1994 Ext. Cab Speakers

[Braxtyn]

Hi everyone. I'm 16 and love my truck. I have been wanting to do speakers but was curious on if I had to also do a head unit. If I were to get better speakers, would my stock head unit work fine? Also if anyone has any budget friendly speaker recommendations. Thank You

 

[H2814D]

Hi everyone. I'm 16 and love my truck. I have been wanting to do speakers but was curious on if I had to also do a head unit. If I were to get better speakers, would my stock head unit work fine? Also if anyone has any budget friendly speaker recommendations. Thank You

If you still have the original equipmennt, your stereo has what is called a CDM that does most of the work for your system. That CDM is the amplifier and the "brains" of the system and it also controls the adjustments on your display. The display portion on the dash is NOT the actual complete stereo. You also may have a cassette player with an equalizer in the middle of the dash, depending on what options came with the truck.

The CDM is an oblong metal box that is mounted above where your right foot would be when you are sitting in the driver's seat. If it has been replaced with something different, since most of our original equipment components are starting to fail due to aged out components inside of them, then the below won't work for you. If not, follow along.

I somewhat depends on what you want your system to do for you. If you are satisfied with the sound it is making now, then you can simply upgrade your speakers with something similar. If you prefer to run that stereo up a bit so your neighbors on the next block can hear it, then adding a stereo amplifier between the CDM and the speakers is an option. There are some companies, I believe Crutchfield is one, but I don't know for sure, that can sell you an amplifier and the wiring harness to hook that up to your original CDM and the new amp and then to the speaker wires.

You can also do the wiring yourself with a bit of knowledge about the CDM outputs for the speakers. I did this many years ago, by just adding an amplifier and splicing in the wiring from it and then back under that dash, tying in the amp output wires with the speaker wires that run to each speaker.. It takes time, but I knew when I was done it would be much better than any other option for me at the time.

Pull one of each existing speaker and note its size, shape, ohm rating, and watt handling capacity. They may or may not still be original. Once you determine what will fit, you can start looking for stuff that is similar. If you want to upgrade to a separate amplifier, you will have to match those numbers too.

Let us know what your plans are now.

 

[jeepin84]

I cannot recommend Crutchfield enough for anyone new to car audio. They are a little more expensive, than scouring the interwebs for the best deal, but they make it super easy to get the right product for you're specific project/budget. And the included freebies like mounting and wiring hardware and the unbelievable level of customer service and tech support...
Well worth the couple extra bucks if you don't have a ton of experience.in car audio.

Also, beware legacy advice. These brands are all made in China or Taiwan or Japan or go knows where else and they get bought and sold by billion dollar investment groups all the time.

A brand name doesn't mean much anymore.
Do your research, find out what companies are manufactured where and by whom. Read spec sheets, educate yourself on how to read those.
Know what companies lie about specs, and figure out HOW they lie.

A lot of times cheaper products have better sound than expensive ones.

I e always loved Infinity for speakers.
Amazing sound quality and energy efficiency.

Just because it says 1000 watts doesn't mean it uses that power efficiently or with CLEAN sound.

THD, or total harmonic distortion, is one of the best indicator of a quality product.

Research, research, research

 

[highwaystar]

Pretty sure the oem speakers were 8.5 or 9 ohms, so if using the oem radio you will need to have speakers in that ohm range or or close. I've heard the modern speakers with 4 ohms etc. may cause resistance in the circuit leading to radio component failure. Another low ohm issue will be distortion with high volume. I replaced the rear speakers in my '94 & instead of removing the panels & avoid breakage, I just cut a hole, r&r'd the speakers then installed speaker grilles over the holes.

 

[Eveready]

When I brought my truck home the radio was non functional. The first thing I tested were the speakers and all 4 were dead. I did the usual install of an aftermarket Kenwood radio which includes a CD player and bluetooth phone connection. All I wanted was a decent sounding radio/CD not a rolling boom box so I installed the cheapest speakers I could find in the factory locations. It sounds great (maybe not loud enough for some) and the phone connection really modernizes the truck. If your factory radio works, enjoy it til it craps out. Most likely new cheap speakers will improve it a LOT.

 

[someotherguy]

Pretty sure the oem speakers were 8.5 or 9 ohms, so if using the oem radio you will need to have speakers in that ohm range or or close. I've heard the modern speakers with 4 ohms etc. may cause resistance in the circuit leading to radio component failure. Another low ohm issue will be distortion with high volume. I replaced the rear speakers in my '94 & instead of removing the panels & avoid breakage, I just cut a hole, r&r'd the speakers then installed speaker grilles over the holes.

Quoted for excellent advice on choosing proper ohms rating on the speakers when retaining the factory head unit. The factory stuff very often doesn't follow the same specs as the most common aftermarket gear.

I gotta say while I do understand your approach on the trim plastics - it's a very valid concern that a lot can get broken while doing this job, even if you're careful.. I shuddered when I read that you cut the pillar plastics. To each their own, like I said I do understand it.

It does speak to the issue though of these plastics being very brittle and you have to take them apart in the correct order. For the B pillar plastics to come out for rear speaker replacement, it's a bit of a job.

Extended cab you'll need to remove the rear seat which is pretty easy, just unbolts off the swivel brackets. Remove the shoulder belts. Remove the jack storage compartment.

Here's really your first chance at breakage, removing this next trim piece, so take it slow and gentle. The rear windshield lower trim piece - there are multiple clips retaining to to the cab - it pops out first at the bottom, then carefully hinge it forward a slight amount away from the cab, then it pops up at the top.

Loosen screws on the door sill plates so that you can unhook the edge of the B pillar from underneath them. Remove all the screws from the lower ends of the B pillar plastics. There are multiple clips retaining them to the cab. Pop the B pillars from the bottom, moving up, so that you're hinging the bottoms towards the middle of the cab. (this is why you had to remove the jack storage compartment.)

There are interlocking fingers at the top of them where they connect with fingers in the trim piece above the rear windshield. *** This is where most people have already messed up and tried to remove that trim piece first, and broke it!!! *** It has screws at each end that hold it in place, but you can't see that with the B pillar plastics in place, and those pieces have the interlocking fingers that require the disassembly process I just detailed. Obviously the upper trim piece doesn't need to come out because now you can see the rear speakers and replace them.

Use a door panel/trim tool (really inexpensive, less than $10 at most auto parts and amzn), take your time, and try to work on a warm/hot day with the interior nice and warm for less chance of breakage.

Richard

 

[Scruffy]

That description will seriously help me “gut” my 92 ecsb. Stock speakers, cheap (Pep Boys clearance in 2004) tuner. Has a cd changer under the rear bench, not currently hooked up. Rear bench will become a tiny sedan delivery-esque platform/speaker box.

Braxtyn, if you are pulling plastics to change speakers, perfect time to add some boom mat type products to the rear of the cab. Will improve your speaker sound while cutting road droning. Biggest things to remember are:
1. Keep it enjoyable -and- affordable.
2. You do not need to do it all at once.
3. If you get mad, you -will- break brittle hard to find trim pieces. GMT400 extended cab guts are not being reproduced currently.

 

[someotherguy]

That description will seriously help me “gut” my 92 ecsb. Stock speakers, cheap (Pep Boys clearance in 2004) tuner. Has a cd changer under the rear bench, not currently hooked up. Rear bench will become a tiny sedan delivery-esque platform/speaker box.

Braxtyn, if you are pulling plastics to change speakers, perfect time to add some boom mat type products to the rear of the cab. Will improve your speaker sound while cutting road droning. Biggest things to remember are:
1. Keep it enjoyable -and- affordable.
2. You do not need to do it all at once.
3. If you get mad, you -will- break brittle hard to find trim pieces. GMT400 extended cab guts are not being reproduced currently.

I've pulled a bunch of them apart, but I did type that from memories that are at least 12 or more years old at this point. So, please forgive any errors or omissions, and feel free to correct me if you find I didn't get it right. Hate to see any good plastics get unnecessarily broken since there's less of 'em every day.

Richard