A practical guide to your car speaker installation

Before we begin talking about the car speaker installation let's review the list of tools and supplies you may need : a 90 degree screwdriver (optional but very handy !) with the right bits, a good tool to cut and split wires, a fine tool to solder and crimp and a small sharp knife.

Let's start the car speaker installation process with the steps that generally apply to most cases, regardless of the speaker location.

First, we have to remove the grille. If it is fixed with screws it's not a problem. If it's installed with pressure fittings it should be easy to pop it out because most grilles have notches into the edge. If it is secured from underneath the panel then it gets a little more tricky. Look at the owner's manual or contact the dealer or the car manufacturer to confirm how it is installed. If you are unable to find out don't take the short route and try to force the grille out because it will break. Your only other alternative is to remove the entire dash or door panel. The next step in our car speaker installation process is to remove the factory speakers. Unscrew the speakers and gently pull them out of their mounting. At this stage you may think that you need a crash course on electronics or wiring but ... let's use the KISS system. Heuh ?? The what ? Keep-It-Super-Simple !! Just note down on a piece of paper the way the speakers are wired (mark down the colour of the wires and the location from the factory harness and to the speakers). Then, unplug the factory wiring harness. It's now time to connect your new speakers. Attach the new wiring harness to the new car speaker terminals and connect the other end of the harness into the factory wiring harness. If a wiring harness is unavailable, you have to solder or crimp the connections. Do not use electrical tape because you won't get tight and secure connections.

Ready to put everything back into place ? STOP !! Test the speakers first. Once the testing is successfull then move on in your car speaker installation process.

Now, let's cover issues specific to the location of the car speakers (dash or door or rear or a combination). The most easiest car speaker installation is generally when they are located in the door because you have lots of space to work. The removal of dash speakers is little more difficult because you have to deal with the tight angle of the windshield. The 90 degree screwdriver will therefore become very handy. One other tip : you will have to work over the dash throughout the process, so avoid damages or scratches by covering it with a piece of thick plastic. Use tape leaving no residue. Rear speakers are often different in that they fit into special speaker housings. Make sure your new speakers include instructions to install in such locations.

One last bit of advice before we conclude this car speaker review. Some car manufacturers use a form of sealant to mount the factory speakers. If that is the case you will need to cut through the material with a small sharp knife. Cut gently and slowly and make sure you only go through the sealant.