Tower too small for speaker mount

[VONCE]

The original plan was to add the tow point nav light and I figured I'd add even more LEDs on the tower braces. That led to someone getting a little trigger happy with a dull hole saw. I hated the results and I don't want to talk about it! However, lesson learned and I'm going to utilize some of the holes for my tower speaker wiring. This is leading me to want to mount the speakers on the braces. But the mounts don't clamp down enough.

So, does anyone have any suggestions to make the tower tube diameter thicker? And when that's figured out, does anyone have any suggestions for making those big hideous holes disappear (other than welding)?

 

[Ilmmct]

@VONCE ... qualifier on my reply ... I am not an AV guy, but ran into the same problem in my hobby truck. Had the holes and the speakers I wanted but could not make the depth work because of the cone.

I found the world was my oyster with these contraptions called a "speaker pod". Amazon had a ton of them and one fit my required speaker depth and the color I needed.

The aluminum finish of your tower might be an issue ... but I wonder if some "wheel spacers" (like a speaker pod/ring) might do the trick? Get you the additional 1/2" - 1" of depth needed and provide a reasonably close match to the aluminum finish?

 

[FloJet]

Yes you will need the rubber spacers that should have came with clamps. Tower clamps usually comes with different size spacers just for this reason. If you don't have them, contact the manufacturer of the clamps and see if you can purchase some from them.

 

[VONCE]

I bought these speakers used. I don't believe they came with any spacers. You got me thinking, though... A rubber cylinder of some sort would be perfect. Cut it down the middle to create two semi-circle shaped half-cylinders. The flat side from the cut would match the cross brace, and the domed side would match the speaker mount. Now I just have to find this magic rubber cylinder. I wonder if there's anything from Lowes that would work...

 

[FloJet]

Yes that's exactly what they are. Rubber cylinder type to go inside the clamps. They form fit to the clamps. Hope you find some. Good luck.

 

[Ilmmct]

I used this in my truck:

Boom Mat 50200-Vibration-Sound-Dampening Kit

Thick, pliable and easy to cut.

 

[jcyamaharider]

Try these. It is what The wake board racks and my tower speakers used to fit to the correct diameter.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wakeboard-Tower-Speaker-Lightbar-Mirror-Arm-Clamp-Rubber-Insert-/162230156612?hash=item25c5abbd44:g:6n8AAOSw4shX9ps4


Something here might work for the holes:

https://www.mcmaster.com/#push-in-panel-plugs/=17cqjve

 

[zipper]

I orderd Krypt towers speaker clamps to mount my antennas last year they came with different thickness rubber spacers that will take up the space between the tower and the clamp.They clamp tight and have not slipped on the tower. This pic is the thicker spacer that I did not use, they fit a smaller tubing dia. than the 1 7/8" on my boat. They came long and I cut to length.


Edit: I think you need 1/16" thick material, as this spacer is 1/8" thick, if your clamp is 2" ID.

 

[VONCE]

I got the spacers and they worked for my application. The mounts face up, and the XM9s use a quick connect feature so you can remove them easily. There is a gap on the rubber spacer because my tube isn't cylindrical, but I'll probably be the only one who notices. My friend made me some aluminum plates to cover my hack job on the holes. I added the speaker mounts, a few red LEDs, a white courtesy LED, the tow point light mod, and wired it all up with speed wire (this stuff is cool - there are 9 wires inside!). The wire will have a male Neutrik plug (8 terminal) and connect to the female receptacle on the side of the boat. I can't test everything until I get the tower installed, but I was able to test the LED lighting with a little 9 volt battery.