New Audio System On 97 - It's Easy

[Avalon97]

Before starting to install the new audio system + speakers on my 97 Avalon XLS, I read all related posts on this forum, thanks to swiftjustice and cexsiman for their exellent posts and pictures. Following is my input if you can find it usefull.

Here is my new CD/MP3 player, I don't want to show how to do, swiftjustice already did..



Now, about my new speakers. With these are on hands, it won't take long to do the whole thing.




As you see, you need 12 pieces of O-Beveled Faucet Washers for spacing between speaker and housing. Because 5.25" speaker won't fit in to 4" dia housing. You need #8-32 5/8" bolts, 8 bolts with 16 nuts. A roll of window seal foam tape (3/4" W x 1/4" thick). You don't need to buy a drill but a pointing nife can make a little hole on the plastic housing for the bolt.

Now I work on 2 rear doors first:



1: Use fingers with little help of a steak knife, carefully lift, pull to remove this cover.
2, 6: To remove plastic pins, press the center core in 1/8", use finger nails to pull out. To put it back later, push back center core out 1/4", place pin in the hole, push the center in place.
3,4: Remove round covers and un-screw 2 screws.
7,8: Remove screws.
Lift the panel, disconnect the wire. With screw driver on hand, it's good idea to tighten up all screws on the door frame and panel.



If you look closely at the picture above, you will see the door water drain plugs at the botom, near the corner that I left it out.



After removing the old speaker, use screw (1) as a guide, put the new speaker on, mark 2 spots for screw 2 and 3. Drill 2 holes at 2 and 3 then planting 2 bolts.



Put foam tape on around the housing, the housing edge on the middle of the tape. Thread 3 faucet washers on bolts, screw and connect speaker terminals before putting new speaker on.



Now go to 2 front doors and work as same as rear doors



Only the diffrences are:
2: Use small flat screw driver to lift up the cover right at number 2 then pull it up by holding it at the top end where number 2 is. Disconnect the wire. There is a screw here under the cover, remove it.
3,4: With small flat screw driver carefull remove screw covers.
The front doors have door lights, disconnect them when removing the panel.



I got these 2 pairs speakers for $50 (4 pieces). 150-watts costs twice. I don't need. Do I like these Pioneer speaker? I don't know, but it made in Vietnam, where I come from (LOL). Why go for China? Today, everything made in China. Heh, give Vietnam a chance. Anyway , I really enjoy my music on my new system.. Hope you will too.

Please forgive my English writing.

Have A Good Day

[swiftjustice]

Great write up. makes me want to go and change my own speakers now!

[cexsiman]

+1 Nice, thanks for the plug.

BTW nice low mileage. how do you like the column shifter/bench seat combo? i have the console center and think its pretty nice.

and admin should make sticky because this comes up pretty often in here.

[mbsavalon]

Great pics. I had just posted somewhere else on here about this. I see you didn't have the tweeters in the front doors- wonder if that makes a difference in front speaker size? Probably not. Also looks like you could go in with a dremel and cut off that "cup" on the back of the enclosure and get more depth. I also remember someone complaining about bass response in the back- did you block off the port in the back enclosure? If it really was tuned half-assed, it could hurt the reponse of a different speaker. Block it and fill the enclosure with some polyfill or fiberglass and see what happens (will help power handling too)

[cexsiman]

the tweeters make no difference in regard to the front speaker size. they are remote tweeters and located by the number 1 in the picture of the front door panel. the acoustics of the stock baffles are pretty good, i wouldnt fill them with glass or anything, you would loose the bass response that they provide for the small speaker size. if you are going to go that far, mind as well make a custom speaker box for the doors that will fit a larger speaker like you want. You could go as far as mounting 6x9's in the rear deck, there is a small cutout made for what seems to be that purpose, it may be smaller i havent looked at or measured it in a while, but the doors will only fit a max 5 1/4" speaker with some modifications as seen in Avalon97's pics.

[clementi]

Looks good, you headunit install looks cleaner than mine. The plastic tray on mine kind of overlaps the ECT/AC/Air buttons panel to the left. Where did you get yours?

And thanks for doing the speaker instructions, glad to know I can use 5.25" and your labeled pics will save me a ton of time.

[Avalon97]

Originally Posted by clementi

Looks good, you headunit install looks cleaner than mine. The plastic tray on mine kind of overlaps the ECT/AC/Air buttons panel to the left. Where did you get yours?

And thanks for doing the speaker instructions, glad to know I can use 5.25" and your labeled pics will save me a ton of time.

The headunit came with a plastic cover, I left it out, won't fit. The lower one called "Dashboard Pocket". Both BestBuy and Circuit City carried them. Just tell them what's your car's year/model. They will give you a right one.

"Toyota Pocket 82-04; Using factory backets, combine our pocket with an ISO DIN mounted radio to replace a factory double-DIN radio, Part #88-00-8000".

Danny

[clementi]

alright thanks. I have the dashboard pocket right now that sonicelectronix.com gave me for free when I bought the headunit, but I don't like how it fits. I'm thinking I'll just buy one from another manufacturer and it will be better.

And what is the purpose of the "cup" behind where the speaker goes?

[tchayton]

What are the stuffs installed in yor head unit. Mine looks worse.
_______________________________________________
My fresh installs: chevrolet avalanche power programmer & chevrolet avalanche vent visor

[markwill]

This post was very helpful. I actually put those same pioneer 4" coaxials in my front since i am limited in size for my 1996 avalon

has anyone retrofitted the inside doors to install larger speakers or components.

I am on the fence about doing that

[cexsiman]

those are retrofitted.

[markwill]

what speaker manufacturer's would you recommend besides pioneer.

i have 4" coaxials in the front and they sound OK

[dsayav00]

lol i got the same deck u do and i was about to purchase the same 5 1/4 last night.

[markwill]

it is ridiculous, for them to put anything larger than 4" or put in components they will have to hack the door (roughly $150 per door). that will be more than the speakers....

[clementi]

Just buy a black and decker rotary tool (aka dremel) for $30 at homedepot and do it yourself