The Shabana Motors Auto Blog - Expert Tips On Cars & Credit

DIY: Install Car Stereo Speakers

Written by Jeff Martin | Tue, Jul 10, 2012 @ 04:00 AM

New car speakers are easy to install even for amateur DIY mechanics. By following a few simple steps, you can avoid paying for expensive professional speaker installation and enjoy the satisfaction of completing the work yourself.

Step One: Removing the Old Speakers

The first step in installing new speakers in your car is removing the existing equipment. Start by carefully removing the grill and panels covering the existing speakers. Make note of how these pieces connect so they are easier to reinstall once the new speakers are in place. Next, disconnect the old speakers from the wiring and remove them.

Step Two: Factory Wiring vs. New Wiring

Factory wiring can be used if you are installing better speakers where speakers are already installed. If you are adding speakers to your car in places without existing speakers, new wiring will need to be run in order to accommodate the new speakers. Due to the complicated process of running new wiring for a sound system, this should be done by a professional.

Step Three: Installing Wiring

There are two ways wiring can be attached to your new speakers. The first involves purchasing a harness which allows the factory wiring to be plugged into the new speaker set-up. The other option is to cut the factory plug off of the wiring and attach the wires themselves to the speaker. If you cut the factory plug out, use a wire stripping tool to remove the insulation from the ends to give yourself a small amount of wire to work with. Next, make note of which wire is positive and which is negative. Attach the raw wires to the correct terminals and make sure they are secure.

Step Four: Connecting the Speakers

Place the newly wired speakers into their consoles in the doors or dashboard where you are installing them. Remember to also attach the vibration-reducing gasket that goes between the car’s metal frame and the speaker. Use the screws that came with the set-up to secure the speakers and replace the grills and panels that you removed in the first step.

Step Five: Speaker Testing

The final step in installing your new car speakers is to test them and make sure they work the way you wanted them to. Test the volume levels, the bass, and the treble.

New car speakers improve your driving experience and are easy to install yourself by following a few simple steps.

*Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net