Jeep cherokee door panels question

[dtavano 10+ year member]

Ok, I have a problem. I am planning on purchasing 6.5" speakers for my 2001 Jeep Cherokee Sport. The car has 5.25" speakers so I'm obviously going to have to do some modifications. My parents own this car and obviously have concerns with me cutting up and whatnot the door panels.

Here is a picture of the door panels. (this is from ebay so the image might go away.)

Now, I have a few questions. First of all, how difficult would this be to install the speakers period. I understand I am going to need baffles for the speakers. Can these just be purchased somewhere(local car audio shop?) If I have to cut them myself, do you think I could get away with cutting the circle with a wizard(rotary tool with several attachments, can cut MDF with ease, if I need to cut any metal it can do that as well?) Also, if I can fit it in without cutting the visible door panel itself, would the sound be altered or muffled due to the crappy OEM grill being small and crappy in and of itself? If not, I'm guessing I'd have to purchase a 6.5" grill. Can the door panel be cut and have the new grill filling the void and look somewhat professional(aka sellable?)

I also don't understand how I could aim the speakers. Do you just stick washers between where the baffle attaches to the car to angle it?

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[audiobahnuser18 5,000+ posts]

alright man you seem like a newbie so i'll help you out. go to your local hardware store and get about 4ft of mdf board just incase u mess up in the cutting measure the speaker you are putting in and make bracket's now you can do alot to the doors deading , pod's etc....but seem like u just want a basic set up so take the wires from your stock speakers off the stock speakers well sry first take out the stock speaker should just be held in by screws then splice the wire that's on there or just use the same wire to your new speakers.

 

[dtavano 10+ year member]

Uh, well first of all these speakers are going to be run to an amplifier but that's irrelevant... I know how to run wires. Could you possibly help more specifically on some of the questions. Here they are in a nutshell:

1. Do I have to cut out that stock speaker vent/grill on the door panel to better allow the sound into the cabin or does that not really have an acoustical effect?

2. How can I aim the speakers or is it not necessary?

Here is my current setup:

HU: Alpine 6852

Sub amp: JL 500/1

Subs: 2 12w3v3 @ 28Hz

Component amp: Cadence Z200(125 W x 2)

Front components: Stock

Backs: Removed

Adding in:

Front Components: CDT CL-S60A

40^2 feet of eDead v1SE^2 in the doors.

Of course I want the easiest way and less damaging way possible to do this, but I really don't want it to turn out shitty musically. After all, why would I buy decent gear and not use it properly?

 

[Andrew Capps 10+ year member]

not sure if you figured this out yet but I have a Jeep Cherokee and I had to do a couple mods:

1. I had to make something to sit the speaks out of the original hole they went in so the window wouldnt hit the magnet when I rolled it down. I used 1" thick plastic that I get for free at work.

2. Cut the grill off of the door so the panel will fit back on and then put the speaker in and the grill on.

It will hurt resale value (unless you leave the speaks in) but I'm not worried about that. Mine goes offroad all the time and gets beat up on the outside... If you're worried about cuttin the door, fiberglass kick panels or I have q-logic kick panels I would sell you that will fit in your jeep too.

hope that helps