Dash Speakers - 94 Pick-up

I've upgrade the crappy OEM ones in both an 85 PU and a 90 4Rnr. I bought both pair from Crutchfields. They are size 4T. I used Pioneer 2 way in one and Sony 2 way in the other. You have to bend one of mounting tabs to mount (so cast frames are out) but that was about all there was to install. The made a huge difference to the OEM ones (of course all the cardbord was gone on the OEM ones and new ones used a rubber diaphram. I also added 6x9 speakers to the rear of both.

Thanks Wolfgang.

Put them in the doors, the stock location is horrible, Go with 51/4 or

No doubt. I put 61/2's in the door of my '90 pickup. Huge difference. It was well worth the couple of hours it took to mount.

Yeah, the 4t's suck. The ones I've seen wouldn't handle many watts.

Replace the existing units with a set of splits (seperate tweeter) and mount the 4inch in the standard spot (you may have to trim the diaginally opistite corners off with tin snips) and mmount the tweeters as far away from your ear as possible but pointing to your ears (kick trims usually perfect). If you can be bothered and are capable try and build in the 4inch woofers a bit, create a small sealed box around them for maximum midbass. This will set you back around a days labour but if you can be bothered to do it a massive improvement over the standard units. Personally Id go for Boston acoustic or Infinity if you can afford them but Sony/pioneer/alpine will do the job almost as well.

Hope that helps you out.

scott that was good advice. Doors are fabulous speaker boxes. Maybe he could find some tweeters to stick in the dash and use co axes in the doors; or with a better crossover even lay in a bass tube behind the seat...

I have used Infinity 402i and Eclipse 8243 to replace stock Toyota 4" speakers. Both offer much better sound, the easiest upgrade you can do. Don't expect too much from 4" speakers, though. I also like to add a couple of 6.5's and a bass tube and a new head unit and....

Thanks Cheg and all others who took the time to reply.

I should have added in the original post that I have installed some Polk's in the rear and they sound awesome. The dash speakers would simply round out the package. Unfortunately, Polk doesn't make 4" speakers so I needed recommendations on other brands. I'll check out the Infinity, Kenwood, Eclipse, and the Sony's. Any others I should consider?

Thanks, August

Boston Acoustics do a very nice set of 4inch splits, as long as you get the positioning for the tweeters done right they will out perform most. (Not all, in case you are jumping to your keyboard to tell me that they are not!)

Tweeters should be placed as far away from you ears as possible, I know it sound crazy but hey I've done hundreds (literally) of them and they sound great.

infinity and eclipse have more accurate high ends.JBL is worth considering

Gents,

I'm trying to upgrade the speakers in my '94 4runner. Are my options the same as in the pickup? How about the rear panel speakers? If I choose to put decent larger speakers in the doors vice the OEM dash location, what should I use? Are there already factory holes there?

Thanks.

Bill Chesapeake, VA

Don't know nothing 'bout no 4runner, but if it's like the '94 pickup there is nothing provide in the doors to mount speakers.

That's what they make tin snips for.

Be carefull when upgradeing the rears on the 4runners as if its the same as my 4runner (91 RV6) they use a self amped speaker in the rears and you will require a new head unit if you want to replace the rears.

4runners and Hiluxs in general are good when a decent setup it acheived by someone that knows what the hell they are doing. Ive built several systems in both pickup style and wagon style, all sound fantastic when done right. Unfortunately getting them right is the difficult part, good product always helps so get what ya can afford and get it done or at least advised to locations etc by a professional audio fitter.

Scotty

If you have a pick up extcab you can build speakers into the rear side access panels, I totaly elimanated the front speakers by doing this. very simple to run wiring.

And when you go to a concert do you face that back of the hall?

Front speakers are essential for good sound.

I'm doing the same with a Supra. The stocks are 4"

MB Quart makes a really good 4" for about $60-100 depending where you get them. They also make a 4" 2-piece, the 4" goes in the dash and a tweeter that mounts on the door.

If you're feeling adventurous, you could try to fine a 5". Radio Shack used to offer them, I don't know if they do anymore, they were Optimus. They *will* fit, but only with 2 screws.

Or, go to a car stereo store, pick out a decent 5.25" and mount them to the doors. Get 2 5.25" trim rings; attach the trim rings to the door and the speakers to the trim rings. You may have to cut out some of the door material to clear the magnets. What I did in a Corolla was to buy new 4" for the dash, 6.25's fro the doors, and 6x9's for the rears. I attatched the dash apeakers and the 6x9's to a 55W amp, and ran the door speakers off the 45W head unit. Sounded great!