Ralph,

Will the new speakers come with surrounds? Is it something I need to custom order or can I pick up local as they will be a general one size fits all?

 

A quick search of Amazon and sorted out a few things, found these. A lot of pictures. I printed off this one to take out the the truck with me. Figure I can measure and write my measure right next to what it show and compare.

Now they did have some that were flatter or the pictures made they appear that way, even some that would let you use the same speakers in the rear and they were a 5.1/4 to 5 x 7 or 6 x 8.

 

The ones for the rear a bit harder to find had to search for 5 x 7

 

5x7 or 6x8; most 6x8 bolt up in a 5x7 mount just fine.

I've got a pair of these to put in the 5x7 rear spots in my wife's Cougar; if they sound good enough, I'll be using them in the Dakota also: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NF5EQDY

They review pretty good for the price.

RwP

 

I'd need a picture of what you're talking about; but if it IS the speaker surrounds, they're actually part of the speaker themselves ...

See, for instance, the diagram here: https://www.stetron.com/loudspeakerdriver-breakdown/

RwP

 

Ralph,

Did do a picture of the 5.25 inch one. It is what I called rubber the other day, and you said should be plastic. I was talking these. Could not find the oval ones this morning and for some reason did not toss them in my cart so I could find them again quickly.

There are sort of what I am talking about, but for the 5 x 7 or 6 x 8, .

If the speaker has the surround does it need the "plate" what about the baffles? Hazzards of not sleeping and the internet you find all kinds of things.

 

Found the 5 x 7 spacers now,
They are pricey and no Prime for me, which means I have to have them shipped to the house.

 

Well I finally got out and got the door panels off, actually did it in the parking lot while waiting to get in to see the dentist. The driver's side has nothing behind it. I assumed, and I hope that it doesn't come back and bite me, I will probably go pull the speaker just to double check the connector.

All these pictures are of the passenger side, the surround/plate was in bad shape, actually in 2 separate pieces, I think that 1/2 rubber piece I saw fall out the other day was someones attempt to fix it.








So since Ralph says that the speakers have the surrounds build in, I guess I am talking brackets. I want something that will cushion it a bit against the bumps, but not sure where to get them as Amazon doesn't have them and I am not really finding them at Crutchfield. Actually their website says they front has a 6 x 9 speaker in it. Does anyone have any other sources?

.

 

It's supposed to be a 5.25" round; that's the mounting bracket, and the "rubber" was the foam.

You CAN bolt straight to the door; the bracket actually serves as a rain shield in case water gets past the trim at the beltline outside (bottom of the window opening.)

You're looking at the chassis wiring; suggestion from me would be to cut the wires free from the old speaker, terminate with the FastOn(tm) type terminals, and go from there.

Or, if you're comfortable with a hot soldering iron, use the wiring that comes with the new speakers; cut the wire at the old speaker, trim and solder the new wires to the old speaker pigtail, and be sure to heatshrink it. You can also solder that wire to the terminals on the speaker (which is what I did myself; YMMV, natch.)

If you really want to cushion against bumps, first, epoxy or super glue the old bracket together; use some closed cell foam both on the back (against the door) to get rid of squeaks, and around the opening to seal against the speaker.

The ones I have right now are some inexpensive ones I grabbed from WalMart online; but they go "Bass? I don't need no stinkin' feesh!!" *grins* Hence my subwoofer to go under the front seat ... dunno for sure if it'll fit, but at least it MEASURES good.

For the 5x7's in the B pillar, be sure to get some foam to help pad those out; my 1988's stood about 1/4" away from the panel when I took the blown factory speakers off. (I used some 1/2" weatherstripping type foam from Frost King on the mounting surface of the speakers themselves; that does help.)

One more thing to consider doing .. use some Dynamat(tm) or Dynaliner (tm) in the door and the B column to help knock down the noise and improve the low end some. NOT necessary; but I find it overall improves the music to road noise ratio in my 1988 *grins* (Along with the sound deadening on the floorpan and behind the front seat.)

RwP

 

Ralph I cut and pasted Dynaliner into my Amazon app, I figure Dynmat will bring up something similar. I like the idea, but it brings up a bunch of questions on how to use it. Either I am thinking about it wrong, remember not a car guy, I assume that it goes between the two parts of the door on the inner part of the door. I think mine is welded and I can't see how to get the rolls and the roller to get them locked down. I am guess that cutting them apart like a jigsaw puzzle would lessen there effectiveness. In the search this came up and it make a bit more sense or at least seems easier to get into tight spaces.
B Column??