Installing car stereo speakers: sound system installation

Installing car stereo speakers: sound system installation

Learn step-by-step directions to install a car stereo speaker and enjoy quality sound

Factory speakers are usually the weakest component of car stereo systems. In the quest to improve sound quality, many car owners replace their head units but neglect to replace the original speakers. This results in little improvement. To get the most bang for your buck, try installing higher quality car stereo speakers. The end result will be an amazing car if you follow these steps.

1. Disconnecting the Wiring: Before you install the new speakers, you'll need to remove the panels and grills covering the old speakers. You'll also want to remove the old speakers and disconnect their wiring.
2. Choosing Wiring: If you're replacing an old car stereo speaker to complete your car stereo installation, you can use the factory wiring; however, if you're installing a speaker in a new location that did not previously have one, you'll have to run some new wiring. Running new wire can be difficult and is best left to professionals, because it can be hard to hide the wiring in the car's trim panels. Also, new wiring must be properly grounded to prevent short circuits and engine noises in the speakers.
3. Wiring: Factory speaker wiring is almost always color-coded. You either need to purchase a harness to convert the factory plug to one that will fit your new speakers, or you will need to remove the factory plug (this usually means cutting it out) and attach the wire ends directly to the speakers.

   If you cut wires, you'll need to use wire strippers to strip the ends of the wires so you have some bare wire to work with. Many speakers have spring-loaded terminals that accept the wire and hold it in place. Others require special ends on the wires. Generally, the wire with a black stripe is the negative wire and should be attached to the negative terminal on the speaker. The solid wire or white-striped wire is the positive wire. Attach it to the positive terminal on the speaker. Be sure that you don't reverse the polarity, or the speakers will effectively cancel each other out.

4. Soundproofing: Consider installing soundproofing material while you have the interior panels removed. Soundproofing material can enhance your experience by reducing road noise.
5. Reconnecting the Wiring: Once the speaker is wired in, you'll need to firmly attach it to its mount with screws. Use the screws supplied with the speaker. Don't forget to install the soft gasket between the speaker and the metal of the car. This helps prevent excessive vibrations from causing undesirable noises.
6. Testing: Now that your speakers are installed, test them out for a little while. You can put the speaker covers and panels back in place while the music plays. Use your hand to pound the door panels back on. Replace all screws, grills, and trim pieces.

Now it's time to test out your new car audio system. Enjoy the ride!