Here's an easy to follow guide to replacing your front speakers with some much better aftermarket ones.
Tools needed: #2 Phillips screwdriver, Door trim panel removal tool, Straight pick or other long narrow sharp tool, Drill and small bits, Self tapping sheetmetal screws, 1/4" socket adapter for drill and 1/4" socket, File, utility knife or Dremel, Speaker adapter rings from Circuit City ($12), thin weather stripping tape.
First thing you wanna do is remove the door handle trim. There are 2 screws that secure it to the door frame. They might have little plastic covers on them so when you pry them up, be careful or they will break and never fit right again. After that has been removed, it's time to find/remove the other 2 screws (*) on the door panel. Look into the armrest/handle area where you grab the handle to pull it shut. There's a small rectangular plug in there. Pry it out and there's the first screw. Take it out and set it aside in a safe place with the others. Now, look towards the bottom of the door, rearwards by the courtesy light. There's your second screw. Remove it as well and place with the others. Now, take the trim panel tool and insert it at the top corner by the mirror. There's a plastic button piece in the panel. Pry with a fast/firm motion and this piece will pop out. Becareful not to loose it!! Place it with the remaining screws. From that part of the door panel, work your way around the panel going from front, to bottom to rear. When you get to the rear, pry the panel away slightly so you can see the location of the trim panel clips. You want to insert the tool inbetween those and the metal frame of the door. Otherwise, you'll pry the brackets off of the door panel itself. Once you release all of the retaining clips, give the door a slight tug towards you from the bottom edge. It should come towards you easily. Now, tilt it up from the front and pick it up in the rear and pull it straight up off the door skin. Don't pull too hard as you'll tear the wires from the clips in the door switches. There are 3 wires you need to disconnect. unclip them and set the panel aside in a safe place for now.
Now we'll work with the factory speaker pod. There is a plastic enclosure attached to the bottom part of the door skin with a 4.5" speaker mounted to it. Remove the speaker/wire from the pod and set it to the side. Then, remove the pod from the door skin. Look around the hole that's left and you'll see some round yellow plugs. You need to remove these or the trim ring will not sit straight. I used a flat screwdriver to pry them out by twisting and them pushing them thru. After you remove those, you're ready to start mounting the rings.
Remove the rings from the package and place one with the solid side out over the hole in the door skin. Move it around until it "feels" like it's in the right spot. It will sorta stop in a certain spot by itself when you move it around. Now you need to mark your holes to mount it. I used a small straight metal pick and scratched the marks onto the door skin. After you mark the spots, you can use the self tapping sheet metal screws or drill a pilot hole and reuse the screws that held the speaker to the speaker pod. I used the sheetmetal screws. After you made your holes, insert the screws and tighten them fairly snug but not too snug. You don't want to strip the holes out. Now, check the ring and make sure it fits flush and sits straight. IF it does, great!! Remove it from the door and set it to the side. Take the thin weather stripping tape and run it around the hole where the ring sits. This is to ensure the ring does not vibrate any. Before you mount them back, you need to cut a small groove for the speaker wire to pass behind the ring and to the speaker itself. I used my dremel and made a groove just deep enough for the wire to pass thru. After you have done that, install the ring back onto the door and tighten snugly. Now you are ready to install your speakers. Take the speaker and install the wires, black/wite on positive(+) and solid black onto negative (-). Put the speaker onto the ring and mark your holes for the screws. Most speakers come with mounting hardware. Use that to mount them to the rings. Make sure they sit straight and have no gaps.
Now you're ready to put it all back together. Get the door panel and hold it slightly above the height of the window lip. Install the wire to the courtesy lamp first. Then install the wires to the power locks/windows if equipped. Take the panel and rest it onto the edge of the door skin. It should drop right into place. Work from the front to the bottom and then the rear. Insert the plastic clips into the holes. They should go right back into the holes with a firm push towards the door skin. after all the clips are secured, insert the plastic button piece back into the hole at the front/top of the panel. Insert the screws back into the panel and install the plug back inside of the door handle. Install the door handle trim piece and your done!!
* The passenger door has a screw just behind the trim piece that also secures the panel to the door skin. So you know the passenger door has 3 screws and the driver's door has 2. The rest is similar from door to door. I'll try and get some pics when I get to borrow a cam from my friend. Hope this proves to be helpful!!
Tools needed: #2 Phillips screwdriver, Door trim panel removal tool, Straight pick or other long narrow sharp tool, Drill and small bits, Self tapping sheetmetal screws, 1/4" socket adapter for drill and 1/4" socket, File, utility knife or Dremel, Speaker adapter rings from Circuit City ($12), thin weather stripping tape.
First thing you wanna do is remove the door handle trim. There are 2 screws that secure it to the door frame. They might have little plastic covers on them so when you pry them up, be careful or they will break and never fit right again. After that has been removed, it's time to find/remove the other 2 screws (*) on the door panel. Look into the armrest/handle area where you grab the handle to pull it shut. There's a small rectangular plug in there. Pry it out and there's the first screw. Take it out and set it aside in a safe place with the others. Now, look towards the bottom of the door, rearwards by the courtesy light. There's your second screw. Remove it as well and place with the others. Now, take the trim panel tool and insert it at the top corner by the mirror. There's a plastic button piece in the panel. Pry with a fast/firm motion and this piece will pop out. Becareful not to loose it!! Place it with the remaining screws. From that part of the door panel, work your way around the panel going from front, to bottom to rear. When you get to the rear, pry the panel away slightly so you can see the location of the trim panel clips. You want to insert the tool inbetween those and the metal frame of the door. Otherwise, you'll pry the brackets off of the door panel itself. Once you release all of the retaining clips, give the door a slight tug towards you from the bottom edge. It should come towards you easily. Now, tilt it up from the front and pick it up in the rear and pull it straight up off the door skin. Don't pull too hard as you'll tear the wires from the clips in the door switches. There are 3 wires you need to disconnect. unclip them and set the panel aside in a safe place for now.
Now we'll work with the factory speaker pod. There is a plastic enclosure attached to the bottom part of the door skin with a 4.5" speaker mounted to it. Remove the speaker/wire from the pod and set it to the side. Then, remove the pod from the door skin. Look around the hole that's left and you'll see some round yellow plugs. You need to remove these or the trim ring will not sit straight. I used a flat screwdriver to pry them out by twisting and them pushing them thru. After you remove those, you're ready to start mounting the rings.
Remove the rings from the package and place one with the solid side out over the hole in the door skin. Move it around until it "feels" like it's in the right spot. It will sorta stop in a certain spot by itself when you move it around. Now you need to mark your holes to mount it. I used a small straight metal pick and scratched the marks onto the door skin. After you mark the spots, you can use the self tapping sheet metal screws or drill a pilot hole and reuse the screws that held the speaker to the speaker pod. I used the sheetmetal screws. After you made your holes, insert the screws and tighten them fairly snug but not too snug. You don't want to strip the holes out. Now, check the ring and make sure it fits flush and sits straight. IF it does, great!! Remove it from the door and set it to the side. Take the thin weather stripping tape and run it around the hole where the ring sits. This is to ensure the ring does not vibrate any. Before you mount them back, you need to cut a small groove for the speaker wire to pass behind the ring and to the speaker itself. I used my dremel and made a groove just deep enough for the wire to pass thru. After you have done that, install the ring back onto the door and tighten snugly. Now you are ready to install your speakers. Take the speaker and install the wires, black/wite on positive(+) and solid black onto negative (-). Put the speaker onto the ring and mark your holes for the screws. Most speakers come with mounting hardware. Use that to mount them to the rings. Make sure they sit straight and have no gaps.
Now you're ready to put it all back together. Get the door panel and hold it slightly above the height of the window lip. Install the wire to the courtesy lamp first. Then install the wires to the power locks/windows if equipped. Take the panel and rest it onto the edge of the door skin. It should drop right into place. Work from the front to the bottom and then the rear. Insert the plastic clips into the holes. They should go right back into the holes with a firm push towards the door skin. after all the clips are secured, insert the plastic button piece back into the hole at the front/top of the panel. Insert the screws back into the panel and install the plug back inside of the door handle. Install the door handle trim piece and your done!!
* The passenger door has a screw just behind the trim piece that also secures the panel to the door skin. So you know the passenger door has 3 screws and the driver's door has 2. The rest is similar from door to door. I'll try and get some pics when I get to borrow a cam from my friend. Hope this proves to be helpful!!
can you noobs get into the other forums?
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