Front Speakers Again

[MikeSh]

Having researched replacing these (the ones under the windscreen) I eventually got a pair of the Alpine 1025 Speakers as they appeared to more or less be a drop-in replacement.

Oh no they aren't!

I started with the driver's side and cut off the two 'spare' tabs. Then found the mounting holes not big enough for the screws, so drilled them out. Then found it won't sit in the location because (I think) the protruding screw under the windscreen (mentioned by someone else - Ravnaratta?) fouls the magnet. Even took off the plastic shroud over the screw to gain a mm or two.

So gave up for now. Contemplating getting a minidrill and cutting disc in there to cut the protruding end off, but not really wanting to.

Has anyone else fitted these units in an Aygo (or C1/107)? If so how did it go?

[rajivrattna]

I have fitted a even larger (bigger magnet) Hertz ECX 100 Speakers and they had to be almost tried in every known angle and direction before cutting of the correct pair of ears so that the speaker connection pins did not collide with the side wall of the hole or the white plastic pin that you mention. It would have been easier if you had tried out the right placement angle and rotation before cutting off the two ears. Removing the white plastic cover on the pin does not help, because there is an equally long metal pin under it. What helps? Rotating the speaker for the best fit (before cutting off the two diagnol ears) helps! Angling the speaker to get best fit helps. Enlarging the hole on the two remaining speaker ears helps. A bit of brute force and !Removed! with the screw slightly angled to start with helps. Trimming the plastic cover as described by others helps to fit the cover over the speaker. In the worst case scenario you might try to remove the speaker magnet damping rubber surround around the magnet to get a few extra mm, but I did not have to do that.

My Speakers,

http://www.blekingebilradio.se/product.html/hertz-ecx-1003

[MikeSh]

It would have been easier if you had tried out the right placement angle and rotation before cutting off the two ears.

These Speakers are just 'round' unlike your Hertz ones which have ins and outs, so there is no preference except where the connections are.

Angling the speaker to get best fit helps. Enlarging the hole on the two remaining speaker ears helps. A bit of brute force and !Removed! with the screw slightly angled to start with helps. Trimming the plastic cover as described by others helps to fit the cover over the speaker.

I would prefer not to force the things in unless I have to - the 'ears' (the whole front plate in fact) on the Alpines are plastic, so left in a stressed condition they might well fail in time.

In the worst case scenario you might try to remove the speaker magnet damping rubber surround around the magnet to get a few extra mm, but I did not have to do that.

There's no rubber surround. The magnet comes out flush with the plastic housing.

When we get some nice weather again I'll get the car in a better light and location, so I can have a harder look at the problem. I'm sure it's fixable, just annoyed that what I thought would be a simple job ... ain't!

[MikeSh]

Just a final report to put this to bed.

Nice afternoon today, so I spent a joyful 90 mins getting the Alpine 1025 Speakers fitted. As well as cutting off two of each of the Speakers ears, enlarging the speaker mounting holes and cutting back the obstructing studs, I also had to carve some of the plastic dashboard reinforcing away particularly on the passenger side. The Speakers then sat correctly in the holes. They have a deeper flange (plastic) than the stock items (metal) so I also had to trim a mm or two off the ring inside the grilles so they would sit down correctly.

Subject to not throwing any oddities in service, like buzzing noises, etc, job done. What a pain though - nothing like a drop in replacement. We'll see what the sound is like in due course.

[rajivrattna]

Congratulations, Mikesh! Now just enjoy the sound. I am now planning to sound proof the car to enhance the hi-fi experience even further. The road noise with the summer tyre is unacceptable. Swedish roads have rough tarmac and that is not kind to the suspension and delivers too much noise.