I've had my CDT CL-61a 6.5" component speakers in my Dodge Dakota with 5.25" speaker brackets because I've been too lazy to buy or make ones that fit, then I forgot about it untill I troubleshot vibration in the speakers.
Well, since I recently made a box for my sub, and I have a lot of 3/4" MDF left over, would I be able to make brackets for these speakers with this wood, or do you think it will be too thick to fit between the door and the door cover?
If it will fit, how do I make it? Just cut out a square big enough to be able to screw it into the screw holes, and cut out the right size hole for the speakers?
Thanks,
Replies (9)
uochronos on 04/19/2005 03:36:00
i have adaptor brackest made out of 3/4 inch thick plexi glass its basicaly a piece thats square i made it big enough so its all you see so it looks clean threw the grill.
but then i drilled it to match the speaker and the doro to match that and screwed it on seems fine to this day.... measure if you can to make sure it will fit you may have to go with 1/2" thick MDF
Chronos
ttocs on 04/19/2005 11:56:22
you can only try.
Trace the outside of the old, stock speaker onto the mdf. Now take the grill from the new one, and trace the hole inside of it inside the other pattern. Cut it out and yer done.
alanjlamore on 04/19/2005 12:37:48
Well, your ideas would work of course, but I don't have the stock speakers anymore, nor do I have the grills for the new speakers LOL...
I'll just measure the diameter I need to reache the screw holes (plus a little more) and make my circles with a piece of wood conected to a drill bit, with a hole for a pencil 6.5" (or however many inches I need) from the dril bit. Then just use a hole saw and a jig saw to cut the hole.
This is how I made my holes for my sub box.
It looks like I should have room (I hope) since the speaker grill that's attached to the door frame is sticking out quite a bit. I almost can't see the speakers becuase they're back so far from the plastic door frame.
Thanks,
ttocs on 04/19/2005 17:26:28
make a template out of carboard. It should clean it up a bit and speed things up.
alanjlamore on 04/20/2005 19:17:40
Okay, I'm going to make the brackets (soon), and I just got my speaker baffles in from thezeb. Well, they don't fit exactly to the CDT 6.5s (even though those were the models recomended for them), but they fit close enough (the plastic has to stretch ever so slightly).
Well, I pulled the speaker out and put the baffle over the speaker and noticed that there's no hole for the wire to go through.
Here's the link to the baffles I bought (just looks like cheap plastic covers for the speaker):
http://www.thezeb.com/p-Metra-81-4300-Speaker-Baffle-106831.htm
I don't know exactly how to install this along with the brackets I'm going to make.
I'm guessing I'll make the wooden brackets, then put the baffles over the bracket, then the speaker in the baffle and screw them all to the door.
My problem is getting the wires connected. I don't know how a hole in the baffle would effect the sound that it is supposed to improve (even if it's slightly).
Should I go through the trouble of making a hole for the wire, then sealing it with calk? Or does the baffle maybe go behind the bracket (door, baffle, bracket, then speaker)?
swez on 04/20/2005 21:37:22
If you use the baffles, just make the new brackets of 1/2" thick lexan or plexiglass. Mount the woofer to the outer face of the new bracket and install the baffle on the back side of the bracket. (You said the same thing I just did, in reverse perspective)
As for wiring, a small hole in the baffle is fine. Can use silicone to seal the wires tight from mositure as well.
One thing you may find, with these new baffles, bass performance may be well under performance as these baffles are so small. The bare door mount method allows the whole door to become a bass baffle chamber. If you used some dynamat on the doors to seal the leaks and holes, get much more bass from a door mounted speaker.
Swez
alanjlamore on 04/20/2005 21:59:51
Ahh, I see. Well, these things were cheap enough. Maybe I'll just use the baffles untill I get some sound deadening (probably months from now).
At least that way I can kinda judge how the speakers sound with a few different setups. When I get the deadening material, maybe I'll experiment with the baffles in and with them out, just to satisfy my curiosity.
Thanks a TON again Swez! and anyone and everyone who ever responded to any of my posts!!!
swez on 04/21/2005 10:13:48
I predict a notable change in MB performance for the better with the sealed doors and no baffles. The baffles only restrict air displacement for the woofer to push out more bass.
The baffles are good to protect the speaker from water damage, but can still be used later when you seal the doors. Just cut the back off the baffles and use as is. You can use neoprene sheets to seal the door panels as well. Yes, Dynamat, Be-Quiet and other products work well enough. But, they are not cheap. Can get the same effect with a rubberized floor matting or neoprene membrane sheets. (1/8-1/4" thick will do) The trick here, cut out your pieces in a dry fit and use duct tape to hold them in place. Then remove each sheet and use spray type contact cement (Super 77 by 3M) on mat and door surface. This stuff will stick to anything. Just roll out the air pockets as you go.
Swez
ttocs on 04/21/2005 10:47:00
I have used something similar in a previous vehicle. Get some dynamat er sound deadening and put a layer on the outside. The plasit is just too flimsy and will actually make noise on some notes.
I agree with swez that a layer of mat across the door to seal it up makes a big difference. That made a big difference in my ranger.
Well, since I recently made a box for my sub, and I have a lot of 3/4" MDF left over, would I be able to make brackets for these speakers with this wood, or do you think it will be too thick to fit between the door and the door cover?
If it will fit, how do I make it? Just cut out a square big enough to be able to screw it into the screw holes, and cut out the right size hole for the speakers?
Thanks,
Replies (9)
uochronos on 04/19/2005 03:36:00
i have adaptor brackest made out of 3/4 inch thick plexi glass its basicaly a piece thats square i made it big enough so its all you see so it looks clean threw the grill.
but then i drilled it to match the speaker and the doro to match that and screwed it on seems fine to this day.... measure if you can to make sure it will fit you may have to go with 1/2" thick MDF
Chronos
ttocs on 04/19/2005 11:56:22
you can only try.
Trace the outside of the old, stock speaker onto the mdf. Now take the grill from the new one, and trace the hole inside of it inside the other pattern. Cut it out and yer done.
alanjlamore on 04/19/2005 12:37:48
Well, your ideas would work of course, but I don't have the stock speakers anymore, nor do I have the grills for the new speakers LOL...
I'll just measure the diameter I need to reache the screw holes (plus a little more) and make my circles with a piece of wood conected to a drill bit, with a hole for a pencil 6.5" (or however many inches I need) from the dril bit. Then just use a hole saw and a jig saw to cut the hole.
This is how I made my holes for my sub box.
It looks like I should have room (I hope) since the speaker grill that's attached to the door frame is sticking out quite a bit. I almost can't see the speakers becuase they're back so far from the plastic door frame.
Thanks,
ttocs on 04/19/2005 17:26:28
make a template out of carboard. It should clean it up a bit and speed things up.
alanjlamore on 04/20/2005 19:17:40
Okay, I'm going to make the brackets (soon), and I just got my speaker baffles in from thezeb. Well, they don't fit exactly to the CDT 6.5s (even though those were the models recomended for them), but they fit close enough (the plastic has to stretch ever so slightly).
Well, I pulled the speaker out and put the baffle over the speaker and noticed that there's no hole for the wire to go through.
Here's the link to the baffles I bought (just looks like cheap plastic covers for the speaker):
http://www.thezeb.com/p-Metra-81-4300-Speaker-Baffle-106831.htm
I don't know exactly how to install this along with the brackets I'm going to make.
I'm guessing I'll make the wooden brackets, then put the baffles over the bracket, then the speaker in the baffle and screw them all to the door.
My problem is getting the wires connected. I don't know how a hole in the baffle would effect the sound that it is supposed to improve (even if it's slightly).
Should I go through the trouble of making a hole for the wire, then sealing it with calk? Or does the baffle maybe go behind the bracket (door, baffle, bracket, then speaker)?
swez on 04/20/2005 21:37:22
If you use the baffles, just make the new brackets of 1/2" thick lexan or plexiglass. Mount the woofer to the outer face of the new bracket and install the baffle on the back side of the bracket. (You said the same thing I just did, in reverse perspective)
As for wiring, a small hole in the baffle is fine. Can use silicone to seal the wires tight from mositure as well.
One thing you may find, with these new baffles, bass performance may be well under performance as these baffles are so small. The bare door mount method allows the whole door to become a bass baffle chamber. If you used some dynamat on the doors to seal the leaks and holes, get much more bass from a door mounted speaker.
Swez
alanjlamore on 04/20/2005 21:59:51
Ahh, I see. Well, these things were cheap enough. Maybe I'll just use the baffles untill I get some sound deadening (probably months from now).
At least that way I can kinda judge how the speakers sound with a few different setups. When I get the deadening material, maybe I'll experiment with the baffles in and with them out, just to satisfy my curiosity.
Thanks a TON again Swez! and anyone and everyone who ever responded to any of my posts!!!
swez on 04/21/2005 10:13:48
I predict a notable change in MB performance for the better with the sealed doors and no baffles. The baffles only restrict air displacement for the woofer to push out more bass.
The baffles are good to protect the speaker from water damage, but can still be used later when you seal the doors. Just cut the back off the baffles and use as is. You can use neoprene sheets to seal the door panels as well. Yes, Dynamat, Be-Quiet and other products work well enough. But, they are not cheap. Can get the same effect with a rubberized floor matting or neoprene membrane sheets. (1/8-1/4" thick will do) The trick here, cut out your pieces in a dry fit and use duct tape to hold them in place. Then remove each sheet and use spray type contact cement (Super 77 by 3M) on mat and door surface. This stuff will stick to anything. Just roll out the air pockets as you go.
Swez
ttocs on 04/21/2005 10:47:00
I have used something similar in a previous vehicle. Get some dynamat er sound deadening and put a layer on the outside. The plasit is just too flimsy and will actually make noise on some notes.
I agree with swez that a layer of mat across the door to seal it up makes a big difference. That made a big difference in my ranger.
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