Hi All, I have a 97 Dakota extended cab with the 6 speaker am/fm cd. The large bottom speaker in the passenger door has started making noise and appears to need replacement. How difficult is removing the door panel and does it require any special tools or secrets? Thank you for any help you can provide.
Have you ever removed door panels in the past?
See Eastwood's page on the web for some tools (they are not expensive) to do door panels. Not sure they will help on this door (never done a Dakota) but that's a good starting point.
Also try making friends with a local audio/car audio store. I bet they can tell you exactly what to do to get the panel off without damage. Also, of course, a shop manual is useful when doing this.
And... When you replace the speaker, do both at the same time. If you don't you will find the other side fails almost immediately!
My 2000 had electric windows and locks & mirrors. No worries, 3 screws to undo on the panel, on in right beside the inside door latch 2 on the bottom corners. the panels use a "hook-notches into holes in door", instead of them old P.O.S. push in holders all them old cars had, that have to be pried out of the door (some need a nice tool to prevent tearing up them things or the panels themselves).
Once the Screws are out, then you just lift the panel up about 1/2 inch from where it is normally, and it comes off the door, then you remove the switch box from the panel and drop the door panel out of your way. I don't know about Manual windows, you might need the clip tool, that releases the handle from the cranking Assy,. unless they are held on with an obvious screw or allen head bolt or something.
Hoping you find the older truck the same as my 2000 (technically same bodystyle)
Thanks PlowBoy. I failed to post that it also has electric locks and windows. Based upon your experience I'm going to be brave and jump right into it. I'll let you know how it went.
should seem easy IMHO, I was nervous at first, least I didn't go Prying the panel away from the door, like you would on older cars, if I had it would have broken stuff!
it is painless compared to other cars I have done with those push in friggin holders for the door skins.
The speaker has been replaced and the door is back together. As you had posted, taking the panel off was fairly easy. Just take the 5 screws out and the panel lifts up and out. The only difficulty I had was getting the electric window and door lock switches disconnected. But other than that it was not much of a problem. And putting it back together was even easier. Thanks again for your help.
Yeah,
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