DIY: Basic Speaker Upgrade- 2nd Gen Access Cab

MY Taco isn't an 2010 but an '06 AC so I don't have the rear speakers in the headliner to deal with. I can tell you that the stock Yoda speakers are crap. I pulled the 6x9s out of the front doors to find plastic baskets and cheap paper cones. Flip 'em over...the magnet for the voice coil is the diameter of a quarter. GD, no wonder they sound crappy.

Replacing the OE speakers and HU is well worth whatever BS you have to go through to get it done. My '06 Access now runs Image Dynamics component speakers in the front doors, 6" full range Image Dynamics and a 10" Polk Audio sub in each rear door, the Alpine PDX-5 amp, and the Alpine CDA-117 HU. Of all the mods I've done to date, this is by far the most rewarding.

Be prepared to be blown away. The sound system upgrade is a TKO.

 

any reason this wouldnt work just using 1x pine as opposed to the ********* adapters?

 

Can i get this strip caulk at Canadian Tire or Princess Auto or something like that? The local hardware store?

 

I used this post to help remove the door panels and the instructions were right on. I have a 2010 Access Cab with the stock stereo. I bought the ********* kit for the front and rear. Rears were about $200 and the fronts were $233. The rear needed speaker wire to be run to the head unit. I found a wiring diagram by searching this site and found which wires went to the rear speakers (which are behind the head liner) and spliced the new wires directly behind the head unit.
LF (+) pink
LF (-) violet
RF (+) blue
RF (-) light green
LR (+) black
LR (-) yellow
RR (+) red
RR (-) white
There is also a white wire in the rear speaker wire group and I left that alone. Not sure what that wire is for.
I got some speaker grills from a stereo shop (they always have them as most installs do not need them and they usually toss them out) because the ones that came with the speakers from ********* do not offer full coverage and they look kinda janky. I liked the post about how to make custom speaker covers and agree that those look a lot better, but didn't have the time to try it, maybe later.
Also, for the front speakers, what you get from ********* needs a little explanation. They do not send any instructions and the tutorials online and on the website a kinda vague. The factory wires for the fronts go to the tweeter first and then to the main speaker. The kit from ********* comes with a crossover. I initially installed the new tweeter and speaker and used the factory wiring. Turned up the stereo and it sounded pretty bad. So, using the same wiring diagram as above, I cut back the tape and got the wires free and landed the primary feed into the crossover and fed the components from the cross over. Sound is way better.
You have to cut some of the plastic behind the door panel to allow for the crossover to fit. Also, the door panel hits the upper bolt head of the ********* kit. I drilled out the hole and recessed the bolt head and the cover fits.
I am not using an amp, and just adding the rears made a huge difference in volume and the fronts add a lot of clarity. I think most would be happy with this, and those who aren't are probably going to change the head unit and go for a more custom install anyway. For me, this is fine and it way better then stock.
You can look at two pictures I took by clicking on the camera under my screen name and info.

 

This is an excellent write up...

But why do you need the new speaker brackets? Why can't you just put new speakers where the stock ones sit?

Are stock super shallow?

 

The holes aren't a standard size. Same can be said for the tweeter mounts.

Stock speakers are very shallow because they are cheap. The actual depth in the door is quite generous.

 

nice write up

 

Xjake has it all down except the RF +/- are inversed. Found that out the hard way, other then that I had an exceptionally smooth install thanks to write ups like this! Old man thought I was nuts tearing apart the interior of my new truck but I got it all done up right thanks to this forum!

 

This was extremely helpful to swapping out my crap stock speakers for some upgraded after market; the improvement in sound quality is night and day.

Recommendation for Step 9 in the rear Access doors installation:

I used a spade drill bit and drilled down the mount holes to about half the depth of the Taco Tunes mounts. The structural integrity of the mounts was still solid and it allowed me to use the original mounting bolts. Just a recommendation, but a work around that did the trick.

Thanks again for a great DIY guide that was spot on!

 

MQQSE did you sound deaden your doors at all or just replace the speakers? which speakers did you go with all around?

 

blawrie,

I didn't sound deaden the doors...now you have me wondering if I should go back in and add some....hmmmm

My 21 yr old son bought the speakers for me as a Christmas present.
6x9 Planet Audio 3 way up front and 6 1/2 MTX Audio 2 way in the back.

Originally had 6 1/2 Planet Audio for the back, but the basket on them is 5 1/2 inches and the standard mounts from Taco Tunes only accommodate 5 inches. Exchanged the speakers versus ordering another set of custom mounts from Taco Tunes. Keep that in mind when selecting your speakers. I think you can custom order for the larger basket, but I had already ordered and received the kit.

Hope that helps. Good Luck and Happy New Year!

BTW - 6x9 3 ways really give a great bass --- to the point that my son said he wouldn't worry about putting in a sub-woofer...he has the full deal in his full size truck (amp/sub-woofer, etc) and we had discussed whether to go that route or not. The smaller cab is the difference I think?

 

Yeah I bought some JBL speakers and got Mr Marv to fabricate some mounts for me. Just waiting for them to come in. Im gonna be sound deadening the doors a bit. Cant wait for the upgraded sound!!!

 

Where can I get the 3M strip? Will Lowes/Home Depot carry it? Thnx

 

Ok, so here's a couple simple stupid questions. On my '10 AC there are no speakers in the rear doors now (rear speakers are in the ceiling). If I wanted to add some, is the wiring already there & connected to my stock unit? What am I supposed to do about grilles? There is no opening in the door panel now, all solid, but it almost looks like there is a separate insert where the grille is supposed to be, but I'm not sure if it's all one piece or two pieces?

Thanks

 

Are these recommended speakers for a 2010 Tacoma CrewCab TRD with the *********.com kit?

Specifications Pioneer TS-a1672R
Sensitivity 90 dB
Frequency Response 30 - 33k Hz
RMS Power Range (Watts) 2-35
Peak Power Handling (Watts) 220
Impedance (Ohms) 4
Top-mount Depth (Inches) 1 3/4
Bottom-mount Depth (Inches) N/A
Cutout Diameter or Length (inches) 4 15/16

Specifications Infinity Kappa 62.7i
Sensitivity 95 dB
Frequency Response 45 - 25k Hz
RMS Power Range (Watts) 2-75
Peak Power Handling (Watts) 225
Impedance (Ohms) 2
Top-mount Depth (Inches) 2
Bottom-mount Depth (Inches) N/A
Cutout Diameter or Length (inches) 5 1/8

Also, of these 1" kits, which one do I actually get? I see there is an HDP and MDF and a $25 different in both. What is the difference and what do I need?

http://shop.*********.com/2005-2011-Tacoma-Speaker-Installation-Products_c9.htm

 

I would like to know if you can answer the following questions for me. The next link shows two different mounting kits for 6.5" speakers on both front and rear. One is HDP:
http://shop.*********.com/Speaker-Installation-Kit-Front-65-Rear-65-1-HDP-TACO-65KIT-P.htm
The other is MDF:
http://shop.*********.com/Speaker-Installation-Kit-Front-65-Rear-65-1-MDF-TACO-65KIT-M.htm
Can you tell me the difference in the two besides just the price?
Next are speakers. Will these speakers fix these kits just fine?
Pioneer TS-a1672R
or
Infinity Kappa 62.7i
Are there any other speakers you recommend? I am only upgrading the speakers. The 6disc head unit stays as I have read great things at Tacomaworld.com and just upgrading the stock paper speakers.
Your help is greatly appreciated!

 

Just got my brand new 2011 tacoma access cab. I'm very dissappointed that toyota didn't put real speakers in the back door but instead used those nxt exciters in the head liner. Guess I'll just have to live with only upgraded fronts.

After removing the factory sub and rear center console I'm going to build a box to house to cvt 8's. I was wondering if anyone had the instructions for removing the rear center console. And maybe someone had a box design they could show me for what I'm doing. The tool cubby sub solution just won't do. Not enough air space.

 

I would find a local NAPA auto parts store, or even head down to your local car audio shop - I worked in 3 different shops and it was standard shop item. Talk to one of the install guys. If you don't need much they might just give it to you, but if you need more than a foot or so, have a couple bucks in hand to offer to the shop guys - they always have a shop fund for pizza.

Shane - TBH, and IMHO, there are no "recommended" speakers for your truck. It's gonna be what you like. Go down to a shop and listen to them, but keep in mind that the sound you get off the display boards there is not the exact sound you're gonna get in your truck.

Me, I'm partial to Diamond Audio. My first pair of speakers/components was a set of Infinity Kappas and I loved them. Then I went to a set of Polk dB series components and loved them as well (not to mention the discount I got on them for working for a retailer), but from the first time I heard a set of Diamond Audio Hex series components, I started saving my money (eventually I ended up working for a retailer who sold them - ironically it was the same place I first heard them - and when I finally pulled the trigger, I ended up buying about $2400 (retail price) worth of components, midbass set up, rear fill, and a subwoofer (Back in the day, anything that had the words "MacDaddy" printed on a huge chrome magnet was fricken awesome).

Long story short, you'll like what you like, so go listen and figure it out. But no matter what you do - Add an amplifier. Don't skimp on this (again, IMHO)

 

For all those that are concentrating their energy on the rear speakers, my advice is to forget about it. A proper sound stage will only utilize those as rear fill to add presence rather than any real quality.

For me, I don't even use my rears. If passengers complain, I didn't buy the setup for their benefit. Know also that there is an optimal sitting position in a vehicle, you can't please everyone.

 

I have a 2011. I wonder if there is a opening in the metal part of the rear door as they apparently discontinued speakers in the rear doors. There is no opening in the plastic door panel.