Re: 8" SPEAKERS IN DOORS - Try this one
I’ve read quite a few posts here inquiring about fitting various size round drivers in the front doors of the FJ. This post will attempt to illustrate the steps involved with installing a set of Dynaudio drivers - the drivers measure 8 ¾” OD. First things first – I should probably explain that I own a furniture manufacturing operation and therefore have access to a few pieces of equipment that most people don’t. With that said I’ll try to keep this as simple as I can. First, remove your door panels and the existing POS 6 X 9 factory speakers - to do this follow the steps recommended in Funky Junks ever so eloquently posted “door speaker install” thread. Once you have done this remove all the white plastic clips from your door panels making sure to save the little rubber washers that sometimes stick to the door.
Step 1) Place door panel face down on a padded surface and trim away the 6 X 9 plastic ring, and everything else protruding within the round area.
Step 2) BUY SOME BEER! With the inside of the door panel all prep’d, it’s time to flip it over and begin the “Jihad” aka holy war. Using a 3/32” bit, drill out the plugged holes falling within the diameter of your new drivers – in my case this was ALL OF THEM. When finished flip panel back over and carefully trim the boogers from the back using a very sharp chisel and a slicing motion to actually cut as much as you can. Then I used a random orbit sander with 80g paper to sand the remainder – you will definitely want to use the sander as hand sanding just seems to smear the plastic back into the newly drilled holes - pisser. At this point remove anything remaining in the holes by pushing the dull end of your drill bit through from the back and then from the front.
Back of door panel finished
Before step 2
After step 2
Step 3) Cut a piece of ¼” solid core plywood or Masonite 9 ½” X 10 ½” for use as your template. Measure the spacing of the mounting holes on your door and drill the template accordingly (drill bottom holes 1 1/8” up from bottom edge of template). With your mounting holes drilled go ahead and attach the template to the door.
Tape a piece of paper to your template and sketch lines for removal of excess material.
Remove the template trim excess and reinstall.
Step 4) With your trimmed template attached to the door, install the door panel without clips – Tip: Start at the front and slide it down the window until in place. Using a sharpened piece of straight wire (I used a piece of brazing rod) small enough to fit through your grill holes, mark the center (approx.) and around the perimeter of your grill holes – be sure to hold the door panel tight against the door and insert the wire as straight as possible. Remove the door panel, and template.
Marking with sharpened brazing rod
Step 5) Using a compass set to the radius of your desired grill opening, mark your template hitting as many of your points as possible. This will best find the center – the center mark you made should be reasonably close ie: +/- ¼”.
Template marked for center
Once you are satisfied that you have found the center, drill a small hole through that point and toss the paper. You have now successfully located the center of your new speaker in the center or your grill opening.
Step 6) Using a compass, mark out the template for your particular speaker size. Be sure to mark the overall OD on the back as well – I determined the overall OD by adding ¼” to the OD of my speaker. This measurement = 9” and would suggest using it even if you are installing a smaller driver.
Step 7) Cut the template close to your speaker ID line. Refasten the template to the door and mark the opening in sheet metal on the back of your template.
Sheet metal opening is shown in red in photo below.
Sketch the finished perimeter of your template (shown in black above) being sure to leave ½” to cover sheet metal opening. Neatly cut the template to the finished ID and perimeter, sand all edges smooth.
Step 8) Trace your template onto a piece of MDF and cut it leaving approx. 1/8” of material outside of lines – I used 1” MDF for reasons to be explained in future steps. Screw the template to the MDF and trim the remaining 1/8” on a router table using a flush trim bearing bit. Make two of these. NOW IS A VERY GOOD TIME TO MARK YOUR MDF “D SIDE” AND “P SIDE” on the back of each piece. If you install them on the wrong door, your speakers will not be centered. Everyone knows someone with a router table don’t they?
You can stop here and use the MDF mounts as they are or continue on with me. Even if you decide to be a quitter you should skip to step #13 below and complete it.
Step 9) Glue your two new MDF mounts to two 9 ½” X 10 ½” MDF blanks. Rout the new blanks using the same bit. You now have two 2” thick MDF mounts.
Step 10) You now need to trim the bottom front mounting tabs down to 1” using a sharp chisel – use the glue joint for your stopping point. If you do not do this it will prevent the door panel from seating properly.
Step 11) Now for the fun part. The plane of the door mounting surface is not parallel to the back side of the door (speaker grill) – imagine that! In order to get your speakers on the same plane with the back of the door grill you must taper the front side of your MDF mounts in two directions as follows:
Measurements taken at perimeter of the cut out:
Back to front - ½” Remove ½” from front edge
Top to bottom - ½” Remove ½” from bottom edge
I did this by making a jig to run the mounts through my widebelt sander – not everyone knows someone with one of these. You may have to improvise using a power planer, planer, jointer, or just a pile of sanding and dust masks.
Step 12) With the MDF mounts properly tapered you can now rabbet the front of the round openings at the appropriate depth to receive your new drivers. Seal and paint the MDF mounts black.
Showing top to bottom taper of passenger side – note the bottom front mounting tab trimmed in Step 10 (right side of photo).
View from rear showing both tapers
Step 13) Out to the FJ!! Remove the 4 white plastic things from the mounting holes on your door. Install Dynamat or equivalent inside door and around mounting area.
Install MDF mounts – use machine screws, washers, and lock washers.
Mount your drivers
Step 14) It’s foam time! Install a ring of ¾” X 7/16” closed cell weather stripping around the flange of your driver.
Now install 2 layers of the weather stripping around the door panel grill opening.
Why so much foam you ask?? Because you can only bring the face of the MDF mounts out so far before they interfere with the door panel. Using 2” of MDF for the mounts they ended up being about 1” shy of the back of the door panel.
Final Step Put the clips back in your door panel and reinstall it!
You now have what is basically an air tight enclosure (your door) is acting as a speaker cabinet.
I hope this helps rather than discourages.
Let me know if you all think it would be worth while to make a bunch of these in blank form – end user cuts out the center hole - and sell them. I’d appreciate the feedback.
I’d offer to make the tapered MDF mounts for people but the cost per set would be high unless I had orders for 100 or so sets.
Good Luck
D
3” soft dome mids in the dash next!
Linear Mode
