Door speaker size/dimensions

Topic: Door speaker size/dimensions (Read 5208 times) previous topic - next topic

Door speaker size/dimensions

December 16, 2005, 12:35:22 PM

I just picked up some new 6.5's from the MB Quart DSE 216 package (LINK), but the things are too big to fit flush in the door. As you can see, the things are a bit bulky from the side.

I haven't measured, but placing the speaker in the stock hole, it sticks out probably around 1". What would be the best way to go about installing this thing in there? I can try just drilling new holes and mounting it with some type of spacers, but I don't think the door panel will go back on with the stock grill. I really don't want to cut up the door, making the speaker hole have jagged edges (compared to the folded over edge it has now). I have no problems modifying the stock grill, but from the look of it, the speaker will probably still hit the door panel.

I tried mounting it from the back, but it hits... ummm something... when its almost in position. Too dark out to see what it is, but it can't be moved.

Any tips?

Door speaker size/dimensions

Reply #1 – December 16, 2005, 01:18:37 PM

Make a spacer ring out of MDF, then mount the ring to the door and the speaker to the ring. As long as your have enough space between the front of the speaker and the speaker grill it should work fine.

Door speaker size/dimensions

Reply #2 – December 16, 2005, 05:12:32 PM

I'm curious, how would you bolt or screw into mdf? It isn't that strong. I can see mounting it to either the speaker or the door, using bolts and nuts, but not both. That may be the way around for the next problem:

I got the speakers "mounted" with zip ties and although they push the door panel out a small amount, the screw in the lower corner helps hold the edges flat. It barely fits behind the panel, but it does. The problem? The drivers side is fine, but the passenger side has a buzzing sound from where the speaker meets the door. Obviously the zip ties aren't holding it snug enough, as pushing the speaker onto the door myself, the buzzing stops. I tried adding a 5th tie, and it seemed to hold well until after I got the entire door back together...and the buzzing continued. Not very bad, but its there when turned up. Making a custom spacer should fix this, and be a better install overall.

----

On another note, would installing the crossovers (that came with the 6.5's) right after the factory amp help move power to the door? As far as I know, all 6 speakers get the same frequencies. The 3.5's in the dash get bass, although they shouldn't (and they don't really try playing it). Would a noticeable amount of that low end power move to the doors if using the crossovers on the wiring running to the front speakers? I'm just curious if the 3.5's are eating up power they shouldn't although they don't tend to play bass.

They ARE 4 wires hooking into each front channel, right? I'm looking at http://www.foxthundercats.com/tech/wiringdiagrams/8588premiumweq.pdf . So it would be like this: http://home.comcast.net/~s.g.s/cross.jpg

Door speaker size/dimensions

Reply #3 – December 16, 2005, 08:23:08 PM

Here's one for ANYONE who has seen the front speaker wiring. Where does the wiring split into two (4 wires)? I was hoping Ford ran individual wires from the trunk to each speaker, but thats not so. Can't even try out the crossovers if I can't find the split.

Door speaker size/dimensions

Reply #4 – December 17, 2005, 11:01:19 AM

Come on someone, I want to get the cross overs installed before the step family comes later today, to do an early Christmas thing. Just need to know where the front wires split off.

Door speaker size/dimensions

Reply #5 – December 17, 2005, 01:39:02 PM

dude, just run your own wiring, thats exactly what i did, i ran a wire through the door tubes, then i fed one down through the dash. Its not easy, its a PITA, but it works very well. My 3.8L bird has all new wiring in it, i didnt use a single bit of the radio harness.

Door speaker size/dimensions

Reply #6 – December 17, 2005, 02:00:51 PM

If I wasn't planning on keeping the stock system, I would. I have no need for better sound in the car, thats what my home system's for. I just hate distortion from the dash speakers playing frequencies they can't handle. That and I don't know much about the impedance. With how Ford wired it up, that'd make the stock amp be pushing only 2 ohms, wouldn't it (all speakers are 4ohm)? Can't be too good for the thing when the stock speakers were a better fit. I figure the crossovers would keep the line 4 ohm, while discarding of the dash distortion.

Door speaker size/dimensions

Reply #7 – December 17, 2005, 08:36:05 PM

In regards to the mdf spacer ring, it'll handle having speakers screwed into it. It's often what the pro's use when making custom surrounds and enclosures and such. I've even had a friend use it in his car due too the same reason of the speakers being to deep for the speaker wells.

Now as for the having to much distortion on the front speakers there's and easier fix than using the crossover boxes. Take a look around crutchfield.coms website for inline bass blockers. They'll do exactly what you want and are a heck of a lot easier to install. And if you can't afford or wait for them, they can be built very easily. Just takes a little bit of shopping for a few pieces parts at a radioshack.

Door speaker size/dimensions

Reply #8 – December 17, 2005, 08:42:09 PM

You can run screws into MDF, it just helps to drill pilot holes first or the screws tend to split it.

Door speaker size/dimensions

Reply #9 – December 17, 2005, 09:11:25 PM

Quote from: nirvanagod

Now as for the having to much distortion on the front speakers there's and easier fix than using the crossover boxes. Take a look around crutchfield.coms website for inline bass blockers. They'll do exactly what you want and are a heck of a lot easier to install. And if you can't afford or wait for them, they can be built very easily. Just takes a little bit of shopping for a few pieces parts at a radioshack.

That still wastes the power going to those speakers and doesn't fix the low ohm problem. I'm guessing no one knows exactly, off the top of their head, where the wires split. For all I know, they may be taped up where it happens. They're somewhere beyond the kick panels though - I looked.

Figured it'd be easier than this to get the crossovers installed, but I guess I was wrong. Even if I find where the wires split, there may be no room for the crossovers. I may still yet just run new wires, if I do pickup an Eclipse amp that is being sold locally. Then again, if the price goes up more than its currently at, it'd be more worthwhile just to throw a new deck in (same power but with more clarity).

Well if anyone knows where those wire connections are, it'd be good to know just for future reference, both for myself and the message board. Thanks for the help guys. ;)

Door speaker size/dimensions

Reply #10 – December 18, 2005, 02:36:38 AM

I'll try to trace the wires on the passenger side tomorrow when it warms up above freezing. If I find it, I'll post my findings. Can never have too much information.

Door speaker size/dimensions

Reply #11 – December 18, 2005, 09:41:32 PM

I tried...and had to stop once it started snowing out there. SO COLD.

The passenger side wiring seems to split off somewhere actually within the dash. Then again, there's 4 larger wires, both the same color, going into the dash speaker's connector. The doors have the dual wiring also, but they're different colors for the different harnesses, I believe. So either the dual harness wiring was done differently for the 2 different speakers, or the door wiring just connects to the dash speaker, which goes to the trunk.

I'm just going to run new wires and get a new receiver, since the amp I was looking at kept jumping in price near the end - more than I was willing to pay to amplify the stock system. 50w rms per channel (4) instead of the...20 or so receivers have. Oh well. Have my eyes on a nice Eclipse being sold 30 miles away. What a coincidence though, the amp was also Eclipse. They seem to make some good products - if going for sound quality.

edit:
Wow, this $300 receiver only puts out 13w rms(50 peak). An improvement over the stock amp, but still such low power

Door speaker size/dimensions

Reply #12 – December 20, 2005, 10:50:11 PM

the door speaker harness branches off up into the dash speakers.

Door speaker size/dimensions

Reply #13 – December 21, 2005, 09:34:36 AM

I think there is a print out of the speaker wiring on thunderchickens site. Lemme check really quick
*edit*
looks to be more complete then last time I saw it
http://www.foxthundercats.com/samscars.htm

Door speaker size/dimensions

Reply #14 – December 21, 2005, 12:13:33 PM

Either way, I got everything working with an Eclipse cd3434. Used a lot of insulated connection terminals and 14 gauge wire to easily add/take away wiring down the road if need be. Ran new wires to the dash speakers, from crossovers, and eventually found the non-premium wiring harness for the rest (which actually went to all 6 speakers, I thought it'd be only 4). It was a PITA to find though. Nowhere seen, but I eventually found 8 wires to follow, which enough yanking on it freed it up from the wire mesh it was caught in somewhere deep in the dash. Crossovers fit behind the heater/ac controls.

The weird thing is that at idle, there's 3.5ohm load on all 6 pairs now, but the crossover to headunit dips to 1.8ohm when its active, one of the rear speakers stays at 3.5ohm when active, and the other tests at 6.8 when active. Power wise, its barely an improvement over Premium, but it sounds clearer, and, well, its a cd/mp3 player instead of cassette. Not bad for $100

Now to find some piece to go around the receiver, to get rid of the gap below the unit and where the console cover starts.