Dash Tweeter Option

[sh10792]

Hello all, I have been reading through the various options regarding upgrading speakers (front and rear), up to and including the shaving of the dash to mount a 3.5 speaker. Not sure I am ready to put my dremel skills to the test just yet. I am considering a component set of speakers, (either Polk Audio or Pioneer Premier). I wanted to mount the new tweeter in the dash. For those of you who have disassembled the dash and examined the existing factory tweeter, can it be removed cleanly from the mounting plate such that the plate could be used with a new tweeter? I assume also that I need to run some new wire for the front speakers since I do not want to use the existing filter for the factory tweeter. Any tips or hints on routing the speaker wire? By the way, I have an '05 GT. I am planning on also installing a Pioneer Premier head unit and start with just that. If I am unhappy with the power, I would then add an amp. I don't need things loud or booming bass, but clean and accurate.

[slayerdarkcross]

The mounting plate is part of the stock tweeter. If you wanted to modify it you would have to cut the old tweeter out. Otherwise you could make a new one?

[sh10792]

Thanks for the feedback. I noticed in another one of your posts your front door install (component with tweet in sail). I also saw where you had the crossover. How large is the crossover and how much room is there in the door. I'm looking at the Pioneer TS-720DC but I am not sure how their crossover compares in size to the Polk.

[chris15]

I'm using a set of Polk db6501s in the front, and decided against leaving my crossovers in the doors, and wound up leaving them under the passenger seat. Built a half-shitty custom box to keep them in, in addition to my amp for the front speakers.

Regarding the tweeters, from what I remember about the install, the stock tweeters are glued to a somewhat elliptical plastic piece that screws into the dash underneath the dash pad. You can easily modify your aftermarket tweeters to use the stock mounting devices if you so chose.

[sh10792]

So Chris15, you put the crossovers under the passenger seat? Seems like extra routing of wires. Do you have some pics? Where did you mount the tweeters? Dash, sail, elsewhere? I am not starting with an amp. May change quickly, so I would not have any wires headed for under the passenger seat.....yet.

[chris15]

Yep, crossovers under the passenger seat. The db6501's come with a selectable level boost (-3db, 0db, +3db) and I wanted to be able to access them easily. There was a bit of extra wire, but it really wasn't that bad. I don't have pics right now, but would be happy to take some tomorrow.

I ran the wires underneath the step pad of the passenger side of the car, and behind the 'T' plastic piece near the seatbelt. There was a tiny plastic piece that was held in with clips that I opened, pulled the wires through, and closed the piece again, sliding the wires under the gap between the carpet and the bottom of the plastic piece. I then wired the crossovers, put them in the box, and viola! No wires, and I have direct access to them.

The only problem I ran into was attempting to keep my speaker wires and RCA cables away from the power cable going to the amp on that same side. It wasn't difficult, though. Just a couple wire ties.

[Candyman]

Hey their sh10792,

Ill just chime in real quick. I'm running Rockford Fosgate X162S 6-1/2" 2-way Components in the front doors with the tweets in the stock locations and each crossover hidden inside the left side of my dash.

As for the Crossovers, their is good room to fit up somewhere under the steering wheel behind the lower dash panel, or even behind the kick plate on the side of the floorboard of your ride, or if you are running your wires down the passenger side, then you could easily mount both crossovers in the glove box. Here is a quick pic of where I'm talking about.



As for the replacing the cheap little dash speakers, they are extremely thin and are a pain to find something to fit into the stock locations without going ahead and modifying the dash to some degree unfortunately. Here are what they look like.




(I think those last two pic's are Dusters Pic's but not 10% sure. If so, thank you sir!)


Anyways, you pretty much can go one of three ways for the most part.

1. Do like Duster did with his sweet looking custom dash, and tweeter set up . He actually has an amazing write up on how to perform that mod from the ground up, which you have probably already checked out.

2. You could be extremely careful, and slowly cut down into the plastic part of the dash to make clearance for the tweets so they mount flush.

3. Best, and safest bet would be to either do away with dash speakers, or just don't mess with them, and go with mounting your tweets up in the mirror sail trim.

Another very cool place to mount the Tweets, and is perfect for center staging and sound would be behind the center vents out of view. Of course you might lose much of the air flow out of those vents, which you will have to figure in, but at least if gives you some more ideas to kick around anyways.

Go easy, and please be sure to let us know what you what you wind up doing.

Go easy,

Candyman

[Duster]

Originally Posted by Candyman

(I think those last two pic's are Dusters Pic's but not 10% sure. If so, thank you sir!)

I am 100% sure!


Thanks for the compliments about my setup Don

[mopar_man]

Originally Posted by Candyman

go with mounting your tweets up in the mirror sail trim.

What about those of us with manual mirrors?

[chris15]

Ah, yeah it came back to me. I just used a 1" hole saw on an air-powered drill and removed most of the plastic, then mounted my tweeters to the stock bracket that way I wouldn't have to worry about hacking up the dash.