Any way to remove door speaker grilles w/o removing panel?

[drem914]

Is there anyway to remove the speaker grilles without removing the door panels? i have seen some photos of the backside of the door panel and it looks like the speaker grill is held in place with a couple of screws. I would like to upgrade my door speakers but, would prefer not to take off the door panels if possible. I don't want to damage the door panel removing it. any suggestions or do I just have to bite the bullet?

[Cassiebox]

unfortunately, you'll just have to bite the bullet but don't worry, it's not too painful. The first time it's a little scary w/ all the hidden screws, tabs, etc. Go slowly on your first one and the second will be easy. The trickiest tab IMNSHO is the one the holds the plastic cover above the interior door handle pull. I snapped the tab on one of mine but it still holds firmly in place. If anything, it just makes it a little easier to review now :D. All told, it's really not that difficult of a task.

Check out Andy M's guide in the DIY forum sticky for great details on how to.

Also, be forwarned... if you stick w/ the stock amp, you'll definitely need to go w/ at least 6.5" door speakers (on a wood baffle). I tried 3 different sets of 5.25" in the stock "tuned port" and 2 were worse than OEM, 1 was maybe as good as. I ended up installing 6.75" and they do a nice job. If I were to do it again, I'd jump up to 6x9s.

Good luck :)

[londoner06]

drem, Loren recommended a great upholstery tool for removing expansion rivets, auto trim and moulding:

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...st&p=119120

It's available at <a href="http://www.harborfreight.com" target="_blank">http://www.harborfreight.com </a> or Suncoast Porsche.

Download the PDF file that Andy M put together, It's very thorough.

Regards,

Alex

Edited February 18, 2009 by londoner06

[drem914]

Thanks to all. The last ones I want to touch are the doors. I want to do the fronts dash speakers first. I then will either replace the rear OEM speakers with new ones or just add a tweeter. I need to connect up an ipod cable to the aux out in the back of the becker radio and maybe I will change out the amp also.

[Roger3175]

Thanks to all. The last ones I want to touch are the doors. I want to do the fronts dash speakers first. I then will either replace the rear OEM speakers with new ones or just add a tweeter. I need to connect up an ipod cable to the aux out in the back of the becker radio and maybe I will change out the amp also.

As a new owner to a 2001 Boxster, I have a question? Are there speakers in the door? I see the grills....but I don't get any sound from that area

[drem914]

Thanks to all. The last ones I want to touch are the doors. I want to do the fronts dash speakers first. I then will either replace the rear OEM speakers with new ones or just add a tweeter. I need to connect up an ipod cable to the aux out in the back of the becker radio and maybe I will change out the amp also.

As a new owner to a 2001 Boxster, I have a question? Are there speakers in the door? I see the grills....but I don't get any sound from that area

If you have the door grilles then you should have the speakers behind them. They are for the low frequency only as the dash speakers are the Mids and Highs. Do you have the rear speaker package behind the head rest in the storage compartment? if so your fad may be mis-adjusted. check your settings. Put your hand on the grill area and see if you feel anything as you turn up the volume. Remember the Becker radio stores different settings for radio, CD and aux.

[Roger3175]

Thanks to all. The last ones I want to touch are the doors. I want to do the fronts dash speakers first. I then will either replace the rear OEM speakers with new ones or just add a tweeter. I need to connect up an ipod cable to the aux out in the back of the becker radio and maybe I will change out the amp also.

As a new owner to a 2001 Boxster, I have a question? Are there speakers in the door? I see the grills....but I don't get any sound from that area

If you have the door grilles then you should have the speakers behind them. They are for the low frequency only as the dash speakers are the Mids and Highs. Do you have the rear speaker package behind the head rest in the storage compartment? if so your fad may be mis-adjusted. check your settings. Put your hand on the grill area and see if you feel anything as you turn up the volume. Remember the Becker radio stores different settings for radio, CD and aux.

I do not have the rear speaker package.... I have checked the door speakers and no sound comes out of them. I have adjusted the Fader Control and it only works in the front....no sounds coming from the door speakers.

Thanks

Roger

[Cassiebox]

Roger-

The door speakers are "subwoofers" (using the term lightly ;) ) and they get their signal as a combination of the front and rear channels. In order to test/see if they are working, set the fader on the head unit to the middle (even though you don't have rear speakers, the doors still need the preamp signal from them to work along w/ the one from the dash speakers) and the bass to +7. Then find music that is bass heavy (jazz, rap, etc.). Turn the volume way up and put your hand in front of the grille. You really won't be able to hear anything from them but you should feel it and the air flow. It's a very common complaint/concern/issue w/ the stock sound system in 986s.

:)