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Tue May 31, 2005 6:59 pm

OK, got my head unit, sub and amp installed, but can't turn it up because of the crappy stock door speakers :x I want to stick with 4" speakers in the stock spots if possible, what have you guys used that sound decent and fit in the stock spot? Everything else I have put in is totally hidden, so I'm trying to keep the system stealth and somewhat stock looking.

Thanks, John.

ps I'll post pics of where I put the sub later. 8)

Tue May 31, 2005 7:22 pm

I think you have to go with 3 1/2" if you want it to fit in the stock location. I have a set of mb quartz I think (it's been a while) which sound decent.
My sub is under the rear folding bench next to the rear heater.....

Tue May 31, 2005 7:33 pm

Me like 6X9's

They fit nice in the Westy.

Tue May 31, 2005 7:50 pm

I have seen the 6X9's before, but I have the Westy Weekender and all the cabinetry under the seats is plastic over metal. So cutting speaker holes would be kind of a PITA.

Wed Jun 01, 2005 7:19 am

Ive got a pair of Clarion 4" in the front doors and some 5.5" (or 6"? i dont remember) in the back, where the P.O. hacked some holes in the rear panels. I got some window cranks that stick out further than the OE cranks, and ive pushed the grilles in a little so it will clear. The Clarions were the only speakers that would clear the crank AND the dashboard. The rear speakers barely clear the seat when its being folded.

The speakers have pretty good sound, and the werent that expensive.

I can get model #'s for you tmw, if you like. :)

Wed Jun 01, 2005 8:20 am

Hendoo wrote: OK, got my head unit, sub and amp installed, but can't turn it up because of the crappy stock door speakers

Your speakers might be fine... check out the wiring to the rear speakers. Many vans had the two rear speakers share a common ground, which messed with newer head units. I think the cutoff was somewhere around '87 or '88 before they had dedicated grounds for each speaker (but not 100% sure on the year).

That is something to look for that you would have to fix no matter what speakers you have in there.

The holes in the various panels fit 4" speakers, but if you want to go totally stealth, the trick is to re-use the stock mounting plastic and glue in some new 3.5" speakers. This is a little surgery, but is totally stock looking. I don't know if you'll hear a huge difference in sound quality, over stock though.

ProvoCyclist wrote: Ive got a pair of Clarion 4" in the front doors...The speakers have pretty good sound, and the werent that expensive.

Provo, we may have the same speakers (clarion with the little chrome "V" shaped thingy in the middle?). I actually find these to be kind of bad speakers... high notes tend to be pretty shrill/piercing on some songs that i listen to. They do fit and were cheap, though.

Also, for the door handles, i just bent mine out a little bit, and the clear fine now. You can't tell they have been tweaked, either.

Wed Jun 01, 2005 3:48 pm

WBX,

When we installed the CD player, there were existing pos/neg wires for both front and both rear speakers, so we just connected them to the new deck's wiring harness pos/neg front and rear speaker wires. Seamed like a simple plug and play to me! How can I tell if my rear speakers are wired as you described? :?

Thanks, John

Wed Jun 01, 2005 4:08 pm

Hendoo wrote: WBX,

When we installed the CD player, there were existing pos/neg wires for both front and both rear speakers, so we just connected them to the new deck's wiring harness pos/neg front and rear speaker wires. Seamed like a simple plug and play to me! How can I tell if my rear speakers are wired as you described? :?

Thanks, John

Well, if you hooked up individual ground wires for the two front speakers and individual ground wires for the two rear speakers (4 ground wires in total), then you have 4 ground wires. In my '84, there was one rear ground wire that had to be connected to both rear speaker ground wires coming out of the CD player.

Another possibly more definitive way to check is to remove the trim panel above the sliding door and see if there are three wires in the bundle, or 4.

What year is your van?

Thu Jun 02, 2005 12:43 pm

hi - I noticed your westy in the Pic - what rims are your running? theyre really slick.

Thu Jun 02, 2005 2:45 pm

Westifried wrote: hi - I noticed your westy in the Pic - what rims are your running? theyre really slick.

They are the south african 15" vanagon alloy... hard to see in that picture, but they look like a 5-spoke audi rim like on an A4 or something. They were unofficially called "Carat 2" wheels. Here is a better pic on some lucky owners Tri-Star.

http://volksweb.relitech.com/party/2002/redtri.jpg

And thanks for the compliment :-)

-Damon

Thu Jun 02, 2005 3:55 pm

i know im on the wrong post but......did you have to mod those s.african rims? ie spacers, bore centre hole, change studs? is that a big job? ie lotsa shop time on the lathe?
regards

Fri Jun 03, 2005 4:07 pm

Westifried wrote: i know im on the wrong post but......did you have to mod those s.african rims? ie spacers, bore centre hole, change studs? is that a big job? ie lotsa shop time on the lathe?
regards

Nope... they are meant for a vanagon. I don't think the studs had to be switched to longer ones, and i think the seats of the wheel lugs are different, but that isn't what you are asking about... These are essentially a bolt-on.

-Damon

Sat Jun 04, 2005 5:52 pm

:D I am using a set of alpine 3.5 125w 25rms. mounted in the A/C pod in back. I have 4.5 150w in the door. those are on one amp. I also have 250w 6x9's under back seat on separate amp. even without the 6x9's hooked up, the van still rocks... kenwood also makes a good cheap speaker that puts out a good range of sound without distortion. just look for the blue speakers at the stereo store :twisted: :twisted: