My Speaker Install (using new speaker adapters)

[Agent WD-40]

I just wanted to post a few pics and comments on my speaker install. I put some Hertz HSK 165 speakers in over the weekend. My goal was to install the new speakers in a way that would allow me to put everything back to stock and make sure nothing rattled or would cause problems down the road.

Here were the instructions I used to pull the door panels: http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124391

Here is a great video from JohnyComeLately on doing his HSK 165 speaker install (the tip on how to modify the tweeter mount was especially useful): http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152383

List of products used:
Dynamat Xtreme
RAAMaudio Ensolite
http://car-speaker-adapters.com speaker adapters (Camaro Specific Speaker Adapters Link)
******** 2010 & Up Camaro Speaker Replacement Harness
Hertz HSK 165 speakers
Monster Cable 16g (twisted and has an extra jacket)
Parts Express Speaker Gasketing Tape 1/2" and 3/8" widths (1/8" thick)
Extra Christmas Tree style door clips (you will break them and it is best to start with extras)
Industrial Strength Velcro, zip ties, solder, etc

Sound Deaden the Doors:
Fist thing I did was take my doors apart and Dynamat the inside. The 1st pic is the stock sound deadeing (which is weak) and the second shows after I put Dynamat down. I will say the door sounds much more solid when closing it now that I have Dynamat on it. Sort of like closing a vault door.

Prep & Mount the Speaker Adapters:
Fist I should say these speaker adapters I used from car-speaker-adapters.com are not on their website yet but they will be added soon. They currently only list them for a generic GM application (these were only 1" thick the Camaro is closer to 2.5" thick). I'll post more details when they are up on the site. I should mention I have no affiliation with that site, I'm just pleased with the product.

Next thing I did was seal up the holes in the speaker adapters I used, mount my speakers, and mount the new speaker adapters into the car. To seal them I cut a piece of Dynamat to width and rolled it around the speaker adapter. This sealed up the holes nicely.

I used the 3/8" wide speaker gasket foam on the back of the speaker adapter plate to provide a cushion between the door and the speaker adapter, similar to the stock speakers.

Once I mounted the speakers in the adapters, I used 2 layers of the 1/2" wide speaker gasket foam on top of the speaker similar to the foam around the top of the factory Boston speakers.

To mount the speaker/ speaker adapter in the door I used the stock factory top mount and bolt. The bottom mount on the new speaker adapter doesn't have the lip that slides over the edge of the metal like the stock adapter. It has two holes to put screws or bolts through instead. I didn't want to drill any holes in the metal part of the door so I found a way to mount them without drilling.

If I slid the adapter up about 1/8" the holes at the bottom of the speaker adapter lined up just above the metal edge on the door (see this in the 3rd pic on the 2nd post). I was able to use a bolt and washers to secure the adapter to the metal door. I used a washer so its edge would grab the metal edge behind the door and another one on the front held against the speaker adapter. This way I didn't need to drill any holes. If you look at the pictures I should make more sense.

I used all stainless steel bolts and washers. I used a 3/4" #10 bolt and a nylon lock nut to secure everything. For washers, I used a 1/4" and #10 washer on the inside part of the door and a #10 washer on the outside. I put the 1/4" washer against the inside edge of the door; this allowed me to get a slightly better bite against the door than the #10 washer would have. Again, see the picture I have in the 2nd post below The picture of the bolts on the cardboard shows the washers in the order I installed them.

Door Panel Prep
For the plastic door panel I put Ensolite foam wherever possible on the inside and mounted my crossover to the inside (toward the back below the arm rest). I mounted the crossovers with industrial strength Velcro which should keep them in place. I tucked the wire running up to the tweeter in the same clips some factory wire was tucked in. This should keep it all in place and keep it from rattling.

Final Wiring
I used the ******** speaker harness and soldered my new cable to this. I ran cables coming out of the door and back to the woofer in the door next to the factory wire bundle inside of the door. I zip tied these wires to that cable to keep it all in place. I punched a small hole the black factory vapor barrier and connected everything up to the crossover. From there I put everything back together. I have these pictures in the 3rd post.

I haven't had a chance to listen to this much. I'll post more impressions when I get more seat time. So far I'm happy though.

**EDIT** I added the link to the Camaro Specific Speaker Adapters above and again here

[Agent WD-40]

Here are some pictures from mounting the speaker adapters.

[Agent WD-40]

Door Panel Prep and Final Wiring Pics

[BUMBLE-B-TUNA]

Good job and nice write up. I'm going to be doing the same in the near future but haven't picked out a speaker yet, how do you like the Hertz? Are they bright/harsh at higher volumes? I'm looking for something that won't make my ears bleed, I like it loud for long periods of time.

[theothermike]

good initial application. as your system needs expand and your desire for extensive midbass increses, you will need to dampen your outer sheet metal of the door around the driver and across the braces. also wrapping the wiring and loom of free connectors and pull toggles for door latches and such helps from them hitting the metal and making a sound. I also suggest dampening your door skin as that is the main contributor for midbass noise. clay is also a great option to use when dampening your adapter.

[Agent WD-40]

Originally Posted by BUMBLE-B-TUNA

Good job and nice write up. I'm going to be doing the same in the near future but haven't picked out a speaker yet, how do you like the Hertz? Are they bright/harsh at higher volumes? I'm looking for something that won't make my ears bleed, I like it loud for long periods of time.

Too soon to say. I haven't finished the passenger side yet so I don't really have a good sense with just one speaker. I ran out of wire and didn't get it back together just yet.

I'll post my impressions when I do get it finished up though.

[Agent WD-40]

Originally Posted by theothermike

good initial application. as your system needs expand and your desire for extensive midbass increses, you will need to dampen your outer sheet metal of the door around the driver and across the braces. also wrapping the wiring and loom of free connectors and pull toggles for door latches and such helps from them hitting the metal and making a sound. I also suggest dampening your door skin as that is the main contributor for midbass noise. clay is also a great option to use when dampening your adapter.

I actually did get more Dynamat around the driver and cross braces, I just put it on the back side of the metal.

That is a good suggestion to wrap the wires up to prevent them from banging around. I tried to put a few pieces of Ensolite in areas I thought they may contact the door, but not nearly as much as I could have.

Are you also suggesting I replace the black factory vapor barrier with a sheet of Dynamat? I thought about doing that but figure it seemed fairly thick compared to the flimsy plastic vapor barriers I have seen on other cars.

I didn't even think of putting Dynamat on my plastic door skin. I'll have to look at that next time they come off.

[Agent WD-40]

One other suggestion I'll give to anybody looking to do this is get some of the extra Christmas tree style door clips that hold the door skin into the metal door frame. The Camaro has 2 different styles, one is white and the other is black. You are likely to break a few pulling the door off and it is better to start with extras than be looking for them at the last minute.

They are about $4.50 each so they aren't cheap.

[2010SSRSM6]

Originally Posted by Agent WD-40

One other suggestion I'll give to anybody looking to do this is get some of the extra Christmas tree style door clips that hold the door skin into the metal door frame. The Camaro has 2 different styles, one is white and the other is black. You are likely to break a few pulling the door off and it is better to start with extras than be looking for them at the last minute.

They are about $4.50 each so they aren't cheap.

And usually not available at the dealership.............

Between those and the stupid black push/lock tabs (in the trunk and under the hood) I about blew a gasket.

You don't have to cover everything to get the benefit of the matting. About 25% coverage will get you a good amount of deadening and will help keep the added weight down.

[jeepguy_1980]

Originally Posted by 2010SSRSM6

And usually not available at the dealership.............

Between those and the stupid black push/lock tabs (in the trunk and under the hood) I about blew a gasket.

You don't have to cover everything to get the benefit of the matting. About 25% coverage will get you a good amount of deadening and will help keep the added weight down.

What should that 25% include?

[Icefsh]

Really like your speaker adaptors. Might have to switch over to them. Sould sound great. Which amp are you running?

[JohnnyComeLately]

Nice write up and pics. Thanks for the link over to my write up.

[Agent WD-40]

Originally Posted by Icefsh

Really like your speaker adaptors. Might have to switch over to them. Sould sound great. Which amp are you running?

Yeah, I'm quite happy with the speaker adapters. They seem sturdy, fit well, and should hold up great. They have 3 different screw hole patterns on them so I didn't need to drill new holes or widen existing holes to screw my speakers in. I have had to do that with other mounting brackets in the past.

I realized after my install they came with clips and screws that make it so you don't have to use the bolts like I did. I guess using the clips and screws would allow you to mount them without having to drill into the door as well.

I'm using an Audison LRx 6.9 amp. It is a 6 channel, but I'm running it as 5 (4x to the doors, 2x bridged to 1 for the sub). I am very happy with it. It sounds great and has plenty of power to push my speakers and JL Stealthbox (single 12w6 version). It also has a lot of adjust ability which is nice. It was only one of a few amps that had ~500 watts x1 @ 2 ohm. There weren't many options for 5 channel amps that are 2 ohm stable on the sub channel.

I started out with a JL Audio HD900/5 amp but it weakened my radio reception by 50-60%. I was able to restore it to about 90-95% as good as stock using ferrite clamps on the input and output wires. It still bothered me so I sold it and got the Audison. Outside of the radio reception I was very happy with the JL amp. I listen to the radio a lot and I travel outside of the metro area enough that the weaker stations would get fuzzy in areas they never had stock, even with the ferrite clamps. For somebody that listens to radio where the signal is strong or just listens to iPod/CD it is a great choice.

Through all this I did learn that class D amps can cause radio reception issues. Some cars are better than others and where you have the amp installed can also have an effect. It sounds like the Camaro is more sensitive to class D interference than other vehicles. The tech support guy I spoke with at JL Audio said he has personally done 6 installs with that amp and only 1 of them had an issue a radio reception issue.

[Agent WD-40]

Originally Posted by jeepguy_1980

What should that 25% include?

I would say do areas that sound more hollow than others when you knock on them. Try to get the piece in the center of that area.

I knew this but the shotgun approach works and was a little quicker. I also wasn't too concerned about the extra weight.