Crutchfield is irritating me!

[robertc1024]

Ok - I'm still on the stereo hunt. My poor '88 Ranger's stereo is only running the left side speakers now. I can find head units fine, but what speakers can go in the dash? I pulled the speaker covers off and I realize I might have to do some fabbing because the speakers only have three attachment points, but Crutchfield only lists some $600 speakers that will fit!!!! What have you guys used on Gen 1's? Is the problem the mounting depth?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

You can wedge some 5.25" speakers in the dash, but you'll probably have to do some fab to be able to mount them. I got a set for my 88 BII, and never got around to fabbing something to mount them to. I just laid them in there and set the speaker grills back on (didn't screw the grills in place). The other day I was going to steal them out of there for the time being for another vehicle and discovered that from sitting there under the grills in the dash, the cones got baked to a crisp....

You might be better off forgetting about putting speakers in the dash and go with some door mounts. Fishing a wire from the head unit over and into the door wouldn't be all that hard. And in the doors you could do 6.5", 6x8's or 6x9's easy.

Well, at least I wouldn't have any problems doing it, lol

 

[robertc1024]

Thanks for the advice. I really don't even care what the speakers sound like very much. I just can't find anything that fits in the dash. I'd like to keep the Ranger looking stock - don't wan't some giant black speaker grills coming out of the dash. I'm just not sure what to look for.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

5.25 speakers are relatively inexpensive and they should fit and be able to screw the grills closed, I didn't bother with it cuz I was going to take them back out an fab a plate to mount the speaker in there properly then put the grill on for good. But now that I see what the sun baking the speaker through the grill did, I'd never put another speaker in the dash, I'd put it in the door. If I wanted a stock look, I'd just use the interior door trim from a second gen.

 

[AllanD]

The speakers in the dash only require an adapter to mount garden variety 4" rounds in the dash.

I went a different way... I swapped Gen2 doors onto my truck and the Gen2 doors mount 5-1/2" speakers.

AD

 

[RangerFabWorks]

Alpine makes a 4" speaker that fits real nice in the dash and has a decent bump to it. www.sonicelectronix.com has em

I had my speakers in my dash for 3 years and were still like brand new when I took em out. They'll be fine

 

[robertc1024]

Are you talking about the Alpine SPS-400's? I actually looked at those because I've had good experience with Alpine speakers.

And AllanD - I'd agree with you that it might be the better audio quality way to go. Do the Gen 2 panels have a speaker box on them? Surely the speaker isn't just vented back into the door?

 

[RangerFabWorks]

Those are the speakers. Those are great.

And the 2nd gen doors have a hole cut in them and the door panels have speaker grilles build in.

So yes the speaker vents into the door cavity like a normal door speaker

 

[RangerFabWorks]

Sorry these are the ones I meant

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_6466_Alpine+SPS-10C2.html

 

[robertc1024]

Excellent - thanks. I think it's time for me to buy myself a fathers-day present!