Replacing the front speakers - how hard can it be?
Discussion
All,
The front speaker on the driver's side of my car has pretty much given up the ghost. I've got to replace it as it distorts any sound in a fairly hideous manner at any volume. Has anyone done this job and is it something that can be attempted by a relative novice?
Thanks,
Steve
(and Bright Yellow Chimaera)
The front speaker on the driver's side of my car has pretty much given up the ghost. I've got to replace it as it distorts any sound in a fairly hideous manner at any volume. Has anyone done this job and is it something that can be attempted by a relative novice?
Thanks,
Steve
(and Bright Yellow Chimaera)
Yup, it's quite easy. Grille off, and you'll find the screws. Whip those out and the whole thing will come away in your hand.
Run, don't walk, away from the standard Pioneers as a replacement. I ended up with 6.5" Infinity Kappa (or Reference, forget, green though) speakers to replace mine and the difference is light night and day. Most competent car audio places will know which speakers will and will not fit the Chim.
When you fit new speakers, the mounting holes will almost certainly not line up. There'll be a plastic surround that goes on first, with lots of holes. The speaker itself has less holes. So offer the surround and speaker up to the door, figure out where you want your holes, and mark the carpet with a (thin) permanent marker. Drill small pilot holes, then screw in the new surround/speaker and stuff the grille on.
Crank up stereo, be amazed at difference.
Run, don't walk, away from the standard Pioneers as a replacement. I ended up with 6.5" Infinity Kappa (or Reference, forget, green though) speakers to replace mine and the difference is light night and day. Most competent car audio places will know which speakers will and will not fit the Chim.
When you fit new speakers, the mounting holes will almost certainly not line up. There'll be a plastic surround that goes on first, with lots of holes. The speaker itself has less holes. So offer the surround and speaker up to the door, figure out where you want your holes, and mark the carpet with a (thin) permanent marker. Drill small pilot holes, then screw in the new surround/speaker and stuff the grille on.
Crank up stereo, be amazed at difference.
quote:
All,
The front speaker on the driver's side of my car has pretty much given up the ghost. I've got to replace it as it distorts any sound in a fairly hideous manner at any volume. Has anyone done this job and is it something that can be attempted by a relative novice? :confused
I don't suppose you would be wiling to part with one of the speaker covers/grills? One of mine is missing and I'm having trouble locating a spare from Pioneer. Mind you, from the earlier reply looks as if I'll be replacing my speakers soon!!!
MC
Not too much, you need fairly shallow speakers to fit. Window mechanism scissors behind them. Nothing to stop you mounting them on an MDF ring to stand them proud of the door to give more clearance though.
Personally I have trouble with my knee masking off the speaker when I'm driving, so you probably don't want to stand them too far out from the door.
Phil
Personally I have trouble with my knee masking off the speaker when I'm driving, so you probably don't want to stand them too far out from the door.
Phil
MajorClanger,
Will certainly part with a cover - after all it's not much use to me! Contact me with your details and I'll post it to you. I'll also have a spare pioneer soon if you're interested.
Squirrelz,
I fitted Infinity 652s as a replacement - or to be more accurate one so far. They had substantially bigger magnets (only just fitted through the hole cut for the pioneers) and were about a quarter of an inch deeper. I'm not sure how your speakers compare, but a bit bigger is possible. The other issue was the plastic surround for the 652s only just fitted in the carpetted area in the door. It isn't just the depth you need to watch for, my advice would be don't go bigger than 16cm speakers for the doors. Final point is that my speakers came with self tapping screws which were too long to the extent that some of them fouled on the other bits and pieces in the door and had to be replaced.
Cheers,
Steve
(and Yellow Chimaera 5L)
Will certainly part with a cover - after all it's not much use to me! Contact me with your details and I'll post it to you. I'll also have a spare pioneer soon if you're interested.
Squirrelz,
I fitted Infinity 652s as a replacement - or to be more accurate one so far. They had substantially bigger magnets (only just fitted through the hole cut for the pioneers) and were about a quarter of an inch deeper. I'm not sure how your speakers compare, but a bit bigger is possible. The other issue was the plastic surround for the 652s only just fitted in the carpetted area in the door. It isn't just the depth you need to watch for, my advice would be don't go bigger than 16cm speakers for the doors. Final point is that my speakers came with self tapping screws which were too long to the extent that some of them fouled on the other bits and pieces in the door and had to be replaced.
Cheers,
Steve
(and Yellow Chimaera 5L)
MajorClanger,
Will certainly part with a cover - after all it's not much use to me! Contact me with your details and I'll post it to you. I'll also have a spare pioneer soon if you're interested.
Squirrelz,
I fitted Infinity 652s as a replacement - or to be more accurate one so far. They had substantially bigger magnets (only just fitted through the hole cut for the pioneers) and were about a quarter of an inch deeper. I'm not sure how your speakers compare, but a bit bigger is possible. The other issue was the plastic surround for the 652s only just fitted in the carpetted area in the door. It isn't just the depth you need to watch for, my advice would be don't go bigger than 16cm speakers for the doors. Final point is that my speakers came with self tapping screws which were too long to the extent that some of them fouled on the other bits and pieces in the door and had to be replaced.
Cheers,
Steve
(and Yellow Chimaera 5L)
Will certainly part with a cover - after all it's not much use to me! Contact me with your details and I'll post it to you. I'll also have a spare pioneer soon if you're interested.
Squirrelz,
I fitted Infinity 652s as a replacement - or to be more accurate one so far. They had substantially bigger magnets (only just fitted through the hole cut for the pioneers) and were about a quarter of an inch deeper. I'm not sure how your speakers compare, but a bit bigger is possible. The other issue was the plastic surround for the 652s only just fitted in the carpetted area in the door. It isn't just the depth you need to watch for, my advice would be don't go bigger than 16cm speakers for the doors. Final point is that my speakers came with self tapping screws which were too long to the extent that some of them fouled on the other bits and pieces in the door and had to be replaced.
Cheers,
Steve
(and Yellow Chimaera 5L)
quote:
MajorClanger,
Will certainly part with a cover - after all it's not much use to me! Contact me with your details and I'll post it to you. I'll also have a spare pioneer soon if you're interested
Many thanks Steve. That's very kind of you. Could you e-mail me so I can send you my details please? I wasn't having much luck with the Pioneer spares company (SEME Ltd) and I was beginning to give up hope!
Regards
MC
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