Write-Up: Door Speaker Installation / Replacement : 2000 Land Cruiser

Pics and reference are for a 2000 Land Cruiser.

First, you need to get the right supplies. I purchased (4) Polk Audio DB675 6.75" Coaxial Speakers for the doors. To mount them, I had to trash the factory speakers and then use part of the baskets as mounting brackets. I used the factory wiring with clip to that basket, then wired in the new speakers from there. I'm replacing the amp with an Alpine V12 (or two) and (I initially wanted to) replace the stock 4" woofers with some 4" Kicker midbass woofers (that didn't work out either - went to a single JL 12W3 in a seperate, removable enclosure). I initially bought a Kicker 8" square L5 Sub, but there's no way that it's going to fit in the original enclosure. If the Kicker 4"s don't do the job, then I'll build a small box for the 8" and just have it removable and keep the 4"s for midbass fill.

I initially had some trouble removing the door panels - that pesky door handle is a bear if you don't know how it attaches. You need to remove the power window switch by sliding a screwdriver under the front edge, pushing in on the clip and then lifting it up. From there, you remove the large phillips screw that's down in the access hole under the switch panel. After that, you need ro use a phillips screwdriver and remove the screw that holds the door handle trim ring on the door panel - it's behind that little flap in the middle. Then, use a small flat-head screwdriver to remove the door handle trim ring. To do that, you have to slide it between the pivot parts of the handle and the outer ring, prying the outer ring up and over some little snap-tabs in the back. Take a look at the pic for more detail on how it comes apart. Next, you need to push in the center of the locking tabs on the bottom half of the door and then remove them. Then you use a phillips to remove the screws along the bottom edge of the door panel. On the front doors, you also have two additional screws at the front-top of the panel that are hidden behind some round trim-caps. After all that, then you have to pull outward at the bottom, then slide the whole thing up and off the sheetmetal lip at the top of the door. Don't forget to disconnect all the wiring clips and then you can set the door panel aside.

I used some clippers to snap the plastic speakers from the trim rings. I then mounted my 6.75" speakers in the rings and wired them up. On the clip at the door, the side that has the "blade" on the clip is the positive lead - just look at it and you'll see which one I'm talking about.

I then installed the speakers, wired them up with some crimp-style clips, then replaced everything in reverse.

So far, the sound is MUCH improved with much better clarity and fullness of sound. Next will be the subs and the amp...


(PICS to follow ASAP - I'm having trouble with my hosting page...)

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I have all the wiring sorted out at the amp. It turns out that on a 2000, there is a 14-pin and a 16-pin clip. the 14 pin is for the signal from the headunit to the amp along w/ the dimmer, amp turn on lead, and some other stuff. The 16 pin has larger gauge wire and has the power for the HU and amp from the fuse block, the main grounds for each, & all the wiring from the amp out to the speakers.

The most interesting thing about the whole thing was that the speaker leads from the Head Unit down to the amp was 5 wires - 4 seperate positive leads and a common ground. That's the thing that threw me the most. Once I got that figured out and figured out the dimmer, then I had it made.

I'm VERY happy with the sound quality w/ the Alpine amp in there and the 4 6.75" coax replacements.


It looks like the Kicker Solo-Baric isn't going to work w/o TONS of work. I'm installing a JL 12W3 in a carpeted box - better bass and less work.

pics of the amp installation process. wiring diagram coming soon...


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