Speaker Fit

[HeyJoe]

Hi,

I'm replacing the front door speakers in my 1999 GMT-800 Silverado. I bought Alpine SPR-17C coaxials from Crutchfield, and I picked Crutchfield partly for the peace of mind in knowing that they would fit. Well, they fit fine in the metal opening in the door frame, but they're larger than the opening in the door panel. The surrounds would touch the panel unless I cut the opening larger. I was hoping for a quick, no-permanent-modification install.

 

Is this a common situation? The factory speakers had plastic brackets that acted as a spacer, with foam rings around them that pressed right up against the panel. The new speakers don't. That bracket seems to be cemented to the old speakers, too, or else I would just try to reuse it.

 

The panel opening is exactly 5 1/2 inches in diameter. Alpine calls this a 6 1/2 inch speaker, although Crutchfield calls it 6 3/4. The widest diameter of its mounting bracket is 6 1/2 inches.

 

I can spend some time making these fit, if this is something I'm just going to run into with any other speaker anyway. Or I can return them and get something that does fit, if this is uncommon or otherwise strange.

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

-- Joe

[HeyJoe]

For what it's worth, I should have mentioned that the outer diameter of the surrounds on the new speakers is 5 5/8 inches, so we're talking close, but not quite.

 

Thanks again,

-- Joe

[Jubei69]

would going to a more shallower speaker work?

[HeyJoe]

The new speakers are actually slightly shallower than stock. The only issue is the diameter of the surrounds connected to the cones. The speaker frame itself couldn't be much smaller than it is, or else it would no longer fit the door frame.

 

Dumb question, I guess -- does it matter if the surround touches the door panel? I'm guessing that would be bad and would restrict cone movement.

[Jubei69]

The new speakers are actually slightly shallower than stock. The only issue is the diameter of the surrounds connected to the cones. The speaker frame itself couldn't be much smaller than it is, or else it would no longer fit the door frame.

 

Dumb question, I guess -- does it matter if the surround touches the door panel? I'm guessing that would be bad and would restrict cone movement.

 

 

You are correct, restricting the surrounds would restrict the cone movement; and could lead to early wear on the surrounds. Have you thought about going with 6 1/2 infinity reference si series? They come with a adaptor ring that go's into the factory opening... that should free up the surrounds from having to touch the door panel...

[HeyJoe]

Have you thought about going with 6 1/2 infinity reference si series? They come with a adaptor ring that go's into the factory opening... that should free up the surrounds from having to touch the door panel...

 

I'm not completely certain I understand what sort of adapter ring you're describing. Are you saying the Infinity is a smaller speaker that could be recessed into the door more deeply? Or that this adapter fits in front of the speaker, as a spacer? The measurements look pretty much the same as the Alpine, which also came with a series of adapter rings that are meant to be placed behind the speaker if needed, in between the speaker and the door frame. The Alpine fits the door frame perfectly, though, even without an adapter. All of the surround contact I'm talking about is in front of the speaker. I could install the speaker on the outside of the door panel, but that would require modifying the door speaker grills, and then you would have to remove the speaker in order to access the mechanics of the door, which I think would be a huge pain.

 

Again, I was hoping this would be a simple speaker swap (seems to be, for most people). I'm not sure what about my situation is different, the speaker or the door. I'm going to look at making a spacer to fit between the front of the speaker and the door panel.

 

Thanks!

[Jubei69]

Have you thought about going with 6 1/2 infinity reference si series? They come with a adaptor ring that go's into the factory opening... that should free up the surrounds from having to touch the door panel...

 

I'm not completely certain I understand what sort of adapter ring you're describing. Are you saying the Infinity is a smaller speaker that could be recessed into the door more deeply? Or that this adapter fits in front of the speaker, as a spacer? The measurements look pretty much the same as the Alpine, which also came with a series of adapter rings that are meant to be placed behind the speaker if needed, in between the speaker and the door frame. The Alpine fits the door frame perfectly, though, even without an adapter. All of the surround contact I'm talking about is in front of the speaker. I could install the speaker on the outside of the door panel, but that would require modifying the door speaker grills, and then you would have to remove the speaker in order to access the mechanics of the door, which I think would be a huge pain.

 

Again, I was hoping this would be a simple speaker swap (seems to be, for most people). I'm not sure what about my situation is different, the speaker or the door. I'm going to look at making a spacer to fit between the front of the speaker and the door panel.

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

again, you are correct its a adaptor ring to fit oem openings and screw locations, it allows for the smaller circumferenced infinity to not lay deeper but fit inside the oem opening and fit within the oem speaker grills, i'll take some pics and post them so you can see for yourself...

[HeyJoe]

Here are some photos that might help explain the problem. The new speaker is exactly the same size as the stock speaker. The difference is the lack of a spacer in between the speaker and the door panel. The speaker itself fits snugly into the metal door frame. It would have to be at least an inch less in diameter in order to recess further into the door frame. I don't presently have a photo of the opening in the door frame.

 

This is the stock speaker. Note the spacer.

 

 

 

This is the new speaker. Lacks spacer.

 

 

 

Both side by side, for comparison.

 

 

 

5 1/2 inch opening in door panel.

 

 

 

Holding the stock speaker up to the opening. Notice how it is bigger than the opening, using the foam on top of the spacer as a seal.

 

 

 

Holding the new speaker up to the opening. Notice how the surround presses against the door panel.

 

[04Z71Blackout]

once the speaker is intstalled in the door there will be a gap in between the speaker and door panel, at least there was on mine, i don't think there will be any fitment issues once fully installed

[jdubya]

+1 it wont be a problem unless you hear rattling.

[HeyJoe]

Thanks -- it hadn't occurred to me that leaving a gap there would be okay. Sounds like this probably is a common situation after all.

 

I was totally overthinking the solution. I have some sheets of styrofoam that would be perfect for making a spacer ring to put around the speaker. I'm going to do that just for the security of knowing that bumping the door won't be able to drive the panel into the speaker. Another option would be to build up the door frame around the speaker using sound-deadening materials, but I'm not ready to do that yet.

 

Thanks for the help!

 

-- Joe

[HeyJoe]

Hmmm, one door finished, and when I use the balance knob on the HU to A/B between this and the stock speaker in the other door, I'm terribly disappointed. Hopefully I'm just screwing the HU up somehow and I'll be happier when the whole thing is done. The new speaker has no bass at all compared to stock. I'm still using the stock radio, but I wanted speaker that had some room to play with, as I expect to replace the HU in the near future. I don't have a woofer yet, and may add one, but honestly I was pretty happy with the stock sound. (Both stock speakers have disintegrated, which is why I'm replacing them. The passenger side was buzzing terribly.) Turning the volume up at present distorts the Alpine pretty quickly, but again, I've got two different speakers connected to the fronts, so hopefully that's the cause of the problem. I should have it all finished tomorrow.

[HeyJoe]

All finished. Both speakers together sound better, maybe because they've had some play time now to start breaking in. I don't know. They're much more detailed than the stock speakers, which although "bassier," also sound muddier. These will probably sound terrific with a new HU and a sub.

 

To take care of that gap in between the door panel and the speaker, I made rings out of an insulation material called "caulk saver." Basic foam insulation in the form of a rope.

 

These are the rings I made. Ends are glued together and then taped:

 

A ring compared to a speaker:

 

The opening in the door panel:

 

The panel with the ring in place:

 

Makes a nice seal around the speaker, and will hopefully prevent rattling and any potential speaker damage.

 

-- Joe

[tractionisovr8ed]

All finished. Both speakers together sound better, maybe because they've had some play time now to start breaking in. I don't know. They're much more detailed than the stock speakers, which although "bassier," also sound muddier. These will probably sound terrific with a new HU and a sub.

 

To take care of that gap in between the door panel and the speaker, I made rings out of an insulation material called "caulk saver." Basic foam insulation in the form of a rope.

 

These are the rings I made. Ends are glued together and then taped:

 

A ring compared to a speaker:

 

The opening in the door panel:

 

The panel with the ring in place:

 

Makes a nice seal around the speaker, and will hopefully prevent rattling and any potential speaker damage.

 

-- Joe

 

 

Good job, yeah the speakers will break in over the next few weeks and you should get much more midbass response

[jdubya]

the speakers will sound much better when you add an aftermarket head unit. The factory systems typically do not have alot of power which those speakers can handle.