Spare removal for Sub???

[handyman_321]

I have a 99 GTS... I was thinking of removing the spare tire and putting a sub in there. That way I won't lose any storage space which is at a premium in these cars. Has anybody done this??? concerns??? any pics???

Thanks

Handy

 

[handyman_321]

OK here's what I'm leaning towards

I'm going to keep my 4 infinity Kappa 6.1 speakers. They are a little old but should sound fine. I'm going to add a Pioneer 4900 deck (50 watts X 4), Infinity 10 inch sub with an infinity 300 watt amp.

This should sound pretty good I hope...

 

[DrumrBoy]

I have a 99 GTS... I was thinking of removing the spare tire and putting a sub in there. That way I won't lose any storage space which is at a premium in these cars. Has anybody done this??? concerns??? any pics???

Thanks

Handy

I can send you pix tomorrow if you want, I put a sub and amp set-up wher the spare used to be. Its very clean to do it that way and provides good space for the odd bag or case of malt beverage.

I have heard but can't confirm that the spare has a role in the structural/crash integrity of the rear end of the GTS. Seems like a stretch but may be true. If I'm going any serious distance, I just throw the spare in over a towel....but usually I get my buddioes with enclosed trailers to carry it for me (along with the track Hoosiers).

 

[Venom-US]

I have this setup. I wanted to keep the spare tire for long road trips. My 10" sub is at an angle, but I have seen them vertical in the corner giving more space.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I have heard but can't confirm that the spare has a role in the structural/crash integrity of the rear end of the GTS. Seems like a stretch but may be true.

I tend to agree that it seems like a stretch.

 

[handyman_321]

Thanks drummerboy, any pics would be appreciated... you can send them to [email protected] or post them either way would be great.

Venom I like that set up, amd I was thinking about doing something like that but I was worried about the baffels in behind where your sub is. Are there any problems with the baffels covering one of them up that way??

Thanks for the input guys

Handy

 

[SylvanSRT]

not a stretch, i have been told that ViperDays will not let you run without a spare in place, when bolted/screwed into place the spare becomes an intergal part of crumple zone and tere is actually a cable that connects the rear two sides of the frame/chassis to the bolted in spare

 

[dave6666]

I have this setup. I wanted to keep the spare tire for long road trips. My 10" sub is at an angle, but I have seen them vertical in the corner giving more space.

Who did that install?

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

I have heard but can't confirm that the spare has a role in the structural/crash integrity of the rear end of the GTS. Seems like a stretch but may be true. If I'm going any serious distance, I just throw the spare in over a towel....but usually I get my buddioes with enclosed trailers to carry it for me (along with the track Hoosiers).

Makes perfect sense to me. That would be the gas tank an inch or two from your back. I'll take any buffer I can between the rear end and the gas tank. We don't ever take it out. Stereo systems may be compromised, but then the Viper was never intended to be a sound machine. You can easily pack 2 weeks worth of clothes (for 2 people) in an RT/10 with the spare in place.

Steve

 

[Viper Wizard]

not a stretch, i have been told that ViperDays will not let you run without a spare in place, when bolted/screwed into place the spare becomes an intergal part of crumple zone and tere is actually a cable that connects the rear two sides of the frame/chassis to the bolted in spare

IT IS TRUE! Without the spare in place and lets says you spin out and back it into a telephone pole, your frame rails may split resulting in catastrophic failure!! If this should happen and you or your passenger gets hurt and there is an investigation, if they determine that the spare not being in place causing the injury, you f**king lose!! So don't be stupid, leave the spare in place! The engineers know MORE then you when designing this car!

 

[SylvanSRT]

thanks for even more confirmation/afirmation and everytime I get this answer it comes from people who know!! All of the other sides opinions comes from people who think/believe what they want to for whatever reason. In similar threads i have answered this question the same for years and the naysayers always seem to be more vocal. Thanks again Chuck

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

We ran without the spare for one summer in 2001, before hearing from some of the Team Viper guys, on a trip downstate, this piece of info. Never been without it since.

Steve

 

[handyman_321]

Well... I know better than to go against the word of the wizard, so the spare is staying in.

Hey Wiz is it Ok to put a sub in the side area of the rear in front of the baffles or does this screw them up?

Thanks guys

 

[Viper Wizard]

Well... I know better than to go against the word of the wizard, so the spare is staying in.

Hey Wiz is it Ok to put a sub in the side area of the rear in front of the baffles or does this screw them up?

Thanks guys

I not saying I know everything and I'll be the first to admit that!
"last weak i cudnt speal mercanik now i r 1"

The vents/exhausters are there to let air out of the cabin, i.e. closing the last door with the windows up or turning the fan on ac/heat. There are four, two in each rear corner. If your going to block them with stereo equipment, just leave a bathway for air.

 

[handyman_321]

Thanks Chuck

 

[Venom-US]

Handyman: No problems. At VOI9 had the windows down on the track @ 130mph and on the hwy @ 85mph with only one window down. No resonance. I'm sure this restricts some of the air out the vent, but not enough to cause any problems. Not sure about speeds above 130mph yet

Dave: This was installed at CarToys here in town. http://www.cartoys.com/

 

[GTSnake]

Handyman: No problems. At VOI9 had the windows down on the track @ 130mph and on the hwy @ 85mph with only one window down. No resonance. I'm sure this restricts some of the air out the vent, but not enough to cause any problems. Not sure about speeds above 130mph yet

Just hope your airbags never blow. You will end up with blown eardrums and lacerations from broken glass. Not to mention your rear hatch hinge coming loose over time.

 

[handyman_321]

Well, I added a pioneer 6900 head unit to go with my infinity kappa speakers and the difference in sound is amazing. Once I tweaked the settings a little the speakers sound much better. The great thing about this deck is that I downloaded and organized all my music onto a 1 GB usb memory stick and it plugs right into this deck. The installer has the plug beside the drivers seat and I just plug the memory stick in and put it in the mesh on the front of my seat.

I'm going to hold off on the sub for a while because the custom box, sub and amp are a little more than I want to spend right now.

But it sounds nice the way it is, thanks for the info guys

Handy

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

IT IS TRUE! Without the spare in place and lets says you spin out and back it into a telephone pole, your frame rails may split resulting in catastrophic failure!! If this should happen and you or your passenger gets hurt and there is an investigation, if they determine that the spare not being in place causing the injury, you f**king lose!! So don't be stupid, leave the spare in place! The engineers know MORE then you when designing this car!

We've been on this site a long time so with due respect, is there a different set of government regulations regarding safety in the event of needing to use the space-saver spare? Because that big ol' 335 ain't gonna fit where the donut was.

Maybe the government crash test don't consider crashes when the spare is used? It's possible I suppose.

That is what always made me wonder where this info originated.

Not criticizing, just asking.

 

[jpa99acr]

hey venom, a little OT, but did you buy your car with the Venom package already on it or did you have it put on? very awesome! do you have any pics of your car you could post? I'd be curious what the hennessey body kit looks like on that color combo (my favorite!)

 

[Venom-US]

hey venom, a little OT, but did you buy your car with the Venom package already on it or did you have it put on? very awesome! do you have any pics of your car you could post? I'd be curious what the hennessey body kit looks like on that color combo (my favorite!)

Yeah, the car already had the 650R upgrade installed. Only the engine upgrade, not the aero body upgrade. That costs even more

 

[JonB]

Jason S asked me to reply:


If you have a roll bar or cage, no worry. HOWEVER

Some history: When Vipers were first crash-tested by Fed mandate, it was discovered that the RT/10 TRUNK LID can dislodge in a rear crash. If the spare is not in the trunk, the trunk lid can intrude into the cockpit thru the rear window. The rear sport hoop acts as a blade-guide and the trunklid edge becomes a guillotene. The INFLATED Spare Tire, if BOLTED IN, becomes a great shock-absorber and rear tub stiffener and prevents the decklid from moving forward and therefore prevents head loss.

Team Viper members attending the FIRST EVER VIPER NATIONALS DRAG RACES in TX in 1995 pointed this out to the the TECH INSPECTOR there, and spares have been madated in RT/10s ever since. I am fairly certain that tech inspector was the same guy who informed SKIP THOMAS at VIPER DAYS. That tech inspector was me. At the fisrt VOI-sanctioned drags {VOI-4 Orlando} we required Spares in RT10s only.

If you have a ROLL BAR in the car, this prevents the trunk intrusion, so the spare was less important, but still a functional rear-crash safety device preventing more serious frame collapse. So VRL maintained the requirement in non-roll-cage cars, even tho federal REAR CRASH DATA on GTSs was not as forboding results as RT/10.

I think the SRT Spare tie-down is to prevent its mounting-point ejection, not to make it a structural component; But if it stays in place it certainly helps absorb impact. SRT10 frames are carry-over to 2008, and there is NO SPARE in the 08. I am curious about any crash-test results and steps taken for 08.

 

[GTSjbud]

Jason S asked me to reply:


If you have a roll bar or cage, no worry. HOWEVER

Some history: When Vipers were first crash-tested by Fed mandate, it was discovered that the RT/10 TRUNK LID can dislodge in a rear crash. If the spare is not in the trunk, the trunk lid can intrude into the cockpit thru the rear window. The rear sport hoop acts as a blade-guide and the trunk become a guillotene. The INFLATED Spare Tire, if BOLTED IN, becomes a great shock-absorber and rear tub stiffener and prevents head loss.

Team Viper members attending the FIRST EVER VIPER NATIONALS DRAG RACES in TX in 1995 pointed this out to the the TECH INSPECTOR there, and spares have been madated in RT/10s ever since. I am fairly certain that tech inspector was the same guy who informed SKIP THOMAS at VIPER DAYS. That tech inspector was me.

If you have a ROLL BAR in the car, this prevents the trunk intrusion, so the spare was less important, but still a functional rear-crash safety device preventing more serious frame collapse. So VRL maintained the requirement in non-roll-cage cars, even tho federal REAR CRASH DATA on GTSs was not as forboding results as RT/10.

Thanks very much for the info JonB!

My GTS does not have a roll bar and I do not intend on tracking the car. Having said that, is the spare tire a government requirement and/or insurance requirement for safety reasons?

Cheers
Jason

 

[JonB]

Thanks very much for the info JonB....... is the spare tire a government requirement and/or insurance requirement for safety reasons?

Jason

ABSOLUTLEY NOT. Racing venue sanctioning body requirements only. But anyone can sue you for any reason, or for no reason, if they get hurt in your car.

I just spoke to my friend SKIP SHIFTY over at DOT and he says "WE ARE THE FEDS and WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU......BUT WE HAVE NOT MANDATED THAT REQUIREMENT"

For more Skip Shifty Antics, Search SKIP SHIFTY

 

[GTSjbud]

ABSOLUTLEY NOT. Racing venue sanctioning body requirements only. But anyone can sue you for any reason, or for no reason, if they get hurt in your car.

I just spoke to my friend SKIP SHIFTY over at DOT and he says "WE ARE THE FEDS and WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU......BUT WE HAVE NOT MANDATED THAT REQUIREMENT"

For more Skip Shifty Antics, Search SKIP SHIFTY

Thanks for clarifying the spare tire issue for me.

Cheers
Jason