...what is it for and can it be drilled into or completely removed? I am referring to the plastic box with carpet glued to it that rests underneath the spare tire and foam storage compartment.

It seems to me that it serves no other purpose other that to take up enough space for the lids to rest flush the back seats when folded forward. Also, I suppose it deadens some road noise. I want to remove it so I can do a stacked amp rack, but if it is critical to the operation of the Shortbus, I'll have to come up with something different.

 

That's the only uses I could think of for it. I've taken it out when i was routing wires and doesn't have any electrical connections or anything...

 

It's just sort of... there. The other side has the spare tire, so they put that box there to make the trunk floor flat. You can take the spare out too and get a bit more cargo space if you want.

The bB has nothing in that space because it has no spare tire, so when they decided to bring the car to the US toyota had to figure out where to put it. That's what they came up with.

 

Huh. I did not know there was no spare in the bB. I wonder what other changed there are 'tween the two.

 

thats also why our rear seats are NOT removable.. in the bB they are because it makes the floor flat in ours if we removed the seats the floor would be high in the back and low in the front so they just made them fold flat to give us a flat area to haul things.

 

Our seats are removeable...just a pain to put back in...

 

LOL I know they are but the bB is a little lever that they remove sorta like mini van seats tooless

 

My engine is removable. The seats are just a TINY bit easier.

To replace my rear speakers, (got 5.25" in there easy) I got to disassemble the whole back end today. OH JOY!

I did enjoy seeing what the world looked like without the little storage area and tire. Is perfectly carpeted and even has some cargo tie downs down there. Below the capet is another fake floor. Whats underneath that??? I can't tell you everything :twisted:

I even discovered why my xB has so much road noise from the hatch when driving in the rain. Two little vents under your tail lights vent to the world underneath your bumper skin. They are there to alleviate pressure from slamming the last door in your rig. I placed some Dynamat above them. That oughta help!

Everyone should take all this out once, just to contemplate the option of taking out the tire and getting a better road side assistance club. I may......

 

hey what size speakers are in there stock? are they any good? i mean i always run pioneer in all my cars but im wondering about the quality on those back ones.

 

Hella sweet 4" mounted in an eliptical hole. Not all 5.25" fit. Get a dealer to walk outside with his and fit them.

I got clif designs for $50