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Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 17, 2012, 7:57 am
by cosmo
Hi all,
I wanted to install 2 speakers in my cab but I dont want to pefrom any irreversable sheet metal surgery to do it. I got my factory radio upgraded to AM/FM so there is no dash cutting required. I saw someone on this iste made under-the seat-boxes, but looking at my truck I cant imagine where they would fit

Any suggestions on where I can mount two speakers? Where is the best sound and what locations should I avoid?thanks
cosmo

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 17, 2012, 3:27 pm
by bruceandersson
I am not sure there is any great place to put speakers in most pickups. They tend to sound best when they have a large cavity behind them. That being said the only available cavity is in the door. If you don't have storage pockets you can just go through the access panel. If this sounds too barbaric, find some with holes already cut. I have seen after market armrests with speakers in them, but I don't know how good they or any flush mount will sound.

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 17, 2012, 3:48 pm
by bmcgc
It just isnt meant to be in a Slick.

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 17, 2012, 4:14 pm
by Hunter's 64
http://www.vintagecarradio.com/store/pr ... ucts_id=12


there a lot of options for a very nice sounding under seat speakers .

Danny

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 17, 2012, 4:24 pm
by Gritsngumbo
Hunter's 64 wrote:http://www.vintagecarradio.com/store/pr ... ucts_id=12
there a lot of options for a very nice sounding under seat speakers .Danny
Looks like those would work. Only 3" high.

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 17, 2012, 10:16 pm
by 66fordtrucknut
Both of my trucks were radio delete, and the dash never cut. How often does that happen.
Charlie

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 17, 2012, 10:53 pm
by slickmainer
I had some smaller speaker put into the headliner panel where the dome light goes. they were lightweight and worked pretty good.
Image

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 17, 2012, 10:56 pm
by rick64
I was thinking of using small bookshelf speakers. Like you find for a home sound system. some of those little guys make some big sound. I havnt done it yet. So at this point it is all theoretical.

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 18, 2012, 12:35 am
by rickairmedic
I say just take the metal panels out of the doors and make coppies of them using masonite . Mount your speakers in the masonite and mount it back in the doors where the metal panels fit ( covering them or painting them is optional ) . Put the original metal panels somewhere you can find them again should you ever decide to sell the truck and the buyer wants to return it to original . There are also some nice triaxials and even dual coil speakers available now that will fit in the original location in the dash .


Rick

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 20, 2012, 1:17 pm
by BarnieTrk
rickairmedic wrote:I say just take the metal panels out of the doors and make coppies of them using masonite . Mount your speakers in the masonite and mount it back in the doors where the metal panels fit ( covering them or painting them is optional ) . Put the original metal panels somewhere you can find them again should you ever decide to sell the truck and the buyer wants to return it to original . There are also some nice triaxials and even dual coil speakers available now that will fit in the original location in the dash. Rick
If you choose to mount them in the doors, I'd suggest you don't buy cheap-azz speakers, as they will not survive long being mounted in the doors....because of slamming the doors and because of water coming past the window felt and dropping onto the speakers.

BarnieTrk :2cents:

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 20, 2012, 3:08 pm
by bmcgc
They (whoever they are) make waterproof cones for door speakers, or buy a set of marine speakers.

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 20, 2012, 3:39 pm
by BarnieTrk
bmcgc wrote:They (whoever they are) make waterproof cones for door speakers, or buy a set of marine speakers.
"They" are the numerous manufacturers that would sell (cosmo or anyone) speakers WITHOUT having waterproof cones and shock-resistant construction (from daily door closing/slamming).
cosmo wrote: ...what locations should I avoid? thanks cosmo
That was my point for cosmo (or anyone else considering to mount speakers in their doors), don't just pull some speakers out of the back window of some pick-n-pull car and mount them in the Slick door panels and think they'll survive there for years..... because they probably wouldn't. However, mounting more common, non-waterproof cone speakers in the headliner, as slickmainer did, would likely survive longer than in the door panels.

No biggie, it's all good!
BarnieTrk :2cents:

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 20, 2012, 3:58 pm
by Rusted64
As far as door speakers go, BarnieTrk is correct, they wont last. I even added some think clear pastic as a curtain from the top of the door pocket area, down to the bottom of the door. There is just too much humidity for the copper wire coil on the speaker. They sure do make a scary smell when they go too.

You can try what I will be doing, http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_944 ... PAod7CgApQ

I am moving from a pair of 4 1/2 to 6 1/2 speakers, mainly for better sound and I think these baffles will help with the moisture and sound. I may have to add some gasket sealer or liquid nails to completly seal it.

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 20, 2012, 4:04 pm
by bmcgc
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-FOAM-BAFFLES- ... ar&vxp=mtr


http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-MARINE-SPEAKE ... ar&vxp=mtr

No need to reinvent the wheel. Ebay has 45 pages of marine speakers for sale. From low end to high end.

Marine speakers are water resistant or waterproof and shock resistant.

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 20, 2012, 4:42 pm
by BarnieTrk
Yep, and notice the fifth bullet point in the description of these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-PYLE-PLMR60B- ... 51a4589dd4

"For Marine or Car Door Use"

BarnieTrk :wink:

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 21, 2012, 7:20 am
by Kellxr7
slickmainer wrote:I had some smaller speaker put into the headliner panel where the dome light goes. they were lightweight and worked pretty good.
Image

I agree, I have them in the same location in my slick, (if you dont want to cut up the headliner you can easily cut a copy out of a flexible material as I did.) They are hard to visually pick out for theives and critics because you dont normally look up when peeking inside & they sound great in this location because the speaker is directly above your head, you dont need to have it very loud at all to hear them. I highly recommend it.

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 21, 2012, 11:33 am
by qwertyd10n
cosmo wrote:Hi all,
I wanted to install 2 speakers in my cab but I dont want to pefrom any irreversable sheet metal surgery to do it. I got my factory radio upgraded to AM/FM so there is no dash cutting required. I saw someone on this iste made under-the seat-boxes, but looking at my truck I cant imagine where they would fit

Any suggestions on where I can mount two speakers? Where is the best sound and what locations should I avoid?thanks
cosmo
I've got a set of Custom Autosound's Undercover II speaker enclosures (http://www.casmfg.com/Speaker%20Options.htm) under my seat along with a Retro Sound Dual Voice Coil (DVC) speaker in the stock dash location. The enclosures seem to fit pretty well under the seat (I've got them pushed towards the middle) and the overall sound is pretty good - but overly loud. I see that Custom Autosound has an amplified system now... that might be cool - especially when I'm trying to crank up the volume over the 445!

Merry Christmas,
Dion

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 22, 2012, 12:13 pm
by William-in-St George
There is a slick on ebay that has a pair of speakers mounted in the instrument cluster. It is a round speedo (plenty available on ebay and aftermarket) so it would be easy to return that to original. Kind of goofy but clever in a way. Personally I don't have a radio, I like to listen to my engine.

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 22, 2012, 12:42 pm
by bmcgc
I like those undercover speakers. Put in a hidden stereo and you would have tunes and still look bone stock.

Im happy with the AM radio, it just seems like its the right fit in a 47 year old truck.

Re: Speaker installation in the cab

Posted: December 22, 2012, 8:59 pm
by Hawk
The PO of my truck had mounted some small box shaped speakers up under the dash out of site. They sound surprisingly good for there size. I'm not sure if they are marine type or just indoor speakers. Either way they are out of the weather and out of sight.