Replacing speakers in 2003 XLT

[Josef86]

I just traded in my 01 sport for a 03 XLT. I took my Kicker speakers with me. On the sport the backs the grills just poped of and the fronts the door panels need to be removed.

On the 03 xlt do the door panels need to be removed or will the grills just pop out?

I took my jvc head unit with me as well. Its a jvc, but more importanly it has a sirius connector. Just to make sure is the connector only good for jvc HUs?

 

[Josef86]

Looks like I have my work cut out for me. I just discovered that the Ex has a factory subwoofer. What are the specs on that?

What size is that thing? Is it 10" or 8"?

 

[jimbo74]

the stock sub in the older explroers was like a 6 or 6.5

you have a factory amp, and that will need to be bypassed or else you will be limited in quality and need to use the factory amp to push the speakers, not allowing hte better sound of the head unit to power them

 

[Josef86]

Not to worry I have that covered with my 4 channel Jensen. If it has a factory sub I have a feeling the fronts are not 5x7.

The thing holding my up is doors. I don't want to take the pannels of if I don't need to.
This explorer has rear sears. I have the truck style thing kicker sub and box. Should I mount it so its on the back of the rear seats (meaning it would be point up when the seats are down. Or should I mount it on the tire jack access with the sub facing forward?

 

[Infinity08]

It is still 5x7/6x8 in the doors, it just may be the separates-on-a-plate version.

 

[Donner]

Installed by another...

I had mine changed years ago, but as I recall they didn't remove the door panels...

Here are pics of the rear panel and front panel... It appears that they can be removed

 

[mlowney]

I am almost positive that the door panels need to be removed.

 

[Donner]

You might be right... I'll go try it. Gimme a few minutes...

 

[Donner]

I tried using a flathead and it appears they are removable... I was able to pry certain areas of the front panel, but it appears they are removable panels. If there is more involved once the panel is removed, I don't know. (due to disability, I had to stop trying)

 

[Infinity08]

They're like spot welded all around the outside. I wouldn't pry them off. Trust me, it's expensive to fix :embarrassed:

 

[Donner]

What was the end result?

So you broke the speaker panels? What happened next?

 

[Josef86]

Thanks for the help, but I think I am going to keep it stock fo now. I know it has the stock deck, but I am not sure if the rest is stock or not. The sound quilty at the sound level I normally set it to ask actully better then the 4 kickers with external 60wrmsx4 amp. The sub does not put out alot of bass SPL wise but the quilty and accurcy is some what impressive.

 

[Infinity08]

So you broke the speaker panels? What happened next?

This was on a T-Bird. I took off the door panels, made some new grills out of cross stitch mesh and grill cloth and plastic welded them to the rear where the factory ones went. They looked better than new since the window tinting guys had stained the originals. I just felt horrible since it wasn't my car, so I had to find the correct way to fix it.

 

[Infinity08]

Thanks for the help, but I think I am going to keep it stock fo now. I know it has the stock deck, but I am not sure if the rest is stock or not. The sound quilty at the sound level I normally set it to ask actully better then the 4 kickers with external 60wrmsx4 amp. The sub does not put out alot of bass SPL wise but the quilty and accurcy is some what impressive.

One of the better upgrade to the stock systems that I've found is an add-on tweeter mounted somewhere high (like the A-pillars). A subwoofer is ALWAYS welcomed, even if you don't like to get loud, it really fills in the lower end and makes music more enveloping. A sub seems even more critical to me on orchestrated music and accousic or instrumental stuff.

 

[Donner]

Sweet!

Thanks for the help, but I think I am going to keep it stock fo now. I know it has the stock deck, but I am not sure if the rest is stock or not. The sound quilty at the sound level I normally set it to ask actully better then the 4 kickers with external 60wrmsx4 amp. The sub does not put out alot of bass SPL wise but the quilty and accurcy is some what impressive.

Good decision, and no loss...

 

[Donner]

No kidding?

This was on a T-Bird. I took off the door panels, made some new grills out of cross stitch mesh and grill cloth and plastic welded them to the rear where the factory ones went. They looked better than new since the window tinting guys had stained the originals. I just felt horrible since it wasn't my car, so I had to find the correct way to fix it.

Interesting... Sounds like all turned out well. No harm done

 

[Josef86]

One of the better upgrade to the stock systems that I've found is an add-on tweeter mounted somewhere high (like the A-pillars). A subwoofer is ALWAYS welcomed, even if you don't like to get loud, it really fills in the lower end and makes music more enveloping. A sub seems even more critical to me on orchestrated music and accousic or instrumental stuff.

Yes, thats what sold me on it. Its like wait, my kickers were good but still coax. The component really stands out. The only thing I am going to do is get my sirius hooked back in.

 

[Josef86]

Anyone know the best way to remove the floor console between the seats? It pulled out really easy on my 01 sport but this one does not want to move.

My sirius must get power via cigarette lighter. I bought one of those add a cigarette lighters. I was going to splice the wires into an existing lighters wires so that I can keep all wiring hidden. Do you think it would be okay to splice off the cd decks power?

 

[Josef86]

Nevermind, I found the hex head holding it down. I am still in shock on the quilty of the stock system. When a bass drum hits and sounds like there is a bass drum in the back of the explorer then you get my attetion. With the aftermarket system I could hear a drum hit and it would hit really hard, but I was not able to pick out which drum it was.

I guess its true what I have heard a few people say. Unless you plan on spending enoght the stock system will sound better. This is of coarse depeninds on which factory set up you have. My system I removed sounded better the the stock set up in the other explorer.

 

[beavis195]

Hey just to clear up what everyone has said, there is no amp you need to bypass in the 02-05's for the door speakers. The subwoofer is powered by its own amp though and it is an 8 inch sub. You need to take the door panels off to replace the spakers, its much easier than on the generation one and twos. instead of prying out the clips you just lift up and it lifts right off. I still have the stock deck, but replaced the front speakers with infinity kappa's and it does sound better, so you might want to try the kickers in there.