how do you pull apart the front door panels on a '96 L sedan?

 

I'm installing a new set of front speakers into it (i've lived with the horrid stock paper ones for this whole time, and i'm fed up.. crutchfield is having a sale on reasonably priced ones that actually fit without having to cut up the doors --

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-pi9MGcIxbs0/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?i=133CJDD163 )

)

 

Anyway, i'd like to try to minimize damage to the door panels. I'm pretty sure there are a couple of hidden screws, then just "clips" which i can probably pry off with a screwdriver.

 

any one have real-life experience with these doors?

I think the Haynes manuals show the proper way to take them off, ( but I'am not sure) and they dont cost much.

One screw behind the plug in the door handle cup; one screw on the front edge about 2/3rds of the way up; one screw behind the large plug under the door pull. The rest are pine cones (plastic plugs) that pull out with pressure from under neath the panel. Pull the door handle out and then pull the panel out until it clears the handle. Then lift the entire panel up out of the top rail and be careful notto rip out any electrical connections (power windows or door locks.

Northguy

Sounds like you have taken a door panel off before.

Dont the L's have window winders?(live in aus,we have different specs)

By window winder, you must mean manual window cranks. If so, there is a clip that holds the crank on and it can be pushed off with a skinny straight bladed screwdriver, unless you happen to hold the retaining clip puller.

FIRST: You must wind down the window, and remove the "sail" from the side mirror mount. Pops off. Keep the window down

Be careful pulling the "sail" off the door. I believe the clips are built into the sail and are of the hard plastic variety. The kind prone to snapping off.

 

Mount a tweeter in it while you have it off

 

Also when you mount the new speaker, if you use that stock white plastic cradle for the speaker, make a note of its orientation before removal. It points the speaker in a specific direct for both sound projection and clearance on the window when it's down. As setright suggested, leave the window down.

 

-Heikki

I have bought comes with directions and hot line and email help.

In the act of installing two amps, a Blaupunkt head, and 14 speakers in my BMW roadster I used both types of help before I was done.

I don't like to hook up expensive electronics wrong.

Once mounted, make sure the door glass clears the rear of the speaker!!!! It is VERY common to have the door glass hit the speaker and you can end up with a broken window!!! Have some spacers on hand to shim the speaker.

Just replaced a door glass last week for a guy that didn't do this and he just kept running the door glass till it eventually broke.

wow, thanks everyone for the great tips!

 

In terms of the speaker coming into contact with the window, since the window will be in the 'down' position when i remove the panel, will it be obvious when i place the speaker in if there's enough room?

 

I have a feeling that these speakers will fit without any issue, because they are "EZ fit", and in talking with crutchfield, it seems like they only carry -- literally -- two speakers that can actually fit in a gen-2 legacy's door. I guess because of the way the door is designed it's not very deep.

 

Since the little sail piece has to come off too, i decided to take the plunge and buy a set of tweeters off ebay. I bought the stock subaru kit, simply b/c i wanted the 'stock' looking grills. It is easy to replace the tweeter that comes with it with something of a higher quality? (I figure if i'm paying $20 for the tweeter kit, the speakers that it comes with can't be great ;-) )

If you leave the window down while doing the install you shouldn't have any problems. Just realize that when you set the speaker into the door and/if it bottoms out on something that could be the window. So don't force anything.

 

The cradles help raise the speaker out of the door so you may need to use them (I did) but otherwise you should be all right with Crutchfield's info. As someone said, the instructions they send are generally pretty thorough.

 

I did not get my speakers from them, however, I did order my head unit from them and the instructions mentioned every last hidden screw for taking the bezel and console assemblies apart.

 

I have a set of Polk components in my doors, with a crossover mounted behind the "arm rest" part of the door panel. The fit is great and placing tweeters on the sails helps greatly with highs.

 

-Heikki

 

tweeter

thanks again for the help.

 

 

I guess while i'm in the door I can also adjust the glass so that it fits more tightly against the rubber seals. Is that a hard procedure to get right?

 

 

Originally posted by hklaine

If you leave the window down while doing the install you shouldn't have any problems. Just realize that when you set the speaker into the door and/if it bottoms out on something that could be the window. So don't force anything.

 

The cradles help raise the speaker out of the door so you may need to use them (I did) but otherwise you should be all right with Crutchfield's info. As someone said, the instructions they send are generally pretty thorough.

 

I did not get my speakers from them, however, I did order my head unit from them and the instructions mentioned every last hidden screw for taking the bezel and console assemblies apart.

 

I have a set of Polk components in my doors, with a crossover mounted behind the "arm rest" part of the door panel. The fit is great and placing tweeters on the sails helps greatly with highs.

 

-Heikki

 

tweeter

after years of pulling door panels and ripping the plastic clips out I finally went to schucks auto parts store and bought a cheap universal door panel tool. It has all different tips to use for popping different connectors. Get one and make your life easy.

Adwolf..I'll give you the same word of warning I gave someone else when they were pulling their door panels off...BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL when you stick your hands in and out of the access holes. On some vehicles, the metal edges on those holes can be RAZOR SHARP!! Just be careful.

 

- Ed