Door speaker help

[raidermanny]

I'm getting ready to put some new 6x9's in my doors and was looking for some pointers from those who have already done this. I was thinking a jigsaw would probably be the best way to cut the whole. The help I really need is how and where to run the wire to them. Thanks in advance.

[northcountry67]

If it at all possible, don't cut your doors. Those of us who search for these old trucks to restore and customize are saddened when we find a basically nice cab and set of doors, only to find that now we need to weld up the speaker hole in the doors. There are a number of alternatives to this. There is room behind the seat (more, if the tank has been relocated), room under the seat and aftermarket kick panels for speakers. I've even seen a nice home made center console for bucket seats that held a 6X9 on each side facing each door.

[raidermanny]

I knew I would get guys saying know dont do it and thats cool too. I dont plan on selling my truck and even if I did I dont think whoever buys it would want to bring it to original condition. I'm building this truck pretty much to be however I want it and being that I got a really good deal on some Infinity Kappa 6x9's I decided to throw them in the doors. It seems to me that that would be the best place for speakers besides the kick panels and they wont fit there. I'm sure I could be wrong though.

[RicksTrucks]

I have got some nice 72 door panels that have already been cut for speakers just below the padded arm rest. That would be a good way to go, then you would not have to cut the door or your own arm rests.

[GMCMAX]

If you put them at the bottom, make sure they are high enough that the covers clear the floor with the door closed!

[farside847]

And make sure the speakers do not interfear with the window operation. Oh, and you might want to protect them from water.

[Mudder]

What farside said. There is also a small care that has a plastic loom that protects the wires when the door is opened and closed. Not sure what car it is tho or where you can get these. They make baffles to put behind them but they still need to be waterproofed.

[5150]

I got those exact speakers in my truck doors. They are feakin awesome. I'm about to take them out and relocate my tank though. Mostly because I got some Roddoors for Christmas and really hate to cut into those door panels. I don't believe you are going to be able to put them any higher on the door(like in the 72 panel) because they are so massive on the back side.

[raidermanny]

What is the best route for the speaker wire to take to get into the doors from the deck?

[5150]

I ran mine directly to the amp. Through the door and under the sill plates. Then over to the passenger side seat where the amp sits.

[Longhorn Man]

I mounted my speakers to the rear of the door at the bottom instead of at the front. less likely to get damaged by your foot back there.

[Mudder]

Think I have a pic of mine mounted.

[71blksuper4x4]

I think the easiest way would be like Mudder states. I would put them in the front side of the door to get good sound out of them, but put some plastic around the wires and drill a small hole just big enough for the wire to run through and then another one through the kick panel and up under the dash. That's what we did on my first truck. Sounded good... especially if you put tweeter in the hole that was for factory shoulder belts. Almost too loud but awesome sound.

[Mechdawg]

6x9's are good speaker but to make them even better would be to mount them as your rear speakers behind the seat in the sides or in a custom type box up higher on the sides. Then you could get a pair of 6.5 or 5.25" speakers and mount them in the aftermarket speaker kickplate panels up front never needing to cut or wire into your doors. Just one more alternate idea to throw out there for ya.

[CochinoFilipino]

Originally Posted by raidermanny

,,, I was thinking a jigsaw would probably be the best way to cut the whole. ,,,

Any more ideas on the best/easiest way to get a nice clean cut? Or is jigsaw the way to go on this?

[HotRod71]

Hole Saw????? You would sure get a smoother more round hole.

[farside847]

I love my little dremmel tool. It cuts metal amazingly well for such a little thing...

[67Fleet]

I used an air-powered cut-off wheel and then cleaned it up with a die grinder. Worked out well for me. I'm using plastic baffles behind the speakers. It helped out with the mid-bass and lower frequencies a bunch. Also put some dynamat on the doors to help with vibration.

[beater69]

Originally Posted by CochinoFilipino

Any more ideas on the best/easiest way to get a nice clean cut? Or is jigsaw the way to go on this?

Used a jigsaw on mine. Worked really well, just make sure and get the finest toothed metal blade. The finer the better with sheet metal. Mark out your holes, double and triple check and take your time. Its easy to remove metal, its harder to put it back.

[bartstoy]

Used a jigsaw on mine, with the fine tooth metal cutting blade, drill a starter hole slightly larger than the blade inside the ring. After cutting use the die grinder to finish. Be sure you get all the metal debris out of the door, I used the vacuum hose and then a magnet. The reason, it will all gather in one place and rust then you have a different kind of problem. I also primed and painted the cut edges before installing the speakers. For plastic tubing for the wire to pass thru I used the heat shrink stuff.