Replacing speakers in a 97 Taco xcab

so the rear speakers are ridiculously easy to replace - just pry of the grill with the slightest pressure and you're in, no need to remove the rear wall panels. The front door speaks are giving me trouble though, I can't seem to pry off the grill. It sort of looks like you can but so far I havent been able to. Which makes me think you need to pull off the entire left and right front door panels to do it. Anybody know for sure if this is the case? If not is there a trick to getting the grills off?

Thanks in advance!

 

If your 97 is anything like my 98 you have to remove the door panel. Very easy to do.

No need to use a drill though.... Also not sure why this guy filmed it in 1:45 segments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Iejkzj0RdI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGAVJg2luCE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv9meeHIrFU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvO4f3E3f8o

 

Welcome to Tacoma World.

If it is like my 99 interior,,You will have to pull the door panels to get at those speakers.

A quick search on here and there are links with pictures to guide you along or give you a very good idea of what needs to happen.

Take your time popping those panels off. There are some backing board clips that will be reused on the door panel as well as a trim colored dot that need to be released that hold the imitation nylon interior skin to the panel and then thru to the door sheetmetal. If you get heavy handed when removing, you will be making trips to the dealer for new color coordinated clips,,or online searching for those,,or it will hang ragged on the door.

Edit: The top pic in Madjik Mans post shows the dime sized hole at the very top right of the panel for the color coordinated release clip. The center plastic pin pulls OUT to release that clip. You will have to carefully dig that center pin out as that is the way it is designed to be removed. DO NOT shove the center pin all the way thru that,,or you will/could shatter the 1997 plastic legs that expand to hold tight. They are about $6-7 per and you usually have to buy 3 from the dealer.

 

just wanted to ask you guys how do you remove those stupid plastic push pin button things on the front corner of the door panels?

I see no way but to drive the pin through it and thereby break it but its an order only part at my dealer (they only stock them in black, which is stupid) so assuming it breaks and or I lose the pin inside the door somewhere, what do you do to cover this hole left in the door panel with? after all, it doesn't seam to need to be secured at that spot anyway.

 

Yes.

If you're talking about one of these:



Then you use something like a phillips screwdriver or punch to push the center pin in. Then you can pull the whole thing out. Then push the center pin back out. When you put it back in the door panel hole, just push the center pin in again until it's flush to secure it.

Also, I highly recommend getting an upholstery removal tool to make it easier to remove the door panel.

 

yep, that's the one.

so if I understand correctly, you push the center pin in until it releases the "lock" and can be removed. then when you are ready to reinstall it, you pull the pin back out all the way as it appears in the photo to reset it then just push it in flush in order to lock it back into place?

these snap buttons really are a stupid idea IMO but since the hole made for them is so big you cant just replace it with a screw so I don't know of a decent alternative to replace them with and just leaving a hole in your door panel is not an option

 

correct