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Installing Aftermarket Speakers 1986 BII


jcm

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I didn't see anything on how this was supposed to be done so if anyone else is wondering...

Read all instructions and view all pictures carefully before starting

This should give you an idea of what needs to be done to install speakers in your truck. 1986 and similar years (someone tell me and I can update this) Bronco II's and Rangers. Shapes of the speakers may vary but you will know what you are up against.

I suppose the rear speaker part for this won't work for the Ranger but the front is the same.

1. Tools
a) 1/4" ratchet with a socket (7mm) and a screwdriver bit
b) Small vice grips
c) Rotary tool with a small cutting disk
d) Ohm meter
e) Screw driver, wire cutters, electrical tape

2. Materials
a) Front speakers 4"
b) Rear speakers 5" x 7"
c) 1/8" thick 6" X 12" slice of ABS plastic

Note about front speakers:

As far as I know, a 5.25" speaker does NOT fit in the dash. The speaker does not fit down into the dash far enough. I tried Pioneer TSG1341R 5.25" 2way first, returned them for Pioneer TSA1072R 4" 3way.

Note about rear speakers:

Pioneer TSA832P 6"x8" 3way which is supposed to be semi universal for a few sizes, 5"x7" being one of them, might fit, I didn't think to hard about it. I bought a pair and they did not recess into the speaker hole so I returned them and bought Memphis 15-PR572 5"x7" 2way which the guys at the car audio shop said would "just fit". The design for the "case" for where the speaker mounts is too small to hold the bigger speakers even though the mounting patterns work. So even with the 5"x7" you will have to do some modifications, so a 6"x8" might work as well, someone else could try it and tell us.

Step ZERO: Get the wires correct. If you are sure you can skip my story below.

Make sure you know what wire are going to what speakers. This is where the Ohm meter comes in. The person who had my BII before me put in a Pioneer deck and NONE of the wires coming in from the stock wiring harness to the adapter harness were correct even though it goes strait through. The speakers all had sound but the wires were crossed in some strange fashion that still allowed sound to come out...???? Also, a few of the wires changed color from the dash and rear coming into the dash...???? If you can control your after market deck to fade and balance you should be able to tell that way if it was installed correctly (that was my first clue). If you are going to put in an after market deck double check the continuity coming from the wiring harness that goes into your deck to the speaker wires in the dash/rear. Otherwise you will become a learned BII wiring guru (like me) if it didn't cross over correctly.

STRIPED wires are supposed to be NEGATIVE and go to the SMALLER connections
SOLID wires are supposed to be POSITIVE and go to the BIGGER connections

IMPORTANT: Since everything is not going to go together as the equipment comes out, PLEASE be careful with your new and expensive speakers! When you are wrenching down on your new speakers when you install them you are going to feel real stupid when your screw driver slips off of the screw and goes through the cone. You are going to be using some force to get these things in. Go slow when you are tightening screws and pay extra attention. Enough said.


Front Dash Speakers Front and Right:


1) Remove Speaker Cover (3 screws)

a) Use your handy ratchet screwdriver bit combo to remove the two screws farthest from the windshield

b) Use the small vice grips screwdriver bit combo to remove the screw closest to the windshield

2) Remove speaker using ratchet combo (3 screws)

3) Trace the outside of the OLD speaker and mounting holes onto your ABS and cut/drill it out with your Rotary tool.

IMPORTANT: Drill the holes for the mounting screws slightly bigger than the screws otherwise the screws drill into the ABS and it is difficult to do the final mount.

NOTE: The three mounting holes are off center so it will only fit on one way (will not rotate) in the dash.

4) Trace the outside of your new speaker and mounting holes onto the ABS and cut/drill.

NOTE: Since what we did in step 4) doesn't rotate, if you want your speaker facing a certain direction (2way/3way users) act accordingly. Drill holes for mounting screws slightly bigger than screw.

5) Hopefully your speaker came with little metal mounting shimy things. Use your rotary tool to cut away as little as possible towards your new speaker mounting hole until you can get your shimy over the hole (otherwise you wont get your speaker to attach onto the ABS).

6) Attach your new speaker onto your ABS via shimy's.

8) Don't attach wires yet. Drop your ABS/Speaker into the dash. Remove/Rotate until the ABS mounting holes line up with the inside dash mounting holes (it only fits one way remember)

9) Remove, connect wires via connections that came with the speaker. Place speaker in dash. Before you mount the speaker in the dash you should do a sound test. Secure with three original mounting screws and install the cover reverse steps 1), 2).

Rear Side Speakers Left and Right

1) Remove cover (4 screws) and speaker (4 screws)

2) Remove enough plastic to mount fit speaker in hole. What plastic you need to cut away depends on your speaker. Just remove as much as you need to and no more. Look at your speakers and the case and decide for yourself what should be removed. Remember outside cover conceals your cutting and it is still needs to be structurally stable. You may also need to cut away any extra mounting patterns on the speaker if it has them as well as bending in the ones you are going to use if they stick out to far.

3) Jam the speaker in there. If your speakers are half way decent they should have a nice frame around the speaker and all the way down to the magnet. You should only have pressure on the outside frame of the speaker and it should be (only/mainly) from the stock speaker mounting shimy's.

4) Secure the speaker. Use the screws that came with the speakers if the stock screw head is too big. This is where you would poke a hole in the cone with the screw driver. Its a tight fit but the screws will go back into the mounting hole with a little finessing.

5) Replace the cover. If you forgot to plug in the wires you can reach behind the speaker through the trap door right below the speaker cover and do it now.

Front Pictures - Sorry I didn't take any pictures of the ABS work before I installed the new speakers

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll258/jcmetcalf/FrontLeft1.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll258/jcmetcalf/FrontLeft2.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll258/jcmetcalf/FrontLeftInstalled.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll258/jcmetcalf/FrontRightInstalled.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll258/jcmetcalf/FrontRightRemoved1.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll258/jcmetcalf/FrontRightRemoved2.jpg

Rear Pictures

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll258/jcmetcalf/RearTools.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll258/jcmetcalf/RearBack.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll258/jcmetcalf/RearFront.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll258/jcmetcalf/RearLeftUncut.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll258/jcmetcalf/RearLeftCut1.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll258/jcmetcalf/RearLeftCut2.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll258/jcmetcalf/RearLeftInstalled.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll258/jcmetcalf/RearRightCut.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll258/jcmetcalf/RearRightInstalled.jpg

I don't often visit TRS so if you have a question for me you can send message through TRS and it will get forwarded to my email. Good Luck!
 
Last edited:


85_Ranger4x4

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That is a neat idea.

Back when I put my 4" Polk speakers in the front of my Ranger they were too deep and would interfere with my air ducts, so I took the grilles from my parts truck and used a plasma cutter and cut out holes (the stencil came with the speakers) and drilled mounting holes for the speaker in the factory cover. Because the cover was curved I had to shim up the front bolts so the speaker would have a flat mounting surface. I then used the grilles that came with the speakers to cover them up. 7 years later I they still look great.
 

DarkBlue03XLT

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I just used short pieces of metal and used the stock holes to secure the metal brackets for the 4" pioneers i bought

 

mhagedon

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I had a set of 5 !/4 Rockford fosgate two way speakers in the front of my first ranger. Wish i would've taken pictures.. But they fit with a little negotiating.
 

AllanD

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Great write up.

While aftermarket adapter rings WERE available for the '83-88 Rangers I'd bet that getting a set now is a purely junkyard proposition.

My adapter rings are made of sheet steel and I RIVETED the speakers
(pioneers 4" two-way, I forget the model)

However, I've recently installed '89-92 doors on my truck and I'm running
the wires to them as soon as I have the energy.

AD
 
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