Zpat

Hello from Austria,

i wanted to share my experience with you -
I pulled off the "sub hood", sorry, my english is bad.
Then i cutted the hole bigger, with my dremel, as you can see on the 2nd pic (hopefully, I'm doing this with my phone^^).
Then the speaker is easily pulled out...
After clipping the **** ^^ back on, you can't see the cutting under it. Took me an hour, nothing broken,
no screws left ^^
(again sorry for my speaking)

Regards, Patrick

rkw77080

Thanks for the photos. Someone has done the same thing before (check out Post #221 in the link below), but did not share any photos.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...e-boom-15.html

Zpat

Oh man, and I thought, i did a big deal, as a newcomer
He did even also use a dremel, da*n

2KHarrier

That's... actually...genius. Why didn't I think of doing it this way???

caverman

Does the cover still clip back in. I saw the post where someone mentioned cutting the hole but after looking at it, I was afraid the cover wouldn't clip back on after cutting it but now that I can see it better with your pics it looks as though it would go back like it should.

I was able to skimp by on mine for now. I used liquid electric tape to fix the torn foam. It's not 100% perfect but it helped a whole bunch. I'm sure it's a temp fix though. Ultimately I think I'll have to replace my sub with an aftermarket one.

BTW, what are the details on he sub you replaced it with?

Jabberwock

Makes sense especially since the speaker cover completely hides the expanded area and the cut edges.

Zpat

Thanks,

the sub's qts is great for the free-air-use, like the ML. It is a 4x3 ohms, which makes it 12...
I am afraid, this sub isnt available in the us, not sure... I'll get you all specs tomorrow (10 pm now here)
maybe it helps... costs similar to the "classic" POLK, which isnt available in Austria...

Edit: cover clips back in, it connectes to the steel plate, that holds the speaker, not to the dash

Zpat

Found it ^^

Bocatrip

Why don't members who have replaced the ML Sub with aftermarket and kept their car for a number of years reported back with the results? Is attrition that extreme with LS430 owners with the older cars? I just don't have a read on any owners that have replaced their Sub with aftermarket with complete success over a longer period of time. Some complain about blown amps, others say it's working great while keeping the volume down, and many just don't report back after a number of years. How are we able to tell? A few months or more is not an answer. I don't really know what the success rate might be with replacing the ML Sub with all the mysterious non compatable OHM issues and the mystery behind ML keeping the "real specs" to themselves.

2KHarrier

I have the Polk Audio sub in mine. Been in there for pertin near 3 years now with NO problems. Sounds great and has stood the test of time...

Back to MNF...

Jabberwock

I replaced the broken foam ML sub in my SC430 (which is same in LS430) with a non OEM 16 ohm sub (purchased on ebay) and after more than a year I have absolutely no issues and it sounds great.

Once you pull the super cheap looking ML sub out and look at it it is pretty easy to tell that virtually any replacement sub is going to sound and perform better as long as it is in proper ohm range. 12-16 ohms is ideal, and most 8 ohm units likely would work just fine - don't recall anyone posting they had issues with an 8 ohm sub. The only subs that are almost guaranteed to cause issues with the amp would be 6,4, or 2 ohms units. I played it safe and installed a 16 ohm sub (has two 8 ohm voice coils, aka 8 ohm DVC).

Zpat

Thats right, if its 8 ohms plus (more savely 12-16 ohms) and the parameters meet up
with the freeair-concept, normally nothing can go wrong...

Zpat

there´s one Thing, I´d like to add...

When I thought about doing it this way, I also thought about the 3rd brake light. So i changed it into LED. Just a Kick from the right, and it Comes out (my european writingcorrection does some
stupid Things here, sorry)

Thats a great Advantage, when you want to clean your rear window inside perfectly (mine was really really dirty, when seeing it from the near).

Regards, Patrick

caverman

So, just looking back at your pics, what did you do with your OEM speaker? Looks like it's pretty much in perfect condition. Maybe you should look at selling it on eBay.

Zpat

Hi caverman,

i think, the coil has scratched. It is a totalled...
Btw I would never sell something damaged.
As a sparetimething, a friend and me, we built highend-home (also cinema) speakers

that thing is at its end. And for the looks, it never was good ^^

Regards, Patrick