So im pretty noobish to my truck (2000 dodge ram) and any real car work. I am gonna replace my front door speakers because one is out and i got a buddie with some in the same size (5 1/4 i believe). its manual window and stuff. what do i need to do to get the door panel off? like how to get the winda handle off n stuff and pop the panel off? also on the speaker am i gonna need some sort of adapter?

thanks guys

 

That crank shouldn't be too hard, but I have never done one on a Ram. You should be able to unscrew that top part, and the crank ought to slide off. It might also be a clip that you just have to pry off. You are going to need an upholstery clip remover tool. It's about $10.00 at any parts store.
Looks like this:
Also pick up a pack of the clips at the parts store while your there since you will more than likely break few during removal.
Now, that speaker size... It's not the stock size for the front panels. In fact, I don't think you can even put them in the front panels with out making an adapter plate, which is redundant in the long run.
This was the Factory speaker sizes: FRONT- 6X9 (oblong) REAR- 5 1/4"
Commonly, both the fronts and rear can be replaced with 6 1/2".

Here is another tip on the speakers.
Get your self a 9 volt battery, and two paper clips. Fashion the clips so that you can put one end of each on a terminal on the battery and the other end on the speaker. When you touch the two together, watch the speakers. This will tell you which wire is positive, and which is negative. If when you hook the speaker up, the speaker cone sucks in, then you have the + - mixed up. You want the speaker to push out.

Hope this all helps.

 

it does help, but from what i read on crutchfield the front door speaker size is 5 1/4. so thats where my info is commin from. so i guess i'll find out when i try the change out

 

What sub-model is your truck? Please find that link on Crutchfield's website. I have never ever ever heard of the fronts being 5 1/4" I know they can be converted to round, but I am 99.99% positive that they are 6X9's.

 

If you need any more help than what's already here, you might wanna look here:

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...e-ram-faq.html

The first link is the 2001 Dodge Ram service manual, it has information on how to remove and install just about everything on your truck. You might even fall in love with it..

 

see here.
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/audio-vi...-speakers.html

to remove the window crank, bend a very small 90* hook in a piece of wire. locate the clip on the back of the crank, down at the shaft. spin it around until you find the end of the clip. hook it with the wire, put your hand around the area and yank. try to catch the clip, but listen for the tinkling sound of where the SOB goes. crank will slide off the shaft.

door panel - a coupld of screws and several plastic christmas tree clips. slide a putty knife under the door and move it around until you find the next clip. slip the tool under the panel and straddle the tree as deep as the tool will go. theres actually a groove in the tree that the tool slides into. THIS IS IMPORTANT so you are prying directly on the tree and NOT THE DOOR PANEL. snap down on the tool and the tree will pop out with no damage to the tree or the door panel. do NOT simply pull on the panel or you risk breaking them.

see the pics in the link above.

 

crutchfield lists the round 6-1/2 as the replacement speaker because it has less problems with fit. the stock size is 6x9 and if you are VERY careful about your speaker selection, then replacements will fit. there are some very unforgiving limits on magnet depth (window rail) and tweeter height (panel bulge) that you have to live within. see my pics in the thread above.

Laramie is correct -
Factory speaker sizes: FRONT- 6X9 (oblong) REAR- 5 1/4"
Commonly, both the fronts and rear can be replaced with 6 1/2".

 

i put a set of alpine 6x9s in my dads 98 and they came with grilles on them that push out on the door panel slightly but the speakers are protected by the grille and they sound great. i put dual 5 1/4" in the back.

i replaced all the clips on all four of his doors with some ford clips off ebay. 5$ for a bag of 25 clips. i had to hit each one with the band saw straight down the middle to make them fit but it worked out to be a lot cheaper going that route. dodge wants 3.50 a clip (insane) and theres about 13 in the front door and like 7 in the back door.
i ended up screwing up the ribs on about 5 clips in a row before i said screw it and ripped the panel off.

the reason i had to cut the ford clips is the rib diamater is the same as dodge but the center that the ribs are attached to are bigger on the ford clips so it wouldn't fit in the holes on the door.

 

Vaughn you have been a great help. Idk what to do about my clips. i havent taken the panel off, but fiddled with it and know how to do it now. just havent done it cause im not ready to be doin that right now. im sure i'll break a few. but i looked at your post with the pictures and your right it is a 6x9.

sheriff i may try your approach with the ford clips. what year?

 

using the panel tool, i removed both panels and reinstalled them with the original clips and broke none. i wasn't overly concerned about breaking clips, i just didn't want to break the panels.