I have a set of speakers I'm considering installing in the doors of my 77 F150 and my question is how do i protect my wiring from getting damaged where it leaves the cab and goes to the door. Is there some kind of protective boot that is used and if so where do you get them.

I've also been toying with the idea of installing the speakers behind the seat by cutting holes in the rear side sheet metal to avoid the wiring issues associated with door installation, not to mention there would a lot less moisture in this location. Any thoughts. Thanks.

 

I just looked at my truck, it has provision for speakers, but not even a knockout for a tube between the door and body, so I think I would go to a wreaking yard and get the rubber tube from a junk car/truck and knockout my own holes and install.

As for installing them behind you, you will get better sound from the doors or kick panels and not behind you. Plus you should really use some sound damper if installing in sheet metal, or you may get a echo and it will distort the sound. If you want to install behind you I suggest make a set of boxes out of MDF board. It will sound much better.

 

I have been thinking of installing speakers behind the seats in the side of the cab as well.

I haven't seen them for a while, but a couple years ago I helped a friend install some stereo equipment in a Jeep. He had plastic or foam housing that went around the back side of the speaker that had a lip that clipped between the speaker and the panel. I have been looking for some of these for both the door speakers and the back speakers. This also sealed the speakers from moisture if I remember right.

 

When I installed them in my LTD, I drilled holes in the door and the cab, and then ran conduit between the two, and ran the wiring through the conduit. The conduit snapped into place in the holes because of its ridges, so I didn't need any sort of grommet. Been working fine for over 2 years now.

 

Like these??
http://www.partsexpress.com/webpage....ctGroup_ID=740

I've thought about using them but I wasn't sure how they made the speaker sound. I can't stand the sound of 6X9's in those small wooden boxes. I used to have my 6X9's in fiberglass kick panels in my other car. I'm fixing to build some fiberglass kickpanels to put my 6 1/2's in my truck so I don't have to worry about water or wiring. I already made a fiberglass console to hold the Pioneer CD player below the dash.

 

That's what I was thinking of!

By the way, does any one know how big of speaker is in the dash. My '74 has just the single in the dash, along with the hard hitting factory AM radio. I had the hair brain idea the other night of trying to put a small sub in the dash when I do my stereo. I haven't taken the dash apart to see about clearances yet. I use all avalible space behind the seat for storage. I am not looking for window braking bass, just a little more thump.

 

I just used grommets and split loom conduit to route mine. Dennis Carpenter has the factory pre-fabbed ones for $20/ea., but I basically just copied the design and built my own.

I'm not sure what size the dash speaker is, but when mine was all apart, it didn't look like there was a lot of room up there with the defrost ducting - I'm guessing its probably a 5x7ish?

 

another option is I think some of the 80's vans (and I am sure others) had rubber mounted contacts, 2 on the door and 2 on the body that made contact when the door was closed. Not sure if they were for speakers, but I always thought it would be a clean way to add speakers to the door. Of course you wouldn't be able to swing open the doors and listen to your tunes.

 

I also know the early Aerostars had a similar contact connection on the sliding door.

That is a good idea. May have to check into that.

 

Noco7t is correct in that the stock dash speaker is 5"x7" and the defroster vent ducts form a V-shape opening that the stock speaker just about fills completely, so there would not be much room for much of anything. I have my dash out right now, so if you want to see a picture to see what kind of space is behind there let me know and I will post one for you Izzyaz.

I also have the foam buckets similar to one's shown in the link above for my speakers. I'm thinking the door installation will be easier than behind the seat. I will check out what Dennis Carpenter has to offer, so that I can see how they are routing the speaker wires to the doors.

 

Thanks for the offer Cujo8, but the sub in the dash is more of a pipe dream then anything. I have a good couple months left until I touch the stereo stuff, and maybe even next winter.

 

Yep, the dash speaker is 5x7 and anything larger wouldn't fit between the defroser ducting. I just replaced mine with a dual voice coil speaker. It's about $50, but the sound is much better. As for the door speakers, I ran some basic speaker wire using rubber gromments and over the speaker wire, I'm going to place some shrink tubing around the wire to protect it.

 

I read that you can get the wire covers from an older escort doors...@ the u-pull-it where I live, they just ask for a $1 donation for odds and ends like this....

 

i put 5 1/4" speakers in my doors and 2 10" RF PUNCH Stage 2 subs in custom boxes behind the seat, and I have a speaker for my dash, but it is not in yet, still tryin to decide what I else I want to upgrade the rest of my stereo system

 

I drilled a hole in the cab and a little larger hole in the door and placed a piece of rubber tubing in them both the one in the cab is tight and the one in the door allowes the tubing to slid inside the door no pinching the wires that way and the wires can go inside. Easy, Cheap, and lookc good.
I also cut in 4'' speakers in the post just above the seat. works great