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I know theres loads of threads about rigging up stereo systems with custom built rear cabinet speakers, high output head units and hiden CD changers, but Ive always thought that if you want make your ears bleed then you can always go to a nightclub. So for anyone who, like me, just wants a halfway decent sound system, heres a quick fix.
the only thing wrong with my surf when I test drove it was that the stereo didnt work. At all. The dealer assured me that he would get it fixed,but when i went to pick it up only the front speakers were working. He had even changed the radio cassette for a cd player (bonus!!) as he thought that was the problem. As it turned out, he had to run new wires direct from the front speakes as his "electrcian" couldnt trace the wires from the original multiplugs behind the unit and was convinced the rear speakers were broken. After a bit of cash negotiation for being let down, off i went with a rather tinny sounding CD player. It wasnt long before the front speakers started to break down and crackle, so rather than go back I decided to have a look myself. What a mess! All the original multiplugs from the Toyota unit were in place, but wires had been cut out, stripped, taped up etc, presumably when the dealer had tried to find the feeds for the back speakers.
The CD player was a bog standard Kenwood with two front and two rear outputs, two wires for each. So, I whipped out the dash and I removed those little plastic front speaker boxes and screwed in their place a pair of 41/2" front door speakers from a stripped sierra. The mounting holes lined up great with the lugs on the rear of the dash behind the grills. When I got into the rear speakers i could see that there was a multiplug with 5 or 6 wires that fed the built in amps, and I had no idea how to drive them from a simple 2 wire speaker feed. SO I DIDNT! With the aid of an ohmeter and a bit of wire to extent the probes, I traced two random wires from the speaker feed plug to the miltiplug at the stereo end. I then snipped the 2 corresponding wires that went down to the amp, snipped the two wires attached to the speaker, and spliced them together. Once it was plugged back in, I then had a direct feed to the speaker, bypassing the built in amp. The other end of the wires were then spliced into the rear output from the stereo and ,hey presto, working rear speakers and a fully functioning balance/fade function. It sounds absolutely fine, and all four speakers can handle plenty of bass and volume with no distortion. So if theres anyone out there who wants a simple fix for the rear speakers from a standard stereo unit, I hope this helps.
the only thing wrong with my surf when I test drove it was that the stereo didnt work. At all. The dealer assured me that he would get it fixed,but when i went to pick it up only the front speakers were working. He had even changed the radio cassette for a cd player (bonus!!) as he thought that was the problem. As it turned out, he had to run new wires direct from the front speakes as his "electrcian" couldnt trace the wires from the original multiplugs behind the unit and was convinced the rear speakers were broken. After a bit of cash negotiation for being let down, off i went with a rather tinny sounding CD player. It wasnt long before the front speakers started to break down and crackle, so rather than go back I decided to have a look myself. What a mess! All the original multiplugs from the Toyota unit were in place, but wires had been cut out, stripped, taped up etc, presumably when the dealer had tried to find the feeds for the back speakers.
The CD player was a bog standard Kenwood with two front and two rear outputs, two wires for each. So, I whipped out the dash and I removed those little plastic front speaker boxes and screwed in their place a pair of 41/2" front door speakers from a stripped sierra. The mounting holes lined up great with the lugs on the rear of the dash behind the grills. When I got into the rear speakers i could see that there was a multiplug with 5 or 6 wires that fed the built in amps, and I had no idea how to drive them from a simple 2 wire speaker feed. SO I DIDNT! With the aid of an ohmeter and a bit of wire to extent the probes, I traced two random wires from the speaker feed plug to the miltiplug at the stereo end. I then snipped the 2 corresponding wires that went down to the amp, snipped the two wires attached to the speaker, and spliced them together. Once it was plugged back in, I then had a direct feed to the speaker, bypassing the built in amp. The other end of the wires were then spliced into the rear output from the stereo and ,hey presto, working rear speakers and a fully functioning balance/fade function. It sounds absolutely fine, and all four speakers can handle plenty of bass and volume with no distortion. So if theres anyone out there who wants a simple fix for the rear speakers from a standard stereo unit, I hope this helps.
. since then the rears arer very hit of miss if they work. I had a feeling that it was down to the rear amps failing as the headunit was working fine. but cos i am being lazy and whenever i feel like getting in to look at it, it seems to work again and i dont bother. So my question is cos it wsa all fine before the front poped does the system have some wierd feedback system so that when the fronts go it messes with the rest?? and if i replace the fronts will it all work again or shall i say fu*k it and replace them all and forget the built in amps? Not worryed about doing the work as i have fitted some big ice systems (for mates i hate the stupid bass sound you can hear from about a mile away) i do like quality music that can go load and still handle it!
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