Hello everyone my friends front door speakers are shot in his 1999 so we have decided to replace them with a set of aftermarket speakers. He already has an aftermarket HU and never had the infiniti sound system so no problems there.

The problem we are having is figuring out how to fit new speakers into the 6x9 openings. When we took the door panels off I measured somewhere around just under 2 3/4" between the outer face of the metal were the speaker top mounts on and the window. The problem is all the new 6x9 aftermarket speakers seem to require at least 2 7/8" for a mounting depth(top mount) including the pioneers my friend bought recently. I think they are these http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130TSG9...-TS-G971M.html

Interestingly both the Crutchfield and Best Buy databases say 2nd gen RAMs have 6 1/2" openings in the front doors last i checked. Which I suppose would work with an adapter plate but you loose some sound quality going to a smaller speaker (particularly in bass response). Also a sub isn't an option for bass since he has no room at all for one in the cab.

I know they make 6x9 spacers except I'm wondering if that would budge the door panels outward or possibly cause a rattle. So I'm wondering if there is some trick others have figured out to get 6x9s in there? Hoping for ideas, thanks

 

If you buy decent speakers the difference between 6-1/2 and 6x9's speakers is nothing. I would go with what fits.

 

Actually you will gain sound quality going from a 6x9 to a 6.5. They may not be as loud but will most definitely sound better. Best thing to do is stick them in and roll the window down. I assure you Those pioneers aren't too big. My 6x9's are way bigger than those and they fit.

 

Not really. Maybe a little but nothing noticeable. However quality will make a different. If you buy some cheap walmart brand and compare them to a brand like pioneer, kenwood, sony, infinity there will be a huge difference.

 

the design of a 6 1/2 is superior to the 6x9.....on cheap speakers you may not notice a difference but with quality speakers there is a noticeable difference.

I have infinity kappas that have a 3 1/4 mounting dept and used the spacer that came with them and the doors have nice bulge to them no rattling and the bulge dont bother me

 

How is the 6x9 superior in design to a 6.5? The 6x9 is an uneven shape, creating distortion. I've never had a 6x9 that's sounds as clear as a 6.5. FYI I don't buy any brand speaker you can buy at wally world.

 

Thanks for the responses

One thing I noticed is our local best buy only carries 6 1/2 speakers now. That was a few weeks ago when i went there are looked. Ironically they don't stock 6x9 to 6 1/2 conversion brackets though.

Since my friend is unwilling to accept any kind of door panel budge. We will probably wind up going with 6 1/2s instead. Just hopefully the speakers will have enough of a bass(realy mid bass) to get by without a sub.

In reality he only needs new speakers since the front door stock ones don't work at all anymore. I suspect the wattage on those were so low that when he put in an aftermarket HU it blew the speakers. The passenger side didn't look visibly blown to me though when we took the door panel off which was a bit odd. What happened is the speakers began popping and distorting until they stopped working completely starting with the driver side about 5 months after he got the new HU. Also odd is the small back extended cab speakers still work. We also tried replacing the wiring harness behind the HU.

 

i put pioneer 6 x 9 5 way speakers in my door, they are just a hair big but if u angle them right and tighten them down at an angle ur window and stuff will clear just fine. it will be pushed against the panel slightly (unnoticeable unless u point it it) but most speakers have some kind of protection around them that wont allow the panel to damage the speaker

 

I think you must mean don't buy the MODEL they sell at walmart. Sony and Pioneer are both sold at walmart and both make pretty good speakers. Telling someone not to buy a BRAND because walmart carries that BRAND is ignorant

 

You will get decent bass with the 6-1/2 or 6x9 speakers. You won't get the bass you would get with a sub but you will still get bass.