Stereo install progress update

11799 Views 23 Replies 12 Participants Last post by 02bluesuperroo, Jul 21, 2007

G

Discussion Starter · Jun 4, 2006

Update:

this is how far I got today...

installed 4 x Infinity 3.5" units.. both the dash and the rear were tricky and needed some adjusting to space the speakers out etc, new holes drilled...

2 x Pioneer 6x 9 installed in doors...

all topics regarding this were very helpful, however none mentioned polarity of sotck wiring in doors...

right door pink is positive and left door red is positive (thanks to whomever it was who posted full wiring diags for the FJ... found color coded stereo diag on page 40 (ish?) )

Made a few other minor changes... you dont need a dremel as mention in the post (for door install).. side cutters suffice to hack up old speakers (if you can even call it that... how pathetic! no wonder it sounds like crap!!!!!)

I'll post pix later...

next plan is to get amp and I guess intercept feeds to the 6x9's ...

the 6 x 9s are rated at 230 w 80w RMS ....

what kinda amp should I look at to drive them and also a 10" sub (not yet purchased) ?

1 - 20 of 24 Posts

G

Discussion Starter · #2 · Jun 4, 2006

btw... I really am blown away by just how crappy the speakers are that I pulled out of the FJ. Toyota should hang their head in shame!

I know I read about it in several posts, but I was still totally blown away, especially when I got to the 6x9s in the door. Man oh man... al FJ owners whould take the door apart and see for themselves... key is to actually unbolt the sorry excuse for a speaker in your hand... still shaking my head.

and this is the PREMIUM "top of the line" package. Did I ever get ripped off!

:angry

L Toups

· #3 · Jun 4, 2006

Not to be rude, but the toyota stock speakers are tons better
than any thing comming from the big 3.

SoonerFJ

· #4 · Jun 4, 2006

fish_antlers said:
btw... I really am blown away by just how crappy the speakers are that I pulled out of the FJ. Toyota should hang their head in shame!

I know I read about it in several posts, but I was still totally blown away, especially when I got to the 6x9s in the door. Man oh man... al FJ owners whould take the door apart and see for themselves... key is to actually unbolt the sorry excuse for a speaker in your hand... still shaking my head.

and this is the PREMIUM "top of the line" package. Did I ever get ripped off!

:angry

Yep, the door speakers were pathetic, especially when compared side by side to the Infiniti ones that replaced them.

G

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jun 4, 2006

L Toups said:
Not to be rude, but the toyota stock speakers are tons better
than any thing comming from the big 3.

sorry but yer dead wrong. Drive any DOdge and check out the stereo. Sounds 110% better... infact my 2001 Durango;s stock unit kicks a$$ over the FJ's, and that's a fact.

Angry Andy

· #6 · Jun 4, 2006

fish_antlers said:
sorry but yer dead wrong. Drive any DOdge and check out the stereo. Sounds 110% better... infact my 2001 Durango;s stock unit kicks a$$ over the FJ's, and that's a fact.

Now drive the Dodge for 100k miles; then report back. The sound is great in the dodge, cause you NEED it when your wheels are falling off....

But keep up the posts regarding your installation progress.....Dodge, chevy, ford, Nissan...who cares? Isn't this a FJ Forum?.

G

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jun 4, 2006

I'll correct you on one thing... the Durango was flawless for 60K miles... it fell apart like clockwork at 61K miles.

And yes, the stereo easily kicks a$s over the FJ... think it's a bitter pill for you to swallow? I just shelled out hard earned cash for this hack job to Toyota for this pathetic excuse for a "premium" sound system.

tisk tisk tisk Toyota! :finger

Keyek

· #8 · Jun 4, 2006

I hate to say it but the only way to be satisfied audio system for your car is to put it together your self. Look at this way you did get that nice instrument cluster on your dash and the color coded inserts...

I ordered mine with CQ, TRD, Allow, armrest and roof rack. I couldn't be happier cause now I get to put together my system the way I want. Saves me the heartache of being disappointed.

G

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jun 4, 2006

You're missing my point. I paid a premium for the "top of the line" model, billed as having an "amazing sounds system".

I traded in my old vehicle, a 2001 Durango R/T, which was alos the top of the line.. it also had a "premium" sound system (factory installed Infinity to be accurate)... Dodge delivered the goods.. the sound system was amazing ...

now fast forward 5 years... I pick up my new Toyota and it sounds like crap.

You're way off base by suggesting I'll never be happy unless I install my own system in a vehicle. I was happy as a clam with the sound system in the Durango and drove it for 5 years in full stock form... I never had to put a penny into the audio.. it totally satisfied my needs... it was like night and day when I traded vehicles... I got out of the Durango and drove the FJ away, put in my favourite disc, and well... now I've embarked on spending about a grand to fix the sh1ty stock "premium" stereo.

It really is a joke.

Keyek

· #10 · Jun 4, 2006

fish_antlers said:
You're missing my point. I paid a premium for the "top of the line" model, billed as having an "amazing sounds system".

I traded in my old vehicle, a 2001 Durango R/T, which was alos the top of the line.. it also had a "premium" sound system (factory installed Infinity to be accurate)... Dodge delivered the goods.. the sound system was amazing ...

now fast forward 5 years... I pick up my new Toyota and it sounds like crap.

You're way off base by suggesting I'll never be happy unless I install my own system in a vehicle. I was happy as a clam with the sound system in the Durango and drove it for 5 years in full stock form... I never had to put a penny into the audio.. it totally satisfied my needs... it was like night and day when I traded vehicles... I got out of the Durango and drove the FJ away, put in my favourite disc, and well... now I've embarked on spending about a grand to fix the sh1ty stock "premium" stereo.

It really is a joke.

But you do have an FJ... That alone is priceless. How do you compare the 2 vehicles now? woudl you rather have the Durango with the stereo or the FJ with out. Don't mean to be rude, but premium audio from a car dealer is rarely premimum. I looked at what they were offering as the premimum stereo and made a concious decision from the begining I had to get my own. Its a starter kit. Personally I am going with MB Quart speakers and amps, just having a hard time deciding if I want NAV.

G

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jun 4, 2006

But the Durango's car stereo actually WAS premium... on top of that in the last year months I have driven for extended periods of time a 300C Hemi, a Magnum and a Charger.. all had stereos that were amazing.

This has to do with getting what I am paying for. I dont expect 2001 Dodge technology to trump 2007 Toyota technology... but apparently it does...

G

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jun 4, 2006 (Edited)

12

But I digress...

here are some photos...

Referencing install topic...

Stock 2.6" dash speaker

Side by each with the Infinity

Made in China.

Infinity installed. Simply move metal retaining clip to new location. Don't use a drill... easy trick is to use your soldering iron to melt a perfect hole through the dash. Solder your connections to the original harness so it clips right in.

Rear speaker mounted. Used tek screws to mount in place. Stacked 3 nuts behind each mounting point to step speaker away from body of FJ. Solder connections and then do 2 wraps of electricians tape around magnet and connections to prevent any accidental contact with body/frame of car.

BE VERY CAREFUL TO NOT SCREW THROUGH THE OUTSIDE OF FJ. CHECK YOUR DEPTH!!

In addition removing stock bracket was a pain in the ass. Requires patience and caution if you dont want to remove the headliner/ body panel. Careful not to drop the bolts into the body where they will forever rattle. Take a few sanity breaks if you cant do it properly in one go. Take your time.

Nothing really... just a pic of my FJ

Following directions in other thread (sort of) you end up with this "frame" for your new speaker. You dont need a dremel or any special tools, just some sidecutters. Strip off the foam and get yourself some (dont know what store name is, we call it "supertape" at work) doublesided glue only tape. Determine the correct polarity of your speakers and the harness and match the alignment of the keyway for the stock connector. Free up the connector with your soldering iron and solder in a jumper to your new speaker. Then seat the speaker in the supertaped frame. (For those of you convinced the stock stereo is "premium".. that cheap plastic frame IS the stock speaker)

Jumper wire soldered to new speaker

And to stock connector

Use the search function (ha ha) and find the downloadable wiring diags (dont ask me because none of you lazy f*cks helped me find it... the search function sucks about as much as the stock stereo so I spent a night checking each page of this section of the site... there are only 11.. . good luck)

I didnt have machine screws, so I did end up using toenailed drywall screws which actually worked very well provided you drill an angled pilot hole. The supertape really helps IMHO.

Your finished unit..

The stock speaker covers all have some sort of baffle attached to them that will intersect your new speaker. I discovered that they are made of a really soft plastic and you dont need anything more than an Olfa knife to trim them down. In addition the front dash covers have a baffle you just tear right off. This leaves a loose bit of fabric mesh prolly there to stop food and dirt from getting into the speaker. I took my glue gun and hit the mesh with some hot glue to hold it in place.

Now... I'd like some advice on how to mount the Amp I havent gotten yet under the seat. Are there mounting points? I dont want to drill a hole in to body. I suppose I could epoxy some bolts to the floor.... ideas?

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TahoeBlue

· #13 · Jun 4, 2006

fish_antlers said:
btw... I really am blown away by just how crappy the speakers are that I pulled out of the FJ. Toyota should hang their head in shame!

I know I read about it in several posts, but I was still totally blown away, especially when I got to the 6x9s in the door. Man oh man... al FJ owners whould take the door apart and see for themselves... key is to actually unbolt the sorry excuse for a speaker in your hand... still shaking my head.

and this is the PREMIUM "top of the line" package. Did I ever get ripped off!

:angry

antlers...yeah man, I hear you. People just don't realize what a load of crap they are. Seeing is believing! The Toyota stock 6x9 weighs less then 1/2 of one of my Boston 3.5"s. Like I've said before, I have bigger magnets on my fridge then what comes on the stock 6"x9"s.

TahoeBlue

· #14 · Jun 4, 2006

L Toups said:
Not to be rude, but the toyota stock speakers are tons better
than any thing comming from the big 3.

You're not being rude....just ignorant! If you haven't taken a look at the speakers up close and personal then you just don't know.

ironmind

· #15 · Sep 6, 2006

It doesn't look like you've amped your system with what you've installed. Are you thinking about it now? I'm torn right now with installing older speakers I've got laying around or going all in and amping up with new middle/high end speakers.

MissFJ

· #16 · Sep 6, 2006

ironmind said:
It doesn't look like you've amped your system with what you've installed. Are you thinking about it now? I'm torn right now with installing older speakers I've got laying around or going all in and amping up with new middle/high end speakers.

Are you asking the banned guy?

Cuz I don't think he's going to respond...

Noisycow

· #17 · Sep 6, 2006 (Edited)

Thanks for the exc writeup. I have one suggestion for those installing the rear speakers. Instead of wrapping the magnet with electrical tape, paint the magnet with Plastifab or one of the variations of 'liquid rubber' - the stuff people dip tool handles into ....

The stuff is fantastic. It also can be used to stop a lot of rattles and rubbing issues in all kinds of vehicles - cures metal to metal or metal to plastic noise ....

PLUS the Tacotunes.com adaptors make the 6x9s must easier and more professional vs tape and screws .... just fyi.

Banned maybe, info still worthwhile......

MissFJ

· #18 · Sep 6, 2006

Noisycow said:
Banned maybe, info still worthwhile......

True, thats why the post is left. Just saying don't hold your breathe for a response

Noisycow

· #19 · Sep 6, 2006

I just figured out that when a name is not clickable they got banned. Takes me a while

. He seemed like an ok guy to me, but then I don't know why FishAntlers was really banned... hopefully not because he said the FJ stock stereo stinks lol.

ironmind

· #20 · Sep 8, 2006

Noisycow said:
I just figured out that when a name is not clickable they got banned. Takes me a while . He seemed like an ok guy to me, but then I don't know why FishAntlers was really banned... hopefully not because he said the FJ stock stereo stinks lol.

ditto

1 - 20 of 24 Posts

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