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March 28, 2024 
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Installing 6.5" speakers in kick panels
Last Updated: June 22, 2003

A good set of aftermarket 4x6" speakers add another level to your music, and generally sound pretty good if you buy the right one. But even the best 4x6" speaker will not sound as good as a 6.5" speaker in the same place. The 4x6" speaker is designed to fit into a factory space and provide a good sound with easy installation. But its inferior design does not allow it to produce such desirable sounds as are produced from the 6.5" round speaker.

This article will take you on a step by step journey to replace your 4x6" kick panel speakers with a set of round 6.5" speakers and help to take your music to an entirely different dimension.

Tools for the job Phillips head screw driver, 4mm socket and ratchet or needle-nose pliers, good ole set of wire cutters/strippers (or other tools that can strip and cut), 10 or 13mm socket, speaker mounting pattern, magic marker, tool to cut the hole into your kick
panel (I used a jig saw).

Step 1: Getting the kick panel out First you will have to take off the colored trim piece that runs beside your door on the floor. This will require the phillips head screw driver. After removing this you will have to take off a cover under each side of the dash, this also takes the phillips head. Now you will have to deal with the stud that goes through the kick panel and the dash cover and goes into the firewall. It looks like a small star head and can be tough to remove. I have found that a 4mm socket fits it perfectly with no danger of rounding the star head off. If you do not have access to a 4mm socket, a good set of needle-nose pliers will work(but a 4mm socket makes it much easier). Next you will have to get the kick panel out, the only thing that should be holding it in now is a tab going into a slot in the floorboard, and possibly a screw on the side of the kick panel closest to the door. Now the kick panel should be easy to move, so just disconnect the wires from the speaker (leaving enough to splice into later), and the kick panel is free to leave.

Step 2: Removal of the old speaker, and cutting for the new one The speaker will be held in with small nuts either 10 or 13mm. These are simple to remove. Next you will need to examine the back of the kick panel to see where you will have proper clearance for the 6.5" speaker. Next you will need your pattern. Most after market speakers come with a mounting pattern, my 6.5s came with 2, one smaller one to allow for clearance of the bottom of the speaker, and one larger one the size of the circumference of the whole speaker. You'll want to use the smaller one because you will need to bottom mount the speaker to allow for proper clearance.

Now keeping clearance in mind mark your pattern onto the front of the kick panel with the magic marker. Once you have a good visible line that is reasonably straight and in a circle its time to cut! This part can be fairly complicated because of the plastic bracing on the back of the kick panel. On mine I used a hacksaw blade to remove some of the braces, this may not be totally necessary though. So now with your jigsaw or other cutting tool just cut out the circle.

Step 3: Installing the new speaker, and your newly modded kick panel. Now that you have the hole cut you can place the speaker into the top of the hole. If everything went well cutting, the speaker should sit perfectly; centering in the hole and there should be area all around the speaker mounting ring to put the screws in. If it is not perfect (and trust me, perfect is hard with these), you may need to use some washers to insure the screw stay in place, and doesn't pull through the side. Be sure to install the grills on the speakers too, because the fragile area of the speaker is now in a high traffic area. And after all this work we'd hate for a stray foot to break the speaker. Once you get them securely fastened in you can start to put your new toys back in.

Reinstallation is just like removal. If you have done it correct there should be no clearance issues, and it should install just like stock. Only you will have a speaker sticking through the outer part of the kick panel.

I would like to take this opportunity to say that this is not the easiest mod to complete, and more importantly to complete right. If you are skeptical you may just want to go with a good 4x6" speaker and save some trouble, and possibly save your kick panels.

BerettaSpeed.com does not assume any responsibility for accidents or mishaps with this project. Remember to always take the proper precautions when using any dangerous tool. Thanks!

contributed by: Kurt Workman
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