal against the bottom of the rear deck to improve sound, keep dirt out and stop any rattling in the rear deck. speaker looks of good quality - rubber surround and poly cone versus the usual foam surround and paper cone.

[TAF]

I left this in during the recent install of my speaker upgrade. Installer recommended it, as well. He did not think it was just for shipping purposes. I don't really know what it is for (exactly) either and I'm not an "audiophile", so...

I DO however, highly recommend the speaker upgrade. With better speakers, you don't have to turn up as loud and you avoid the "rattle"...(Dynomat helps, as well)

[martyo]

Jo: I am with you on this one. The odd thing is that Crutchfield shows this piece of foam as a part to be removed when doing a speaker swap, so they obviously think it is "supposed to be there."

Like I said a while back, I took mine out and it makes a world of difference. I recommend this mod to all, even if you are not swapping out any of the speakers.

[Slowpoke]

yep... I took mine out as well and the sound improved dramatically.

I cannot understand how an untethered piece of foam knocking around inside that cavity could possibly do anything to help the bass. When I look at subwoofers in the Crutchfield catalog, they appear to not come with a piece of foam. If the foam is supposed to be there, just think of the money we could make selling foam to all those people who don't know about the foam-factor!

My vote=no foam!

[LincMercLover]

I left mine in to protect the sub "inards."

[TAF]

I left my in to protect the sub "inards."

LML...you'd "fit right in" down here...

[LincMercLover]

Boys... :shake:

[joflewbyu2]

FYI, the radio has its own power for the 4 speakers - 2 front and rear 6 x 8s. the 100 watt amp in the trunk powers the 6.75" sub. simple test, unplug the amp in the trunk and play the radio. should hear the radio without the sub. i could barely tell a difference with the foam in and now i definately can tell and know there's plenty of power powering the sub. doesn't make sense to have foam blocking the speaker - they don't have it on the 6 x 8s. if there are some who haven't removed the foam yet, give it a try - you won't be disappointed. you could always just drop the 4 nuts on the sub case and reinstall the foam if you don't like it.

[RCSignals]

I'd say it looks like something for shipping the speaker from the manufacturer to Ford.
The installers at the assembly plant are probably supposed to remove it

[gja]

Actually, removing the foam is fine as long as you put some type of speaker cloth/stockings over the sub opening to provide protection from grit and such falling onto the sub and making a hellish rattle (or worse). I stretched stockings over the rear set of speakers so I would not have to think about that. Same for the sub.

[LincMercLover]

^Exactly why mines in.^

My GF won't let me borrow any pantyhose... :(

[gja]

LML,
Just go to the local store and buy your own. Have some fun with the girl behind the counter, while you are at it. Ask her what size she thinks you would need !!!!
LOL:banana: :lol:

[prchrman]

Just make sure they match your lipstick...JK...

[CRUZTAKER]

GJA:

I find more respect for you as each post passes.

....now excuse me, I'm off to Victoria Secret :burnout:

[TAF]

Use thigh-highs....



toddalanfisher would LOVE to insert an image here:

[LincMercLover]

Victoria's Secret?!?! You really do go all the way for your car don't you? :lol:

[looking97233]

Not that I know, but my thought is that the foam is there to keep the subwofer from over extending itself. If it is overdriven, which is easy to do since it is small, it could over travel and break itself. Anybody else have thoughts?

[Slowpoke]

my thought is that the foam does not belong there.

i have a subwoofer in my living room and it does not have foam on the speaker. in fact i took the piece of foam from the MM i removed on Saturday and placed it on the subwoofer [after i turned it ride side up because the subwoofer is aimed at the floor] and turned up some REO Speedwagon.......... like my MM, it rattled!

wife thought i was nuts.

when i bought my car it had paper floormats; if i use the logic here, i should return the car to the dealer because those floormats were tearing and since the car is under warranty, they should replace them. of course I know those paper floormats were only there to keep the dealer shop monkeys' greasy shoes off the carpet.

[RCSignals]

To me that piece of foam is like a big "ear plug" for the speaker

[LincMercLover]

Poke,

That's exactly it, that woofer is pointed to the floor, unable to "capture" dirt from the surronding area, causeing damage and poor sound from the woofer. I still say that this thing is in there to protect the woofer from getting bits of grit down into, causing rattle. The nylon solution sounds like a good idea, but for now mine stays cause I don't feel like tearing my car apart in this nice weather! :D

[Slowpoke]

if it was there to protect the subwoofer from dirt, grime, etc. it would cover the entre area of the subwoofer. As it is, it will not protect anthing since it does not completely over the subwoofer. besides, there is little chance of anything getting in there becuse the back tray pakage does not have an opening for the subwoofer. The grill covering the speaker covers only the speaker; not the subwoofer.

Get back there, remove the grill and reach your fingers under the tray ledge and reach into the cavity holding the piece of foam.... feel around - you will find that the area above the subwoofer is solid and therefore no protection is needed.

now that i got that off my chest.... nothing more from Slowpoke on this topic!

[martyo]

Slow down Slowpoke, did you remove the "other" piece of foam that the factory forgot to remove from the package shelf????

Remember there are two "fixes" that need to be done for this one problem.

[Slowpoke]

there as only one piece of foam over the subwoofer. the thick star-shaped one. there was no oher piece. if you're talking about the 'scotch-brite' foam others have mentioned, it was not on my car.

[LincMercLover]

I'm talking about the scotch-brite piece. And there is an opening in the rear package tray for sound to emmit through. Remember the "needle trick" to find out if they left in the sound mat cut-out? Only thing in mine is that scotch-brite thing that does cover the intire opening of the sub.

[joflewbyu2]

possibly a solution to this question, someone with access to parts department computer see if this piece shows up with a part # to be ordered. the computer shows a picture of the parts and breaks down each multi piece part too.