I was looking for some help on how to install aftermarket speakers into an 05 explorer and didn't find a lot so I went and used one of my rear door panels as my guinea pig and ended up figuring it out. Despite busting a couple of the plastic clips on my guinea pig panel, it isn't too hard to do once you figure it out.
What you'll need: Flathead screwdriver Socket screwdriver Needlenose Pliers
The only big differences between removing the rear and front door panels is an extra screw and extra sets of wiring connectors.
- Remove the plastic that surrounds the door handle. You should be able to get your flathead between the speaker and the plastic to pry that side of first, then it just pulls off.
- Remove the control panel. There are taps that snap it down towards the outside-side of the panel so press down on that side and pull it towards you to unsnap it. Then pull the front-side up to pull the whole thing out. This is a little tricky sometimes but keep messing with it and it'll free itself.
- Remove the wiring connectors by pressing down on the tab and pulling. The driver door is the most difficult one because one of the tabs is hard to get at and you'll probably need the needlenose here.
- Remove 2(rear), 3(front) screws. Screws are located behind the controls panel you removed and at the bottom of the door. Can't remember the socket size you'll need.
- Simply pull up on the door panel and it'll come off. On the driver panel, you'll have to disconnect the rear view mirror wiring at this point.
- Set aside the panel and remove the four speaker screws. You'll need a wiring adapter to connect your new speakers. Go to best buy or similar store for that.
- I didn't think about this at first, but when the windows go down you can pull out the speaker wire if you don't put the speaker wire into the door properly. For the rear doors, there is a little motor I wrapped the extra wire around to keep it out of the way. For the front doors, not as much of the window gets in the way so you should be able to figure it out. It helps to reconnect the window button and roll it down to make sure its not getting in the way.
- Screw down your new speakers.
- The panel goes back on pretty easy, line it up a little higher than it needs to be and then pull it down and make sure it is flush against the body.
- Put everything back on in the reverse order that you took it off. The only other thing to make sure of is that you push down on the outside-side of the control panel again to make sure the tabs are set.
-Gavin