How did you cut the holes for speakers behind your seat?

[Keepontrucking]

I've got my 4s in the dash. But I'm trying to figure out how to cut out my speakers holes for the 6.5s behind the seat and above the seat belt where most people put em. How are y'all cutting into the metal to make a perfect circle? Sawzall, angle grinder????? Any tips would be much appreciated!

[pennyman1]

hole saw - they make an adjustable one but it is usually used in a bench press. A jig saw should be the easiest way to cut the hole if you can't find the hole saw the right size.

[geezer101]

I have to say something - cutting any metal out of the cab pillar is a recipe for disaster. If you took a decent hit side on the pillar would tear apart - right next to your head. Here in Australia performing that modification would be deemed an instant structural defect and the vehicle would be junked. Unfortunately the single cab of these trucks were never built with any reasonable car audio install in mind. I would install either 5.25" or 6.5" splits in the doors and windscreen pillars and fit a slimline sub box either under or behind one seat, and a 4 channel amp similarly on the other side. It would be more than enough to loosen your dental work and would sound way better than a 6.5" dual cone right next to your head.

[pennyman1]

That is a valid point. I know the Macrocabs have a shelf to put speakers in behind the seats, but nothing in the standard cabs. My 84 s15 had holes in that pillar from the factory for speakers, but then GM never cared about the car's occupant's safety so...

[finalfighter]

some second gens had speakers on the panels above the seat belt. this is on an 87 4x4 cab.
17350

[geezer101]

I really don't think there'd be enough sheet metal to allow a 6.5 to be cut into a single cab pillar to start off with! If I wanted to get fancy shmancy I would make a custom bulkhead over the rear windscreen and fit the rear speakers into it (with a nice pair of map lights to boot).
But meh, that sounds like hard work :rolleyes:

[Keepontrucking]

Is mine considered a macro cab? The hole that final fighter is showing is exactly what I'm trying to do. The biggest hole saw bit i could find was 5". I think I'm going to go for it tomorrow.

[geezer101]

Have you removed the seat belt and pillar trim yet? There might already be a cut out in the pillar (more than likely there is - there would probably be a more up spec'd model that ran a 4 channel stereo in it)

[pennyman1]

keep in mind that the hole for the speaker would not be 6.5" anyways - the 5" hole with a spacer would work fine.

[DroppedMitsu]

Geezer, some trucks came with the hole in the B pillar, so there's really no harm in cutting it open if yours doesn't have the hole, matter of fact there is a perfect indentation for the speaker to be mounted there.

And you don't need a 6 1/2" hole saw for a 6 1/2" speaker, I think it takes like a 5 or 5 1/4" hole saw since the actual magnet and stuff isn't 6 1/2".

[geezer101]

I would find it weird that any manufacturer would alter their panel dies just for a speaker cut out.

[Jeff V.]

I would find it weird that any manufacturer would alter their panel dies just for a speaker cut out.

I agree with you. But there's a service diagram in the factory service manual. What finalfighter posted is legit. I can post the relevant scans of the pages if anyone is curious.

There's a lot of weird shit on these trucks that I think was done to satisfy Dodge. The optioned out Ram 50s are plenty rare enough, but finding that stuff on a Max is damn near impossible.

[Chargerx3]

I'll be cutting the holes myself. Like Jeff mentioned some of the rams had the holes along with speaker guards. Had the opportunity to pick some up but passed. Wish I would have nabbed them.

[ragragtimetime]

keep in mind that the hole for the speaker would not be 6.5" anyways - the 5" hole with a spacer would work fine.

I was able to obtain spacers from sony for free.