New to the forum - blown door speaker - how to tweeters?

[eddievwhalen]

Hi there - first post!

Just bought my 2000 Techno Blue 2.0 Beetle. Had a Yellow one when they first came to the UK but couldn't afford another until now.

Door speaker is blown - took the door trim off yesterday - drilled out the rivets and removed.

Going to buy some decent component speakers - probably going to use 3/4" MDF rings to improve the sound.

Crossover will go in the door. I'm OK up to there but not sure what to do about the tweeter - it's in the A Pillar - no speakers in the dash itself.

I've pulled the tweeter cover off to reveal the tweeter...my question is how do I get to the wiring / get the tweeter out.

Has anyone done a guide on this? If it's too hard I'll just change the woofer foe now.

[eddievwhalen]

OK I've kept reading around - looking at the PDF's on here.

I can see how the tweeter panel can be removed so I suppose my question is really about wiring!

Can I just replace the Door Woofer (and the tweeter) using the respective factory wiring.

Presume that the Crossover that comes with the speakers is included for a reason (it must be configured to the frequency response of the after market components).

[timdrivesbeetle]

yeah, you'll need to use the crossover that comes with the component speakers. Just go off the wire going to the factory speaker.......... that is if your speakers can be run off of the low signal coming from the radio which about no component speakers will. But you can try it. I recommend an amplifier if your gonna run components. I actually didn't feel like cutting so I mounted my tweeters in the side window defroster vents works awesome. Good luck!
If you are interested in some good speakers and amp and subwoofer for cheap check mine out that I'm selling. This gave some awesome sound! Infinity Component Speakers Subwoofer and Amplifer For Sale

[eddievwhalen]

Thanks for that.

I've gone for some cheapish but OK Vibe Kevlar Components - A UK brand. I know that it will most probably sound with the stock radio. I'm thinking of an amp and a sub in the future so it seemed silly to get a speaker that wouldn't handle the upgrade.

The how to on feeding the Power Cable looks doable - obviously I'm right hand drive so it will come out by the glove box.

I think the bit I'm most concerned about is feeding the cable back through the door thingie and up to the tweeter - would be so much easier if the tweet was in the door like the Golf IV or Passat....

If I don't go for an amp I'm thinking a really high power head unit and then a small sub. Like the look of free-air but have read quite a lot on this in the last week as realise that it's not the way to go. Would go down better with the wife though!

Stage 1 is to get the MDF rings attached and the woofer wired up tomorrow!

[DiSiAC]

Well, I did not take pictures of the process because it was so bloody cold out I just wanted to finish.

If you open the door you should see a rubber hose like thing between the door and the body of the car.

What I did was pulled it out of the door and the body, and used a metal coat hanger to fish it into the door, then with lots and lots of tape, i proceeded to pull the wires from the door to the other side of the rubber bit. Once the wire was there, you should be able to do the same thing through the dashboard and all those lovely little body panels. It will take several trys and is an absalute bitch, but it will work.

Figured it would be self explanitory but once the wires are fished properly, force the rubber bits back into the door and car.


As far as mounting the tweeter, what I ended up doing was using pliers and whatever else i could find to make the a pillar spot as flush as possible. From thre I held the tweeter in one hand and a hotglue gun in the other. Try to angle the tweeter for best sound quallity and get some of the hotglue to hold it in place. I will try to get some pictures of that for you in a little while. Hopefully...


Take your time and be sure to drink alot of beer when your done to calm the nerves.

[DiSiAC]

This is not mine, but pretty close to what I did, should help point you in the right direction.

[eddievwhalen]

Thanks. I'm starting to realise that most bits of the New Beetle clip off if you pull firmly!

After thinking about this for a while I've been wondering if I can get away with mounting the tweeters on the doors - be a lot easier to run cables - there is a black plastic bit which could easily have a tweeter glued to it. Anyone else tried / done this.

The tweeter is supposed to be 12" from the woofer. It still wouldn't be that but would be closer than on the original location?

Hope that makes sense!

[DiSiAC]

The reason people mount them in the A-Pillars is to help with the "sound stage"

Because the higher frequency range is incredibly directional, it is best to set them up around ear level and pointed slightly torwards the drivers seat.

You COULD mount them in the doors, but its really not THAT hard to run the wires to the a pillars. Pain in the arse, but do it anyways and you will thank yourself later for the extra steps

[eddievwhalen]

Yes I'm sure you're right. Mounting on the doors would also make taking the doors off a bit of a git!

I've just come off holiday so won't have much time but I've been thinking today that it is best to use the factory positions since it will look standard to the untrained eye.

Lots to do since my friend has offered me a really good price on some 18" RS4's that need a refurb...need more time...

[moongrrl]

Originally Posted by eddievwhalen

Thanks. I'm starting to realise that most bits of the New Beetle clip off if you pull firmly!

ha! lovingly referred to by this beetle's owner as the lego car mentality/aspect of german ingenuity! lolol

melanie

[timdrivesbeetle]

Originally Posted by moongrrl

ha! lovingly referred to by this beetle's owner as the lego car mentality/aspect of german ingenuity! lolol

melanie

I like it!

[evlwevl]

It was a pain to run the wires up from the door to the A-Pillars but it was well worth it. I pulled off the lower kick panels and the large plastic cirgular harness guides behind the kick panels.That helped when pulling the wires from the A-Pillar down under the dash to the inside of the door. I tried to avoid drilling holes into the inner door panel to run my crossovers but there was no way so I drilled the holes down at the bottom of the inner door to not be in the way of the glass. The result worked out great

[timdrivesbeetle]

looks good!