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ben
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3/30/2008
19:16:48

Subject: Help!
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i have a 2000 dakota and i just tried taking the passenger side door panel off to get to the speaker only to find a thin piece of vynel-like coer over the entire inside of the door. i was able to get the panel loose but i couldnt figure out how to detatch the door mechanism or the wires from the panel. its unscrewed and just hangs from the wires and door mechanism if i let go of it. so i just put it back on. any feed back asap would really be helpful.



Jimmy9190
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3/30/2008
23:20:45

RE: Help!
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The vinyl piece you describe is the moisture barrier. It helps to keep water and mositure inside the door from leaching thru the door panel into the interior of the truck. It also serves as a sound deadening material. The wires you describe must be the rods for the door lock and latch. Each one should be a metal rod about 3/16" in diameter. Look at the back side of the handle assembly and you should see a plastic clip holding the right-angled ends of the rods in to the holes on their respective parts on the handle assembly. Push the clip off the rod and rotate it out about 45 degrees and the rod can be removed from the assembly.

Just be sure before you reinstall the door panel that you take a look further back down toward the outside edge of the door and see that the little plastic guides for each rod are still snapped into the door. If they are left loose or come loose in the door you'll have an odd rattle when the door is closed. I just had to fix that very same rattle on my truck last weekend.

Jimmy



ben
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3/31/2008
01:19:17

RE: Help!
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ill have to give it another shot in the morning. how do i get to all the speaker wires with that moisture barrier on there? plus theres the electrical wires that i couldnt figure out how to unclip. of course i could only pop the panel off so far with the bar still attatched to it so i really didnt get a good look at it. thanks for the info jimmy.



ben
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3/31/2008
01:25:42

RE: Help!
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oh one more thing, could i just rip out the moisture barrier and be fine?



Jimmy9190
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3/31/2008
11:17:33

RE: Help!
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Sounds like you have the factory tweeters on the doors. Just unplug them to remove the door panel. The moisture barrier does not cover the speaker. With the door panel removed you can remove the 3 phillips screws holding it to the door and remove the speaker. Then just unplug it. Best Buy, Circuit City and car audio stores sell harnesses that plug in to the factory speaker plug to simplify the installation of new speakers. The harnesses are inexpensive, and the store may also have the brackets you might need to install aftermarket speakers if you need them.

It's not a good idea to leave the mositure barrier off the door. You would be surprised how much noise it actually reduces. Plus it does serve a very good purpose in keeping water out of the interior of your truck.

Good luck with it.

Jimmy



ben
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3/31/2008
12:53:51

RE: Help!
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ok that helps. i better not remove that barrier for those muddin days!im actually swappin the speaker in the passenger door that makes no sound at all, with one from a '98 durango which has some good bass compared to the speakers currently in my truck. should all fit together, they are the same size



ben
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3/31/2008
17:35:07

RE: Help!
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well at least i now know how to remove and put back on a door panel and speaker. turns out the '98 durango and my '00 dakota have different speaker connections. well thanks for the help.



Jimmy9190
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3/31/2008
17:51:11

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Is not too hard to splice in connectors on the speaker wires to get the speaker from the donor truck to work in your truck. You can crimp on some insulated spade connectors and slide those on the terminals for the replacement speaker or solder some wire on to the terminals on the replacement speaker and splice them to the wires in your door. Soldering would be the more reliable method. Take the replacement speaker and temporarily attach a wire to each terminal, then use a 9volt battery and touch the wires one to each terminal of the battery. The speaker cone will move and make a popping noise. When the cone moves out and away from the magnet, you have the polarity correct. That is to say you have identified which terminal on the replacement speaker is positive and negative. Then you can splice in to the wire in the door. I think in the 2000 the positive was green/white and the negative was brown/orange, but it has been a long time. I can help you identify the polarity if you will reply with the colors of the wires in your door.

Jimmy



ben
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4/01/2008
01:04:21

RE: Help!
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jimmy man thanks for the help, i really appreciate it. the speakers off the durango are actually much thicker than the ones on my truck now.the part of the panel isnt thick enough at the speaker. i plannin on just buying some new speakers anyways, just i have no clue what to get. plus i got to wait for this darn snow to melt, then i can get back to work at the golf course and get some new ones w/ some bass. i think it be better than swappin with 10 year old speakers now that i think about it. but for my first time tinkering on my truck im satisfied.ill definitly speak up if i have trouble. but would you be able to point me in the direction of some speakers that have good bass, are durable, and are around $100-$130?



Jimmy9190
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4/01/2008
09:12:02

RE: Help!
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Take a look at the back side of the door panel and see if there is a plastic ring that protrudes from the outer edge of the speaker grille in the door. If it is there, it may be hitting the new speaker and not allowing clearance to reinstall the door panel. You might try cutting that plastic ring off and see if it works that way.

If not and you choose to replace with aftermarket speakers, there are a lot of really good brands available in your price range, and they will all give good sound with your existing system. Best Buy, Circuit City or any good car audio shop can sell and install the new speakers for you. You will likely get a little better and more personal service at a good independent car audio store. My personal preference is for Alpine and JL Audio, but let your own ears and budget determine what you buy.

Jimmy



ben
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4/01/2008
11:59:41

RE: Help!
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sweet dude thanks! ill hit up some stores once i get the $$$!



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