I popped off the cover for the front door speakers and they look like 4" stock speakers. What's the largest size I can fit into that spot? I'm willing to cut and modify a bit, if I have to.

I searched here and it looks like some of you guys were able to put 6.5" speakers there... how is that possible?

Also, any pics would also be helpful!

Thanks

I have no idea about the answer to your question but wish to mention that a huge part of speaker sound quality and particularly low-end response is not just speaker diameter but also excursion - which factors heavily into overall displacement. For example both the MTX 9500 and the JL W7 10" woofers displace more air - and therefore have deeper response and play louder than the 10" Kicker L7 "square" woofer which has more surface area.

I know that you're not talking about subs, but the same concept applies.

The point is, factor in a speaker's Xmax when shopping for whatever size ends up fitting. A 5.25" speaker with a long Xmax (linear excursion before voice coil begins sticking past magnet) can often respond deeper than a poorly made 6.5" ... etc.

Thanks for the reply. I measured the stock speaker and it is indeed only 4". It's difficult to find 4" speakers so with your explanation, 5.25" speakers should work nicely also. But how can I fit larger speakers into that plastic casing?

Nevermind the 4" comment. I re-measured from screw to screw and it is indeed 5.25". The speaker itself is only 4", but the mounting holes are 5.25.

wait, are your speakers oval? Crutchfield seems to indicate the 97 Rodeo has 4x6" oval speakers.

I dunno why Crutchfield lists only ovals. The rears are ovals, I think about 4x6 and the fronts are circles.

IIRC, it is indeed 4" speakers that go in the front stock locations. I'm in the process of tearing down my door panels to add 6 1/2" units instead by adding pods and fiberglassing the panel. Though the screw 2 screw measurements are longer, the speakers you are looking for will be listed as 4's.

I dont know where to measure from. The speaker itself, meaning if I only measured the diameter of the cone is 4". But if I measure from the whole unit, which includes the speaker brackets, then the diameter is 5.25"

What I want to know is what size speaker I need to buy to swap in to the stock location without modifying anything.

Thanks

there's not really a specific exact place to measure on a speaker to get the diameter. I will say that I work for a speaker manufacturer (MTX) and have on my desk right now a 4" speaker and a 5.25" speaker...
the 4" one measures 4.7" from screw-hole to screw-hole diagonally and the 5.25" one measures 5.5" from screw-hole to screw-hole.

hope that helps.

If you're completely lost, just take the speaker out and bring it with you to a store like circuit city or whatever and hold it up to the speakers they sell, and see which one lines up with it.