S_Johnson

So, I bought kick panel speaker "pods" off of ebay. Just got done installing my speakers in them etc...

Then, I go to install them in the car, and realize they aren't the right shape??

They are missing the part of the kick panel that wraps around the door ledge metal. And they are too "short" (don't go towards the back of the car far enough) to meet up with the door sill trim.

They are clearly FOR a thirdgen, and yet I clearly can't use them this way. Nor do they appear to be designed to go ONTO the original kick panels.

I'm so totally confused, are their 2 styles of kick panels in our cars, and I have the wrong ones or something? I've looked up several different ones for sale, and some appear to be this style, and some are more "complete." So I'm totally lost.

Thank you!

GASPEDDLER

iTrader: (2)

You may be missing these plastic trim pieces.

GASPEDDLER

iTrader: (2)

GASPEDDLER

iTrader: (2)

Left side with plastic trim





Right side w/o plastic trim attached

S_Johnson

No, that doesn't look right :/

Here are pictures of my stock panel back (passenger side) and the new kick panel I got that doesn't fit up.

S_Johnson

This is my stock kick panel back.





Here is the back of the new kick panel. Notice how it's smaller and doesn't curl around at all.





Here's a view of the front of the driver's side. I'm confused because I've seen several like this for sale for our cars, and yet, I don't understand how you could use them?

GASPEDDLER

iTrader: (2)

I see your dilemma.

S_Johnson

What's confusing me is that they clearly are generally FOR a thirdgen. I mean, the shape of what is there perfectly lines up, and 4th gens for instance, have a more rounded bottom piece, so it's not for a 4th gen.

I don't understand how these can work. And yet from stuff I've seen, some people clearly have used them...

alex722607

iTrader: (3)

perhaps they are meant to be mounted over the existing ones? I dont know, I am just spitballing

S_Johnson

That's what I thought, but the shape doesn't match up. The only thing I can think of to do, is to put them in, then cut out the missing portions from my OEM kick panels, and hybrid them together... I can make it look really good I think, but I'm super pissed it doesn't work right.

jharrison5

Judging from the shape it looks as if they weren't designed to wrap around like the factory pieces do. My car came equipped with the Bose system and has the screw on trim pieces like the pics Gaspeddler posted.

S_Johnson

Yeah, it's not designed to go around, obviously, but the bose trim pieces wouldn't work.

As you can see in the pictures posted, they don't match up in at all the same way. I can make them work I guess, by grafting pieces of my OEM kick panels onto them, but I'm super annoyed they don't just fit. When they are expressly stated to be a direct fit.

cdoyle

Are these Q-Forms?
I remember way back when I had purchased a set of Q-Form for mine. Same kind of thing they didn't wrap around. Instead what they gave you was this piece that kind of snapped over the form and the edge of the car. To keep them in place.

I don't have them anymore, and don't have any pics. But it was like a molding piece that you pushed over both.

S_Johnson

Yeah, I found this out a couple days ago, and the seller on eBay said he didn't realize these went WITH the kick panels, and is shipping them to me. SO I should be all good.

However, I got them hooked up, and the lack of enclosure is apparently a show-stopper. They produce like, ZERO bass sound at all. Like none. And I can see the driver going crazy, it's not a lack of power. I think it's just cancelling itself out because of the lack of an enclosure :/

I'm thinking about doing my own door-panel design. Thoughts?

Justins86bird

I had q-forms. I never liked that strip, always looked out of place. After trying several different kinds of panels and never having any room for my left foot, I made my own patterned after the Bose panels.

AmorgetRS

iTrader: (6)

Are you sure you have your front speakers in phase? If you have them out of phase (basically one speaker hooked up backwards) it can kill the bass due to canceling sound waves.

Justins86bird

Check Amorget's suggestion. You have to see what the mfg calls for as far as an enclosure. Some mids specifically say not to put them in an enclosure. As for the door location, you still going to be open air behind the speaker inside the whole door, plus they'll get wet no matter how good the window seals are. Kick panel is a better location sound wise. Those Pioneers the speakers you're using? I wouldn't expect much out of them. Your sub should be providing most of the bass.