Sealing C5 doors
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 793
Likes: 2
From: Milwaukee & Long Beach WI & CA
Sealing C5 doors
I'm in the midst of installing a new system in my '01 coupe. I'm deadening the doors and trying to seal them up as best I can as every audio forum I've read says this is key in getting good mid-bass response. I'm wonder what people here have done to seal up the large hole in the rear side of the door.
From the factory there's a thin rubber/plastic panel that seals it up but I was hoping to put in something more rigid like an MDF panel. However, the factory seal is indented to allow for the styrofoam on the door panel to protrude into the hole in the door a bit.
You can see the styrofoam on the door panel here:
Of course I can make an MDF panel with an indentation in it like the factory seal. Or I could shave the styrofoam or even remove it entirely. I'd really rather not alter the door panel though. Making my MDF speaker mounts took a lot longer than I thought it would, so I'd like to make this panel as simple as possible
Just being lazy and wondering what others have done here. Thanks. 
From the factory there's a thin rubber/plastic panel that seals it up but I was hoping to put in something more rigid like an MDF panel. However, the factory seal is indented to allow for the styrofoam on the door panel to protrude into the hole in the door a bit.
You can see the styrofoam on the door panel here:
Of course I can make an MDF panel with an indentation in it like the factory seal. Or I could shave the styrofoam or even remove it entirely. I'd really rather not alter the door panel though. Making my MDF speaker mounts took a lot longer than I thought it would, so I'd like to make this panel as simple as possible
Just being lazy and wondering what others have done here. Thanks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,201
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From: DP(oh you know where) IL
St. Jude Donor '06
you can cut an mdf filler panel, cut out the indentation part, then just take a slightly larger piece and block off the hole from behind and just glue it in place. it will be just like the plastic filler in a sense. Does any one get what im trying to get at?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,394
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From: Bay Area CA
The door itself is actually pretty well sealed (surprised me). We also have a pretty large benefit of having fiberglass panels vs normal steel/aluminum panels. The main section that you mentioned sealed pretty well for me after my sound deadening, but the portion behind the door pull is vented where some plastic clips into place. That would be a very difficult spot to seal well I think, and I just decided not to worry about it. Cone area and crossover points with quality watts are more important than completely sealing a door IMO. That is a tall order and usually only top end competition only cars accomplish it. And most guys/girls at that level end up with space specific enclosures for their drivers in the doors anyway and don't concern themselves with the perfect sealing of the doors. If you attempt it I wish you luck though, as it certainly does help with midbass.
Fej
Fej
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 793
Likes: 2
From: Milwaukee & Long Beach WI & CA
Thanks for the responses guys. DPG, I think I get what your talking about.
Excuse the crude drawing:
So I'd make an MDF panel with a hole in it for the styrofoam to stick into and then an MDF panel to seal up the hole on the backside. I'd just need the MDF panel with the hole to be thick enough to allow the styrofoam to fit in deep enough. I just measured the factory piece and the indentation is about 3/4" so that's not a problem.
For this to work though I'd have to mount the MDF panel with the hole to the inside of the door cause the styrofoam protrudes into the hole in the door. I'm not sure if the inside of the door around the hole is flat. Maybe I should make a third piece to mount on the outside the door where the hole is and have it overhang so I can mount the MDF inside the door to that.
Excuse the crude drawing:
So I'd make an MDF panel with a hole in it for the styrofoam to stick into and then an MDF panel to seal up the hole on the backside. I'd just need the MDF panel with the hole to be thick enough to allow the styrofoam to fit in deep enough. I just measured the factory piece and the indentation is about 3/4" so that's not a problem.
For this to work though I'd have to mount the MDF panel with the hole to the inside of the door cause the styrofoam protrudes into the hole in the door. I'm not sure if the inside of the door around the hole is flat. Maybe I should make a third piece to mount on the outside the door where the hole is and have it overhang so I can mount the MDF inside the door to that.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,201
Likes: 0
From: DP(oh you know where) IL
St. Jude Donor '06
Originally Posted by mathia
Thanks for the responses guys. DPG, I think I get what your talking about.
Excuse the crude drawing:
So I'd make an MDF panel with a hole in it for the styrofoam to stick into and then an MDF panel to seal up the hole on the backside. I'd just need the MDF panel with the hole to be thick enough to allow the styrofoam to fit in deep enough. I just measured the factory piece and the indentation is about 3/4" so that's not a problem.
For this to work though I'd have to mount the MDF panel with the hole to the inside of the door cause the styrofoam protrudes into the hole in the door. I'm not sure if the inside of the door around the hole is flat. Maybe I should make a third piece to mount on the outside the door where the hole is and have it overhang so I can mount the MDF inside the door to that.
Excuse the crude drawing:
So I'd make an MDF panel with a hole in it for the styrofoam to stick into and then an MDF panel to seal up the hole on the backside. I'd just need the MDF panel with the hole to be thick enough to allow the styrofoam to fit in deep enough. I just measured the factory piece and the indentation is about 3/4" so that's not a problem.
For this to work though I'd have to mount the MDF panel with the hole to the inside of the door cause the styrofoam protrudes into the hole in the door. I'm not sure if the inside of the door around the hole is flat. Maybe I should make a third piece to mount on the outside the door where the hole is and have it overhang so I can mount the MDF inside the door to that.
yup thats it. i think it will all be flat so you should be fine in that dept. take lots of pics when and if you do this. sounds like a good idea. I guess you can always shave off some styro foam too if its close
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 5,572
Likes: 4
From: Los Angeles Ca
i shaved off the styrofoam and haven't had any issues...though i haven't hook up my speakers to the amp..or (re)installed the computer... good think i just got a new motorcycle to get me back and forth to work 
