LeGreatOne Posted January 28, 2005 Share Posted January 28, 2005 I'm going to upgrade the stereo speakers in my Legacy. However, I have a few door panel questions: How do you remove the interior door panels? They appear to be two or three part at the front, two part at the rear. Are they multi-part panels or just one large piece? How do you remove them without breaking anything? Does Subaru use the little plastic "pop-snaps" like other manufacturers? What material are the door panels made from? Are they fibreboard, plastic, or some other material? Before I attempt to remove the door panels I want to benefit from the Forum's collective experience. I know that one can easily damage one's interior if one isn't careful. Is there anything else I should know about door panel removal and installation? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c_hunter Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 Do a search and you will find some great instructions. The only hard part is getting the pull handle cover off -- it's a pain. Basically, there is a nub at the top of it that snaps into a hole in the silver plastic trim at the top. If you push up that silver trim, you can free the nub and then pull the covers outwards while rotating forward. Also, there is a cover behind the door latch handle -- get that off because there is a screw hiding behind it. I used a paint can opener to pull off the cover. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeGreatOne Posted January 29, 2005 Author Share Posted January 29, 2005 I looked at the forum postings prior to asking the question, didn't find door panel removal info immediately, but then went to the search feature and found TWO useful posts for door panel removal. I found no answers to my other questions. Are the door panel multi-piece or a single piece? What material are the door panels made from? Some new questions follow: Are the stock speakers 5.25 inch or are they 6.5 inchers? If 5.25, is there enough room to allow 6.5 or 7 inch speakers to fit, without hitting the door panel, if a spacer is used to provide room for a longer, bulkier magnet? I noted that the stock speakers (photo in one of the found threads) are held in place by some sort of plastic of metal surround. Is it necessary to retain this when mounting new speakers? Is the tweeter at the top of the door fixed to the door metal or attached to the door panel? I installed a Blaupunkt Casablanca CD-51, two sets of Focal 165k components (for the front and the rear; surround sound) and a Clarion SRV-303 sub in my Miata. This required significant metal cutting and ingenuity, but the result was great sound in a car that shouldn't have allowed it. The Legacy is a much quieter vehicle to begin with, and I think I can get some great sound using Focals or MB Quarts in this car. The Focal 165Ks (not the K2s - they require higher power), should work well with the stock head unit. I've noted that some folks have considered replacing the stock head unit. I'd suggest, based upon the integrated appearance of the stocker, that interested parties simply add in-line amplification AFTER the stock head unit. That is, run the output lines from the stock head unit as input to new amplification on each side of the car, then run lines from the new amps to the crossovers for the speakers. Blaupunkt has some remarkably tiny amplifiers that may be suitable for this arrangement. It appears that if one wants to replace the stock head unit in a non-turbo (non-GT) Legacy, one can fabricate a plate that covers all open holes left when the stock head unit is removed. Do this well and you'll have an acceptably tasteful install. Do it poorly and your car's interior will look horrible. Therefore, if you're going to do this, think it through thoroughly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad_in_denver Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 LeGreat One, I've been trying to do the same thing (remove the door panels) and had not yet found this forum, so thanks a million to c_hunter cause that's where I was stuck. The rear door panels (on an 05 LGT sedan anyway) are 3-piece but they are attached to each other with plastic welds (they actually look kind of like melted plastic pop-rivets) so I couldn't see any way to separate them. I suspect the fronts are the same way. Don't know for sure the materials but the layer closest to the metal door panel are plastic, and it looks mostly like all plastic with fabric covering on the interior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeGreatOne Posted January 30, 2005 Author Share Posted January 30, 2005 Thanks, Brad. I was concerned that the door panels could be thin plastic over fibreboard. Fibreboard cracks easily; plastic is much more durable. It's snowing here this morning and my Miata (and lots of wheels, tires, and assorted stuff) have filled the garage, so I'll have to wait to pop the Legacy's door panels. I'm going to play around in the snow with the Legacy today. Have New dunlop Winter Sport M3 tires all the way 'round. Should be fun! I'll do some suburban "trail blazing"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad_in_denver Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 Sounds like fun, we got a couple inches here in Boulder last night but I've got the 3rd bay of my garage empty so work proceeds on the speaker upgrade...Speaking of, it sounds like you got the speaker size/clearance stuff answered but just in case not, 6.5 will fit, at least some of them, both front & rear. Front's need to be shallower but I had several options to choose from at Crutchfield (ended up with Infinity, they had a good sale on). The factory speakers have 3 screws holding them in to plastic inserts in the door; the speaker basket is actually a one-piece plastic affair with 3 "ears" that line up with the inserts. The Crutchfield kit included a wiring harness so I don't have to cut any wires, a plastic universal adapter that didn't quite line up with the 3 inserts and a metal ring adapter that fits nicely into the original hole, but I will have to drill 3 or 4 holes into the interior sheet metal of the door to hold it. Oh well, I don't mind doing that since it's hidden and doors have lots of holes anyway. Good luck with yours and have fun making snow angels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helfrick Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 Are the stock speakers 5.25 inch or are they 6.5 inchers? If 5.25, is there enough room to allow 6.5 or 7 inch speakers to fit, without hitting the door panel, if a spacer is used to provide room for a longer, bulkier magnet? 6.5" with a maximum top mount depth of 2". I've read where some folks have used spacers up to 1" without any clearance issues. I noted that the stock speakers (photo in one of the found threads) are held in place by some sort of plastic of metal surround. Is it necessary to retain this when mounting new speakers? Is the tweeter at the top of the door fixed to the door metal or attached to the door panel? It is a plastic bracket attached to the metal. It was too small to use properly for a set of polks that I mounted so I used a small amount of silicon to keep them from rattling. I don't think it is necessary, but it has to help with aiming. I've noted that some folks have considered replacing the stock head unit. I'd suggest, based upon the integrated appearance of the stocker, that interested parties simply add in-line amplification AFTER the stock head unit. That is, run the output lines from the stock head unit as input to new amplification on each side of the car, then run lines from the new amps to the crossovers for the speakers. Blaupunkt has some remarkably tiny amplifiers that may be suitable for this arrangement. That seems to be the only workable solution for the moment. Since the GT has an integrated stereo/HVAC system, cutting the front bezel isn't an option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeGreatOne Posted January 30, 2005 Author Share Posted January 30, 2005 RE: Drilling into the door sheet metal. I've found that using two different sized titanium bits, and drilling twice, first a VERY small guide hole, and then the second screw-sized hole overtop of the guide hole, works well in automotive sheet metal. The second, larger hole, requires that you drill some and then wait a few soconds for the bit to cool, and then continue drilling and cooling until you cut through. Be cautious as you press the drill into the metal; too much pressure and you may push the bit through and into whatever lies behind that metal! You only need break through lightly. Keep the drill and bits under control. Remember to make the second hole just a wee bit smaller than the sheet metal screw you're inserting to hold the speaker (or the speaker mount.) You get a tighter fit that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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