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Speaker replacement R-Pod 179

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john_benham View Drop Down
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    Posted: 21 Jun 2016 at 2:30pm
Today I replaced the general purpose speakers in our R-Pod 179.

I put in two Infinity Kappas - 3-way audiophile speakers (taken out of a car I sold many years ago - no they weren't getting my Kappas!).  Their additional depth compared to the original needed a spacer.  The original cutout is 6" diameter with a 1 3/4" depth.   I took out the original speakers and marked the speaker cable as to its polarity.  To install the Infinitys, I needed to add a 3/4" space which I chose wood since I have various sizes lying around in the garage.

Using a simple jig saw, I formed my wood round spacer with a 8" outside diameter and a 5" inside diameter for the Infinity speaker.  I simply cut it from spare wood, sanded it from 60 to 220 grit then put some Danish oil on it using 600 grit wet/dry.

Also I measured where the ceiling and Infinity speaker mounting holes were and pre-drilled them.

The ceiling mounting holes in the spacer were recessed to where the screw head was flush with the speaker.  Also the screw hole was the same diameter as the screw as to not stress the wood spacer so it would not split!  I painted the heads of these screws light brown to match the wood in case there was any showing out from the speaker.

The speaker mounting holes were drilled to shaft diameter as to not put additional stress onto the wood also to prevent possible splitting.

I added wood glue to the spacer/ceiling contact and screwed them in firmly.  Not much to grab onto, so one has to be careful.  The wood glue helps keep the spacers firmly in place.

I added silicone caulking to the speaker/spacer contact then screwed them in place after connecting the speaker wires.  Then snapped the speaker grill over the speaker.

The wood and finish match the cabinet wood in the R-Pod.

The end result is superb full-range sound!  CD, FM, or a DVD now sounds great!

The project took very little time and adds quality sound to our R-Pod.

Enjoy,
John B.
Spokane













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Lark View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lark Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2016 at 3:26pm
A perfect job!   Thanks for the pics.  I did the same but painted the rings white and didn't get them as smooth as you did. 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote john_benham Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2016 at 5:22pm
Lark,

Thanks for the compliment.  Your post encouraged me to do this.

Not sure what else I can do: so far - 150 w solar panel; DC/AC 2,000 W inverter; one outlet for the TV wired directly to inverter; four 12v DC plugs here and there; and a slideout window for the one side that really needs it!

My next major project will be make the bed into its 'U' shape configuration for lounging around.  That will mean modifying the mattress into a 'U' shape and adding some edging to support the portion that is taken out but returned for sleeping - like a 'V' berth on a boat.

Later,

John B.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lark Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2016 at 7:15pm
I'm planning on getting a 12 volt subwoofer to put under the bed....
 
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kouka View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kouka Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Apr 2017 at 3:28pm
We just got our 179 about a month ago and replacing the speakers was the FIRST thing I did (those stock speakers are simply TERRIBLE).

I did the same method as the OP, except I just used 1/4" ply I had laying around because the speakers were about the same depth as the stocks. The stocks measured about 7" (vs the new 6-1/2"s), so I made these spacers wide enough that they'd cover the existing holes.

Because of the similar depth, I ordered the Pioneer TS-G1645R. I'm not a fan of Walmart, but $35 through them compared to $50 through Crutchfield. I'm VERY happy with the price vs quality, and made this audio track comparing the 2:
https://soundcloud.com/beware_of_doug/rpod-speakers-stock-vs-pioneer-ts-g1645r







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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kenkolen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2017 at 8:36pm
A couple of questions, the original speakers were the same diameter 6.5"
If so, would a 1/2" spacer bought off the shelf do the trick?
The stock radio has enough power for the infinity speakers?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kouka Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2017 at 10:42pm
The stock speakers are supposed to be 6-1/2", but they must not take into account the white rim.. so with that, you're close to 7". I used the stock speaker as a template for how wide to make the spacers.

A 1/2" thick spacer should work depending on the depth of what you replace it with (I'd guess you'd be fine with 95% of any speaker you choose). I pulled a speaker out first and measured the depth - which was just under 2" (I don't remember exactly). How wide is the spacer you're looking at?

I'm not sure the specs on the stock radio, I believe someone else posted it, but you could google the model number to get that info. The stocks were 30 watts each and the Pioneers I used are 40 watts so there's no issue there. You'd have to look up the specs for the Infinity speakers you are going to use, but unless you're going top shelf, you should be fine.
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