The speaker systems that come factory-installed in most new cars are often bad. Fortunately, in addition to commercially-available speakers being a reasonably inexpensive way to improve your car sound, they are also, for the most part, easy to install (although the sheer number of speakers available on the market means that some will be. easier to install than others). See step 1 below to start learning how to install a new set of speakers that will make your car shake!
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Preparing to Install New Speakers
Choosing New Speakers
Step 1. Look at the stereo in which you will install your new speakers
Some devices are simple audio systems that have a limited wattage and only 2 or 4 channels. Therefore, using 100 watt speakers or using 8 speakers or more will not make sense. Trying to use too many speakers can cause your sound quality to decrease or even damage your devices.
Step 2. Check factory speaker dimensions to minimize modifications required to install new ones
Speakers are sold in different shapes and sizes. So, when planning a speaker replacement, knowing if the original was a 6x9" oval instead of a 4" round one will help when making a purchase.
Step 3. Take quality into consideration
Speakers with composite cones or those made of fabric are remarkably better than those made of paper. Those with permanent ceramic magnets will perform better than those with electromagnetic magnets with the same level of strength.
Step 4. Choose the speakers with the fairings you like
You'll find many different styles and colors of fairings in the same price range, so it makes sense to pick the ones you like best.
Step 5. See the electronic features of your speakers
Some have resistors in series to prevent static and interference. Some allow you to wire in a series circuit configuration to let you hook up woofers and tweeters wherever you need them. There are models that can only be connected to terminals to maintain the correct impedance in the system.
Step 6. Consider the power requirements as this will have an effect on the wiring
High wattage speakers may not work with the car's original wiring. Replacing this wiring with a larger gauge takes work, as the car's original wiring is well hidden and in hard-to-reach places.
Preparing to install your speakers
Step 1. Gather your tools
As stated in the introduction, there are thousands of possibilities when it comes to the speakers available in the market. Because of this, any list of tools may not be sufficient for installing some speakers and redundant for others. The list of tools needed to install your new speakers will include, but not be limited to:
- A variety of keys (slot, philips, etc.);
- Wire cutters / strippers;
- Crimp tool;
- Allen keys;
- Ratchet wrench;
- Scalp;
- Soldering iron (and tin);
- Electric drill;
- Lime;
- Torx wrench;
- Tool for Opening Panels;
- Insulating tape.
Step 2. Make sure the speakers you choose fit your car
Most speakers will fit into the factory speaker spaces, while some will require minor modifications, such as installing a bracket or drilling a new screw hole, etc. Take this into consideration when purchasing new speakers: the difficulty of installation processes for speakers of different sizes or shapes may vary.
Keep in mind that most speaker manufacturers offer online tools to determine which of their products will best fit in your car
Step 3. Disconnect your car battery to prevent electrical damage
As with almost all types of electrical work, you need to protect yourself and the electrical system before you begin. Disconnecting the battery's negative terminal will prevent the risk of injury from electric shock or damage to the car's electronic equipment caused by short circuit, so be sure to disconnect the battery's negative terminal before tampering with the car's electronic circuit..
Step 4. Follow the installation instructions that came with your new speakers
Since there are so many different types of speakers available, it's almost impossible to write an installation guide that covers them all perfectly. The instructions below are highly general and may not apply to all available speaker sets. Whenever necessary, follow the installations that came with your speakers, as these are made specifically for your product.
Part 2 of 2: Installing the New Speakers
Step 1. Remove the speaker panels or grilles
Almost every speaker inside a car will be covered with some sort of protective panel or grille. Before the speaker can be modified or replaced, this barrier must be removed. Remove the grid with a suitable tool such as a screwdriver, removing any screws that were holding the grid.
The work required to access factory speakers will vary from car to car. In the worst case, for example, you'll need to remove the seats, get into the trunk to access important screws or wires, or even remove the entire door panel to gain access to the speakers
Step 2. Remove the speaker from the factory
Note that the speaker is normally connected to a harness/wiring. Be careful not to break it when removing the speaker. You may have to unscrew more than one small screw or remove any adhesive foam or glue that is holding the speaker together.
If you think you will need to reinstall your factory speakers in the future (for example, if you sell your car), don't forget to save all the screws you remove
Step 3. Connect the new speaker to the car's electrical system
Generally, connecting your new speaker is simple, just plug your speaker's wiring into your car's wiring. However, if your car does not have this type of simple connection, you will have to connect your speaker using a soldered or crimped connection.
- Respect the polarities of the car and speaker connections. Generally, the positive speaker terminal is the largest and is marked with a "+" or a small dot.
- Electrical tape can be a risky choice for cable connections, especially on the car dashboard, as changes in temperature can weaken the tape and cause problems later on.
Step 4. Test the speaker
Now that you've connected your speaker, it's important to test the connection so you don't have to waste time later on fixing a problem. Reconnect the battery negative terminal and turn on the car stereo. Hear the sound coming from your new speakers or notice visible vibrations at high volumes. If your speaker doesn't work, there is a problem with the electrical connection.
Step 5. Attach the new speaker
When you are sure your speaker works properly, attach it to the appropriate location on the door or panel. If you're lucky, your new speaker will fit into the factory speaker socket. However, your speaker may need a mounting bracket to be installed (usually included with the speaker). You may also need to drill new holes or use stickers to hold the speaker in place. See the instructions included with your speaker.
Step 6. Install and test any subwoofers
Subwoofers are responsible for the bass sound that some people worship. If your car came with factory subwoofers, installing new subwoofers will be easy, you just need to fit them into the existing socket and connect it to the car's wiring. If your car didn't come with a factory subwoofer, or you want to install additional subwoofers, your task could be a lot more difficult. You may need to expand existing mounting holes or make significant modifications to the car to accommodate larger subwoofers. For example, most people who want to add multiple subwoofers to their car install custom trunk panels to house the subwoofers.
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Subwoofers often require large power demands and complicated wiring schemes. You will be able to purchase and install a separate amplifier wiring kit to simplify the process of wiring your subwoofers.
Otherwise, you may need to connect the subwoofer directly to the car battery and stereo, and ground the subwoofer manually
Step 7. Install and test any tweeters
Like subwoofers, tweeters, which produce high-pitched sounds, can be easy or difficult to install, depending on your car's factory components. If your car came with tweeters, you'll just need to install the new ones in the existing fittings and connect them to the existing wiring. However, if there are no spaces available to install the tweeters, you may need to drill new holes (or expand existing holes, use a mounting bracket, etc. if the existing fit is not enough). Fortunately, tweeters are much smaller than subwoofers, so the adjustments to be made will be small compared to subwoofers.
As with subwoofers, if your car didn't come standard with tweeters, you'll need to connect the tweeter directly to the battery and car, and ground the tweeter to the body
Step 8. Reassemble all speaker panels and grilles
Once all the components of your new speakers are installed, tested, and secured to the car, you can reassemble any speaker grills or panels you had to remove to install the new speakers. Keep all the screws you had to remove to remove the grid or panel in order to secure them correctly.
Congratulations, your new speakers are ready to use
Tips
- If you find yourself in the above situation, you will have a few options. Replacing your stereo with a better quality one will give these speakers much more power. Or, if you want to keep the original look of your stereo, or features like steering wheel controls, you can amplify your factory stereo.
- If you still have your original factory stereo installed, installing more powerful speakers may not improve sound quality. You may find that your stereo doesn't have the same bass as it used to have with the factory speakers. This is because factory speakers are often built with paper cones, which require less power to transmit bass.
Notices
- Make sure the new speakers are compatible with your car stereo. Most are rated with a specific wattage and impedance, eg 25w and 8 ohms.
- Tighten everything securely as the speakers produce strong vibrations, especially when the sound is loud.
