2018 Silverado 2500hd - Install new speakers using old ones for mounting brackets and wiring connectors

[RonnyRaygun]

In these videos I show you how to install Kicker speakers in a 2018 Chevy Silverado 2500hd Crew Cab. I use the OEM speakers to make mounts for the replacements. This is great for a DIY dude or dudette, but probably too time consuming for a pro due to the time needed to perform the modifications.

I did this for several reasons:

1. The original speakers failed.

2. I could not find the correct connectors to attach to the truck's wiring harness.

3. The aftermarket mounting brackets I could find were flimsy and had poor dimensional designs.

You can find the videos here:

Front:

https://rumble.com/vgkdnl-2018-chevy-silverado-front-speaker-replacement.html

 

Rear:

 

https://rumble.com/vgkemv-2018-silverado-crew-cab-rear-speaker-replacement.html

 

I also replaced the dashboard speakers using the connectors from the OEM ones. I did not make a video for those but have included some pictures here to give you an idea of how that was done.

 

The Kickers work pretty good; they are not the fanciest, but are reasonably priced and able to handle all the power the original GM system can throw at them. Under normal listening volume levels they work perfectly. When blasting some Robin Trower or Sammy Hagar at full volume, you will get some distortion. But, well engineered music (e.g. Supertramp "Rudy",  Pink Floyd "Any Colour You Like") can be played at full throttle with excellent results - I have to be careful with that!

 

I hope this information helps.

[jscottl]

Speaker connectors

https://www.amazon.com/American-International-Truck-Speaker-Harness/dp/B07QM5DJ27/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=american+international+sh3802&qid=1638219820&qsid=138-8945321-3815967&sr=8-1&sres=B07QM5DJ27%2CB07WPLGN4Y%2CB07X92JQJV%2CB0868RXD8J%2CB003VXK7E2%2CB08FHNTTDK%2CB07XVFB67J%2CB07FZ8S74R%2CB099DHRSS8%2CB09FLJTMXK%2CB08SLN9Y9X%2CB09DXXQXZG%2CB003VXGA8Y%2CB07MJL8NXR%2CB01ECMRFTA%2CB09G94Q1CS%2CB078WCTVV9%2CB07N31K1R9%2CB07YNYT53R%2CB01N59M473

[RonnyRaygun]

Good find. When I was doing the work on my truck I did not find these connectors - only ones for earlier models were listed.

 

The other part of my suggestion is to use the old speakers to make mounts for the new speakers - since the old ones will be either discarded or collect dust on the shelf. The Metra brackets I ordered were too shallow to engage the speakers with the door panels on re-installation. The OEM parts are much stronger and have design features that are not on the aftermarket parts (i.e. integrated deflector and mount clip).

 

Thanks for looking at the post.

 

Is that a Vizsla in your profile pic?

 

[dieselfan1]

Crutchfield.com 

They supply the brackets and the connections for free. And free shipping. 

I run Kicker KS series door speakers along with the

GM Kicker 200w powered subwoofer with 200w Amp for the door speakers. Kenwood dash speakers. Sounds pretty good. 

The stock head unit don't put out much for power so your missing out what the speakers should sound like. They need more power to sound good.

 

[RonnyRaygun]

Also, good information for those looking to upgrade.

 

Again, my use of the old speakers to make the brackets and connections keeps them off the shelf and out of the landfill. And, they are much more robust than anything I have seen in the aftermarket space. I suspect that GM spent a lot to engineer them. They have features like a mounting bolt bushing to prevent the plastic from being crushed and damaged during installation. That feature alone is desirable as it allows significant torque to keep the unit from coming loose and rattling  - speakers do vibrate a bit. There is also a deflector molded in that is either for sound or to keep water that might get in the door from getting on the speaker. Last, they have that little metal clip that holds the assembly in the door before the bolt is installed - a small but convenient feature.

 

I do agree that upgrading the amp will produce more and better sound. However, for me, after five decades of blasting rock and roll I have to limit the potential for me to damage my auditory sense. I even have to wear hearing protection (so far just cotton) when the wife and I go to see Sammy. But, for many out there installing more powerful equipment is understandable. Especially when you consider that many new amps are very reasonably priced. A about two years ago I installed an 1100 watt 5-channel amp in my daughter's 2003 MB ML500 for about $130. They have come up in price since then, but are not at what they were 10 or 15 years ago. The OEM fiber-optic connection between the CD changer and the head gave out and killed the hole system (stupid design). I put a new transducer on the board buried deep in the head  -  worked once for 20 seconds and messed up the traces on the board on the second try. I got her a cheap head with no CD for about $110 at Best Buy that had Bluetooth, Pandora, speakerphone, etc. The whole thing was done for about $250 and she loved it. So, I am not against doing an amp upgrade - I just can't trust myself with that power with these old ears.

[MikeBMW]

One of my favorite car install guys on Y-tube posted this a bit ago:

 

[RonnyRaygun]

Hey Mike,

 

I watched the video and was very impressed with the install. It is interesting to note that the spendy little AmpPro AP4-GM61 is specified for vehicles with the Bose system and they install it on the non-Bose anyway (as well as others in the comments). It is confusing to the consumer as to why the are spec'd that way but it sure seems to work.

 

I did learn the correct door panel removal technique from the video though. I was originally removing them the old fashioned (not "old school") way along with the inner weather strip/sill at the top. It is nice to know that part can be safely separated because it is a pain to get back on if not done that way.

 

The speaker mounts they use seem to be less stout than the OEMs that I used (and shallow so as to need the foam "tunnels"), but a professional is not going to want to take the time to do the modification I describe. They also add a ton of what appears to be sound deadening material to the inner door frame. My swap-out was kept as simple as possible with an eye toward simplicity and cost mitigation. Additionally, one of my videos shows how to get the speaker out without completely removing the door trim panel. This helps keep it simple and reduces the wear on the panel retention clips.

 

While I did not post a video of the dash tweeter work I did, the pictures below show the use of the connector removed from the OEM speaker to make a harness. The Kicker 47KSC2704 units come with brackets that will drop right in to the original dash location - no drilling or cutting. They also come with proper capacitors to filter the signal going to them.

 

The overriding goal is to not make irreversible changes to the vehicle so as to keep it as stock as possible. Although I plan on keeping the truck for a long time, someone down the road will appreciate my not hacking parts of it off to make room for non-stock equipment (Like some moron back in the 70's did to my '67 GTO pop-top to install Jensen 6x9s in the doors!)

 

The ideas shared on this site are so helpful in keeping these trucks as nice as possible. To that end, I hope I am doing my part.

 

Enjoy!

 

Edited December 3, 2021 by RonnyRaygun
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