How To Install And Replace Car Speakers
Changing the original speakers is an essential first step in improving the musical qualities of the car’s audio system. Do you know how to install new car speakers or replacing a Blown speaker? However, many are reluctant to take the plunge for fear that it will be too complicated and out of their reach. Replacing the original car speakers for higher performance models isn’t that difficult though. It just requires some basic DIY knowledge, the right tools, and a minimum of time.
In this article, we are going to share information on how to install car speakers, making it easy for you to update or replace your car’s speakers. Before install check the measurements of car speaker to avoid complications.
Tools and spares required to install car speakers
When installing new car speakers, it’s essential to have the right tools on hand to ensure your speakers are properly installed without damaging your vehicle’s factory parts. Although the majority of tools you will need may vary depending on the car you are working on, there are a few that will be used in almost any installation. If you want to install car audio products yourself, you need to have these tools handy. I’ve compiled a list of my personal tools, which I use in virtually every car audio setup.
- Angled and flat lifting tools
- A drill
- Phillips bits for your drill
- Phillips screwdriver
- Small sockets – metric and inch
- Panel removal tool Craft
- The knife if you need to cut putty or foam
- Crimping tools
- Iron Solder
- Hex keys Electrical
- Tape
- Torx hand tools
- Retaining clip puller
- Maybe a file
- Socket wrench
- Set Flashlight
- Screws
- And of course, your new car speakers
Car Speaker Wiring Harness
The first is a wiring harness that is suitable for your vehicle. On the end of the speaker cable is a specific plastic connector. The wiring harness will allow you to easily connect your speakers to this connector. It’s much less work than cutting wires and soldering connections.
Car Speaker Stands Or Adapters
You will also need adapters or speaker stands. If your replacement speakers aren’t the same size as the original speakers, they’ll make it easier for you. Your speaker may not always line up perfectly with the mounting holes. But, without removing the door trim, how do you know if you need a mounting bracket? If your stock speakers are 6.5″, 69″, 5 7″, and 6 8″, you may not need these as these are the most common sizes for speakers in the secondary market too.
Types Of Installations
When you choose to change your car speakers yourself, even if it is not very complicated, you must be aware that it requires a minimum of method and organization to execute the different steps.
90% of the work consists in dismantling and reassembling the fittings, which takes time and requires being delicate so as not to risk damaging them. Ideally, it is necessary to have a space sheltered from bad weather (garage or carport) and have enough time in front of you.
Now, let’s move to the installation procedures.
1. Replacing Dash Speakers
Every car is different, but the practices applied are the same when replacing the car’s front speakers. Just make sure to remove any paneling and screws that get in the way of us getting to the speaker itself.
Once you have removed all the paneling and screws that keep the speaker in place, disconnect the speaker from the speaker harness wire. When you finally remove the speaker from the car, you can take it out of the housing or the speaker adapter bracket that it might be in. This usually requires unscrewing it with a screwdriver.
Now we will remove the speaker wires from the positive and negative terminals. And then, your speaker will be completely disconnected from the housing and the bracket.
Next, we will take the new speaker with which we want to replace the old speakers. Connect the speaker wire to the terminals. Remember, the positive is the larger terminal, and the negative is the smaller terminal.
Once you have the speaker correctly wired to the right terminals, place it back in the house and bracket or the adapter bracket that you might have. Make sure to screw it in nice and tight because you don’t want any rattling when you playback later.
Reconnect the speaker to the speaker harness wire, and then it’s just a game of putting the speaker and the housing back into the place. This is going to require you to screw back any screws that you took out during the installation.
Once you’ve lined up all the screws, make sure you screw them in nice and tight so the housing is sitting properly.
The last step is to put any paneling that we took out while installing the speakers in place.
2. Replacing Door Speakers
Step 1: Disconnect Your Car Battery.
Disconnecting your car battery is the first and most important step in installing door speakers. While installing the speakers, you must keep your car door open. Therefore, a connected automotive battery may consume more energy or increase the risk of a short circuit. You must disconnect the car battery by detaching the negative cable if you don’t want to be electrocuted.
Step 2: Remove The Door Panels
The hardest part of your installation will be removing your car’s door panels. Since every vehicle requires different equipment and removal techniques, it’s difficult to give you complete advice for your specific vehicle. I’ve learned a few tricks that I transfer from car to car over the years, and I’ve never been wrong.
- Look for the screws around the door panel.
- Remove the screws and bolts from the door panel.
- Now look for hidden screws in the door panels. Mentally note all screw hole positions once all screws have been removed (the plastic covering may obscure them).
- Using the panel tool, push gently but firmly between the edge of the door panel and the metal door frame.
- The door panel will lift off the metal door frame when you pry it open.
- Remove all electrical connectors when the door panel has been completely removed from the door frame.
- When disconnecting the electrical harness, all connectors have a release tab that may or may not require an extraction tool.
- Start unbolting the old speaker from the door by removing the door panel.
- The speaker wiring harness usually has a factory snap tab; just press the tab and release.
- If you remove aftermarket speakers, you will need to disconnect the wires from each speaker terminal.
- Do not start your car until the door panels and electrical connectors are detached.
Step 3: Install The New Speaker
If you install an aftermarket speaker, you must have speaker harness adapters for your specific car. You can also use the speaker wire that came with your speakers, you will need to look up the wiring diagram for your car to determine which wires are negative and which wires are positive on the harness you removed from your previous speaker.
Once you know which wire is negative and which wire is positive, you can cut the harness and strip the wire. Once the wire is stripped, attach the speaker wire that came with your new speakers to the correct manufacturer’s wire. Remember that the wire that came with your new speaker is already color-coded, and it’s probably the white (+) wire and the white/black (-) wire.
Connect the wiring to the speaker by pressing the larger terminal of the wiring harness onto the larger terminal of the new speaker and the smaller terminal of the wiring harness onto the smaller terminal of the speaker. You can now install your new speaker on the same door where the old one was previously installed.
Step 4: Reinstalling Your Door Panels
After reinstalling your door panels and testing all your door switches, you can listen to your music and check how it sounds.
3. Installing Rear Speakers
So, Installing your new speakers at the rear deck is quite similar to replacing the car’s front speaker. This might appear a little daunting by yourself, but you can do it with ease with these few steps.
First, remove the back panel covering the rear deck. In most cars, you can pry up around the hard-plastic edging using a trim removal tool. Once you have removed the back panel, locate the screws holding the speakers in place. Remove the screws, set them aside, and carefully pull the old speakers out of the deck. Now, Identify the speaker wires harness and disconnect them.
Install the new speakers by connecting the new speaker harness to the existing car wiring with the same plug. Once the wiring is done correctly, place the speaker into the rear deck and line up the predrilled holes. Use the existing screws and fasten the new speakers into the rear deck.
Now Place the back panel over the rear deck. Check whether all the paneling should be flush, especially any parts around the door frame.
Conclusion
Overall, the process of adding or replacing your car’s speakers is relatively simple. With the “how to install car speakers” guide we provided, you should be able to complete the task successfully. If you are still not sure or confident enough to do it on your own, it is recommended to seek some professional service to replace your car speakers.
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