OEM Subwoofer install in 1.6vti?

[Bmthds3]

Hi

I have replaced my front component speakers, but would like to add a little bass.

I don't have the standard sub, if I bought one, are the cables there for it?

Also would I need to change the side boot trim?

Thank you for any help

[V3nn3tj3]

Have a look if the cables are there. A red connector under the passengerside backlight. Thats your driverside... They might but i think they wont. The subwoofer amp also powers the center speaker in the dashboard.

If it is there. Just a straight install. It should fit without a problem.

[pmatil]

I remember someone saying the side boot trim has a "bulge" if you have the stock sub. Not sure about this though.

[pmatil]

Sorry for the double post (cannot edit my post) but here's the link from another thread: http://www.ds3club.co.uk/forum/ds3/d...810#post340810

[Bmthds3]

Thank you for the replies, I Def don't have the sub, so would need to check for wiring. The link was great, I did search before I posted, but didn't find that.

I will replace rear speakers as well, but haven't seen a post with confirmed size, some say 13cm, others 6" and 6.5" the same as fronts. Looks like I will have to take the rear panel off to find out.

[Bmthds3]

The rears are 16.5cm.

[WTF]

6.5 or 16.5?

[Bmthds3]

16.5cm, same as the front door speakers, just the rears arent components. I've ordered some 2 ways to replace the rears.

I'm not after a crazy setup, I just want better sound. I was surprised at how bad the standard ds3 speakers were. My old c4 had same head unit and the sound was far better.

[Bmthds3]

[pmatil]

Are the front door speakers better than the rear ones? The rear trim is much easier to remove to get to the speakers.

[Bmthds3]

Im no expert with car audio, but as far as I know, most of the sound you get is from the front, so change these first to make the biggest difference.

The rear trim is easier (not changed speakers yet), but the front isnt hard.

Front main Speaker
The scary bit is popping the shiney black trim around the door handle, use a plactic tool and get behind it. In the door electic button pancel there is a screw cover, pop this off with a knife and then unscrew the screw (torx). The plastic electric panel will then slide back and up, disconnect leads. Then its four screws around outside of trim and pull it off and up. I broke about 2 white clips each side, not expense and can get them on ebay.

Once you have the door trim off you will see that the speaker is screwed into a plastic mounting, remove the old speaker.

Then you have a choice, it is likely that the new speaker will be too deep for the plastic mounting. So you either cut the back out in place (or use something hot to melt throught) with danger of bits going down into the door or, drill the rivets out and take the mount out of the door.

If you drill it out like I did, take your time and pop the mount off before the rear of the rivet is loose and could fall into the door space. Then cut whatever amount you need off the mount to let your speakers fit.

Next you need to sort the wiring, there isnt much slack in the cable so dont cut too far away from the plug, I left some small wire tails on the plug end, just incase I needed to put old speakers back in later. I then used some female spade connectors from Maplins (probably cheaper else where).

You will now have to rivet the mount back in, the rivets needed are 8x (4.8mm by 10mm long) with big heads to spread the load. You can use 4.8 by 12mm with a small head and put a 5mm washer behind the head to do the same thing.

Then connect the speaker and screw speaker into the mount. Then replace door panel etc.

Tweeter
The tweeter is easy, get two finger nails or a small flat screwdriver under the cover and pop it off. Unplug the tweeter, detach the tweeter from the cover (from memory, you push a part in at the side). I then cut the wires by the plug. My new tweeters came with some very sticky putty strips, I put this around the top edge of new tweeter and pushed it into the centre of the orginal tweeter cover. Then connected the wires and pushed the unit back into the hole.

I dont have all the picture but I have some. Like I said I am no expert in car audio, so speaker choice is down to you. I did note with these speakers and the standard head unit that the volume now has to be way up. I could probably do with changing the head unit at somepoint to get more Watts.

I hope the above helps

[Bmthds3]

After all that I didnt answer your main question. The fronts on mine are component speakers, eg seperate main speaker and tweeter. The rears have no tweeter and therefore I have ordered 2 way speakers for the rear. Component speakers should be better as you have a sperate speaker doing high and lower range.

[pmatil]

Since you don't originally have the stock sub you haven't got the front centre speaker either. I have the HiFi-system with sub and center speaker but still I find there is a lack of treble (I have adjusted the settings for treble to full boost) so maybe someday I will replace the door speakers. Thanks for the instructions!