How-To: Wiring new door speakers
#1
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How-To: Wiring new door speakers
I read how everyone complains about the difficulty of pulling new speaker wire into the doors, and I wanted to share the procedure I used, since it didn't end up being anywhere near as bad as everyone made it out to be. I was installing a set of Boston Pro 6.5s, and wanted to mount the crossovers in the back with the amp, and I was able to pull two sets of speaker wire into each door. In this install, I'm using Stinger Pro 16 gauge wire.
Step 1: The usual, remove the door panel (I had the window down) and set aside. Remove the 6.5" speaker from the door.
Step 2: Inside the kick panel, identify the wires that are heading into the door and unplug their connector
Step 3: Pull/wiggle the grommets free and the ends of the boot running from the car into the door.
Step 4: Work the grommets and boot and wiring plug through the holes and into the door, pull the entire thing out through the speaker opening. Now feed the speaker wire (x2) through the holes and into the door. You should now hav something like this:
Step 5: Pass a snake through the boot/grommets, from the door side to the car side. You'll need to unwrap the tape on the ends of the boot, of course. Make sure you pass the snake through in the right direction, it's easy to get turned around here.
Step 6: Double up your speaker wires and tape them together solidly for 12-15" to easy their passage through the boot. Then tape several inches to your snake tool. My snake tool has a claw grip, so I used that to help hold the wire as well.
Step 7: With the help of the snake, work the wires through the grommets and boot. Since you wrapped the wires tightly, you can alternately push the wires and pull on the snake. You should get very little resistance at this point, since your snake is already holding the boot open for the wires to pass through. Oddly enough, if you wipe your sweaty forehead and then rub the length of the wires, they pass through much easier
Step 8: You're almost done. Make sure you have enough wire length inside the door and , work the plug, grommets and boot back through the hole in the door and into their regular position. Notice how sharp the window guides inside the door are.....curse liberally You'll probably find it easier to get your hand/arm in the door if the black speaker basket is removed, it makes the opening a little bigger. Extra tip: It's easiest to seat the grommets if you wiggle them around with one hand on each side of the opening.
Step 9: Repeat on the other door....
I also found it easier to just run the speaker wiring down each side of the car to the amp, rather than crossing one to the other side and keeping them all together. I had both sides of the car apart, one side for RCAs, one side for power wire, so it wasn't a big deal. I know some people worry about running speaker wires alongside their power wire and picking up EMI noise, but that hasn't been a problem in my car.
Hope this helps someone out there,
Jeff
Step 1: The usual, remove the door panel (I had the window down) and set aside. Remove the 6.5" speaker from the door.
Step 2: Inside the kick panel, identify the wires that are heading into the door and unplug their connector
Step 3: Pull/wiggle the grommets free and the ends of the boot running from the car into the door.
Step 4: Work the grommets and boot and wiring plug through the holes and into the door, pull the entire thing out through the speaker opening. Now feed the speaker wire (x2) through the holes and into the door. You should now hav something like this:
Step 5: Pass a snake through the boot/grommets, from the door side to the car side. You'll need to unwrap the tape on the ends of the boot, of course. Make sure you pass the snake through in the right direction, it's easy to get turned around here.
Step 6: Double up your speaker wires and tape them together solidly for 12-15" to easy their passage through the boot. Then tape several inches to your snake tool. My snake tool has a claw grip, so I used that to help hold the wire as well.
Step 7: With the help of the snake, work the wires through the grommets and boot. Since you wrapped the wires tightly, you can alternately push the wires and pull on the snake. You should get very little resistance at this point, since your snake is already holding the boot open for the wires to pass through. Oddly enough, if you wipe your sweaty forehead and then rub the length of the wires, they pass through much easier
Step 8: You're almost done. Make sure you have enough wire length inside the door and , work the plug, grommets and boot back through the hole in the door and into their regular position. Notice how sharp the window guides inside the door are.....curse liberally You'll probably find it easier to get your hand/arm in the door if the black speaker basket is removed, it makes the opening a little bigger. Extra tip: It's easiest to seat the grommets if you wiggle them around with one hand on each side of the opening.
Step 9: Repeat on the other door....
I also found it easier to just run the speaker wiring down each side of the car to the amp, rather than crossing one to the other side and keeping them all together. I had both sides of the car apart, one side for RCAs, one side for power wire, so it wasn't a big deal. I know some people worry about running speaker wires alongside their power wire and picking up EMI noise, but that hasn't been a problem in my car.
Hope this helps someone out there,
Jeff
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Hey Jeff! I'm trying to do this and I have a few questions. How did you get back into the cavity where the grommet comes into the car? It looks like you have to unwrap the tape that wraps the grommet to the wiring boot that goes to the connector (whew) And then you can try to stuff it through into the door. I can barely get a hand back there. I'm also trying to figure out how you got the connector through that hole.
Are there any other options for wiring the doors? This looks pretty tough when you start to get into it.
Are there any other options for wiring the doors? This looks pretty tough when you start to get into it.
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Originally posted by FF2Skip
jeffbrig- Thanks for taking the time to post your procedure.
jeffbrig- Thanks for taking the time to post your procedure.
#6
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Here's an easy way.
Take off the kick panels, door panels, speakers etc.
locate the grommet inside the kick panels. With pliers pinch the inside part of the grommet and use a blade to cut a small slit - careful of the wire.
Take an insulated wire from an house wiring romex wire about 2 ft. Solder the end to the speaker wire you're running through. Heat shrink tube to where the romex meets the speaker wire making a smooth transition.
Lube the line with KY jelly and push the wire through the slit and pull the speaker wire through.
Take off the kick panels, door panels, speakers etc.
locate the grommet inside the kick panels. With pliers pinch the inside part of the grommet and use a blade to cut a small slit - careful of the wire.
Take an insulated wire from an house wiring romex wire about 2 ft. Solder the end to the speaker wire you're running through. Heat shrink tube to where the romex meets the speaker wire making a smooth transition.
Lube the line with KY jelly and push the wire through the slit and pull the speaker wire through.
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Thanks Lucid, you're the man. That's kind of what I was thinking of trying only with the snake (a la jeffbrig) instead of the romex. Cutting the grommet is going to be the tough part but I do have a pair of super long needle nose pliers that should help! If I hold the grommet with those, Ishould be able to get it with an exacto and make the cut.
I had even thought about using KY - glad to have that confirmed by a pro. I'll keep ya'll posted on my progress.
I had even thought about using KY - glad to have that confirmed by a pro. I'll keep ya'll posted on my progress.
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No the tough part is fitting yourself into the footwell of the car! I'd say remove both seats before hand. 12mm bolts on the front, 14mm on the back. Seatbelt slips out. Be sure to disconnect the plugs under the driver's seat before pulling it out!