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Upgrading the door speakers

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Upgrading the door speakers

Postby Tran59 » Wed Oct 09, 2013 4:37 pm

I do this 'quick fix' on all new cars I buy, as the paper cone speakers supplied by most manufacturers are pretty dire. The aim is to provide greater clarity and less distortion, not to produce a mobile discotheque - gigantic subwoofers are not my cup of tea and I take great care to ensure the mods are as invisible as possible.

Step 1: remove the door card.

On the Custom, the door cards are held really tightly by a dozen or so hefty clips and a total of 5 screws, located behind the door pull, around the side, in the centre of the bottom bin and two right underneath the card. Removal is straightforward using a T20 torx driver. Using a trim removal tool or nylon spatula to pry between the card and the door, pull very firmly on the card. The effort required on the Custom is greater than I have ever come across before, but it is possible.

There is a really annoying final screw located half way along the window at the top. This can only be accessed once the card has been pulled half away and is a right bugger to shift!

Step 2 (optional): add sound deadening.

You don't have to do this, of course, but I have access to cheap Dynamat Xtreme and as I'm 'in there anyway', I usually do it. If you haven't used this stuff before, it's basically like very thick sticky-back plastic, and the great thing is that you don't have to stick it in one piece. Just cut the bits you need and slap it on, taking care to roll it as firmly as you can into all the nooks and crannies with a seam roller. It is advisable to do the inside of the door as well, especially directly behind the speaker. In addition to providing better quality sound, it also makes the doors close with a pleasing dull thud, rather than a metallic clang.

Step 3: Fit the new speakers.

You need some 165mm diameter speakers (I always go with Focals) and - crucially - some adapter rings. The hole left in the speaker support panel is about 20cm in diameter, meaning the 165mm speakers can't be fitted directly. I tried a local car accessory store and Ford themselves, but no one could find the right reference. I therefore took a chance and ordered some Ford Focus adapters at a cost of €15; fortunately they are 100% compatible with the Custom and screw straight in.

You will also need to drill a small hole in the speaker mount on the door to feed the wires through (see photo). Then just strip the wires, tin, splice together and finish with some heat-shrink tubing.

Once the door cards have been put back, you can sit back and enjoy. The difference in quality with this relatively simple setup is very noticeable: greater clarity, crisper and you can push the volume much higher than with the standard Chinese efforts without any distortion.

Photos:

Door card removed, outer door skin Dynamatted:

Image

The crappy Chinese speaker Ford gives us:

Image

Note the difference in diameter between the OE speaker (left) and a standard 165mm speaker (right)

Image

...which is why you'll need a pair of these Ford Focus adapter rings (at the time of writing, no one had the part reference for the Transit Custom):

Image

Slap some Dynamat Xtreme on the inner door skin:

Image

Drill a small hole in the speaker mount and thread the wire through:

Image
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Re: Upgrading the door speakers

Postby RedDog75 » Wed Oct 09, 2013 5:01 pm

What wattage for the speakers did you go with?
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Re: Upgrading the door speakers

Postby Tran59 » Thu Oct 10, 2013 8:15 am

RedDog75 wrote:What wattage for the speakers did you go with?

They're 120W. Details here: http://www.focal.com/en/expert/277-pc-165-3544053750101.html
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Re: Upgrading the door speakers

Postby Mike » Thu Oct 17, 2013 6:51 pm

Have you disconnected the tweeter in the A pillar?
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Re: Upgrading the door speakers

Postby Tran59 » Sat Oct 19, 2013 3:51 pm

I have on one side to see if there's any difference in the sound L<>R, but I don't think there is.
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Re: Upgrading the door speakers

Postby Ikriks » Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:50 am

Regular speakers from the Ford Focus 2

to replace
Image

after
Image
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Re: Upgrading the door speakers

Postby kevin86 » Wed Mar 26, 2014 9:51 pm

Wondering if I should upgrade door speakers or install a sub. Do you notice the change of door speakers?
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Re: Upgrading the door speakers

Postby fx29 » Wed Apr 02, 2014 7:20 am

I have Focal K2 Power with amplifier and it sound realy great !

There is a question: where can I connect remote from the amplifier?
Radio unless there is no way for the remote, and +12 v from the lighter work for a long time ....
Transit Custom 330 /155
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Re: Upgrading the door speakers

Postby kevin86 » Wed Apr 02, 2014 10:53 pm

Hmm, maybe throwing in Polk DB6501 :)
Just need some cash first 8)
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Re: Upgrading the door speakers

Postby Alar » Thu Apr 03, 2014 5:10 pm

Tran59, from what year Focus those adapters come of?
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Re: Upgrading the door speakers

Postby Hypper » Sat Apr 05, 2014 2:03 pm

Hi

Will try to fit this set in to the door
Rainbow IL-C8.2F 200mm
Image
Med venlig hilsen / Best Regards
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Upgrade: speakers 200mm, Shark antanna, Led front cab, HID front lights, Chip tun in ECU,

Bike: Canyon Nerve AL 7.9

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Re: Upgrading the door speakers

Postby keeff » Sat Apr 05, 2014 8:23 pm

Can any of you that have removed the inside of the doors remember if the space behind the window switches is empty space ?
I am thinking about cutting a slot in the top to make a handle at the moment I am using the window switches to hold the door.
I will have a word with the dealers when it goes in next week but as long as I don't drill through any cables it should be ok.
Thanks
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Re: Upgrading the door speakers

Postby Tran59 » Sun Apr 06, 2014 2:24 pm

keeff wrote:Can any of you that have removed the inside of the doors remember if the space behind the window switches is empty space ?
I am thinking about cutting a slot in the top to make a handle at the moment I am using the window switches to hold the door.
I will have a word with the dealers when it goes in next week but as long as I don't drill through any cables it should be ok.
Thanks

From memory, yes it is empty space.
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Re: Upgrading the door speakers

Postby 75124 » Sun Apr 06, 2014 5:51 pm

Dear Trans59, do you think I will need the Focus adapter whatever brand of 165 mm speakers I will go for? I want to stay for some Sony or Kenwood or Alpine speakers...I hope to improve the audio quality level without spending a fortune...
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Re: Upgrading the door speakers

Postby Tran59 » Sun Apr 06, 2014 7:02 pm

75124 wrote:Dear Trans59, do you think I will need the Focus adapter whatever brand of 165 mm speakers I will go for? I want to stay for some Sony or Kenwood or Alpine speakers...I hope to improve the audio quality level without spending a fortune...

Yes, you will definitely need the adapter... unless you can find some 18-19cm speakers :wink:
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