Front speaker install for EK/EJ/EM

Disclaimer: The following is provided as a GUIDE ONLY, and neither myself nor Ozhonda take any responsibility for the outcomes of someone else doing the following. You follow these steps at your own risk!


Aim: To get more bass out of your front speakers
So you have spent $$$ on head unit + amp + front speakers. Now, try to set the fader to the front speakers only. Can you hear the bass? No bass? Bass coming from the rear 6x9 speakers? You want the sound stage in front of you, not at the back.

To my disappointment, that's what happened to my system. The problem was the front speakers were mounted on door trims. So rather that giving me the bass, the speaker was vibrating the door trim.

Required:

• Speakers of your choice
• philip screw driver
• pocket hand saw
• drill and drill bit
• closed cell foam weather strip
• duct tape and packaging tape
• speed nut

Steps:

1. Choose your speakers
   OEM speaker size on my EJ is 6". That will be the same as EK, EM, and perhaps EG.
   
   Here is picture to show the speaker with 6" spacer. Speaker on the left is 6.5" while the right one is OEM. The spacer on the left doesn't go through.
   http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/3241/tnjanmar09001.jpg
   
   If you want to fit anything bigger, you may need spacer or cut off some door panel metal. I choose to stay 6" because cutting metal is too drastic for my liking.
   
2. Remove the door trim
   Roll down your window and remove some screws on your door trim. One on door lock area, one on the power window. Peel off the speaker grill, and remove 3 screws that hold the door trim. Also remove 3 screws that hold the speaker, then remove the speaker.
   You are left with a door trim held by clips around the edge. Use a bit of force to pull your door trim towards you. There will be some loud popping noise. If some clips are broken.. too bad :( and let's move on :). After it comes loose, peel off the black triangle trim of the side mirror. Lift up the trim to take it off.
   Picture below: red dots are the screws.
   http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/4...anmar09002.jpg
   
   Here is my door panel. I have modded my door panel before with some sound deadened material and duct tape to cover all holes. Original plastic cover was long gone.
   http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/1559/tnjanmar09003.jpg
   
   
3. Cut the door trim
   There is a pod on the speaker area and it has a function. It is to keep water from damaging your speaker. This is where the speaker is mounted and it is not a solid mounting point. We need to to cut it away. Do I worry about water damage? Hmmmm... I little bit of water won't kill my speaker *fingerscrossed*
   
   http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/9717/tnjanmar09004.jpg
   
   Alright, now it's the time to ask yourself: are you sure you want to do this?
   because you are about to do irreversible mod to the door trim.
   I chose 'Yes, I am sure'.
   
   Drill some holes on the side of pod, at around 1 cm away from the face of door trim. Make sure it's big enough for your hand saw to go in.
   http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/7603/tnjanmar09005.jpg
   
   Start sawing away. Don't cut off the 3 tubes. These are for the screws to secure the door trim. We want to keep them, to keep the door trim rattle free.
   
   http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/2...anmar09008.jpg
   
   After a good 30 mins of sawing, here is the result.
   http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/6854/tnjanmar09010.jpg
   
4. Take break
   Yes... get your lunch and go to toilet :)
   
5. Drill new holes
   Let's see if 6.5" speaker will fit... errmmm nope
   
   http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/5850/tnjanmar09011.jpg
   
   6" ? perfect :thumbsup:
   http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/9...anmar09012.jpg
   
   I have a 6" speaker spacer. I am going to use them as a template for drilling new holes on the panel. 3 mm drill bit was used.
   http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/2...anmar09014.jpg
   
   Ensure the speaker is not covering the door trim screw holes. We still want to use them.
   http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/6092/tnjanmar09013.jpg
   
6. Preparing the speaker
   Alright, we are nearly there. Let's prepare the speaker. Grab the weather strip and cover the outer most ring of the speaker.
   http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/2...anmar09015.jpg
   http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/6...anmar09016.jpg
   
   The aim is conceal the gap between the door panel and the speaker as much as possible. Make sure the strip is not blocking the screw holes.
   
   Let's be generous, give it a double layer. The strip is cheap anyway... $3 for 2 meters.. enough for my two 6" speakers.
   http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/1/tnjanmar09018.jpg
   
7. Install the speakers
   Screw back the speaker. If screw doesn't bite, use speed nuts. Sometimes they come with your speaker. Your local hardware store should stock too.
   http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/6...anmar09021.jpg
   
8. Sealing the door
   While the door panel is exposed, let's seal all the service holes. I have sealed them with duck tape, but they were not tight. So I used packaging tape to reinforce it. Some professional installers use tougher material like mdf, plastic, etc... but I'm happy with the 'ghetto' style :thumbsup:.
   http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/6...anmar09019.jpg
   
   Seal it out as much as possible. That way, the door panel is acting as a sub enclosure. This will give you more duff duff.
   http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/5276/tnjanmar09020.jpg
   
   Other tip, wrap those metal rods with duck tape. This will reduce their rattling too.
   
9. Put everything back.
   Put your door trim back. Double check the 3 tubes are not blocked by the speaker ring. Trim the tubes as necessary, but don't cut them. I stress it again: we want those screws to fasten the door trim, not only the clips!
   
   If the door trim ok, put back the black side mirror trim.
   Give the door trim a slap with your palm around the edge. Before that: ensure the power window cable is on its place.
   BANG! BANG! BANG! This will force the clips catch the door panel.
   
   Put back the power window panel, and THEN the door lock. If you do the door lock screw first, the screw may fall into the door trim again. It happened to me, then I had to remove the door trim again ARGGGGG!!! :mad:
   
   
   Congratulations!.. you are done. Turn up your favorite song.. listen to the bass and be proud of yourself :)
   

Other comments
I would like to give credit to Mobile Electronic Australia. Great website for car audio enthusiasts.