[CU2] Replace front door speakers - my experience

[mpricecs]

I know this has been done before, but thought I would share my experience with changing the speakers out in the front doors.

As is the case with most CU2, my front drivers side speaker was buzzing with distortion, so it was time to replace them. I wanted the simplest solution and was keen just to replace the speakers with something of reasonable quality but nothing extravagant.

I settled on a pair of Sony XS-GTE1620, 6.5", $49.00 from Supercheap Auto. Also required were some speakers spacers 6.5" 25mm depth was all I could get.

To remove the door trim I followed this procedure:

http://www.savebydiy.com/Eo51qHowTo3...2009-2014.html

Process was fairly straightforward, with the exception of one screw on each door. The one under the door power windows module. Needed an impact driver to successfully remove. I suspect Honda do this one up real tight to discourage this process. The cables for the door handle release are a bit of a nuisance, but no need to disconnect, just place the trim at 90degrees against the door.

With the trim removed, it was an easy process to remove the single screw for the speaker, break the seal and lift up and out and unclip the connector. With the speaker removed, it was obvious the point of failure with the speaker. One third of the cone edge had become 'unstuck' from the rest of the speaker. Pushing it back down in place with your finger and all was good again, except I suspect it would not last too many extended cone movements before it would become dislodged again.

I suspect, if wanted, you could re-glue and the speaker would be OK, worth a try if you do not want to go the trouble of the next steps.

The speaker is an unusual construction, mostly plastic and incorporates an 18mm spacer that projects the speaker out from the door frame and snuggly up against a 'cone' tube that forms part of the door trim. It is lightweight with a very small magnet.

The next step was to fit the new speaker. Unlike another review of this process that I have read, YOU CANNOT use a spacer any deeper than 18mm. Any more and the door trim will not go back on unless you were to trim away the 'cone' tube that is part of the door trim. It is soft plastic, so would be easy to do with scissor or Stanley-knife. but messy. Also be wary of the depth of your new speakers. The Sonys' were fine but very deep speakers will interfere with the windows in the down position.

I had my 25mm spacers planed down to 18mm (to match the size of the old speaker). I believe you can buy 16mm, but not where I come from. I lined these up in the identical position as the old speaker and mounted with some 'silastic' and 4 screws drilled through the metal frame of the door. I used the screws that came with the speakers.

Next was how to connect the speakers to the existing wiring. There isn't much cable to work with, but you could splice the cabling in, however I decided to 'sacrifice' the old speakers and remove the existing connector.

Unsolder the connections from the speakers coil and using a hacksaw blade, saw through the plastic in 3 places, and instant connector. I simply soldered the connector onto the new speaker. I had to bend the connectors down 90 degrees and twist them 90 degrees (use pliers) so they lined up perfectly with the connectors on the Sony speakers and still pointed outwards exactly how they were on the old speakers. I then soldered them together for a tight, fairly robust fit. Make sure you get + and - correct. Looking at the old speaker from the back with the connector at the bottom, the + is on the right. Scratch + and - into the plastic of the connector to make sure you solder them to the new speakers the correct way round. The Sony when viewed as above the + was also on the right (but it is marked in the manual)

That done, plug the existing door connector onto the old connector now fitted to the new speaker and mount. I used general purpose button head needle point screws (8g x 16mm) available from Master/Bunnings etc. Remember don't use anything over 16mm else you will meet metal. Make sure you mount the speaker with the connector at the bottom, otherwise the cable will not reach.

Test the speakers before you re-assemble the door trim.

I noticed a distinct sound improvement with the Sony speakers, so it was worth the effort!!

Oh, any the answer to why the drivers side speaker always seems to be the one that goes first. Because that is the door that gets opened and closed the most often. Every closing of the door 'jars' the speaker and pumps air through the door, weakening the cone and the glue contact. That's my theory anyway!

[Fredoops]

Honda uses Matsushita (which is panasonic) low out put speakers for both cl9 and cu2... I don't rate them at all.