Dash Speakers In 2005 Rlxi

[lrust]

My Sony xPlod (sp?) speakers from the factory that are in the dash have gone bad. From observation, looks like the windshield has to come out to replace them. Can anyone recommend a replacement product and advise on how difficult the change is?

~Thanks.

[BuFootin]

My Sony xPlod (sp?) speakers from the factory that are in the dash have gone bad. From observation, looks like the windshield has to come out to replace them. Can anyone recommend a replacement product and advise on how difficult the change is?

~Thanks.

I'm interested in hearing from the crew as well. I have one speaker that needs replacing too but have not tackled it yet, cause I don't really want to pull the windshield apart. Anyone do this?

[robtr8]

Removing the windscreen is a piece of cheese.

1) Pull the rubber trim strip at the bottom to expose the fasteners on the outside of the frame.

2) Use a battery impact driver and a brand new #2 Phillips bit to remove the screws.

3) The fasteners are stainless and are therefore very soft. Go easy on the torque. It's a fine line between stripping the heads and snapping them off.

4) The pan head fasteners in the corner (radius) are through bolts, you'll need an extra body under the dash to keep the nuts from turning.

5) If you have a tower, it might get in the way of removing the screws on top of the frame at the end. An extra long bit might help here.

6) Unscrew the support fasteners.

7) Give the assembly a jostle and it should lift right off. It's not even heavy.

Speaker size.

1) The hole in the polycarbonate thermo-formed dash cap is meant for a true 6.5" driver but can be expanded to accept a 6.75".

A) A small drum sander attached to a driver drill works well. You'll need to trim the vinyl back with a knife.

B) Test fit your driver as you go.

C) Depending on the driver's magnet structure, you may need to enlarge the hole in the fiberglass under-dash as well.

D) Keep a vacuum going and drop cloth under the dash.

2) The molded indent will grudgingly accept a 6.75" driver with a grill that fits over the driver frame. Here again, might be wise to test fit the grill before settling on a driver set. The indent will not work well with a grill set that the driver sits in, too big.

[85 Barefoot]

Pulled my windshield this weekend for same reason. I changed both in less than an hour. Although a little intimidating, windshield removal is a snap.

[davemac]

Low budget stereo needs for me. I'm planning on changing out my dash speakers (infinitys) this spring. I replaced the rears w/ Polk db651s last year.

I may go w/ the Polk MM651s this time....as the graphite finish will blend in better w/ the dash.

Given that the windshield is so close to our speakers on our boats (particularly on the drivers side)....a while back, one of the stereo dealers on here indicated that JL speakers are a great choice. They are a bit spendy though.

[85 Barefoot]

Low budget stereo needs for me. I'm planning on changing out my dash speakers (infinitys) this spring. I replaced the rears w/ Polk db651s last year.

I may go w/ the Polk MM651s this time....as the graphite finish will blend in better w/ the dash.

Given that the windshield is so close to our speakers on our boats (particularly on the drivers side)....a while back, one of the stereo dealers on here indicated that JL speakers are a great choice. They are a bit spendy though.

Kicker has a very nice 6.5 that is almost a component (it may be actually, as the basket is huge and the woofer is solid, the tweeter is suspended by grille) that is a very good price, around $100/pair. They are available in a gun metal finish. I'll look up the model #. No offense but I put the polk db651s in my truck yesterday. Am not impressed at all. IF your budget is $100-150 a pair, I'd get those kickers or exiles. I've had both now and both sound substantially better than polk.

EDIT: they are coaxials but have solid cone like the exiles. Not quite the power handling of the exiles but that's apparently not an issue:

http://www.kicker.com/km_coaxials

$129

Edited January 30, 2012 by 85 Barefoot

[shawndoggy]

Kicker has a very nice 6.5 that is almost a component (it may be actually, as the basket is huge and the woofer is solid, the tweeter is suspended by grille) that is a very good price, around $100/pair. They are available in a gun metal finish. I'll look up the model #. No offense but I put the polk db651s in my truck yesterday. Am not impressed at all. IF your budget is $100-150 a pair, I'd get those kickers or exiles. I've had both now and both sound substantially better than polk.

EDIT: they are coaxials but have solid cone like the exiles. Not quite the power handling of the exiles but that's apparently not an issue:

http://www.kicker.com/km_coaxials

$129

If the budget is that much ($150), the Polk MM651UMs (http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_14717_Polk-Audio-MM651UM.html ) are a much nicer speaker than the db651s. Very nice midbass out of the UMs.

[85 Barefoot]

If the budget is that much ($150), the Polk MM651UMs (http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_14717_Polk-Audio-MM651UM.html ) are a much nicer speaker than the db651s. Very nice midbass out of the UMs.

a $250 speaker? Better be nicer! I'm just comparing what can be had for same/less. If budget $100, he could do much better than the 651 in my humble opinion. I think I'm taking mine out of the truck.

[shawndoggy]

The mm651um's can be had from your Internet retailer of choice for $145 a pair. Like the one I linked to, for instance.

[85 Barefoot]

The mm651um's can be had from your Internet retailer of choice for $145 a pair. Like the one I linked to, for instance.

are those what you are currently running?

[shawndoggy]

are those what you are currently running?

yes. For a truck, though, I'd go with components over a coax speaker every time. I've read good things about the db6501 components, but I've never heard them.

Edited January 30, 2012 by shawndoggy

[caw32073]

are those what you are currently running?

I have a 2005 Sportster LX and have had trouble trying to remove the windshield to install the dash speakers. I don't know if I am missing something. Is the process the same to remove the Sportster windshield?

[85 Barefoot]

I have a 2005 Sportster LX and have had trouble trying to remove the windshield to install the dash speakers. I don't know if I am missing something. Is the process the same to remove the Sportster windshield?

I would expect...whats happening?

[lrust]

I got the old Xplod speaker out on the passenger side and went to put the Polk unit in and realized that the mounting holes are not in the same location requiring new holes to be drilled and the cone is larger - so not exactly a drop in. I also broke the cone section so back to the drawing board. Going to look for exact Sony Xplod replacements - does Sony still make a drop in replacement?

[cstk421]

Removing the windshield is a piece of cake. The instructions in the first answer are dead on. Just don't make my mistake and try to remove the throughbolts without help. I stripped them and had to replace em. No biggie though. Hey while it's out do what I did and get them tinted !

Claudio

[robtr8]

The existing drivers are considered a 6 1/2" with a grill that sits over the basket. A lot of the newer products out on the market are 6 3/4" but still listed as 6 1/2's. Grills that have a ring that the basket sits in makes it worse. You can make some new baffles out of cutting boards or other sheet plastics to take up the gap but be careful of building up the drivers side too much, the grill may touch the windshield and rattle like crazy.

[hethj7]

I didn't read all the posts, but just thought I'd throw this out there for those replacing dash speakers - consider the color of the grill as you want to minimize reflection onto your windshield (i.e. stay away from chrome/silver). I replaced mine last year and as others stated, windshield removal really isn't that difficult.