I don't know what your toolboxes look like, but I found a simple solution to mount Infinity Kappa 62.7's (and the like) in my doors. I mounted the new speaker using the old speaker frame (after some modification) as a mounting plate. Essentially I cut apart the old speaker so the new speaker fit inside of the old speaker frame. The rest was easy. Here are the details:

For background, the Kappa's are a four-hole mounting system while my factory speakers were three-hole. I choose these speakers because they sounded good enough for the rears, and they are "2 ohm" speakers (like the originals in my '99 SLT+).

My old rear speakers were shot (surrounds rotted out). Since they were not worth saving, I first pulled off the top cover from the woofer. I had to cut the wires for the tweeter. This top cover seperates where the surround was glued to the basket (basket = frame of the speaker). Essentially, I was left with just the woofer in the frame.

Next, I put a cutoff wheel on my high-speed grinder and cut the spiders off the basket. When I was finished, I was left with just the top ring of the woofer frame which the speaker surround was glued to - with the three mounting tabs in tact. The magnet and the bottom half of the speaker frame can be tossed out. You'll have to rip out what's left of the woofer to get the two pieces of the frame apart... I ground down the sharp edges on the top half of the frame ring.

After that, I marked the top of the speaker on the factory plastic spacer and translated the mark to the "ring" left over from the old speaker basket. This allowed me line up the Kappa and mark the location of the four holes on what was left of the old speaker frame. I drilled the four holes and put in four screws through the metal of the old frame.

With the Kappa mounted to the old speaker frame, it snapped right into place using the factory spacer. I wrapped the crossover to keep it from rattling, placed it inside the door, and re-assembled.

It took me about 30 minutes per door from beginning to end. They sound great.

 

I don't have a grinder handy so your method won't work for me. Anyways, that website I posted, they already have prefab'ed adapters so it takes all the work out for ya. Also, the adapters are very affordable. I bought 2 sets of them one for the front and one for the rear at $7 for each set. 2 adapters per set. Only cost me $5 in shipping.

So I am waiting for them to come in so I can install my Reference series speakers!

 

Just an update:

My adaptors finally came in! Man, they fit in like a glove! I have to shave off some plastic on one of the 3 screw retainers but that is about it. The adaptors came with its own screws for you to mount your aftermarket speakers to and then the adapter brackets itself will bolt on to the original OEM speaker brackets! All this only took me 5 minutes to install! But took me about an hour to prep my infinity speakers. I decided to solder the wires for best contact and then use wire splicers to splice in to the original speaker wire harness without physically cutting off the oem speaker plugs. I may want to put the blown oem's back in if I sell my Durango!

Infinity 6012's really rock and makes a huge difference in sound over the OEM's. I guess having dual tweeters in the front now also changes the overall sound quality as well. Now to save up some money so I can repeat this same procedure for the rear speakers! Wished that infinity made a 3 way reference line speakers!!!! I cannot afford those 3 way Kappas!!


Has anyone dealt with Rockford Fosgate speakers??? I know they build excellent amps, but never heard of them going to the speaker line until recently? I saw and heard a set of Rockford Fosgate 3 way speakers at Fry's alongside the Infinitys and the Rockford sounds really good, slight better full range sound because of the mid-range tweeter. Both the Rockford and Infinity has the same specifications on power handling, and their 4 ohm speakers. Both of them are also $99 a pair.

Thanks

Ken

If anyone plans to replace their OEM junk speakers, better remember and click on that site I posted earlier here and then save it in your favorites! Those $7 set of brackets will save you ALOT OF TIME AND HEADACHE in trying to install aftermarket speakers on OEM mounting brackets, etc.

 

Kensai,

Glad to hear you like your new speakers. I think you'll be
happier with the Infinity's in the rear doors over 3 way Kappa's.
There is big differences in sound with a 3 way, mainly
a lot of highs... I tried 3 ways and they, ( to me) got more
highs, and not enough mid and bass. Just my taste in sound
though.

 

I haven't got a chance to hear the Kappa 3 ways. But the Rockford Fosgate 3-way is the only one that sounded really good. Most of the other 3 way to 5 way 6.5's are junk compared to the infinity 2 ways. No crispy highs and the mid-range sounded muffled. These are the Pioneers, sony, etc. I listen to the 2 way Polk Audios and they sounded nice as well. The bass on the infinity's aren't really there yet. I guess I still have to wait for them to break in. Or it may have to do with my rear speakers being fried that is not giving me the overall midrand/bass sound.

 

So let me get this straight. You can replace the stock speakers with infinity reference 6002i speakers and everything works great. No aftermarket amp or stereo needed, just maybe some special spacers. The dude at the car audio store told me that the infinity dodge systems only work with 2 ohm speakers.

 

I am not sure about that. It may be different year models that they have different ohm ratings. But I know for a fact that my 2000 Durango R/T uses 4 ohm speakers. if you need to be sure, just take one out and it will tell you on the back of the OEM speaker. If you got the 2 ohm, you're in luck so you can replace them with the Kappas!!! But my OEM's are 4 ohms and with the special prefabbed spacers I bought, I was able to quickly snap my new Infinity 6012's on the original OEM speaker bracket!! Without the spacers, the Infinity's will not mount without special retrofitting.

And no, you do not need an aftermarket amp or stereo unless you really want to go custom. I gave up on custom audios as in my lifetime, having really nice custom systems in your car makes you paranoid of someone breaking in your car and tear everything up. Already happened to me 3 times in my lifetime and I treat my Durango R/T like my own kid so I cannot phantom what damage somone will do internally if I have a nice custom system. The factory infinity deck is good enough for me. I may go for a higher power amp over the OEM but none of the Infinity 4 channel amps I saw will fit in the original location of the OEM amp. So I am happy with current sound output! As long as the sound is good and crisp, don't need all the additional wattage. My thumping 100+ db's youth days are gone!

 

I have a 2000 durango slt. The blown speakers say chysler infinity on the back and a bunch of senseless numbers (my guess serial numbers), but I can't find an ohm number anywhere. That is the problem. So is there anyway I can figure out the ohms on the speakers, because I can't find it on the speaker anywhere. I know I should replace them with the same impedence speakers.
Thanks

 

And OEM stands for original factory speaker right?

 

Hmm, on mine, it said 4 ohm speakers.... My Durango is a 2000 R/T with infinity system. It also have the infinity name stamped on the back. If you have a 2000, I would safely bet it is a 4 ohm speaker. The rule of thumb is that it is safer to go with a higher ohm speaker than a lower ohm speaker if you are not sure about the correct ohm settings without shorting the amp.