rear speaker (5.25") install with photos

[mattias]

I don't think anyone has posted a play-by-play of installing new rear 5.25 inch speakers . . . so here it goes. This outlines the left panel removal and install, but the right side is exactly the same (except for a longer curtain rail)

delica_speaker.jpg (84.76 KiB) Viewed 16521 times

• 1 - Remove rear bench seat carefully (I scratched my window tint!)
  2 - Remove curtain rail with ~ 4 screws
  3 - Loosen bottom left rubber window seal
  4 - Loosen light grey panel pictured top-left of top-left photo (pop out grey plastic plugs)
  5 - Unscrew visible screws on plastic body panel and hidden screws behind carpet (pictured top-right photo)
  6 - Pop the plastic panel out from the body panel from the red circled areas (man, that plastic is BRITTLE!)
  7 - Once the panel is out you'll see the bracket holding the 7watt stock 5.25 inch speaker.

This bracket has welded nuts and the machine screws were completely stuck. We finally got the speaker out but we had to replace the machine screws when we put in the new 180w pioneer speakers.

We figured out that the blue striped wire on the right side went with the pioneer's black wire, and on the left side the grey striped wire went with the black striped wire. Of course I don't know what colour your wires are but hopefully this will help someone else. We were a little surprised to see different colours on each side. We just soldered the new short wires to the old---the old speaker's connection didn't fit the new ones.

They sound so much better--the difference in quality is amazing. I found a powered 200w 10" sub woofer in a slim box at Best Buy for $150, and it fits perfectly behind the drivers seat. That'll be the next project.

[mararmeisto]

A speaker change-out is going to be one of the upcoming projects for Moon Machine too - sound is a bit 'dull' at this point.

Speaker wire on different sides of the vehicle will be different colors - keeps the arrangement in order when wiring into the back of the radio. I've got the six-speaker arrangement in the van, so I'm interested to know what the arrangement is when I get the side panels off in the rear (are the upper-rear speakers just pig-tailed off the side speakers?).

[Roodman]

I'm just in the process of doing mine too. I have the rear speakers done now. I was super careful but still broke the front top tab on both left and right panels. Automotive goop and some tape to hold it while it dries and it'll be fine though. I didn't bother taking out the seat and it wasn't too bad, just had to move the seat forward and back while having it folded up.

For the machine screws in the speakers I used my impact driver (manual impact driver that is) to loosen them and it worked great without damaging the screws.

Next steps are replacing the stereo, front speakers, mounting an amp and a sub. I picked up a pretty basic setup at North Shore Audio that I think is going to sound pretty skookum.... :)

[Blackberry]

June must be official R&R 5.25" Rear Speakers Month.
Put mine ($60 Pioneers) in and hooked-up deck to see what they sound like. They're somewhat bass-less. Was wondering if stuffing some dense-ish insulation behind them would help or hinder bass? I recall reading elsewhere herein someone mentioning one should back speakers in doors with insulation. The insulation I'm talking about is that grey mineral/rock-based fire-retardant stuff they sell at Home-Despot. It's also considered a very good sound-insulator...recall the woman demoing it at HD had a wood box lined with it, in which she placed a ringing cell-phone... could barely hear the phone from 3ft away. Mind you that was the extra-dense (lower R-value) version of it.

[Roodman]

I'm not an expert, but I don't think the insulation will help. The problem is that 5 1/4" speakers just don't throw much bass. I spent an extra $250 for an amp, a 10" sub in a box (which fits real nicely behind the rear seat) and the wiring kit. Then I've adjusted the front speakers so they don't throw any bass, and the rears only throw a little (cross over frequencies), this makes the sound really nice and clean and leaves all the bass to the sub (which can really pump it out).

[righthandman]

I realize this is an old post, but thanks, it's really helpful. Will be attempting a speaker upgrade this weekend. Cheers!

[sigurross]

I definitely can't afford speakers right now (recovering from buying the van) but this is definitely on my project list and have nabbed this for future reference. Thanks for posting!

[shealy]

Has anyone tried modifying the rear speaker mounts to fit larger speakers in the back? Say 6x9's or something? I'd be interested to heat how it was done if so!

[salmostrom]

rubberduck and i installed 6x9 speakers in my van. We ended up going with felt covered speaker boxes that fit neatly under the rear seat. The boxes were about $20 for the pair at future shop... i put them on the captains chairs for solo road trips and it sounds better. Not an ideal solution, but it works well considering i don't have a sub or anything and it is a ratly diesel.... bonus is you can point them out the sliding door when camping or whatever.

[Golf Cart]

Has anyone tried modifying the rear speaker mounts to fit larger speakers in the back? Say 6x9's or something? I'd be interested to heat how it was done if so!

I installed 6 inch in the original bracket. You will have to cut out the centre to fit the bigger speaker. Best to cut it with a short metal blade on a recip saw. Best to cut it when its attached to the truck

The original plastic panel could be brittle. I just made up new cards sing pressboard from Home Depot, and cheap vinyl from Fanny's. My panels were brittle and after the second snapped bracket, I just busted them up. Besides. you put a 6 inch in the original bracket and it wont fit back inside the speaker area on the original panel.

[almac]

i want to put better speakers in the back, but my galley completely blocks the left side, so i have to look at other options.
i have been thinking of mounting 'enclosed style' speakers on the rear hatch, just above or below the rear window.
http://www.thesource.ca/estore/Product. ... ct=4018173

[xopianoi]

Great post!

Does anyone think it possible/ advisable to install 6x9 speakers in the side positions where these 5.25s originally were?

[Firesong]

Nope

[psychadelica]

When I had my L300 I found a great solution was mounting 6x9's in the standard grey carpeted boxes. They wedged perfectly under the back bench seat and pointed towards the front cab, filling the van with big sound. I also had them attached to about 10ft of extra speaker wire so I could easily pull them out and stick them on the roof of my van and play them outside when hanging out!! Highly recommend that setup. Wish I had some photos. These are the boxes though: http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y69/wr ... kerbox.jpg

[monmendoza]

Thank you for posting. I will do this too.