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Removing Door Speakers??

Thanks to John Logan
updated 10/5/02


Justin:

I did this a couple of weeks back. It is outlined in manuals like Chilton's, but if you don't have one handy, here's a brief recap:

1. Lower the window. You can do this with the window up, but it's easier with the glass out of the way. I know, I did it the hard way. I always do.

1. Remove the sail panel tweeter cover - first take out the small bolt at the top front then lever it rearward to remove.

2. remove the small half ellipse plastic plate from behind the interior door handle. If I recall the bottom snaps out easily, then pull it forward and down to release the top. Be careful - it appears to be easy to break.

3. remove the screw from the bottom of the door pull pocket

4. pry the door panel loose along the bottom and rear and front edges. Seems to be easiest if you do it in that order. I strongly recommend a panel pulling tool (looks like a big slot screw driver with a bend in the shaft and a forked tip). You do not want to break a door panel and the gen III Tauri panels are a real bear to remove. The panel clips are about 1 1/2 inches in from the door panel edges and I believe there are 11 total, about 3 per edge give or take one. Buy some fresh ones - you'll need to replace them as they are a single use fastener. About $3 for 10 at any auto supply house.

One note: Put a rag or rubber pad under the pry tool, otherwise you'll scratch the visible painted surfaces of your door.

4. After releasing the bottom and rear edges, reach up into the door and disconnect the power window and lock switch plugs. I believe they have a small tab on the side which you depress, then just pull firmly on them. Wiggling them a bit helps.

5. To finish the door panel removal, grab it by the front and back edges and pull it up and toward you. This will release the three front trim clips. Some amount of fussing, wiggling and twisting might be needed to persuade all three to release.

6. The speaker itself is easy - four small bolts and a clip on connector on the back.

As they say in the manuals " assembly is the reverse of the above procedure". don't forget to use fresh clips.

Best of luck. If anybody notices any oversights or errors in this, please let us all know.

John Logan


Tim,
I recently sent in some requests to the mailing list for info about the push pins that hold the interior door panels in. Well, it was a big help and I was trying as best I could to follow the instructions from the website on the panel removal when I realized that whoever sent them in either was confused about how they had gone about it, or perhaps had a different Gen 3 year model than I do that might have been designed differently (I have a '98). Here are the discrepancies I found:

The onsite instructions suggest removal of the tweeter assembly by removal of a bolt on the "top front". The assembly is only removable after removing the door panel since the bolt that holds the bottom bracket on is below and inside the upper edge of the panel. This threw me for a loop and I was a little irked when I discovered this bottom bolt.

They also suggest reaching UP into the door panel after removal of the bottom and front and back push pins to remove the window and locking electrical connections. It was MUCH easier to remove these connections after I had pried loose the panel from the top set of pushpins as well. Yes, the door was sort of "hanging there", but it isn't heavy at all and there is enough slack in the wiring for these connections to allow for an easier way to disconnect the two little boxes from their plugs.

Also, it might help to mention that it will usually be necessary to get some speaker connection adapters (the ones I bought were not right), and to find out for SURE what the bolt pattern spacing is for the speaker BEFORE purchasing a new one (although most vendors will refund you if the speakers are wrong for you). I looked all through the car manual, AS WELL as the "Audio Guide" for the speaker specs, but lo and behold, they weren't there. I didn't post a question to the mailing list and I guess I learned my lesson. Dumb ass me, I assumed a 5-1/4" speaker size and WHOA did I feel like a dong when I saw that elliptical speaker! Didn't matter anyway, cuz I had the wrong speaker clip adapters. I'll try and get the correct part number for you when I get 'em, which should be tomorrow.

Ok, that's long enough. Maybe a little TOO much detail I'm afraid. I'm not drunk by the way! =) I don't know how you want to go about making the changes. I'll leave it in your capable hands. No rush . . .

Thanks for your time Mr. Wright (hehe),
Ryan R.
98 SF
Porterized w/K&N drop-in


Tim,

I got the correct wire harness adapters from Best Buy today. The part number on it is 72-5512, but I'm not sure if that's the manufacturer's number or Best Buy's or what (the UPC code and P.N. are on a sticker stuck to the front of the bag). They are made by Metra (800 253 TECH or www.metraonline.com).

-Ryan R.

 

 


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