[Smokinjoe73]

So my 2010 451 sounds awful, worse than my 08. Has anyone tracked down perfect fitting replacement speakers or do I call crutchfield? Thanks for any help. I think its just the front door speakers.

 

[jwight]

Do you have the 4 speaker system or just the two door speakers? Early on the consensus seemed to be Polk 651 speakers. There may be something better this many years down the road. Calling Crutchfield can't hurt.

 

[Shalmaneser64]

I’m looking to install some Pioneers in the door panels. The first question seems to be to keep the factory grilles or to dump them? I have some extra door panels that I’m going to experiment with. Offhand, it looks like the Pioneers will probably fit where the original speakers were, with some washers or retaining clips to supplement the original 4 mounting screws. I’ll see about getting some pics. Of course, if you tear out the grilles, then you can pretty much mount anything you want, within reason. Only issue then is depth. Got the window glass to worry about.

 

[mattwithcats]

JBL makes a shallow mount 6 1/2 speaker...

JBL Club 620F

Club Series 6-1/2" shallow-mount 2-way car speakers

www.crutchfield.com

 

[Shalmaneser64]

So I took a look at one of my spare door panels this morning. Pictures attached.

The crappy Italian made speakers are designed specifically for the door panels (or the door panels are designed specifically for the crappy Italian speakers). There are some molded guide brackets that will get in the way of a replacement speaker sitting flush.

Nothing a Dremel can’t correct in a few seconds.

with the guides out of the way the new Pioneer speaker lays flat on the rim.

The existing mounting screws (T20) with some washers (the ones shown come with the speakers) hold the new speaker in pretty well, but a larger washer would be even better.

Seems like a pretty straightforward and simple process. I’m not one for making unnecessary modifications if I don’t have to.

The Pioneer speakers are 350 Watt 4-Way, so they should be night and day improvements over the factory crap.

 

[Shalmaneser64]

JBL makes a shallow mount 6 1/2 speaker...

http://[URL]https://www.crutchfield.com/p_109CL620F/JBL-Club-620F.html?tp=78072

[/URL]

JBL makes a shallow mount 6 1/2 speaker...

JBL Club 620F

Club Series 6-1/2" shallow-mount 2-way car speakers

www.crutchfield.com

The SCOSCHE SAC656 mounting brackets that Crutchfield recommend and provide are interesting. SCOSCHE doesn't show them as being compatible with the smart, but then that probably doesn't mean much, since they only list smart applications through 2011. And METRA is equally poor. Be interesting to take a look at them, to see how they fit.

 

[AztroRover]

I went with RockFord Fosgates R1525X2 Prime 5.25. I watched a video where the Smart owner replaced his without removing anything, just popped them out the front. The Rockfords have very similar grills to the Smarts original, I didn’t want them to look aftermarket and they don't. They fit perfectly. Look great and sound quality is Exceptional.

 

[Shalmaneser64]

I went with RockFord Fosgates R1525X2 Prime 5.25. I watched a video where the Smart owner replaced his without removing anything, just popped them out the front. The Rockfords have very similar grills to the Smarts original, I didn’t want them to look aftermarket and they don't. They fit perfectly. Look great and sound quality is Exceptional. View attachment 63414

Install looks very nice.

“Popped”, as in destroyed the factory grille and speaker? The grille’s got to be destroyed if you’re going to replace it. I guess it’s just a matter of how destructive one wants to be. Same for the speaker. Not that I would plan on reusing the old speakers. I’m guessing you mounted the speakers on the front side of the door panels? Do the RockFords have extended mounting tabs? How did you wire them?Interesting how 5 1/4 and 6 1/2 speakers both seem to fit.

 

[AztroRover]

Yes, the original speakers are made of plastic through and through. The RF did come with wire attachments and hardware to mount. There are no tabs simply the screws you see in the picture hold both the speaker and grill to the doors. The original grills/speakers are very light, brittle and flimsy plastic. A screwdriver under the edge and a twist sent them literally popping out. The a regular pair of pliers got the speakers out. My old speakers paper cones were completely separated from the surrounds. They were garbage regardless of how they were removed. As far as the cut out in the door, anyblarger speakers would have needed the hole enlarged I think these rested perfectly in the hole. There were tabs door that were easily bent and snapped off to make the hole a perfect circle -plastic again.