Speakers In Door Panel?

hallph Commited Dubber

69 posts · joined Feb 2005 · 31 May 2005, 8:00 pm

#365266

Hello everyone 🙂

I'm planning on upgrading the sound system (if you could call it that :P) that's currently in my Kombi and I am curious about just one issue.

I see some VW's with speakers mounted in the door panel, and this is what i am planning on doing.

However the door is a very wet place and isnt that watertight so i was wondering, if i mounted speakers in there - wouldn't they get wet and ruin the speakers?

There's plastic there that seals the door from the trim so it doesn't rot and perish, is there anything I can do to prevent water ruining my speakers?
Heres a pic:

I am planning to mount the speaker in the bottom left of the door panel and i will sound deaden the doors with bitumen based sheets and also body deadener paint.

Thanks for your help!

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 31 May 2005, 8:25 pm

#365279

You really need to put a "cap" in the plastic to go around the speaker.

Sort of cut some triangles and glue them together. Or get a larger piece of softer plastic and tape, glue it into shape.

Some speakers also have hard plastic "umbrellas" that go over the top of the speaker

Futue te ipsum!!!

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 31 May 2005, 8:27 pm

#365280

.Otherwise buy some of those 6 x 9 speaker boxes from super cheap and sit them behind the seats

Futue te ipsum!!!

hallph Commited Dubber

69 posts · joined Feb 2005 · 1 Jun 2005, 10:49 pm

#365919

thanks for the suggestion.. i'm not sure wether i will do it that way or not

it could end up being better to spend the time (and money) to build some fibreglass pods for them up in the kick panel..

I'm not real keen on 6x9's as they only offer weak, muddy bass and i will be running one of the new Jaycar 12" subs off the new precision response 4x100 amp, so there's no need for them.

boersch Wolfsburg Wizard

407 posts · joined Jun 2004 · 1 Jun 2005, 10:55 pm

#365924

if you stick em in the door panels, make sure you support them well. the ones in my old bug kept falling out when you slammed the door because the panels were so thin and weak

hallph Commited Dubber

69 posts · joined Feb 2005 · 1 Jun 2005, 11:01 pm

#365928

Yeah i've already got some mdf cut to mount both on the backside of the door trim and also screw/glue in that hole (in the door) to mount it so its nice and solid.
I've got to decide wether its worth going the fibreglass enclosure route or not 😀

vwtyp2 Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,504 posts · joined Sep 2003 · 2 Jun 2005, 9:51 am

#366042

I've got Blaupunkt 6x9"s in my doors.
there's really only two tricks.
Mount them as solid as possible.
The front of the speaker should be airtight from the back.
this can work in your favour, as if you're making an airtight enclosure, it's easy enough then to waterproof it.

Dasdubber DAS Resto Haus

5,746 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 2 Jun 2005, 11:54 am

#366108

Phil I've responded to your U2U but basically my suggestion is if you have the time and motivation, go for the fibreglass kick panels. Having a sealed enclosure of decent volume will provide a better response from your mids along with avoiding the moisture and vibration related problems sometimes associated with door mounting. Its not all that hard, just a takes a little time and is a bit messy....here is the link which details how I built my kicks:

http://www.netspot4u.com/~manxclub/gallery/album221

Alan

www.dasrestoparts.com.au

Dub-Buggier Seriously Crusin Dubber

157 posts · joined May 2004 · 2 Jun 2005, 3:59 pm

#366207

Alan must say

hats off good job mate!!

dub

BeetleNeSs Learner Dubber

16 posts · joined Sep 2004 · 2 Jun 2005, 5:10 pm

#366254

have you thought about putting them right up the front under the dash/parcel shelf(if you have one) that way the sound is pushed towards you from infront, thats where they were in my kombi when i got it. one above the windscreen wiper tank and the other on the other side.

Creativity is Life.

slowbay70 Seriously Crusin Dubber

153 posts · joined Mar 2005 · 2 Jun 2005, 7:37 pm

#366347

timely discussion as i am considering all of the above, dont think i'll do the door panels i am leaning to the autobarn boxes

hallph Commited Dubber

69 posts · joined Feb 2005 · 2 Jun 2005, 8:23 pm

#366385

BeetleNeSs wrote:have you thought about putting them right up the front under the dash/parcel shelf(if you have one) that way the sound is pushed towards you from infront, thats where they were in my kombi when i got it. one above the windscreen wiper tank and the other on the other side.

Yeah i'm fairly sure that's what i'm going to go with.. the speakers are meant to be in a sealed enclosure so i might have a crack at building some fibreglass pods up in the kick panel there.

I've got to allow access to the window wiper tank and also the heater vents, so i might just build the enclosure around them.

Thanks for all the help guys, any more suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

wezley Officially Full-On Dubber

305 posts · joined Oct 2004 · 3 Jun 2005, 8:07 am

#366559

I hvae some clarion marine speakers in the door panels.. they seem fine so far, without any waterproofing..

mnsKmobi Wolfsburg Wizard

589 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 3 Jun 2005, 9:45 am

#366598

I replaced the shreds of plastic that were in my doors with genuine VW garbage bag plastic! I just allowed a bit of slack to accommodate the speakers.