Hi folks. My BM@ has rear speakers that need to be replaced.
They are 100 mm (4") and 56 mm depth for the OEM measurement. The problem I have is the mount, which is OEM insert, and lock by rotate. I will have to break the locking tabs to get the OEM speakers out, but that leaves me with a strange mount.
I've researched buying new mounts, but there are none, outside of buying a whole new set, and it gets expensive with sub-standard used OEM speakers that would also be ~25 years old. I'd rather buy new more powerful speakers. I just need a way to marry new speakers with the current mount.
Here are some pics of the current situation. Can anybody suggest how I can get this done? I'm thinking crack out the current speaker, and maybe hot-glue those mounting slots closed, then fit and drill new 100mm full-range speakers and use some speaker gasket foam tape as well.
Also, if I increase the max power to say 150 Watts, will the sound get better with the OEM amp? I know there's no increase in power, but a heftier speaker might augment the response. I'm unclear on this concept.
Any insight appreciated. Cheers
They are 100 mm (4") and 56 mm depth for the OEM measurement. The problem I have is the mount, which is OEM insert, and lock by rotate. I will have to break the locking tabs to get the OEM speakers out, but that leaves me with a strange mount.
I've researched buying new mounts, but there are none, outside of buying a whole new set, and it gets expensive with sub-standard used OEM speakers that would also be ~25 years old. I'd rather buy new more powerful speakers. I just need a way to marry new speakers with the current mount.
Here are some pics of the current situation. Can anybody suggest how I can get this done? I'm thinking crack out the current speaker, and maybe hot-glue those mounting slots closed, then fit and drill new 100mm full-range speakers and use some speaker gasket foam tape as well.
Also, if I increase the max power to say 150 Watts, will the sound get better with the OEM amp? I know there's no increase in power, but a heftier speaker might augment the response. I'm unclear on this concept.
Any insight appreciated. Cheers
Attachments
I´d pull the old ones doing least damage possible, fill slots with Bondo to get an even surface and mount new speakers with screws or clamps.
"More Power" speakers will most certainly mean LESS SENSITIVE ones,which will REQUIRE higher driving power ... which you don´t have.
Keep normal power handling, maybe increase it a little but overdoing it may shoot you in the foot.
Check Madison, Parts Express, USSpeakers, the usual known suppliers for modern equivalents.
The original ones must have been very good in their day.
Do not search only for "Car Speakers", modern Hi Fi ones such as Faital Pro may significantly improve your sound, both in quality and sensitivity.
"More Power" speakers will most certainly mean LESS SENSITIVE ones,which will REQUIRE higher driving power ... which you don´t have.
Keep normal power handling, maybe increase it a little but overdoing it may shoot you in the foot.
Check Madison, Parts Express, USSpeakers, the usual known suppliers for modern equivalents.
The original ones must have been very good in their day.
Do not search only for "Car Speakers", modern Hi Fi ones such as Faital Pro may significantly improve your sound, both in quality and sensitivity.
In my VW Golf (Rabbit USA) I fitted Focal brand speakers (separate crossover) and they sounded far better than the Nokia stock ones, but then I also changed the head unit for an Alpine type after a while. I had to use some adapters in order to fit them. Ask the shop or BMW for the adapters. I believe if You use 4 hands and 4 screwdrivers, You can actually loosen the locking tabs without breaking the speakers. Other option would be to order a kit and re-foam them.
If you live in a moist enviro, either rainy or humid, car speakers are an advantage, but regular drivers can still last a long time.
Also, make sure the frame is as close to identical as possible to avoid having to alter things too much.
EDIT: The previous two advisors are good.
Also, make sure the frame is as close to identical as possible to avoid having to alter things too much.
EDIT: The previous two advisors are good.
OK, will self-tapping screws work on Bondo?
I'm not sure what the power rating is on these speakers. Can I test them easily? The original ones...not too sure as it wasn't my car then for first 15 years.
Cheers
I'm not sure what the power rating is on these speakers. Can I test them easily? The original ones...not too sure as it wasn't my car then for first 15 years.
Cheers
I replaced my 1988 VW GTi 16V stereo with an Alpine, new speakers, woofer in trunk lid. Heh that was fun.
It's just the speakers. I don't know if BMW has mounting kits, but I should call them.
So for a kit, where would I find those? I can't find any reference online because the car is that old. Hence the issue of finding solutions.
Breaking the small inner tabs makes the speakers come out. It's the speakers that have the tabs, so I'm not worried. It's just an odd mounting bit that's the challenge.
It's just the speakers. I don't know if BMW has mounting kits, but I should call them.
So for a kit, where would I find those? I can't find any reference online because the car is that old. Hence the issue of finding solutions.
Breaking the small inner tabs makes the speakers come out. It's the speakers that have the tabs, so I'm not worried. It's just an odd mounting bit that's the challenge.
I'm in Toronto. Convertible. I don't even know where I can check to see the power of the rear driver output from the amp. The frame is OEM so it's not affording me a normal 4-screw on flange setup. So this is custom.
Use epoxy or PL Premium to glue a flat piece of FRP or aluminum onto the old OEM frame/mount. Cut a round hole in that and install your new driver. If you wanted to, PCB manufacturing is a very cost effective way to make custom precision plates in FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic/epoxy).
Worst case, find someone who has modeled the whole mount in 3D on thingyverse and print it, modified with your own driver mount.
Worst case, find someone who has modeled the whole mount in 3D on thingyverse and print it, modified with your own driver mount.
No, it will instantly crack, it´s a filler not a structural material.
But you can rotate your new speakers 20 or 30 degrees and holes will be on solid material, which will take self tapping screws.
or cut an adapter disk, actually a toroid/doughnut/washer out of a suitable material (per above suggestion) , mount it to existing frame and and mount speaker to it.
Or remove the whole oval thingie where speaker mounts to, cut a proper sized oval with a round hole in its center and mount new speaker there.
Its size and shape make me suspect the whole frame was originally punched for an oval speaker (5x7"? 6x9"?) which are VERY common car speaker sizes, they decided that was too plain/boring and mounted a 4" better quality more modern speaker instead ... which required some kind of adapter plate.
Just thinking aloud, but you have the actual car in your posession, plus some kind of ruler or tape measure.
And why not straight punch a 4" hole?
I bet they already have a huge, complex, VERY expensive die set to stamp that part and punch/form everything in a single operation and can not remove the speaker hole part, it must be all in one, so they must later deal with the unneeded too large hole with some kind of adapter.
I work since forever with car parts manufacturers , I rent their shop time to stamp my speaker frames, metal corner protectors, strip handles, etc. and am IMPRESSED by the size and scale of the things they do, the huge floor shaking hydraulic and mechanical presses, etc.
Just for fun, a respected Speaker manufacturer had a similar problem, apparently he wanted to make a 12" woofer based cabinet, must have invested a lot, probably stocked on a truckload of 12" speaker frames, *maybe* even had some cabinets made ... and found in that cabinet size (very compact in that era) , 10" was the answer.
What to do? ... what to do? .....
until
,this was his answer:these are much respected (in their day) Advent speakers:
No, factory original Masonite ring adapters (10" cone in a 12" frame/basket):
so if they could do it ....
And not only on woofers ... these are phenolic ring tweeters, same idea.
And they were used in the very best cabinets in their day:
Last edited:
Nothing designed in 3D, but I kind of like the aluminum bit. Thing is, it doesn't really solve much as attachment of the aluminum faces the same issue. Maybe the image can give you a better view.
Attachments
Hi there. The issue is the minimized mounting points on the current mount. I think I have found a proper sized speaker for this, so I will move with that. I will assess the fit when it gets here, but the aluminum sounds promising.
This mount is the only thing holding the speaker in. It's meant for the M3 as well, which has component speakers. My version has the tweeter section filled in. My hole is for a composite 4" (100mm) speaker. I don't own a speaker shop, know anybody, etc. So I have to work with what I have.
Hi there. Ya that is an option, but the image I posted is the issue, as the current mount has limitations. It's not flush all the way around. Check about 3 posts ago.
They rarely are flush. The factory mount in my picture was originally for a 4" speaker and was ported. The drivers were recessed into the front of the mount like yours are. That's a 5¼" speaker in it's place. You'll need to do a bit of trimming, and possibly make the adapter recess into the space a little. Modification is the name of the game in car stereo installation.
My 3 favorite tools to trim those plastic factory speaker mounts were:
-A Dremel rotary tool with a sharp 1/8" drill bit. Grind gently with the side of the bit, not the tip.
-A jig saw with a wood cutting blade on med-slow speed. Too fast and it melts back together where you just cut. If it does melt back, you can use a pair of pliers to break it off along the cut.
-A hack saw blade (without the handle) for straight cuts.
The Dremel is the most useful of the three.
My 3 favorite tools to trim those plastic factory speaker mounts were:
-A Dremel rotary tool with a sharp 1/8" drill bit. Grind gently with the side of the bit, not the tip.
-A jig saw with a wood cutting blade on med-slow speed. Too fast and it melts back together where you just cut. If it does melt back, you can use a pair of pliers to break it off along the cut.
-A hack saw blade (without the handle) for straight cuts.
The Dremel is the most useful of the three.
Seems these are flush due to the nature of the twist and lock feature. I ordered some speakers from Crutchfield Canada and will take out the current drivers when they arrive. I got me a dremel with those bits, so I think I'm good. More on this when the speakers arrive.
Success! Epoxy that I had filled in the backside of the flush mounting flanges for this Fosgate 100mm speaker.
Then the engagement slot on the other side, with some JB Weld. That crap is runny for some time, and wish I had more epoxy for that. I bought some 5-minute epoxy later on, and started with 1-minute epoxy. Gotta work fast with 1-minute, and 5-minute stays runny. So maybe let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes to get some viscosity to it first.
Drilled with self-tapping screws. Held pretty solid. Interesting that the speakers had some long self-tapping screws, with some flasher-type nuts for grabbing, on the other side. If this current mount fails, I'll chase those up.
Sound is good (60W) but wish they didn't distort on low end with volume. I might play with the EQ a bit more. But very happy all the same.
Cheers
OK, some pics.
Then the engagement slot on the other side, with some JB Weld. That crap is runny for some time, and wish I had more epoxy for that. I bought some 5-minute epoxy later on, and started with 1-minute epoxy. Gotta work fast with 1-minute, and 5-minute stays runny. So maybe let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes to get some viscosity to it first.
Drilled with self-tapping screws. Held pretty solid. Interesting that the speakers had some long self-tapping screws, with some flasher-type nuts for grabbing, on the other side. If this current mount fails, I'll chase those up.
Sound is good (60W) but wish they didn't distort on low end with volume. I might play with the EQ a bit more. But very happy all the same.
Cheers
OK, some pics.
