I recently picked up some Polk 6.5" and 6x9 marine certified speakers for next to nothing. I have been looking at how to mount them in my 2000 20i that previously had no stereo. already mounted the deck in the glove box and am thinking the 6x9's should go under the back seats and the 6.5's in the bow in the spaces under the handles. these seem like the common mounting points. the rear is easy, but I am wondering if anybody has experience with how thick the fiberglass is in that spot in the bow and how to route the wiring there. especially the drivers side. also what kind of mounting hardware did you use for the bow speakers? are screws enough and are there any wires I need to be worried about hitting with my saw? lastly how has everyone protected the back of the rear speakers in the storage areas? thanks for any help!
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Only wires up there should be the NAV lights and courtesy lights if you have them. Stainless steel screws are plenty enough hold. Before you cut holes, use painters tape along your cut line to prevent the gelcoat from chipping. Route the wires up tight, run both wires together. I would put them in wire loom to be safe. DON'T use the cheap wire, use some nice stuff!
IMO, I would run all 6.5's through out the boat. 6x9's will work however, most aftermarket speakers are 6.5. 6x9 are rare in factory stereos, especially boats. Crutchfield.com sells speaker baffles to protect the backs of the speaker. -
Thanks! I have high quality wire and components, 6x9's are what i have and they really good quality so that's why i am going this route. I picked up all four polk marine speakers, brand new still sealed in plastic but open box, for $90. I am probably going overkill on the wiring safety (soldering and shrink wrap everywhere with lots of mounting points) and I've worked with fiberglass a lot so no worries there
I should be able to run wire around the inside of the bow from the glove box clear around to the drivers station for the ignition hot wire right? I've looked in there and it looks doable but cant see everything. might have to get my inspection camera out and poke it around in there.
I looked at the baffles and they look a little flimsy, especially if i am still storing small things back there. so i'm thinking i will build small mdf enclosures to install in the storage compartments behind the 6x9's and carpet them with marine carpet and seal them well. might have to see how they last and re-do them later if they rot. maybe i will just fiberglass them from the get go. unless there is another material you suggest?Comment
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Honestly, you would be surprised on the cheap plastic baffles that came factory on my tige. Or use the crutchfield baffles then fiberglass over to make them stronger.
For the power wires of the HU, you might be able to run them down and under the walk way, the easiest way would be around the bow. If you going to add a sub later on, I would run some wire for that too while your in there.
Just a caution, where ever you have to run wire next to exposed fiberglass edges, i would run then through some think rubber hose. I had my tower speaker wires come into the dash but they rested on exposed fiber glass. The glass ate through the plastic wire loom and cut the wires. I used a foot long rubber hose and it solved the problem.
It sucks soldering up under the dash, trying to get my cut wires fixed.Comment
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i looked at going under the floor but getting it routed looked like a nightmare without any access panels. i have to go around the front of the bow for the other speaker anywasy so i might as well run the ignition power wire at the same time. i also think the wires will be exposed to less moisture and moving around in the bow.
thanks for the reminder about running through fiberglass. i have a large assortment of automotive grommets for thru-firewall wiring so i will use those.
this would all be so much easier if the boat had come with a stereo installed in the first place
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