JBL System tweeter upgrade - Better than Subaru tweeters

Yes JBL but I imagine that the space for the dash speaker is the same. Which might provide more aftermarket options.

 

I have removed factory connectors from VWs, Saabs, and now Toyotas. This gives you great secure connections with no additional cost to buy adaptors. Here are the steps

1. GOAL: You want to get the factory connector removed from the factory speaker chassis with as much of the wire attached to it. But worst case, you only need enough to solder a longer wire to it.
2. WRITE DOWN WHICH WIRE COLOR GOES TO WHICH TERMINAL. Usually plus(+) positive side is on the right side looking at the speaker from the back. If you don't and you reverse them, your speaker will be out of phase and sound weird.
   
3. Desolder the wires from the factory speakers (or cut them off close to the speaker)
4. If there is a bracket or something like a bracket that is riveted on to the speaker or speaker chassis, you can drill out the rivet to detach it.
5. With the bracket out remove the plastic speaker connector from the bracket (dremel, brute force, utility knife) if there is one.
6. At this point you should have the factory connector and some wire attached to it removed from the speaker.
7. If you want to drive yourself crazy skip this step. Solder on some longer wires to both short wires coming off the factory connector. Like 4-6 inches. Put heat shrink tubing on the solder connections (best practice).
8. Solder the longer wires on the factory connector to your new Supreme Graphic Equalized Plastic Screamers (aka your new aftermarket speakers). MAKE SURE THE POLARITY IS CORRECT - i.e plus to plus and minus to minus. You did write this down in step 2. Right? Right.
9. With the longer wires, you will not be struggling to connect to the other side of the factory wiring.
10. Lather, rinse, repeat for the remaining speakers.

 

@TacoManOne Referring to the pics in the initial post, it looks like in the photo with the factory speaker with the adapter, the green wire is on the right, but when the adapter is on the new speaker, it's on the left. Based on the later post that mentions that the (+) is usually on the same side, wouldn't you want the wires to be on the same side on both the old and new speaker?

 

Did not see that! However I followed the wiring info from Toyota and matched up the + and - on the speaker to the + and - on the wiring harness. I, for some reason, can tell easily if speakers are out of phase and they were not. I checked them with an app for out of phase and that came back with them being wired correctly. They sound fine and nothing else is weird. Now I am wondering if the aftermarket speakers are the same as the factory with the +/- configuration? Or if I matched the +/-and just used the wires in the harness as they were, irrespective of what was +/- on the old speaker. Going with the latter since it sounds great.

 

Does anyone on this thread know if this tweeter upgrade is the same for 2020 Limited with JBL?

 

I would like to know the same for a 2020 OR w/JBL as well.

 

Excellent write up, with great pics. Might be a future mod for me. My truck is still new and I haven't had enough seat time to figure out what is my next, most pressing mod.

 

On the passenger side, do you remember why you had to take out/remover the light sensor from the dash cover. I understand why you disconnected it, however, when I read your instructions you mention "popping" it out with the pick. Thank you. I have these speakers coming today and may try this on my own vs a professional

 

It was easier to work in a confined area with that disconnected. Then the whole cover can be moved out of the way.

After a few years neither of them have come lose with just one bolt holding them on.

 

So tried to get these in my truck. Driver will fit but passenger won’t since the air duct is what I’m rubbing on and would have to cut a hole in it. Pushes out good 1/2” past where the drivers ended. Also, in the process found out why my factory ones were so dim. They were wired backwards from the factory. I also have different colored wiring (truck made on a Friday) so had to physically check positive and negative and swap the wiring in the connectors. Could be the issue for others where it sounds out of phase and muddy.

 

The fact that they are not direct fit and require cutting and modifying the A-pillars already make them not better than the Subaru tweeters.

And since you admit you have not heard the Subaru tweeters makes this mod more work than it is worth when the Subaru's bolt right in and the plugs are direct fit with no cutting or modifying ANYTHING and also sound AMAZING.

 

I thought the suburus weren't a direct fit if you have the JBL Premium. They didn't work for some reason. That is why he did this for his.

 

Ahhhh, then I retract my comments apologize for my reckless outburst . OP good work as it looked like a pain.

 

The wiring is different on a non JBL unit. The subie tweeters have a filter built right into them. They are also wired in series whereas the JBL is in parallel. I think that's how I remember it. I had to redo a little of the wiring to make component speakers (Alpine Type R) work in my 19 TRD Sport.

 

Was this a pretty significant change? Can’t imagine this has been a common issue but, WOW!

 

This post is mildly underrated.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ers-and-subwoofer.716167/page-5#post-26800482

this is the next step. The JBL DSP amp install.

 

So they sound AMAZING compared to stock. I have not have heard the Subaru option. My comparison standard is my wife's Saab with Audisson speakers and JL amp and Subwoofer. not as good as that but very nice upgrade. I paid $99.00 for the pair.
Just upgraded the door speakers with JBL 6x9's - GX963.

Question about the 6x9s. Those re 3 ways, I was under the impression the factory JBL system send only bass to the front doors. Is that not true? Do the

$89 GX963 300W 6" X 9" 3-Way GX Series Coaxial Car Loudspeakers (Pair of 2, 600W Total),black

GX963's add to the mids/highs?

 

Correct 3 way but I have a JBL DSP amp and can combine signals to get full range then port it to any speaker.

 

I did this in my 20' Sport with JBL. Didn't take photos but I used

$55 JBL GX328 3-1/2" Coaxial Car Audio Loudspeakers

GX328 which are 3.5" 2.3ohm , about $70

Everything went pretty much exactly how you wrote it up, so awesome job and thank you!

Only thing I did special was I bought the JBL to non JBL adapters from auto harness house so I didn't have to cut factory wiring. I just used that to make a plug and play harness.

I also couldn't see a way to drill out the speaker for the passenger side, so I used a self tapping screw and washers slightly next to where the one factory screw mount point is.

Passenger side needed no cutting but was a very tight fit!

The result is great, huge upgrade over the JBL tweeters. Took me about 45 minutes all in all to get them in the truck after i made the harnesses